Spa Country Festa

May, 1999

Amongst early migrants to Victoria, the Swiss had a quiet but important effect. One of the earliest vignerons being Paul de Castella, whose wife's memory is now celebrated at Eleonore's in the Yarra Valley. At Yeringberg, Gilbert de Pury is the descendant of another and is still making very fine wine there.

But the area where the Swiss settlers of the 19th century had most effect was in the spa country of Hepburn Springs and neighbouring Daylesford.

It is interesting that now the area boasts a significant number of good eateries and the Swiss Italian Festa (May 27-30) being celebrated in Hepburn Springs and Daylesford, provides good reason to visit.

During the mid 1850's it is estimated that ten percent of Hepburn Springs' population spoke Italian. They were from Northern Italy and the Italian speaking Swiss canton of Ticino, political refugees drawn by the lure of the goldfields. From there many came to this area of beautiful lakes and hills reminiscent of their native country. Most significantly, these Europeans prized the virtues of mineral water and worked with the local medical community to develop the springs at Hepburn.

As well as taking the waters at the springs other aspects of the Swiss Italian legacy which can be visited are the Macaroni Factory where it is believed that Australia's first pasta was made and the beautiful heritage listed Villa Parma built by Fabrizio Crippa where you can try a Taste of Tuscany from 10am-5pm on both Saturday May 29 and Sunday May 30 featuring Yandoit Hills wine, antipasto platters, Tuscan bean soup and cake. On the Saturday evening an outdoor film festival is planned in the Villa's garden if the weather is fine or, in the cellar, if raining. Heating by bonfires, straw bale seating and BYO blanket.

At the celebrated Lake House Restaurant, Alla Wolf-Tasker will hold a cooking demonstration on Thursday May 27 afternoon and on Friday May 28 there will be a literary evening at Frangos & Frangos with author Robert Dessaix and a five course regional dinner..

Saturday will feature the street parade where the school children and local folk wear costumes in the carnivale tradition and are joined by the Daylesford Secondary College samba band. There's also the annual Bocce tournament hotly contested by the local Swiss/Italian descendants at Cricket Willow and at the Daylesford Town Hall, An Italian Song-Book will be presented by Victoria Chorale on Saturday evening.

The main street of Daylesford is filled with cafes and bakeries some of whom will be participating with special menus and wine tastings. Winner of several industry awards, Frangos & Frangos is, without doubt, the most stylish of that street's eateries. On Tuesday May 25 Jim Frangos has invited selected students from local schools to attend a wood-fired pizza demonstration and workshop. Students will learn first hand the intricacies of flavor combinations and use of herbs in pizza making. The restaurant is part of an old hotel conversion and the Frangos family are currently in the midst of making the rest of the property into rooms with enormous spa bathrooms (bigger than the bed area).

There are already many places to eat and to stay in the area. Lake House is best known with its 22 guest rooms overlooking the lake . Throughout the rest of the month there will be wine tastings in the Lake House cellar of Italian wines and varietals and a special centre table for lunch each day featuring cicchetti, tramezzini and antipasto.

This year is the 7th Festa and more than 15,000 visitors are expected. If you have not visited this lovely area at all, or not for a long time, take this opportunity to re-acquaint yourself with some of Victoria's heritage and to try the region's produce. On both Saturday and Sunday, there will be a Fine Food Fair at Mineral Springs Reserve with local goodies - venison sausage, sheeps milk products, traditional Swiss style crackers, yabbie bisque, smoked or fresh trout from Tuki, olive oil tastings, cured and smoked meats and wines from nearby wineries. Alongside the fair is the Hepburn Sound Shell where free vocal and theatrical performances with a Swiss-Italian flavor will run through Saturday and Sunday afternoons.

For more information call Kevin flintoff, secretary Hepburn Srings Swiss Italian Festa, 5348 3158.