AFTER the heat early this week, there was simply no better place to be, when the weather turned cooler, than taking a stroll down the main street of Meeniyan.
With its coffee shops, cafes, bakeries, restaurants, country pub, dress shops and galleries; it was the ideal place for a holiday wind down, between Christmas and New Year.
And hundreds of visitors and locals alike have clearly discovered one of South Gippsland’s best treasures.
A coffee and cake, pie or pasty, or counter meal always tastes better after you’ve “done the work” and for many it amounted to stopping off on the way down to Waratah Bay or the Prom, a trip to Agnes Falls, a ride on the rail trail or simply a stop off at the Meeniyan Art Gallery where the featured exhibitions are about to change.
If you hurry, you’ll still be able to see the ‘Christmas Creatives’ by Sue Gilford, Jo Cook, Kerry Spokes, Carly Meade, Lisa Churchward, Deanne Howlett and Jenni-Maree Tempest, as well as artworks by Eirian Chapman and Marynne Plenkovich.
Coming in from December 4 onwards are Jarl Line, Jenny Peterson and Liana Casson.
But whether it was a pie, a painting or a pizza; the cool place to be this week was Meeniyan.
President of the Meeniyan Progress Association Richard Sutterby said it was just great to see the town back to its best after the problems associated with the pandemic.
“It’s our first summer coming out of COVID and the traders have really done a lot promoting the town and getting the Christmas decorations up and doing everything they can to welcome everyone and both the visitors and the locals are responding to that.
“The town really has a lot to offer now, including a great variety of quality food, the gallery, rail trail and all the rest.”
Mr Sutterby said the South Gippsland Shire Council had been very supportive, and there was a ‘Community Planning Day’ auspiced by the council and progress coming up in February, but he said the traders had really led the way.
“They’ve taken up the opportunities and enabled the town to grow and we’re really seeing people responding to that.
“We’ve got a few things on the wish list for 2023, including more facilities for the rail trail and around the town but it’s really just a matter of enhancing what we’ve got already.”
Of course, Meeniyan will really fire up on Saturday, February 18 for the annual Meeniyan Garlic Festival but if an ordinary summer’s day is any indication, festival time in town should be quite something to behold. See details: https://meeniyangarlicfestival.com.au/