A cool, sunny day greeted 52 members and visitors at the May meeting of the Lakes Entrance Garden Club, marking the final gathering for the autumn season.
Sheryl MacCubbin presented a report on the recent Gippsland Garden Clubs Conference, which brought together more than 140 members at The Vines in Maffra for a social and informative day out. Attendees enjoyed guest speakers, a garden walk, and lunch, with activity reports shared by clubs representing Maffra, Boisdale, Sale, Orbost, Tyers, Bairnsdale, Heyfield, Traralgon and Lakes Entrance.
Every attendee took on the role of judge for the May show bench, casting votes for their favourite entries across multiple categories. Stewards Meg Collins and Truus Adams tallied the ballots following highly engaged member discussions.
The mother’s day themed arrangement section featured five entries. Diane McStay claimed first place and the overall best exhibit for the day with an innovative display of three identical, small arrangements mounted on a wooden board. Dearne Albert secured second place with a pink, white, and purple arrangement.
The five cuts section saw Dearne Albert take first place with a selection of pink camellia, pink dahlia, white delphinium, fern, and arum foliage. Ann Barker finished second.
In the container of flowers category, Stan Barker won first place with a vibrant autumnal display of golds, reds, and varied leaf shapes, followed by Truus Adams in second.
The fruit section was won by Sheryl MacCubbin with three avocados, with Dearne Albert placing second with her lemons. The pumpkin category added some humour to the day, with Gwen Christopher taking first place for a large green and yellow pumpkin adorned with googly eyes, followed by Joy Davenport in second.
Guest speaker David Crowe shared the story behind the new Heartbeat 60s Display, recently opened by himself and Trent Hooper on a former dairy farm in Sarsfield.
The exhibition serves as a tribute to the British television drama Heartbeat, which ran for 18 series between 1992 and 2010. Mr Crowe noted that the rolling hills of Sarsfield closely resemble the North Yorkshire landscape of Goathland,
the village where the series was filmed.
The presentation touched on the iconic 1960s soundtrack, the Buddy Holly theme song, and beloved characters like Claude Greengrass. Mr Crowe also highlighted the real-world legacy of the show, noting that Goathland still hosts an annual Heartbeat Rally that attracts huge crowds, including original cast members.
The Lakes Entrance Garden Club will next meet on Monday, June 15 at 1.30pm at the Mechanics Hall on Mechanics Street (adjacent to the library). Visitors remain welcome to attend.
