Bread, wine and spuds

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This was published 12 years ago

Bread, wine and spuds

Village feel ... Market Street.

Village feel ... Market Street.Credit: Kristin Lee

Among the autumn leaves, Kristin Lee discovers a town with gastronomic heart and growing appeal.

I'm walking along Trentham's charming High Street. The gold and orange autumn leaves of this slower-paced rural town are beginning to delicately spiral to the ground.

The town, settled in 1855, has largely been involved in agriculture, notably potato farming, because of its rich, red volcanic soil.

Timber and gold followed, while the Trewalla Brothers Foundry became the largest employer in the town during the first half of the 1900s.

Although spud growing is not as prolific, authentic tourism-based experiences are helping the town to gracefully re-emerge.

Today, the community of about 630 permanent residents is a mix of traditional farming families, retirees and, more recently, tree-changers.

When chatting with part-time local Jacinta Carboon, who along with her husband Steve Manifold owns the Trentham Antiques, Gifts and Chocolates store, it's clear she is enamoured with the place.

"I have always loved Trentham," says Carboon, who used to visit on trips to Daylesford and for the past three years has been dividing her time between working in Melbourne and living in the country town.

"It's got a really lovely feel about it," she says. "It's a quirky little place and has a lot going on. And it doesn't matter how much activity there is here, it will always be a village."

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According to Carboon, who is also the committee chairperson for this year's off-the-wall Spudfest event at Trentham, the town has an "eclectic group of people".

"If there is a social event on, everyone heads to it," she says. "It really is an engaging place."

But when the long-standing Cosmopolitan Hotel, the town's lifeblood, was burnt in 2005, Trentham essentially went into a bit of a lull.

Today, the Cosmo, as the locals call it, along with some newer and well-established businesses, are helping to bring the town back to life.

"You can really see it evolve into a nice little place and it's good to see things happening," Carboon says. "People from Daylesford have recently started to stop and take note and say that 'they often drive through but have never stopped', but they now do."

Events

The Great Trentham Spudfest (today and tomorrow, see trenthamspudfest.org.au): Now in its fourth year and forming part of this year's Daylesford Macedon Produce Harvest Week Festival (until tomorrow, see dmproduce.com.au), this exceptional event celebrates the unassuming spud and its bygone relationship to the area. High Street is closed off for a weekend of spud finger food, cook-offs plus an array of entertainment and games such as the spud masher, spud skittle and spud and spoon race. The Trentham Historical Society runs some popular spud hut tours.

The Truffles and Wine Festival (July 2-3, victrufflesfestival.com.au): The festival includes events such as truffle cooking demonstrations, wine and truffle tasting, plus truffle hunts in the field with dogs and pigs.

Trentham Farmers' Market (third Saturday of the month): Held in the picturesque town square on the corner of High Street and Cosmo Road, this fabulous little market sells regional produce from 9am to 1pm. The Maker's Market, alongside the Cosmopolitan Hotel, is also held on the same day, selling handcrafted items.

Trentham Market (fourth Sunday of the month): Conducted at the old railway station in Victoria Street from 9am until 2pm, this market offers a mixed bag of newly made and baked products plus second-hand goods.

Trentham Easter Art & Craft Show (Good Friday to Easter Monday): Held recently at the Mechanics Hall, this annual exhibition includes photography, ceramics, embroidery and jewellery.

Where to eat

With an emphasis on fresh, seasonal and locally grown produce, exciting things are happening on the foodie front.

The Cosmopolitan Hotel: Built about 1866, although fire damaged, the building's weatherboard facade largely remains intact. Since acquiring the hotel in 2009, part-owner Rod Hughes, along with his business associates and chef Chris Wilding, have been gradually re-establishing this Trentham icon, with the restaurant now operating out of its lovely refurbished stables at the rear. Already receiving a nod in The Age Good Food Guide 2011, equally welcoming is the fetching heritage garden, which sells plants (corner of High Street and Cosmo Road, phone 5424 1516, see thecosmopolitanhotel.com.au).

RedBeard Historic Bakery: Located down Old Bakery Lane and opposite the tall fibreglass giraffe that pokes its head out from another retailer's yard, is this unique bakery-cafe with an outdoor courtyard. Fresh-baked artisan sourdough breads such as Blonde, Brunette and Stubble, along with some real flavoursome food, such as its organic beef pies or fetta and olive quiche, are cooked in its impressive 19th-century woodfired Scotch oven (38A High Street, phone 5424 1002, see redbeardbakery.com.au).

Colliban Foodstore: The latest gastronomic addition to town is this impressive upscale produce store-cum-restaurant, where owner Paul English has meticulously created a contemporary dining space. Renowned chef Peter Ojansuu creates dishes that are so incredibly fresh you can literally taste every ingredient. Open for breakfast and lunch, Friday to Monday and dinner on Saturday evenings (18 Market Street, phone 5424 1774, see collibanfoodstore.com).

Pig & Whistle Hotel: About five kilometres out of town and virtually at the crossroads of quiescent farming land; the "Pig" is a down-to-earth drawcard with the locals. The former Irish pub has Guinness and Kilkenny on tap, plus well-above-average pub fare. Sunday is roast day (corner of James Lane and Pearsons Road, East Trentham, phone 5424 1213).

Outdoor activities

Fringed by the Wombat State Forest, Trentham has some appealing outdoor attributes.

Trentham Falls: Home to Victoria's highest single-drop waterfall that plunges more than 32 metres into the Coliban River. The falls can be seen from a viewing platform, which is about a 100-metre walk via a slightly downhill trail from the car park. The falls are located two kilometres north of the township and are signposted.

Trentham Golf Club: Located near the falls, golfers will appreciate this highly scenic regional Victorian golf course (54 Falls Road, phone 5424 1240, see trenthamgolf.com.au).

Domino Trail: This 10-kilometre trail starts at, and returns to, Trentham's heritage-listed railway station in Victoria Street. Following the original path of the track line that ceased operation in 1978, it takes in creeks plus remnants of a bridge and tunnel. It encompasses a loop walk into a tract of the Wombat State Forest.

Shopping

With its unique local businesses, some of Trentham's more noteworthy stores include:

Wooden Duck Antiques: Located on a rise as you enter the main drag of Trentham, this well-presented store has an interesting range of industrial wares, farmhouse furniture and some rare collectables (51-53 High Street, phone 5424 1054).

Medallion - A Country Emporium and Two Fat Wombats: Here is an unusual combination of shops owned by husband and wife team Rob and Julia Curtain. Medallion has some appealing French provincial-style homewares, plus toys and giftware, while Two Fat Wombats is eclectic. The latter has the likes of life-size fibreglass-cast sheep and wombats, preserved scorpions and spiders and all-round quirky paraphernalia (40 High Street, phone 5424 1848).

Jargon: A local for almost 26 years, owner Helen McRae virtually hand-makes everything she sells in her intimate boutique. With an emphasis on textiles, McRae's versatile talents are evident in her well-priced clothing, scarves, cushions, bags, teddy bears and dolls, plus millinery and jewellery (34 High Street, 5424 1668).

The Artist's Muse: Next door is a newcomer to the block, where artist Mark Payne has created an inviting gallery space within a classic country shop front. Meet this internationally exhibited artist face-to-face and peruse his original vivid works and limited edition prints, plus individually sourced furniture and rare decorative pieces (32 High Street, phone 5424 1599, see markpayne.com.au).

Antiques, Gifts and Chocolates: Directly opposite the Cosmopolitan Hotel is this lovely store. There are well-conditioned antiques such as bureaus, chairs and decanters, plus handmade chocolates and locally designed art cards (26 High Street).

The Bedford Affair: A few paces down from the Colliban Food Store is another new enterprise with a toasty open fire place. It has a mix of classic and unusual homewares, gifts and toys (14 Market Street).

Where to stay

There is a small and interesting mix of traditional and contemporary-type of accommodation.

Akyra Lodge: Within walking distance of the main hub is this pet friendly self-contained house and cottage. The accommodation has a contemporary rural exterior plus decking and enclosed gardens with a fish pond. Inside the main house is traditional Japanese decor blended with large, modern living areas. A gourmet hamper is included (2 Gamble Street, phone 0404 024 119, see akyralodge.com.au). Akyra Lodge House costs from $165 a night midweek, cottage from $125 a night midweek.

Sacred Heart Guest Accommodation: Self-contained, this extraordinarily refurbished church in a paddock, about six kilometres from town, will have guests singing to the heavens, granted, the acoustics are excellent. Owner and architect Robert Bienvenu has seamlessly melded modern comforts with its more than 100-year-old features, such as the leadlight windows and a confession box. Great for groups of between four and 10 (600 James Lane, Trentham East, see sacred-heart.com.au). A minimum two-night stay costs $1350.

More information

The Trentham Tourist Information outlet, which is located at the town's railway station in Victoria Street, operates at weekends from 10am to 4pm. Phone 5424 1178 or see trentham.org.au.

Alternatively, the Daylesford Regional Visitor Information Centre opens daily (98 Vincent Street, Daylesford, phone 5321 6123).

Getting there

Trentham is a 70-minute drive from Melbourne via the Calder Freeway and Tylden-Woodend Road. V/Line rail services run from Melbourne to Woodend daily, with less-frequent coach services connecting to Daylesford and stopping at Trentham en route. For regional train and bus services see vline.com.au.

Kristin Lee travelled courtesy of Tourism Victoria and the operators.

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