I had an idyllic country-town upbringing in Meeniyan! My parents renovated an old Victorian house into a beautiful family home over 34 years of living there. It was set on an acre of garden, which was mum’s pride and joy, full of beauty and whimsy. It was a beautiful place to grow up.
With my Dad Lindsay being the town vet, I also had lots of interaction with animals (even though I’m allergic – the irony), including a local kangaroo, of course, known as Skippy, who would visit the backdoor and do the rounds with the neighbours.
I attended the local kinder and primary school, then bussed to nearby Leongatha for high school each day, before moving to Melbourne for university. I studied Visual Merchandising at RMIT, followed by Interior Design at Swinburne and then established my business Studio Moore.
Meeniyan will always be home, and I spend more time back there than in Melbourne at the moment as Dad and I work on our family project: Ross Farm! I do the designing and he does much of the making, but more about that below.
143 km south-east of Melbourne on the South Gippsland Highway, Meeniyan lies in the valley of the Tarwin River, and the scenery around here is very picturesque. The rolling hills are such a vibrant green and stunning beaches are just down the road (note: they’re as beautiful in winter as they are summer, and you quite often have them all to yourself!).
Though I’ve always been pretty attached to the area, as I have grown older, I’ve come to value the connection to the landscape and simpler life encouraged here, more and more.
Our once sleepy little town has been rejuvenated, and even grown, in recent years, with quite exciting new businesses and events happening thanks to the foresight and hardwork of the tight-knit community. That said, Meeniyan still retains its off-the-radar appeal!
Along with my favourites below, there are several charming shops offering crafts, produce and meals for the local population as well as for tourists on their way to ‘The Prom’ National Park (hence our nickname being ‘The Turning Point’).
Gurney’s Cidery looks out over The Prom. Photo – Eve Wilson for The Design Files.
Inside Gurney’s Cidery.Photo – Eve Wilson for The Design Files.
Photo – Eve Wilson for The Design Files.
Photo – Eve Wilson for The Design Files.
Photo – Eve Wilson for The Design Files.
Photo – Eve Wilson for The Design Files.
New community business initiative Meeniyan Square. Photo – Eve Wilson for The Design Files.
Photo – Eve Wilson for The Design Files.
Photo – Eve Wilson for The Design Files.
Tamsin Carvan’s pop-up cake shop Tamsin’s Table. Photo – Eve Wilson for The Design Files.
Photo – Eve Wilson for The Design Files.
Photo – Eve Wilson for The Design Files.
Photo – Eve Wilson for The Design Files.
Photo – Eve Wilson for The Design Files.
The workshop of maker Andrew McPherson, which joins his store Ride The Wild Goat. Photo – Eve Wilson for The Design Files.
Photo – Eve Wilson for The Design Files.
Photo – Eve Wilson for The Design Files.
Photo – Eve Wilson for The Design Files.
Photo – Eve Wilson for The Design Files.
Photo – Eve Wilson for The Design Files.
Trulli Woodfire Pizzeria. Photo – Eve Wilson for The Design Files.
Photo – Eve Wilson for The Design Files.
Photo – Eve Wilson for The Design Files.
Ross Farm Cabin. Photo – Eve Wilson for The Design Files.
Our guide, Andrea Moore. Photo – Eve Wilson for The Design Files.
Photo – Eve Wilson for The Design Files.
Photo – Eve Wilson for The Design Files.
Wilson’s Promontory. Photo – Max Greenstein.