OLD VINE - 2002 EVENT
(1st celebration of planting of OLD VINE in Australia.)
AUSTRALIAN SLOVENIAN YARRA RANGES OLD VINE CULTURAL FESTIVAL
Final report on 1st celebration of 2002 Yarra Ranges Old Vine Cultural Festival:
Dear friends!
It is my great pleasure to present to you this final report on promotional project with the future: Australian Slovenian Yarra Ranges Old Vine Festival - September 2002.
This year's 1st Anniversary celebration of planting of the graft of the oldest vine in the world from Slovenia in Australia was a fantastic promotional and cultural success. As most of you do know, our Old Vine is doing really well in McWilliams Lillydale Vineyards in Seville East. After a lot of work and fantastic collaboration we can proudly say, that Yarra Ranges Old Vine Festival turned into a national promotional tour for our region - Yarra Ranges.
Our special promoting guest artists from Slovenia were a young Ensemble - Vesele Stajerke - Happy Girls from Stajerska. They covered over 4400 km, they sang and played to the oldies, not so old and to our young generation. They performed in total 19 times to well over 4000 enjoyable audiences. Our Yarra Valley project was presented thru media in Wollongong, Sydney, Berry (SA), Adelaide and Melbourne. Happy girls performed in primary and High Schools in Adelaide and Melbourne to over 1300 pupils. The response was just overwhelming. We could organize many more concerts for the school kids if we had more time and certainly more financial resources. However we are extremely proud to have 11 promotional concert, 7 dinner dances and the final performance; a great celebration at McWilliams Lillydale Vinery in Seville on 22nd September 2002 with over 600 guests attending.
Certainly all that will not happen without some extremely enthusiastic and hard working individuals and leaders of organizations in our community.
Special thanks to Bev McAlister and Dandenong Ranges Music Council, for their marvelous cooperation and I do hope that many more of that kind of people will get involved in our Shire of Yarra Ranges decision making team, as it is of absolute priority for our Shire to have a Prominent Cultural Center in the Shire’s of Yarra Ranges region and a vibrant cultural life.
Great thanks to all principals and their staff for their commitment in participation and their hospitality as all concerts were, for my judgment, very successful and well accepted. Some comments from the young ones were: I will never wash my jumper again as all 4 girls put their signature on it or another one: I had my say on SBS as I like them to run a …and... I like the most of it the way they started the concert with national anthem, it was so impressive…yes it was impressive and most enjoyable for all of as taking part in it.
Thank you to: Upwey South Primary School -Principal Ralph Holland, Upwey High School - Principal Greg Holman, Monbulk College - Principal Pam Glover & Kerry Bennetto & David Chipman, Kallista Primary School - Principal Terri Obree & Margaret Brooks, Marryatville High School, Marryatville SA, Walkerville Primary School Walkerville SA - Stephen Tce and thanks to our SA coordinator Adrian Vatovec.
Ones again thanks for their great support and participation to many Australians of Slovenian origin and their clubs, special thanks for financial support to Ministry for Culture of Slovenian Republic, Biro for Tourism from Slovenia, City of Maribor and their Biro for Tourism, SISS P/L for free Internet presence, Vodusek Meats Cobram, Slovenian Embassy Canberra, Shire of Yarra Ranges for moral support and thanks to Councilors Ian Smith and Alan Fincher for their financial contribution and to Councilor Monica Keane to spend an hour with us and for the nice words she had to say. Special thanks to McWilliams Lillydale Vineyards and their team for their involvements on the project and finally welcome on board to Slovenian Ministry for Education and Biro for Slovenians abroad from Foreign Ministry of RS for their willingness to also take active roll in our future activities.
As 4th Sunday in September has been declared the official date for the final function for Australian Slovenian Yarra Ranges Old Vine Festival, I am advising you please take note of the date and the week before. In the same time we do hope, that many of you will take part in next year event and will join as with your ideas and suggestions.
Slovenia is a small country with a great tradition and strong drive for surviving. Many of our Australians of Slovenian origin are also great achievers in our Australia.
In the year 2001 there were only two representatives from European countries recognized and honored for their achievements in tourist industry promoting their country in USA. One of them was Slovenian representative a lady with a great vision driven by Slovenian tradition for success. Slovenia is climbing high on the destination list for American tourists and Australia is on the very high list as a visiting place for Slovenian travelers and many of them are excited to see our great Yarra Ranges, a place were the graft of the oldest vine in the world is doing so well. Already now some groups in NSW are organizing themselves to join us on our next year celebration. … More then 15 hours of digital video recordings has been recorded on Yarra Ranges Old Vine national tour and will be shown on many of Slovenian TV programs.…and it all started with planting a small graft of Velvety Black grapevine on the embankment of river Drava in Central Europe some 400 years ago…..
Thank you for your time
Kind regards
Vinko Rizmal
Projects Coordinator
SAATCE - Slovenian Australian Agency for Trading and Cultural Exchange
Programme for Yarra Ranges Old Vine Cultural Festival 2002 Event:
OLD VINE - AUSTRALIAN TOUR – September 2002
Australian - Slovenian YARRA RANGES OLD VINE FESTIVAL 2002
First Anniversary of the Slovenian Old Vine in Australia a cultural event with a touch of Slovenian tradition
with
VESELE STAJERKE - HAPPY GIRLS FROM STAJERSKA, SLOVENIA
AUSTRALIAN TOUR – September 2002
Wollongong - Sydney - Adelaide – Melbourne
6 Sep Fri 6pm - Slovenian Australian Club Planica Wollongong Inc.
136-140 Princess Highway Figtree NSW 2525 Ph./Fax 02 4262 1496
7 Sep Sat 7pm - Slovenian Association Sydney
2-10 Elizabeth Street Wetherill Park NSW 2239 Ph. 02 9756 1658
8 Sep Sun 10am - Sv. Rafael Sydney
313 Merrylands Rd. Merrylands NSW 2160 Ph. 02 9637 7147
9 Sep Sun 1pm - Panthers St John - Triglav
19 Brisbane Road St John's Park NSW 2239 Ph. 02 9610 1627
11 Sep Wed 6pm – Berry SA
13 Sep Fri 9am - Marryatville High School
Kensington Road, Marryatville (Adelaide) SA
13 Sep Fri 11.30am – Walkerville Primary School
Stephen Tce, Walkerville (Adelaide) SA
15 Sep Sun 10am - Holy Family Slovenian Mission
51 Young Ave. West Hindmarsh, Ph. 08 8346 9674
15 Sep Sun 7pm - Slovenian Club Adelaide Inc.
11 Lassale Street Dudley Park SA 5008 Ph. 08 8269 6199
18 Sep Wed 11:30 - 12:15am - Upwey South Primary School
Morris Road Upwey, Principal Ralph Holland Ph. 03 9757 02 00
18 Sep Wed 2pm - 2:45 pm - Upwey High School
1451 Burwood Highway Upwey, Greg Holman, Ph. 03 9754 2838
Venue: Drama Studio
19 Sep Thu 10:15 am – 11am - Kallista Primary School
1 Kallista-Emerald Rd Kallista 3791
Principal: Terry Obree, Margaret Brookes Ph. 03 9755 2633
19 Sep Thu 2pm-2.45pm - Monbulk College
David Hill Rd Monbulk 3793
Venue: Monbulk College theatre, Principal: Pam Glover Ph. 03 9756 6470
20 Sep Fri 7pm - Slovenian Sport Association St Albans Inc.
4 Willis Street St Albans VIC 3021 Ph. 03 9366 5629
www.vsl.vic.edu.au
21 Sep Sat 7pm - Slovenian Association Planica Springvale Inc.
11 Soden Road Bangholme VIC 3175 Ph. 03 9755 2626, 03 9752 0003
22 Sep Sun 10am - SS Cyril & Methodius Slovenian Mission
Baraga House 19 A'Beckett Street Kew VIC 3101 Ph. 03 9853 8118
22 Sep Sun 1pm - McWilliams Lillydale Vineyards
45 Davros Court Seville East Ph. 03 5964 3009, 03 9755 2626
Participating Organizations, Companies and Individuals
Slovenian Australian Club Planica Wollongong
Slovenian Association Sydney
Panthers Triglav Club Ltd St.Johns Community Club, Sydney
St Raphael Slovenian Mission Sydney
Slovenian Club Adelaide
Holy Family Slovenian Mission Adelaide
Dandenong Ranges Music Council, Melbourne
Monbulk College, Upwey South Primary School,
Upwey High School, Kallista Primary School, Vic
Slovenian Radio program in AUS: SBS, ZZZ,
Regional radio stations: Geelong, Adelaide, Wollongong
Slovenian Media House – Glas Slovenije, Sydney
Institute for Slovenian Studies of Victoria Inc.
Mr. Peter Hauptman , Slovenian Australian community Berry SA
Mr. Adrian Vatovec Adelaide
Marryatville High School Marryatville (Adelaide) SA
Walkerville Primary School, Walkerville (Adelaide) SA
Slovenian Embassy Canberra
Department for Tourism City of Maribor
Ministry for Culture of Republic of Slovenia
Tourism Board of Republic of Slovenia
Slovenian Sport Association St Albans Inc, Vic
Slovenian Association Planica Springvale Inc, Vic
SS Cyril & Methodius Slovenian Mission Kew Melbourne
Vodusek Meats Cobram, Vic
McWilliams Lilydale Vineyards
Shire of Yarra Ranges
Yarra Valley Vine Growers Association
Slovenian National Council of Victoria
Super Internet Site System P/L - SISS21
Australian Slovenian Agency for Trading & Cultural Exchange
WE WOULD LIKE TO THANK OUR SPONSORS and SUPPORTERS FOR THEIR KIND SUPPORT IN THE YEAR 2002:
Ministry of Culture of RS
Vodusek Meats Yarrawonga Cobram Vic AUS
Shire of Yarra Ranges Vic AUS
McWilliams Lillydale Vineyards Vic AU
V&A Rizmal - Weblocator FindEngine Australia
Slovenian National Council Vic AUS
Ministry for Culture of Republic of Slovenia
City of Maribor
Department for Tourism City of Maribor
Vodusek Meats Cobram
Super Internet Site System P/L - SISS21
Australian Slovenian Agency for Trading & Cultural Exchange
Shire of Yarra Ranges
The Happy Girls from Stajerska 2002 - Their story:
AUSTRALIAN TOUR
The ensemble Vesele Stajerke is renown for its joyful and exuberant performances. It is from the eastern region of Slovenia called “Stajerska”. The name is translated from Slovenian as, The Happy Girls from Stajerska.
The region is famous for the warmth, musicality and hospitality of its people. Vesele Stajerke personify this spirit and “joie de vivre”. Their repertoire include Slovenian folk songs as well as contemporary popular songs. For the Australian tour they will perform programmes for the Slovenian and Australian communities. There are seventeen concerts, including performances at state schools around Melbourne and Adelaide. There are some 36 organisations and individuals contributing to the success of this years Old Vine event.
The group consists of four members: Mojca Cresnar (harmonica, bass guitar, vocals), Marjana Hercog (keyboard, bass guitar), Vida Sadek (vocals), (keyboard, bass guitar), Loti Zlaus (guitar, vocals). Formed in 1994, the group has toured: Austria, Germany, Belgium, Italy, Canada, Seychelle Islands and the United States. Their music is available on: audio cassettes, CDs, and video cassettes.
Vesele Stajerke have been invited specially for the celebration of the Old Vine Festival of the Shire of Yarra Ranges in the eastern area of outer Melbourne, Victoria. The festival came about from the planting of the graft of the 400 year old vine, from Lent, in Maribor, capital of the Stajerska region. Stajerska is famed as a wine-growing area, produces the highest quality wines and has a long viticulture tradition reaching beyond Roman times.
The Mayor of Maribor, Boris Sovic, gifted a graft of the vine to the Shire of Yarra Ranges, in Victoria in 1999. After two years of required quarantine in Australia, the graft was planted at McWilliams Lillydale Vineyards on 23 September 2001 by Councillor Di Moore of the Shire of Yarra Ranges. This established the connection between the region of Stajerska, the association of winegrowers of the Yarra Valley and the Shire of the Yarra Ranges. The facilitator and the initiator of the Old Vine Project, Vinko Rizmal has, with the vital suoport of Australian and Slovenian participating organizations and individuals, made the festival into an important local community event; as well as of intercultural exchange, linking the two wine-growing regions - Stajerska and Victoria.
Authorized by: SAATCE - Australian Slovenian Agency for Trading & Cultural Exchange
Project Coordinator: Vinko Rizmal
Tel: +61 03 9755 2626 E-mail: saatce@slovenianbusiness.com.au Web: www.oldvine.slovenianbusiness.com.au
