A bonfire is the
perfect antidote
to the winter cold
at Willie Smith’s.
OPPOSITE PAGE,
FROM TOP Sample
the local seafood
at Bicheno Food
and Wine Festival;
ditch the lycra for
knickerbockers
at the National
Penny Farthing
Championship
in Evandale.
PREVIOUS PAGE
Scenes from the
Huon Valley Mid-
Winter Fest.BEFORE THE APPLE Isle’s major export
industry crashed in the 1970s, southern
Tasmania’s Huon Valley was wall-to-
wall orchards. Family-owned farm Willie
Smith’s only survived by diversifying
to organic cider production, but few
others made it. When co-owner Sam
Reid realised the memory of the valley’s
apple heritage was fading, he drew
inspiration from medieval England and
decided to resurrect wassailing. This
traditional folk ceremony was thought
to awaken cider trees, banish evil spirits
and guarantee a good autumn harvest.
“This is an ancient festival, but we’re
putting our take on it,” says Reid. Local
boutique producers of food and wine
are summoned for the three-day event,
ethereal sculptures by local artists are
Huon Valley Mid-Winter Fest
commissioned and musicians from everywhere invited to
perform. The packing shed, pickers cottages, rose garden
and paddocks at Willie Smith’s morph into a feasting space,
storytelling stage, live music area and cocktail hut. “I’ve tried
to make the festival a bit of an adventure,” Reid adds.
This event suits the curious and gives passionate people
a platform. Dressing up and letting inhibitions run wild are
encouraged. After wassailing the apple trees with a traditional
poem, everyone sings and yells and bashes pots and drums.
A shot is then fired through the trees and the spirits scram.
“I like challenging people with what we bring to the
festival,” says Reid. “That’s when life gets fun, when you’re out
of your comfort zone. When people are getting challenged,
it’s for their own benefit and society’s benefit.” Every year it’s
rained right up to the festival, cleared for three days, then rained
again. But 13,000 gum-booted people still turned up last year.
Reid’s convinced “those pagan gods are the ones to follow”.
The next festival will be held on 14–16 July 2017. The Apple Shed,
2064 Huon Hwy, Grove; http://www.huonvalleymidwinterfest.com.au.