Get Behind the Wheel

Ever sneakily flipped your plate at the end of a fine meal in search of a maker’s mark? Or saved your breath for cooling your porridge at a café only to pleasantly sigh when you realise your breakfast bowl was created by a local ceramicist? A lovingly handmade, purely unique breakfast bowl that you must have now. To take home, to serve warm oats and to become part of your daily ritual.

But how does one find such a vessel?

Through exploring the local stores and fine eateries, visitors to the region can discover the delicate shapes and sizes of the best kept ceramic secrets on store shelves, serveries and table tops.

In Daylesford, the gorgeous selection of objects and carefully made designs at Harry & Me can be discovered by simply slowing down and exploring the glass cabinets beyond the delightful linen and fashionable goods. Here, you’ll find tiny plates for trinkets and small vases reserved for one stem only.

Kyneton’s cutest café, Pollen, is the place to go for bánh mì, but it’s almost guaranteed that you will stay on to explore the shelves curated with delicate vessels and vases, tiny milk jugs, clay teaspoons and sage green tinted breakfast bowls made by local and highly celebrated ceramicist (and co-owner of Pollen) Ruth Laird Spencer of Fork Ceramics.

An artist’s playground, Kyneton is home to several renowned ceramicists, and you can easily find wares by leading craft and clay masters Cassie Hansen and Sharon Alpren as you wander around town. Explore the local Stockroom Gallery in the old butter factory on Piper Street and (carefully) stumble across delightful tableware, cups, sets, planters and more. With an ever-changing roster putting local artisans such as Minaal Lawn (Glenlyon) and Bridget Bodenham (Hepburn Springs) in the spotlight, expect a one-off design by a leading ceramicist ready for you to take home.

Adventuring through Trentham and wandering through the town’s tiny galleries and stores, there’s an element of delight discovering the sublime Wingnut & Co. Based on simple Japanese art form, the makers behind this world-renowned ceramic icon are setting up their off-the-grid studio for a new run of objects ready to be shipped around the globe. Keep an eye out for their unique designs in local stores and restaurants before they sell out.

So, next time you get behind the wheel to explore the region, make a point of exploring the makers behind the wheel.

Minaal Lawn, Glenlyon minaallawn.com
Bridget Bodenham, Hepburn Springs bridgetbodenham.com
Wingnut & Co, Trentham wingnutand.co
Fork Ceramics / Pollen, Kyneton instagram.com/forkceramics
Cassie Hansen, Kyneton cassiehansen.com.au
Sharon Alpren, Kyneton sharonalprenceramics.com.au
Harry & Me, Daylesford harryandme.com.au

Hero Image: Bridget Bodenham, photo by Holly Howe.