A few weeks ago, I had the pleasure of travelling to Victoria with Helen Kaminski to take part in an immersive two-day experience for the launch of its new autumn/winter ’19/’20 pure merino wool collection. Along with enjoying delicious food and wine at the iconic Jackalope Hotel, I also learnt first hand, at one of the official Woolmark farms, about Helen Kaminski’s sustainability journey as a brand and all that goes on behind the scenes. Here are my diary notes from the two-day trip.
12pm: I landed in chilly Melbourne and we made our way to the Mornington Peninsula.
2.30pm: checked into the iconic luxury Jackalope Hotel in the Mornington Peninsula. The perfect mixture of art and design meets breathtaking vineyard views, Jackalope is also known for its sustainable initiatives. The hotel collects rainwater in seven large tanks, has an on-site waste water treatment and recycling system, solar panels, energy-efficient fixtures and fine dining restaurants that follow a ‘farm-to-fork’ principle. It’s safe to say I’m very excited to be here.
4pm: I made the most of my incredible suite and the all you can eat popcorn Jackalope has to offer guests by sitting on the balcony looking out of the vineyard reading my book for half an hour to unwind.
5pm: it’s wine tasting time – accompanied by cheese platters (my favourite).
7pm: after being treated to hair and make-up (talk about pampering), I made my way to our private dinner for the evening. I walked in to find an incredible long table situated in the middle of the room decorated with an array of beautiful candles, soft merino wool, linen and chic cutlery. The dim lighting set the mood for the evening and the menu design was divine. I love the concept of ‘farm-to-plate’ and my favourite dish for the evening was the roasted prawns, kombu butter, white onion puree and fried garlic!
9pm: I came back to my room to find an array of teas, beautiful chocolate and a travel-sized hydration spray sitting on my bed. The perfect way to end the evening.
7.30am: the following day, I woke up to breakfast and coffee!
9am: we head off to catch the ferry at Sorento. Although the wind was not on our side we spotted dolphins on our ferry journey across and were treated to views of the beautiful coastline.
1pm: after a long but scenic drive into the countryside we arrived at the breathtaking Barunah Plains for lunch – one of the official Woolmark farms and an incredible property that boasts the most divine homestead.
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2.30pm: after lunch, we all put our ‘safe to get muddy’ shoes on and our Helen Kaminski ultra fine merino wool hats and ventured over to the Barunah Plains woolshed to see one of the resident farmers sheer some sheep and to learn about the animal welfare, sustainability and renewable benefits of wool. Growing up on a sheep and cattle farm as a young girl, this experience brought back a lot of memories from my childhood – the smell for one, the physical work and the many processes involved from the farmer’s side. It was refreshing to see the starting point of the merino wool in the hats we were wearing.
3.30pm: we also got to listen and learn to the Helen Kaminski head of design and master craftsman who demonstrated what happens to the wool after it’s sheared, and the intense processes that happen to turn the natural fibres into felt and ultimately into the beautiful ultra fine merino felt hats and merino wool knits.
4pm: now it was time to create our own bespoke hat. We had the opportunity to choose our own merino wool style, the colour, the trims and the little details that make each and every one so unique. All the designs are timeless and able to have a long life span in any wardrobe which is something I love.
4.30pm: after lots of fresh farm air, it was back in the car to travel home to Jackalope. One thing that stuck with me after leaving the woolshed and the conversations we had was the dedication and passion the Helen Kaminski team has to becoming fur free by 2023. This will mean they will be using more of the high quality Australia merino wool, which will in turn naturally also help to support Australian farmers.
8pm: and last but not least, we spent our final night at The Rare Hare for another beautiful ‘farm-to-fork’ dinner. My favourite dish was the stracciatella, persimmon, turmeric oil and pistachio dukkah, and also the frosted carrot cake!