I’m still recovering and still basking in the musical afterglow of an extraordinary weekend at Aireys Inlet. A combination of both relaxing time-out away from the family with girlfriends, combined with pumping action at the Aireys Inlet Pub – the hub of the local music festival.
Driving along the Great Ocean Road, the coastal town of Aireys Inlet seems pretty quiet and sedate. Houses are dotted sporadically through the bush and there’s still a rural feel with plenty of dirt roads, squawking cockatoos and the crash of the ocean in the distance.
Even the General Store, with its petrol pumps out front, harks back to a bygone era. But last weekend, if you’d crossed the road to the Aireys Inlet Pub, it was another world altogether – a bustling, thumping hive of creativity and musical passion.
The car park was rammed as visitors from all over Australia and some international guests, joined locals for the annual Aireys Inlet Open Mic Music Festival.
A lone toddler gets up close and personal with a performer.
It’s an eclectic festival featuring more than 160 acts, which all donate their time and energy. What’s extraordinary about this event, is the wonderful community feel. It seems like everyone is the area has contributed on some level. Families turn up with toddlers and grandparents, while teenagers rock out up front, close to the stage.
Singer Ben Brown travelled from Bendigo to perform at the festival.
The local school kids painted designs over cardboard cutouts of guitars, which are plastered all over venues about town. Plus, this wonderful event is actually FREE. Guests are only asked to contribute cash to buckets at performances, with what they feel the festival has been worth to them. Wow. That’s unheard of!
And the food at the Aireys Inlet Pub is sensational! I was reluctantly talked into ordering a Thai Green Chicken Curry for main course, as mostly Asian food in rural areas tends to disappoint… Not so here. In fact, I think I’d be hard-pressed to think of a Melbourne restaurant that does one better. DELICIOUS. As for the chicken parmigiana, my girlfriend Vanessa couldn’t even eat half, the serving was so huge.
I was even impressed with the wine list. GOOD CHARDONNAY!! Yay – my favourite, a local wine, Scotchman’s Hill completed my overwhelming satisfaction with the evening. They’re pretty good at hospitality, these folk at the Aireys Inlet Pub.
After dinner, we braved the testing weather to head outside, but soon forgot about the cold when local band Altitude turned up the volume. These guys are one of the festival’s youngest, coolest and most popular bands – being veterans who’ve performed here for the past six years.
Here’s a clearer but less colourful shot. My camera was playing up in the weather… Lead singer and band manager Liam Brennan describes their sound as ‘garage rock’. He says like most rock bands, they’re hoping for fame and glory, all the while writing good music and having fun.
The guys have just left school and plan to focus on writing a heap more music while at uni before looking for serious professional management. They are super talented, so I’d advise anyone in management to take a look and get in line.
It wasn’t too hard to head home at the end of the night. As much as I’d LOVED the music and the vibe at the pub, I knew I was heading back to Number 8 Beach Road. Luckily, just stumbling distance up the road…
There’s also a comfy lounge-room, complete with open fireplace. We were too tired after the festival to light one up, but I was impressed there was chopped wood ready and waiting by the back door if we’d wanted one.
Earlier in the day, I’d caught up with Lili Biderman, from Great Ocean Retreats, who told me how she’d had the business for seven years, and couldn’t think of a better job. She says they have several properties, catering to both ends of the market – those on the budget end and high-end. And just to make you feel at home, they can also organise catering or car hire if needed. Now that’s service…
I want to tell you more about the mystery guest who performed at the festival on Sunday, plus the 11-year-old girl who stole my heart with her singing… but I’ve rambled on for long enough, so you’ll have to wait till tomorrow to hear that.
But one more thing before I go, if you would like to stay in the wonderful Number 8 Beach Road in Aireys Inlet, just get in touch with Great Ocean Retreats. This is their website, plus the rates for the property. Get in quick though. I’m seriously thinking about booking for next summer…
Sometimes the logistics of running a family get tricky. For instance, what happens if your husband has bought a ticket to a Neil Young concert this weekend (in Geelong) and then at the same time, you’re offered an amazing weekend away along the Great Ocean Road, staying at an up-market beach property overlooking the sea, to cover the Airey’s Inlet Music Festival – but your teen daughter needs DESPERATELY to go to a party in Melbourne and your son is playing in an all-important school cricket match???
Hmmm… As I said, tricky. Plus, this weekend happens to be our 23rd wedding anniversary. Which we celebrated in fine style at Ezard’s restaurant in the city last night. Definitely one of Melbourne’s best on every level. I was particularly impressed that they noted it was a special occasion and decorated our desserts to suit.
But back to this weekend. Often my amazing Mum and step-father help out with the kids, but as it turns out, my older brother had already booked their services… So Fletch, bless him, realised this was a great blogging opportunity for me and gave up his ticket to see Mr Young to stay home and ferry the kids about to their various commitments. What a guy!!!
THAT IS WHY FLETCH GETS A HUGE GOLD STAR THIS WEEKEND.
This ALSO left me free to turn this into a ‘girl’s weekend’ and invite along a few mates for a break from domestic and kiddie duties. And yes, they were pretty happy with the offer to head down to one of Victoria’s most picturesque holiday locations for an uber cool music festival AND stay at a beautiful holiday home.
Driving down to Airey’s Inlet, I had to stop along the way and marvel at the view from the Great Ocean Road. Truly stunning, isn’t it? As a child, I was lucky enough to enjoy several family holidays at Fairhaven, just up the road from Airey’s Inlet, so it felt a bit like going home.
Erin Hughes, from Great Ocean Retreats sorts us out
I dropped in to Great Ocean Retreats to pick up our keys and was mighty impressed with their organisational talents. Marketing manager Erin Hughes had printed lanyards for the music festival ready and waiting, printed directions to our property with the keys AND she had even found out what wine I liked and told me TWO BOTTLES of chardonnay plus a cheese platter were in the fridge waiting for us. Tick, tick and DOUBLE tick. I knew from the moment I met her she was my kinda gal!
Then we set off to the house and found a magnificent two storey property, with double-bedrooms both upstairs and downstairs, two bedrooms with bunks for the kids we left behind, and two living areas. Both double bedrooms also come with their own massive ensuite bathrooms.
The kitchen is modern and open-plan, with wonderful wide benches, which would be brilliant if we actually wanted to cook, but no, maybe next time… There’s too many bands to see down here to waste time slaving over a hot stove.
Even better, most of the bands are playing at the Airey’s Inlet Pub which JUST HAPPENS to be a stone’s throw from our beachside mansion!!! Now ain’t that a happy coincidence… Oh yes, the house is also walking distance from the beach too. Of course.
I’m going to show you more pictures and give you the lowdown on the music festival on Monday, but for now, I want to get to the pub and enjoy myself. And if you haven’t got anything planned for tomorrow, jump in the car and head on down. Cheers!
