“I probably do things to extreme,” Andy confessed. “There are no pre-mixes, we purchase bags of spuds and peel them ourselves to make our own chips. We buy meat from the local butcher and mince it ourselves. We don’t leave anything to anyone else – we ensure our own quality control. Everything is made from scratch – even our own seasonings.”

When we were sitting to have lunch during our visit, we noticed Andy wandering around the shop, casting a watchful eye over the front counter, the staff, the customers, even down to the position of the salt and pepper shakers on the restaurant tables. It was obvious that this was a man with a huge amount of pride in his business and that he wanted to make sure it was done right!

Andy explained, “On any one day we have at least 150 products available to our customers. We open 7 days a week, 365 days a year. Fortunately our business was operational before the restrictive trading hours laws came into force in Tasmania. If you employed less than 100 people there were no restrictions, so we were OK.”

Originally Andy’s Bakery was on the highway where people could stop on their way to and from Launceston. Then the highway was re-routed. “We still had a large passing trade and we extended our normal 9 to 5 hours to earlier in the morning and late at night to cater for that trade. Eventually it was easier to stay open 24 hours a day,” Andy said. At time of writing we know of no other bakery in Australia doing this!

People still come off the highway because of Andy’s reputation. When people travel, they tell their friends. Some of the staff, when they first start work at Andy’s, are amazed how travellers come from all states of Australia and say they have been told by so-and-so that they must call in and taste test various pies, pastries, cakes or slices. This of course is exactly how we discovered Andys ourselves. Kay and Keith Small gave us the nod!

“It’s in the genes”, Andy surmised. His Three great grand fathers back, was a baker in Ireland. That gentleman’s daughter came to Australia as governess to Governor Latrobe’s children and settled in Victoria. She later married an Englishman who was appointed lighthouse keeper at Cape Otway for some 30 years. Needless to say this lady was required to do a lot of cooking at the isolated lighthouse.

A couple of generations were skipped and Andy’s grandmother opened a food store in Melbourne called “Maypole” which survived the Great Depression, World War II and into the early 1960’s. She ended up with three shops. His mother did her apprenticeship through his grandmother and taught Andy how to cook. “I’ve always loved food but have had no formal training other than hands on provided by my mother,” he commented. From the baker cum shop assistant cum providore cum nearly everything, these days Andy is the planner and creator. He goes overseas to look for new products and new ideas to food exhibitions in Europe on an annual basis at least.

“The problem is that I bring back more ideas and more refinements of our current product range than we have time to introduce”, Andy said. “Every time I go away I liaise with suppliers and other bakers, so I can work in their surroundings and always learn some little trick while I am there.” When asked his favourite product lines, he paused very slightly. The bread was easy to answer “Chibato – an Italian slipper bread which is ideal for any occasion”. The pastries and cakes required more consideration. Pepper steak pie won the day and for the cakes and slices – it was a dead heat - French Vanilla slices and the Raspberry Fruit Flans (with local Tasmanian raspberries – of course!)

There is already a public car park and toilets, available for use by any traveller. With the advent of the CMCA rally at Quercus Park Agfest site (some 14 kms away) he opened up his backyard to motorhome parking. There was some opposition from neighbouring towns of Deloraine and Hagley but he convinced the Council that these caravan parks would do nothing for Westbury. The local shop keepers and residents got behind him and he received permission for self-contained vehicles to stop over for 48 hours.

The most number of vehicles he has had on site was 41 motorhomes and campervans on the night before the Rally opened. Andy has become a CMCA member and proudly showed me his membership badge (T34926). He has a slide on which attaches to his four wheel drive Land cruiser. Behind that he sometimes tows a 6 m boat. Fishing and travelling are his two great loves so that combination works for him.

Not one to sit on his laurels, Andy had a few new additions coming to his bakery and fruit/vegetable shop. He has an Ice Cream and Gelati shop ready to open. In typical Andy fashion, all the research is done, all the recipes prepared and tested and now he is just awaiting the arrival of the freezers. Just remember – you heard it here first - There will be 22 flavours all made with an emphasis on Tasmanian berries – blackberries, strawberries, blueberries, etc. etc. He explained the intricacies and differences between the various styles of icecreams from the super creamy to the sorbet style – but that would be giving away his secret recipes, so you will have to wait and do your own taste test.

Currently under construction is a dump site for cassettes and porta potties, water is available, but no power. A Laundromat is being built with coin operated washing machine and dryer. The tub is installed, water connected and he is just waiting the arrival of the appliances. Andy is pictured below hard at work on the new dump point. CMCA member Campbell Dunne from Brisbane Sunshine Wanderers (blue shirt) lent a much appreciated hand in the true spirit of the CMCA.

After that, there will be a hostel for backpackers – whether 18 or 80 doesn’t matter, as long as they are enjoying their visit to Tasmania. He has “backpacked” his way around Europe because he enjoys the social side of that style of travel. “There are a lot of excellent B&B’s around our town but at $85 per night for the full service, this strains the budget of the back packer who doesn’t need such salubrious accommodation. We will have a simple dorm with kitchenette, lounge and dining facilities”, Andy indicated.

So if you come west from Launceston along the B54, take the turn off to Westbury. Andy’s Bakery complex is not far down the main drag on the right hand side. Being a motorhomer himself, Andy welcomes like minded visitors whether locals or mainlanders. All he asks is that you do what the CMCA people have done during their stay, keep the place tidy and quiet (industrial bins are provided for your rubbish) and recommend Andy’s to your friends.

On that basis Andy – how could we stay away???

Andy’s Bakery – Westbury
Great Western Tiers, Tasmania

Interview with Andy Oliver – March 25, 2004

Thanks Andy!

Chrissy Eustace

UPDATE 29th March 2004

We would like to share with you an article which appeared in the Examiner on Tuesday March 23 - in case you haven't picked up on it.
 
"Backyard Blitz" by Ian Pattie
 
Tasmanian businesses with a vacant backyard should rethink their business plan and incorporate motorhome and campervan tourism, Westbury businessman Andy Oliver said last week.
 
Tourists using Mr Oliver's free campervan and motorhome park at Westbury said that where they stayed overnight determined what they did for the next few days.
 
Visitors to his park, apart from being customers at his bread shop and restaurant, had visited Pearns Steam World, the White House, the Maze and other town attractions.
 
Mr Oliver said that the wekend of March 12-14 was the biggest weekend he had ever had even when Westbury was part of the main highway.
 
"I was amazed because we took $20,000," Mr Oliver said. "Visitors using my park are saying that because the space is free, they will be filling up with petrol and gas in Westbury. This is a new industry and Tasmanian visitors ought to be aware of it."

(Examiner - Launceston Tasmania)