20th Celebration Visit to Victoria.

The Victorian Artist Blacksmiths 20th Celebrations.

September has proved to be a fruitful and busy month so far and there's still more to happen.
On the 16th my wife and I and a pair of blacksmith companions traveled to Victoria to visit the 20th year Celebration of the Artist Blacksmiths Association of Victoria.
We left at 8 am in the morning from Adelaide and traveled via the south east in two cars. We were making good time until the ladies spotted antique shops in a couple of towns and we spent some time browsing for anvils, vices and other odds and ends. The result was an arrival in Melbourne in peak hour traffic. I thought I was living a nightmare. So many lanes and out of date street directories.
We ended up taking the wrong turn and landed up in Dromana at 8 pm at night instead of 4 pm as planned.
All was well after mass consumption of red wine and a good sleep. The next day we made our way out to the Briars Park in Mt Martha and met Amanda Gibson, the true "behind the scenes" working arm of A.B.A. Vic.
Amanda's initial task for Thursday and Friday, was to give lectures to school kids in the history of Blacksmithing and the art as it stands today. We sat in on her first lecture and marveled at the quality of presentation and accuracy. The kids were interested and riveted to their seats. It was a good sign. After the talk, they made their way up the hill to the homestead and forges and had a go with the blacksmiths in shaping some hot iron.
I didn't see any boredom in their faces while they were there. It was great.
Saturday was the start of the main event, with a beautiful design of a garden gate pinned to the wall of the forge, the Blacksmiths rallied together to try and produce the gate in time to auction it off on the Sunday afternoon.

Ray talking up the action.
(The gate design is on the left)






Over the Saturday and Sunday the weather turned from sunny to pounding rain, and no doubt the fires were quelled by the fall in temperature and made the job of forging that little bit harder.

The crowds were many but could have been more, no doubt the weather was the cause. There was no lack of interesting things occurring, from Viking jewelery to sword fights, Cannon fire almost every hour and ringing anvils, you had to feel like you had gone to heaven.
A gallery of artistic work was open to the public all weekend. The quality of the work was stunning and some 16 artists showed their talent with their works.
Also on show, was some of the "Tree of Life" and a lovely screen work in commemoration of the Bushfire victims of the worst tragedy to befall the state.
The Tree of silver leaves and copper will be quite some metres tall and will be placed in the town of Strathewen. There it will remain as a symbol for everyone to remember the victims and almost total devastation of the small valley town. The tree's components have been forged from smiths around Australia and the world, with many leaves awaiting shipment in from the United States and elsewhere.
Part of the "Tree of Life" on display.











The highlight of the visit, was a sumptuous dinner at the homesteads restaurant "Josephines".
We were privileged to be in the company of Keith Towe and Don Marshal and their partners. Keith and Don are two of the longest serving members of both N.S.W and Victoria associations, and have both done a marvelous job in bringing both associations to their current point of excellence. The team enthusiasm, work spirit and camaraderie of our interstate colleagues is testament to the labors of both men.
Sadly, the event drew to a close and it was time to leave. None the less, we all came away with a renewed sense of enthusiasm for our future and that of our newly formed association here in South Australia. It is comforting to know, that our friends in Victoria and New South Wales, are a phone call away or a day trip to visit.