Empress Wu Designs with Wilma

Who could resist this welcoming sign? I was told that this was the place with great coffee and scones but the recommendation didn’t mention the wonderful surprising bonus - the ART! I visited this really inviting, appealing, quirky and interesting art space last week - David Mahony Art Gallery and Coffee House - in Sandy Hollow on the Golden Highway Upper Hunter Valley, New South Wales. Here are some facts about Sandy Hollow • Village on the Golden Highway bordering Wollemi National Park • Overshadowed by the dramatic sandstone hills of the Giant’s Leap • 255 km north of Sydney, population 140 Sandy Hollow was originally a campsite for travellers at the junction of the Goulburn River Valley and Halls Creek. The surrounding area was settled by pioneering graziers in the 1820s. The town achieved a brief moment of fame when Captain Thunderbolt, the bushranger, held up the Denman-Merriwa mail service in the 1860s. The tourist website blurb does not mention David Mahony’s sculptu...

Rotarians from Yea, Victoria clebrate the installation of a water tank at Mando village, PNG. It is said that the Mando spirit moves mountains. However, it takes a team of Rotary volunteers to complete a project job list. In the last threee years, we have provided free primary education by building new classrooms, reduced the infant mortality rate by encouraging mothers to have their babies in the hospital or medical centre by providing maother and baby packs, began the process of including students with special needs in the school, supplemented family incomes by teaching living schools and establishing pig and chicekn breeding projects at the school. Here is a video summary of what has been achieved our recent trip - MANDO 2010 VIDEO Thanks to our intrepid leader, Wendy Stein for the production of this clip to highlight the achievements Clean water on tap Village men help unload new tank  Teacher housing upgraded  Replacing the floor of the principal's house Interior d...

We have just returned from working as volunteers in Mando, a small village in the Eastern Highlands of Papua New Guinea. This is the third year in a row that we have been to Mando. It is a magical place, about 2000 metres above sea level, so sometimes it seems we are living in the clouds. The people are friendly, open and keen to learn new skills. In the next few blog posts, I hope to share with you stories from Mando, but for the moment, here are some of the beautiful  faces of Mando. A white face is a mysterious to this little one. Moka Moka boys, preparing to welcome an AusAid delegation Year 4 treacher and students Village women learning to crochet. Babysitter Veronica and baby. Waiting to welcome more Rotary volunteers. Mudman from Asaro. Jeremy made a bag - his first attempt at sewing with a machine. Still waiting for the volunteers to arrive. Year 7 girls learning to sew - great tablecloths! This little boy thought Jim was his Australian uncle and then was disappointed...