Tea Cosy joy returns to Fish Creek

A VIBRANT gathering marked the opening of the Fish Creek Tea Cosy Festival on Friday evening, the town’s Memorial Hall transformed into a sea of colour and creativity, with a mixture of exhibits ranging from entirely practical to anything but.

One tea cosy that wouldn’t keep your tea hot but caught the eye of judge Sarah Parkes was made of ring pulls from cans. 

Sarah, who is best known for her artworks created with ropes and knots, reflected on the challenge of judging the diverse entries.

“It’s been a joy, and a responsibility I’ve not taken lightly,” she said, adding that she was there for hours making her selections.

“I could not go past the Royal Family, so they got first prize, Sarah said of the category for this year’s festival theme, ‘Celebrations and Celebrities’.

An honourable mention in that category went to a tea cosy depicting local celebrity Nadia Stefani that was created by the festival’s director Marge Arnup, celebrating Nadia being awarded an OAM.

Nadia posed proudly with Marge’s handiwork that featured a miniature OAM medallion.

Entrant Lynne Carlin travelled from her home in Fremantle, inspired by Back Roads presenter Heather Ewart’s promotion of Fish Creek and its festival.

Lynne has a background in fashion and costume design, getting the tea cosy making bug some time ago when she took part in a tea cosy knitting workshop.

One of her entries perfectly captured the famous beard of celebrity television gardener Costa Georgiadis in a garden setting.

“This is what the Tea Cosy Festival does; it brings people from all over Australia,” Marge said during her opening speech, having mentioned Lynne’s presence.

Marge also noted the company of visitors from further afield.

French travellers Cesar Santerre and Romane Pantano arrived in Fish Creek during a bike ride from Phillip Island to Sydney.

Keen to visit a wide range of places and see the real culture of Australia, they were happy to pitch in during the festival set up, having been put up by Marge, and looked to be having a ball during the opening event.

The biennial Fish Creek Tea Cosy Festival has grown remarkably since its 2013 establishment, with its founder the late Deidre Granger fondly recalled during Friday’s event.

Deidre and her partner Luke Dearlove arrived in the town in 2011 as the new owners of the post office, with Deidre realising Fish Creek made an ideal location to fulfil her dream of establishing a tea cosy festival.

Others were less convinced.

“She suggested having a tea cosy festival and we all laughed at her,” Heather Gibson said before presenting a couple of prizes in Deidre’s honour, Heather and Luke having picked entries they felt would have appealed to her.

Heather has been a part of the festival since it was first held and continues as one of its volunteers.

She said the event is in good hands with a lovely younger committee in charge.

“They call me the matriarch,” Heather told the Sentinel-Times, displaying her characteristic humour.

Marge told attendees the festival has highlighted the strength and creativity of the Fish Creek Community, with that message spreading far and wide.

“Who would have thought a little town of 207 people could host a festival for nine days celebrating a humble tea cosy,” she said.

This year’s festival runs until May 26.
Visit teacosyfestival.com.au for more information.