[dropcap style=”font-size: 60px; color:#A5CECD;”] T [/dropcap]he Liberal Party will be well satisfied with its thumping victory in Wannon at the weekend as part of the national swing against Labor, but now it is time for Dan Tehan to deliver.

To date, Dan has been in the luxurious position of being able to make significant promises that have yet to be tested, but the people of Wannon will now apply a very different yardstick to that which he has enjoyed as a member of the Opposition.

For the first time as the Member for Wannon, he will be expected to not only stand by his promises, but to also defend the decisions of his entire Government: decisions which, more often than not, will be well beyond his control.

This is what Dan’s opponent in Labor’s Michael Barling faced as a mere candidate: an expectation that he, personally, should be held accountable for decisions that were being made much higher up the political chain.

[box] Given the announcements in the lead-up to the election, Wannon will be waiting expectantly to see how long it takes for Dan to come good on his word as part of Coalition Government.[/box]

First cab off the rank is the $10 million promised for the Peter’s Project cancer treatment centre. Once the new Government is installed, that should surely be signed off without delay.

Next will be a reduction in mobile phone blackspots across the electorate, plus the rollout of the Coalition’s cheaper, copper-based broadband scheme which promises, by the end of 2016, five times the speed we have now in places like Naringal and Nullawarre and Dunkeld and Maryborough.

The potholed roads around western Victoria should be a thing of the past by the next election, and the Princes Highway between Warrnambool and Melbourne will be well in the throes of transforming itself into a true national road that is a pleasure to drive with its smooth surface, multiple overtaking lanes and dual carriageways.

The Coalition promised that the scrapping of the carbon tax would mean more funds for this sort of spending and would also reduce our cost of living.

[box] This week, make a note of your electricity bill, grocery bill and mortgage repayments, because we have been assured that they will all tumble without the carbon tax and an improved economy.[/box]

And so, to the economy. We have been told it was a basket case and modern times have rarely been so grim. Dan – and the Coalition – has promised more jobs, although I doubt they will be in renewable energy, and more opportunities for young people seeking training, a higher education or employment. The national unemployment rate currently sits at around 5.7 per cent; please make a note of that too.

Come 2016, we can retrieve our notes and be in a position to see if the landslide was deserved.

For the sake of a now super-safe seat like Wannon, I hope that it is.

[dropcap style=”font-size: 60px; color: #A02F2F;”]A [/dropcap] RATHER GORGEOUS looking goat called Isabelle is the silent partner behind the skin creams, soaps and lip balms of Make Mine Milk.

Make Mine Milk, based in Colac, grew from challenging circumstances several years ago, when sisters Donna Manders and Marlene Holohan were searching for gentle skin products that could be used by their terminally ill mother.

“It seemed that everything we bought had a bad reaction, because of the chemicals and additives in many commercial products,” Donna said.

“Once we started to read labels and ask questions, we began to wonder why you would put some of these things on your body.”

At about the same time, Donna decided to leave her highly paid, full-time public service job for a complete treechange and the sisters, together with their families, moved to western Victoria.

This is when Isabelle, a British Alpine, came into their lives after Donna spotted her in terrible condition at the saleyards and demanded she be allowed to take her home.

“I had no idea about goats at all but that is really where it all began,” Donna said.

[dropcap style=”font-size: 60px; color: #A02F2F;”]T[/dropcap]he combination of Issy and the search for skin products came together, with Donna and Marlene deciding to make their own soaps and creams using Issy’s goat’s milk. There was just one catch: they had no idea how to do it.

“We aren’t industrial chemists, that’s for sure, but we spent a lot of time on Google, a lot of time asking other people questions and a lot of time making mistakes through trial and error,” Donna said with a laugh.

After months of experimentation – and testing on humans – they cracked a winning formula that is based on each product being made up of at least 50 per cent goat’s milk and using only ascorbic acid as a preservative.

Not long before their mother’s death, the pair decided to go public with their products and held a small market stall at the Birregurra Festival in 2010. Their wholesome, ethical approach to production struck a chord and they have been part of a western district market circuit ever since.

“Our motto is ‘we grow it, we milk it, we make it’ and that pretty much sums up our philosophy,” Donna said.

[dropcap style=”font-size: 60px; color: #A02F2F;”]W[/dropcap]hile the goat herd had expanded considerably in recent years, from a single goat to 23, Make Mine Milk is mindful of staying small.

“We only take orders that match our resources because, to me, there is a fine line between expansion and exploitation,” Donna said.

There are plans, however, to introduce a milking sheep to the herd. One wonders what Issy will think of that…

For more information on products, please visit the Make Mine Milk website.

[box type=”download”] Make Mine Milk will be at the Birregurra Festival on October 12-13. [/box]

Here is where we post adverts from Gumtree (the online buy/sell/swap site) that are either odd, unusual or just plain different. Most are for goods from around South-West Victoria, or close by.

All adverts, including the images, are reproduced direct from Gumtree, but some wording may be changed to protect privacy or for editorial smoothness.

(If you would like to follow up an ad, please do so through Gumtree: although it may not still be listed.)

Here is this week’s offering:

[box] Motorized horse over 2ft tall. Reacts to talking and patting. Eats carrots. Worth $700 new… Is a bit dusty, but she works well $250.[/box]

(What I want to know is, where do those carrots end up? – Carol)

My mother kept everything…and I mean everything. This used to be a source of great embarrassment, but now I am grateful.

Each week, I will upload something from Mum’s drawer – bits and pieces from Warrnambool’s past.

This week is a hand-signed Christmas note from the late Sir Fletcher Jones, given during the height of the Second World War.

Despite the rationing and hardships of the time, Sir Fletcher always made sure his staff still received a Christmas gift and a gift card.

This small card epitomises his famous generosity and respectful attitude toward staff who were treated as part of a big family, rather than as mere workers.

Like many of Sir Fletcher’s former employees, my Mum has long forgotten the gift, but never the gesture.