Collections Tour

 

When: Friday 12th September, 9:00am – 4:00pm

 

You are invited into the homes and backyards of local residents to view their fascinating, quirky or vintage collections.

This is a self-guided tour, with a map of locations available inside the Festival program (printed copies available at Miles Visitor Information Centre)

 

Collection of Collectibles (Jan Mullins)

A lifetime passion for fashion has seen Jan acquire one off designer outfits, including wedding and debutante dresses from throughout the eras. She is well known for her quintessential collection of anything and everything, from old records and diaries to pigs in the garden. Jan invites you to bring your lunch and enjoy a champagne or cup of tea in the garden.  

 

Island Bags & First Nations Art (Robyn Derksen)

Robyn is a proud local elder, with a collection of traditional first nations art, as well as a unique collection of bags from her travels to Fiji where she assists the poor in island communities. A must-see collection with a warm and generous story behind it.  

 

Military Paraphernalia (Ray Granbower)

Ray is an avid collector of Army/Airforce/Navy establishments. This year he is showcasing his extensive collection.  

 

Craft Collection (Linda Pomerenke and Penny Eamer) 

From a very young age, Linda Pomerenke was encouraged to pick up needles, hooks, yarn, and fabric, even keeping her very first attempt at traced embroidery. With the aid of books and the internet, she has significantly advanced her skills across various textile arts. Her current passion lies in knitting, and she boasts an extensive collection of craft and needlework books and magazines. 

Penny Eamer is a professional artist with a solid grounding in both art and photography, thriving on variety across a wide range of mediums and skills. Her adaptable approach allows her to seamlessly transition between different creative outlets. Since moving to the Bush, she has dedicated herself full-time to her art and craft, focusing on creating unique works rather than competing, and enjoying the freedom to pursue her passions. 

 

Garden Ornament Collection (Lorraine Howard) 

Lorraine’s Garden Ornament Collection is a whimsical reflection of adventures around Australia and overseas. Each piece tells a story – from cheeky meerkats, pink flamingos and regal elephants recalling African adventures, to cow bells echoing the Swiss Alps. Farm animals ground the collection in rural life at home, while Chinese lanterns spark memories of travels through China and Vietnam. A miniature R2-D2 nods to the magic of Disneyland, USA. This vibrant display transforms the garden into a journey across continents and cherished moments. 

 

Richard’s Pipes Collection 

Richard’s fascination with pipes began in his teenage years, more than seventy-five years ago. While he seldom used them to smoke – preferring to roll his own cigarettes – he developed a lifelong passion for collecting them. For Richard, the intrigue lay not in the ritual, but in the craftsmanship, the materials, and the stories each piece carried. Over the decades, he discovered these treasures in antique shops, at clearing sales, and on his travels. His collection spanned a remarkable range of mediums—clay, bone, wood, plastics, brass, and alloys—and designs, from direct-draw bowls to water-filtering marvels. Each pipe was a cultural artefact, a whisper from another place or time. 

For years, Richard displayed his beloved collection in a cabinet, which was eventually stored in a shipping container. Sadly, white ants devastated much of it, consuming both the cabinet and many of the pipes within. Yet one remarkable piece survived: his Wiener Kaffeehauspfeife, or Viennese coffee house pipe. A cherished favourite, it stands as a quiet testament to endurance—a relic of ritual, conversation, and the slow leisure of a bygone age. This elegant survivor will be part of the “Back to the Bush” celebrations, showcased alongside Richard’s remaining quirky pipes. In a weekend devoted to remembering and reconnecting with rural roots, his collection offers a tactile story of memory, loss, and the beauty of things well kept.