By Carol Altmann

[dropcap style=”font-size: 60px; color: #DC943C;”]D[/dropcap]errinallum mechanic Geoff Henderson is the keeper of the keys to a volcano.

“Here you go,” he says while standing in his main street garage, Urquhart Motors, and passing me a keyring with the words “Mt Elephant Gate” written on the tag.

“Just be sure to lock the gate after you,” he smiles.

As president of the Mt Elephant Community Management, Geoff is part of a dedicated group that is slowly and methodically turning one of the south-west’s great landmarks into a natural wonderland that can be accessed by everyone.

For while Mt Elephant, just 1km west of Derrinallum, is a comforting sight to the thousands who drive the “back road” to Melbourne, very few people have actually stopped to look more closely, or climb it.

“I think that is the most common thing people say to me,” says management secretary Val Lang. “They say they driven past Mt Elephant for years, but have never been for a walk on it.”

[dropcap style=”font-size: 60px; color: #DC943C;”]P[/dropcap]art of the reason is that up until 2000, Mt Elephant was privately owned by the Eldridge family.

The mountain was scheduled to be auctioned, but instead the Eldridge’s negotiated to sell it to the people of Derrinallum-Lismore – a community of less than 1000 people – who raised $100,000 toward the $200,000 purchase price. The remaining funds were provided by Trust for Nature, which now holds the title.

In the 15 years since, the management team and a steady stream of energetic volunteers have progressively worked on restoring the site and promoting it as the geological gem that it is.

“We began with improving the environment itself, with pest management, getting rid of the rabbits, and revegetation, and then looked at improving access for the community, through better tracks and signage,” Val explains.

[dropcap style=”font-size: 60px; color: #DC943C;”]M[/dropcap]t Elephant, so-named for its shape when viewed from the south, is described as a steep-sided volcanic scoria cone that formed at least 20,000 years ago.

At 240m tall, it is one of the highest volcanoes in Victoria and is of national significance. (You can find more about its fascinating geology here.)

According to Trust for Nature, the indigenous name for the mountain is Djerrinallum (or Sirryallum, or Gerinyelam, depending on which European settler wrote it down), meaning “Hill of Fire”, so there are no prizes for guessing where Derrinallum got its name from.

And even for a non-geologist, it is hard not to be blown away – pardon the pun – by the mounds of basalt, scoria and “lava bombs” that can be seen around the mountain: there is nothing quite like picking up a rock that looks like it should weigh 5kg and find it as light and frothy as an Aero bar.

“Volcanoes are a window to the earth and we are so fortunate to have a range of volcanoes around this area,” Val says.

[dropcap style=”font-size: 60px; color: #DC943C;”]T[/dropcap]he 30-40 minute walk to the top of the mountain is steep, but spectacular, which means you can take regular breaks to admire the views without anybody questioning your aerobic fitness.

On a sunny day, which unfortunately we didn’t strike but it was still well worth the trek, you can see people surfing at Lady Bay beach in Warrnambool…well, almost…and enjoy a 360-degree sweep of the south-west.

The main walking track is named in honour of a local butcher, the 6ft-something Jack Borbidge and his wife Millie, who left a substantial bequest to the management committee to enable ongoing improvements at the mountain.

Related story: Grazing in The Front Paddock cafe

It is this generous legacy, together with money from the State Government and Corangamite Shire, which has helped fund a new visitor centre that is expected to be built within 18 months.

“It will be a place for visitors, volunteers and the community to use and enjoy and people who are unable to climb the mountain, like young children and the elderly, will still be able to learn about the mountain,” Val explains.

The centre, combined with the mountain now being open every Sunday afternoon, is sure to mean far less people drive past, but actually make it a destination.

“If you walk the full circuit, around the rim, you feel you are not quite flying, but almost – there is a feeling of space all around you which is just wonderful,” Val says.

[box]Mt Elephant is now open for public access and self-guided walks every Sunday from 1pm-4pm. A volunteer will be on site. Free entry. For other times, collect the gate key from Geoff at Urquhart Motors, 13 Main St, Derrinallum, ph: 0419 361 390. For more information, maps, history and activities, visit the Mt Elephant website here.[/box]

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By Carol Altmann

[dropcap style=”font-size: 60px; color: #A02F2F;”] W [/dropcap]hen a groovy cafe with fantastic food opens on the main street of a small country town that happens to be enroute to Melbourne, you might expect a steady trade.

But nothing – not even a former career as an international flight attendant with Qantas – could prepare Cheyanne Ainsworth and her husband Chris for the phenomenal response to their venture, Front Paddock Cafe & Larder, which opened about eight weeks ago in what passes for downtown Derrinallum.

The town officially has a population of around 500, but many, many more than that pass through each day on their way to or from Melbourne and, up until now, it has been a long drive between delicious food and brewed coffees.

“It has been amazing,” Cheyanne says in between serving customers. “My friends say, ‘what did you expect?’ and I didn’t imagine this.”

Soon after opening, the cafe – which offers breakfast, lunch and dinner – was selling out of its entire supply of gourmet sandwiches, rolls, cakes (brought in from the cake capital, St Kilda, no less), pies and generously proportioned sausage rolls which have quickly gained a cult following.

Even during our visit last week, a backpacking cyclist wandered in, put his hands on the counter, smiled and said “I’m hungry and I have been told this is the place to come.”

[dropcap style=”font-size: 60px; color: #A02F2F;”] O [/dropcap]f course a memorable cafe also needs style, character and atmosphere and this is where Cheyanne’s family history comes into play.

Her father, Bob, who occasionally drops in to help with the dishes, was a drover and Cheyanne is affectionately known as “DD” – drover’s daughter.

This strong rural connection is reflected not only in the name of the cafe – more about that shortly – but the beautiful fittings, including several wool classing tables bought at a clearing sale, that have been topped with glass and are used for shared dining and larger groups.

Related story: Mt Elephant rises from its slumber 

There are also salvaged saleyard signs and the inspired use of a bookmaker’s board where the tote prices reflect the coffee prices – except where Cheyanne has added “50 cents” because the old tote prices didn’t have that option.

“A lot of what you see here comes from people who Dad has known for years,” she explains.

Chris, who is a registered builder and bricklayer but also has a background in running family hotels, put the whole space together in what was previously an old butcher shop.

[dropcap style=”font-size: 60px; color: #A02F2F;”] I [/dropcap]f life wasn’t busy enough for the pair, Cheyanne and Chris have continued to work a mixed farm with “Bob the drover”, who manages both his own property and theirs.

So when they are not working in the Front Paddock, they could be working in the other front paddock – their Derrinallum property which carries Berkshire pigs, lamb and beef.

“By the end of the year we hope that all beef, lamb and pork served on the table is from our farm,” Cheyanne says.

“It has all happened at once, but we got to the point where we thought life was too short not to do what we have wanted to do for a long time.”

Which brings us to the name of the cafe.

The pair had hoped to call it the Long Paddock – a droving term – but so many ventures were already using that name that they instead opted for the Front Paddock.

“The front paddock is your best paddock, the one that everyone sees, so it works,” Cheyanne says.

Judging by the response so far, this is one front paddock that is perfect for happy grazing.

[box]The Front Paddock Cafe & Larder is at 24 Main St, Derrinallum. Open for breakfast and lunch every day, but closed on Tuesday. Dinner is available Thursday-Sunday nights. Bookings: (03) 5597 6880 Find them on Facebook here. The cafe is finalist in the 2015 Savour Australia Restaurant & Catering Awards in the category of New Restaurant – Victoria Regional.[/box]

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