Lost in the country … Mid-January 2012.
Dear Reader,
I never thought I would be pleased to be lost but it was an unexpected pleasure to be off course trying to find the Burrawang butcher. Maugers (pronounced Majors) Meats was highly recommended and when we finally got there they did not disappoint.
Having taken the wrong turn after the railway level crossing near Illawarra Highway on Sheepwash Road we found ourselves on the road to Fitzroy Falls, taking a very long way around and back to the famous meat mart. En route we passed a series of beautiful vistas, country lanes and an enormous lake. There was little traffic on the roads until we arrived at the falls where the National Parks car park was almost full and there were throngs of people in the visitors centre. I suspect most were day-trippers from Wollongong looking for diversions in the post-Christmas holiday hiatus.
We passed through the almost non-existent Highlands town of Avoca near which there were a number of magnificent properties, one in particular looked to comprise a Hollywood-type palace on a hill remote from the road. The place had every sign of great wealth including vast rows of tall trees, dark varnished wooden fencing and greener than green fields, most being devoid of livestock. And where there were animals, in a rear paddock on the left, they looked to be prize beasts in manicured meadows like in the movies. I was told later that Judy Davis and her actor husband had a property in the area.
This is all beyond the Wingecarribee reservoir which I gather is the water supply to much of the Southern Highlands. All these small country roads seemed to lead to Robertson although we never got there ourselves having back-tracked via the falls after our detour to Burrawang and its charming main street, general store and pub.
The old stone school and headmaster’s house are presently for sale for 3 million dollars. They have been combined and restored into a grand 5 bedroom residence. The two storeyed pub has glorious views over the green hills and dales below the elevated town. There is a general store which is also up for sale.
It was both an education and a pleasure to visit Mauger’s Meats. On entering the traditional shop-front two young butchers bantered as they dissected various cuts of meat. All of the beef and lamb comes from their own properties, something I confirmed with one of the lads who then quipped: "This one was Daisy!" as he indicated the huge side of beef he was turning into trays of familiar cuts. We ordered a few items, some ready packed in the display window, others duly brought from the rear cool room.
We were advised not to eat the sausages that day since they had only just been made and needed a day to ‘cure’, something I never knew. We were told that they may tend to fall apart if cooked on the same day. On reflection, in the city one would rarely buy sausages on the day they were made.
The business also makes pastry pies once each week: beef or chicken and leek, in individual and family sizes. But you have to get there on Thursdays or Fridays as they run out. They are cold and ready to warm up. We tried both types and they were delicious.
The beef rissoles contained nothing but beef and onion powder and were also excellent. Eye filet steak was sold in a pack of six rounds - I overcooked them slightly, being as yet unused to our new, town gas barbecue. Of course they hardly need any cooking at all. Equally, their lamb and beef sausages each turned out to be delectable at a number of meals later in the week.
Our dog named Nellie Melba, a 14 year old dachshund, was equally delighted with half a kilo of beef off-cuts (good enough to make an Irish stew, to be sure) and some ribs, cut to measure.
Just as we were paying up, the boss arrived with the local newspaper and a story about animal cruelty in Burradoo (our town!). The offenders had been dragged through the courts over neglected cats and dogs and fined a large sum by a judge who was scathing in his condemnation. We commended Mr Mauger on the fine business he was running to which he pointed out that it got more difficult every year with the competition from supermarket chains. He said that the old hardware store in Bowral had just been bought out by Woolworths for a huge price, with the intention of simply closing it down. Same was true of some liquor outlets with Dan Murphy in town too.
Our trip home was faster and more direct for obvious reasons. We had the choice of going through Moss Vale but we chose to take the direct route this time.
Written by Andrew Byrne ..
