Onya Magazine is syndicating this column from the incredibly talented Olivia Hambrett. One of the finest voices in Australian writing, we hope you enjoy her Month of Australia, and we encourage you to delve into the many wonderful articles on her website.
Although full of well heeled Sydney-siders who fancy a fine drop and braying ‘we’re just going to the Hunterrrr for the weekend’, the Hunter Valley is a lovely little corner of the world. A lovely wine-filled corner of the world that just happens to be excellent for kangaroo spotting. We ducked out there for a few days of complete and utter calm at The Longhouse which is, as its name suggests, a long house in the middle of a roo and vine-filled paddock where it is quite possible to disconnect from the world.
There we ate, drank, toured, ate a little more and washed it down with a glass of shiraz. We watched the sun set in a fiery chariot of orange clouds. We sat on the veranda with salami and cheese for dinner, waiting for our visitors. At dusk, they came, their silhouettes emerging against the fading light, dozens of them gathering to have their dinner as we had ours. One particular visitor of note was a young mother with her joey tucked safely in her pouch. The slightest raise in volume, her ears would prick, the slightest movement and she’d be off. Her long feet and curved tail, that iconic bounce – it was as wondrous for me to see as it was for SG.
Just like this entire month has been.
