Taking a

camel

to tne outback

Chateau

Hornsby

centre.of the Australian outback may seem like one

A LICE SPRINGS, N.T. AUSTRALIA — The hot red

#. of the unlikeliest. places in the world for a winery,
but somebody obviously neglected to tell Dennis Hornsby

Passing through on holiday 20 |
years ago, he had a vision of green
vines growing in the desert as they

- do today surrounding the world’s _

most unique.wine-making |
establishment. a
Chateau Hornsby currently pro-
~~ duces more than 1,000 cases of
“wine annually under conditions

“!” that would drive most cellar-

_masters to drink; the most
:challenging being temperatures
-that hit 125 °F, requiring constant
irrigation with precious artesian
*, “water and specially cooled under-
: ‘ground fermentation tanks te slow
- fermentation down from a gallop
to the more leisurely pace essen-
’ tial for making fine wines.
x Visiting the remarkable “out-
ick Chateau” can be as simple as
short drive or cab ride from Alice
prings; but by far the most inter-
esting way to go is the “Take A
Carnel Out To Lunch” (or dinner)
‘packages offered by Frontier
‘Camel Tours. 2. 0
: The $65 tariff covers pick-up and
return to. your accommodation,
isit to the Camel Museum and

Reptile House, an hour-long camel

safari down the Todd River to the
Chateau where you are given a
cellar. our and enjoy a wine- -

‘easting before sitting downtoa.

of prime roast beef or bar-

m ail-you-can-eat salads,
acks of delicious home-made
beer-brand bread, and, of course,

- lashings of the chateau's raison. -
d’etre.. gs
ty the barramundi, a large del-.
icately flavored native sea-perch,
n

want more than a drop of the big,
jammy Alice Springs Shiraz or the
luscious Cabernet Sauvignon.
Both are very full-bodied, with
toasty, almost raisin-y accents
you'd expect from grapes matur-°
ing in a climate where the ther-
mometer gets a serious workout.
Hornsby also boasts the distinc-
tion of producing the first wine
made anywhere in the world: the
Shiraz grapes far his Alice Springs
£arly Red are picked starting at

- _ 12:01 a.m. jan. 1, every year.

The wine is light and fruity,
Beaujolais style, and you just can’t
get any more nouveau than this,

Check posters around Alice and
try to go on a day when Ted Egan
is performing in the Chateau’s
cellar-theatre. .

A singer, folklorist, wit and
raconteur who samietimes accom-

' panies himself.on the ‘Foster-

hone”. {an empty Fosters’ lager
x), Egan is an Australian institu-
tion not to be missed.

A word about camels: contrary
to rumor or negative experience
you mzy have had in the Middle
East, camels ase not foul-smelling
or bad-tempered when fed weil
and treated kindly. “.  -

“_” Frontier Camel Tours can be
=. contacted at P.O. Box 2836, Alice

sweetness of the Riesling to pro-
duce/a slightly off-diy wine as en- -
y with food ’as without. ~* |

tions hereabouts are bigger than: °
most European countries), you'll _.

Registration

Springs, N.T. 0871, Austrafia, or

- phone (089)530444 or fax
- (089)555015.

. They also offer basic camel rides
and, for the adventurous, 22-day

‘safaris that include sleeping under

the southern stars in the distinctive
outback bedroli, the “swag.”

Staff at Frontier Camel Tours
(especially Michelie Smail) and

Chateau Hornsby couldn’t be

friendlier or more helpful.
- john Moore — F

under way -

for. Dramaworks classes

: SHIAKESPEARE TO mud puddles
“= there's something for all kids at

“-Dramaworks,; which opens its fall -

‘season at Klee Wyck next month.
Registration is already under way
for.‘a variety of classes for young
people aged twa 1016.

/ >= Director, Jenniver Riach, a pro-
fessional actor and drama coach,
‘says Dramaworks’ summer camp

_ “was the most successful yet.
’ “The teens did scenes from The
Tempest fully costumed in just two

. weeks. it was wonderful,” she

said. .
<. Back by popular request for the
fall are acting classes for teens,
focusing on improvisation, voice,
.. movement mask and mime. “We
. concentrate on getting the basic
' foundation of theatre skills,” says
Riach, who is hoping to take some
of her students’ presentations into
the local schools this year.
- Younger kids can also enrol in

‘drama’ classes and learn theatre

games, improvisation, and com-
munication skilis.

Instructor Kim Fraser will help
youngsters express themselves
through =mevement’ in Dance
Drama and the First Stage, for two-
to three-year-olds. In First Stage,

children explore the. world -of |.

make-believe through art, music,
puppetry and drama.

Riach. says she was encouraged
by her students’ parents to begin

” offering art classes. New this year

is Art Experience and the Child for
seven- to nine-year-olds, and Eyes
on Art for kids aged 10-12. .

“They (kids) don’t have much
art in the schools. What they ac-

- complished in two weeks over the

summer was remarkable.”’ .

Dramaworks classes are held at
Klee Wyck beginning Oct. 5. For
more information, phone 922-
8963.

rr as opere -.*
Ps
(-)

- NEW FALL HOURS:
THURS & FRI.......10-9 SUNDAYS...........12-5
MON TO WED.......10°6 SATURDAYS........10-6. ~

| “STARTS.
*  THURSDAYOCTOBER1 * —
2145 GRANVILLE

10am.-—6pm.

Fall is the time to start bringing the fin indoors.

Come: to our Autumn Community Bazaar in the mall on. ;
|, Saturday, October 3. Here you will be able to browse among
tables of baked goods, crafts, andchina. =. |,

We'll even have face painting for the kids. .

Lynnvatiey
COUITRE

Friends serving friends
1199 Lynn Valley Road, North Vancouver