Ellie Young of Trentham was born in New Zealand. Her father was a lighthouse keeper, and her mother was a schoolteacher.

The culture of living by the sea with her parents and brother and not many other people at all, until she was 10 years old, taught her to appreciate the ocean, the mindful details of nature and to be comfortable in her own skin. The ocean in particular always provided peace and stillness for her.

Her dad always loved photography and often had the camera out documenting his kids as they were growing up. After leaving the lighthouse service, her parents had more children, she is one of five, but it’s interesting how different their upbringing was. Ellie and her elder brother were always drawn to nature.

Ellie met her husband Alan in Dunedin where they lived down the road from each other. They got together when they were about 17 years old. Together they still enjoy jumping in their van and taking off travelling. When their daughter was young, they travelled like gypsies, up to 10 months at a time. She too has the travel bug now.

Ellie’s Gold Street Studios workshops was established in 1999 and developed out of a passion and concern that many early photographic processes and techniques were losing their place in the photographic institutions and art world.

In 2000 Ellie attained the National Gallery of Victoria Trustee Award for her work in gum bichromate printing. After some years of research, her Salt Printing Manual was published in 2011. She constantly exhibits her work locally, nationally and internationally.

Pre-covid Ellie was teaching in Beijing, Tianjin and Nanjing in China. She describes the experience as magical, providing beautiful connections with people, amazing food and countryside.

Originally set up in Collingwood, Ellie’s experience of the commercial side of the business was one of it being cut-throat. It took away the joy of “passing down the techniques” and impeded on her time to take photos herself.

Trentham became an escape, with no mobile phone reception at the time, beautiful nature, and she fell in love with the area. She and Alan found a beautiful house and in time set up the workshop and studio space on site.

Today, her passions for travel, photography and family are threaded through her daily life. Ellie feels very lucky she gets to do what she loves every day. For her the photography techniques and art are about “sharing not about selling”.

“It is an honour if people buy your photos, the ultimate compliment if someone wants to hang your art in their dining rooms.”

Her main passion is macro close-up photography, mindfully zooming in on insects, butterflies and other organic things. “A fly’s wing can turn into a church window, refracting light, different shapes and shadows – quite beautiful.”

It is the craft that is not always understood. For example, a carbon print can take 2 to 3 days to complete. “You really have to be passionate about the process and the outcome takes your breath away. Online doesn’t do it justice.”

Four years ago, during Covid lockdowns, one of her grandsons committed suicide at just 14 years old. Ellie said William was a huggable, gorgeous kid who suffered from a high-functioning autism spectrum disorder. He had an affinity with friends, loved animals and photography.

Although it felt raw and painful to talk about the loss, Ellie said she felt it was important to talk about it more. It was a terrible shock to the family without any warning signs.

As it was during Covid lockdowns the family were so grateful to the police for being so compassionate and even received a beautiful letter from Daniel Andrews, expressing his condolences.

“People don’t know what to say or do to support you in grief, but it always meant so much when someone could acknowledge and chat.” Ellie and Alan hug their family even more tightly now and together they mark each anniversary of his passing and the birthday of William. At Ellie’s next photographic exhibition, they are planning on raising money for youth suicide.

Although Ellie loves living in Australia, coming from NZ, she finds things so different with regard to indigenous culture. She recalls as a young child, Māori culture being celebrated and taught in schools
– Māori Poi dancing for example was part of the curriculum.

It saddens her that the same respect is not given to Aboriginal culture. In NZ they had the Treaty of
Waitangi signed in 1840 honouring Māori culture and integrating the country so there was less division. She believes Australia is behind in this way.

“The Aboriginal culture can teach us so much – respect for land. It could have and still can look different in Australia.”

with Simone Kaplan

Patricia Kent was born in London in the mid 1940s and spent her childhood years playing in the bombed rubble of the East End. She read the book A Town Like Alice when she was a teenager and knew that she wanted to live in Australia. She emigrated to Adelaide in 1968.
At the age of five, her father started taking her to the training hall, dojo, where he practiced judo. She sat on a mat and watched him. This is where she found her “calling”. Her purpose and life journey has been to “shine a light on the body, mind and spirit connection through her love of martial arts”. This has been central to all she does.
Nearly 40 years ago, when her children were teenagers, Patricia’s tai chi training began, with the Australian Federation of Wu Style Tai Chi. She trained extensively with Kentokan Martial Arts School and with Master Liu Wan Chun in Melbourne, as well as doing numerous trips to also train in China.
“In 2019 Master Liu took an Australian team to China to compete in an international tai chi competition with 34 teams and nearly 400 participants.
“We were awarded gold, not for technique but for demonstrating the soft, internal strength of tai chi.”
In providing service, Patricia “just shows up” but the powerful stories of her students are really that of inspiration, community and miracles. A young dad, for example, broke his back and found Patricia’s classes to help with his rehab. He was committed and practised what she taught every day. When he didn’t turn up for Term 2, Patricia followed up and found he had recovered enough to get back to work. The doctor managing his recovery was dumbfounded. She also has “mature goddesses”, students in their 80s and a 90-year-old, reporting health benefits.
Even during Covid, Patricia and the community never stopped training. One-on- one outdoor sessions by the lake, even in the snow. People knew the benefits.
Patricia has a grace and humility that is inspirational. Her philosophy trickles out to the Trentham community. She keeps an old tradition of tithe, where 10 per cent of student class fees go into a special box. Every month the class decides which charity or community business needs support. This warmth and giving is full of love and generosity. When the 2021 storm happened, Billie with the coffee cart, set up in town to offer free coffees for the SES and CFA. Patricia’s class donations were given to Billie that month. “The greatest exercise for the heart is to reach your hand into the darkness and lift someone up,” she says.
Patricia found Trentham by chance, when searching for a special gift for her daughter’s 21st present. She had a recommendation to visit Helen at Jargon who designed a cape to “wrap her daughter in a mother’s love”. It was years later, after living in Tasmania for some time that Patricia and her husband Raoul decided to move to Trentham.
Patricia and Raoul, who sadly died in 2013, certainly lived a love story for 20 years. They trained, taught and were devoted to each other. When Patricia introduced Raoul to her parents, they discovered an incredible connection. Both her father and Raoul had trained with the same sensei (teacher) in London, her dad in the 50s and Raoul in the 70s. Raoul was skilled in the hard, external karate while Patricia in the soft, internal tai chi and chi gong. They set up a beautiful cottage together which exudes warmth, humour and humanity.
“When we reach outside of ourselves that’s when we find contentment within. It’s not about needing, wanting and looking for it,” Patricia says.

with Simone Kaplan

TRENTHAM’S Mary Walsh describes herself as a simple Irish girl, from a farming family, in Brideswell. She doesn’t like talking about herself and her mum used to say “self praise is no praise”. Even still, we had so much to talk about and the essence and wisdom of Mary Walsh was abundant.
Mary, 90, and a mother of nine and grandmother of 21, lives in the Walsh family
home on Railway Farm, built by her late husband Tom’s grandfather. After marrying
Tom in 1963, Mary moved into the house and they were happily married for 60 years
until his passing in 2018.
Mary possessed a unique sense of confidence and independence as a young woman, long before the feminist movement gained momentum.
Mary was inspired by her neighbours who were doctors. Although she couldn’tpursue medicine, she saw nursing as the next best thing. She studied nursing in Manchester, England and then went on to study midwifery in Winchester.
Although Mary’s parents would have loved for her to continue farming on their property, Mary had a drive for adventure and persisted with her dream.
After nursing studies, Mary’s peers were all travelling abroad to work. Mary applied for a job at the old Kyneton Hospital and after six weeks travel by ship, landed in her new town. Mary loved Australia and appreciated the lifestyle, job opportunities and wonderful people.
She started her career as a midwife bringing babies into the world and completed her nursing years working in palliative care – the full life cycle. Her favourite was caring and looking after the dying – she called it “soul work”. For her, providing a friendly touch and giving hope was incredibly rewarding. Mary’s faith, believing in the hereafter, assisted with this and gave her an inner strength.
During her early career, as a curious young woman, Mary also took opportunity to join the Flying Doctors in Queensland for seven months or so, when she was 23 years old. She describes it as “quite an experience”. And if it was a different time, Mary would have gone back to study as a mature age student and complete medicine.
Mary loves drumming up a conversation up with anyone in Trentham, always opening with “Do you live in Trentham?” – getting to know locals and tourists alike.
She fondly recalls a lovely encounter when she missed a train in Woodend one day, making a lifelong new friend.
Mary’s attention to detail of people’s names is remarkable, even at 90 years young. She has the art of making people feel special by showing genuine interest in them and their stories.
Mary appreciates her upbringing and feels her Irish values were a beautiful foundation on which she launched. In her “old fashioned village”, her mother always encouraged visiting people for a cup of tea. And Mary loves it when people pop around without rushing. “People don’t do this enough anymore.”
Being friendly, welcoming and having a warm house was central to life. Her heritage instilled you “can’t go with your hands by your sides” – always remembering to take something and not go empty handed to visit someone.
After returning to Ireland for a visit after 20 years away, Mary remembers the traditional food – bacon, cabbage and potato – and recalls how much she loved it.
“Nobody cooks like that.”
Mary’s late husband brought into the house Irish music and philosophy. Mary enjoyed and encouraged this, even though she says she’s not musical herself.
Mary met Tom at a dance in Kyneton. Although they connected and he showed interest, Mary had the opportunity to go on a work adventure and did this before reuniting and getting married.
Mary describes Tom as kind, very special, a gentle soul and a farmer. She loved their time relaxing around their farm kitchen, dirty boots and all.
They did some travelling and Mary really appreciates how Tom organised these trips. She feels her strengths lie in the kitchen at home where “meals are important”.
Like any relationship, the marriage wasn’t all rosy “hills and winds” but the values of empathy, patience, communication and being serious and committed, allowed them 60 years of fond memories. Mary states it was a “joy looking after Tom” when he was unwell with osteo-arthritis after knee surgery. He died at home with her.
Tom and Mary tried to give the kids every opportunity during their childhood. They worked very hard and were social. They would sit in their “big room” lounge around the fire and enjoy music with lots of people.
There were usually at least five kids home at any one time. Some were at boarding school and the other children visited aunts and friends for the holidays.
When the kids were young Mary had a lovely woman who helped the busy household. The kids’ school friends and acquaintances were always welcome if they didn’t have anywhere to stay. It really was a welcome place.
“I always loved entertaining, cooking and gardening. Taking time to set the table nicely. People are my forte, they are everything.”
Mary says ageing is teaching her “acceptance”. Back issues are getting in the way now but she has “to accept my lot”. She has learnt with age, to accept others’ hospitality, something which she found difficult when younger. She loves the odd overnight stay with friends and appreciates being taken care of so well.
Sitting in the sun in the garden is also lovely on a sunny Trentham day, Mary says. Her passion in life remains offering help to others, being generous and caring. Smiles, Mary says, are important. “They light you up and show people you are friendly and warm. I love being greeted by a smile.”

Take homes from Mary: A cup of tea breaks down everything; Be yourself; Be grateful for the
small things; Get into people’s hearts; Always say nice things; It’s about the people and
places; and Deal with things as they come.

Writer Simone Kaplan wants to hear and share stories of love and connection, accomplishment and meaning and death and loss. “I’m always curious about people and love getting to know their stories. The region seems to attract people with such a wealth of knowledge, experience and backgrounds and I’m excited to have a cup of tea and a chat with some locals to hear their story.”

Email contact@simonekaplan.com.au