The Tablelands at Dawn: The Story Behind Whispers of the Tablelands

Where Dawn Meets Inspiration

There is a moment in the early morning, just before the sun rises over the ridges of the Southern Tablelands, when the land holds its breath. The air is crisp, the earth still cool with dew, and a faint blush of light touches the horizon. It is in this quiet space that the Tablelands reveal their secrets — the whispers of the land, the pulse of its seasons, and the rhythm of the creatures that call it home.

For me, this place is more than where I live and work. It is my sanctuary, my inspiration, and the very foundation of Whispers of the Tablelands — a collection of handmade alpaca felt slippers, hats, scarves, and vests inspired by the beauty and rhythms of this landscape.

A Life Rooted in the Southern Tablelands

When people ask what inspires my artisan felt designs, I often say: the land. But that hardly does justice to what it means to live and create here. The Southern Tablelands of New South Wales are a place of contrasts — frosty mornings that nip at your cheeks, blazing summer days that shimmer with heat, and gentle autumns painted in shades of gold and russet.

It’s a region where the seasons make themselves known, not just in temperature but in the living rhythm of flora and fauna. Over the years, living and farming here has deepened my awareness of these patterns. It isn’t just about tending alpacas or watching the sky for rain — it’s about noticing the small things:

• When certain wildflowers bloom after a wet winter

• The way the plovers return each July to nest

• The shifting calls of native birds as the days lengthen

These moments are the heartbeat of the Tablelands, marking the passage of time in a language older than we are.

The Plovers’ Return: A Ritual of Trust

One of the most poignant rhythms I’ve come to treasure is the annual return of the plovers. Each July, without fail, they arrive and make their nest in the gravel at the edge of the driveway near the homestead.

By the end of August, the eggs hatch. Tiny chicks, so vulnerable in their downy coats, begin their journey under the careful watch of their parents. Every evening, I watch their ritual: parents and chicks making their way back toward the house. They know it is safe here, free from predators, a sanctuary within the farm.

It is a simple yet profound reminder: this land is more than a working alpaca farm. It is a haven of life, continuity, and belonging.

Kangaroos in the Paddocks

The Tablelands are also home to kangaroos, who often spend their days lazing in the paddocks under the warmth of a spring midday sun. What moves me most is their ease. When I walk by, they don’t scatter. They remain calm, watching me with quiet understanding.

They know this place is safe — a refuge from the threat of hunters. To me, their presence feels timeless, grounding, and deeply symbolic. This land is theirs as much as it is mine.

Seasons as Muse

Living on the Tablelands is an invitation to align life with the turning of the seasons. Each one shapes my work in subtle but profound ways:

• Winter: stark and beautiful, it grows thick alpaca fleeces that later become luxurious felt.

• Spring: renewal, chicks and lambs, wattles blooming, and mornings softened by warmth.

• Summer: buzzing cicadas, shimmering heat, and long evenings alive with colour.

• Autumn: mist in the valleys, copper and crimson leaves, and the slowing rhythm of the farm.

Just as the alpacas grow their coats for the winter, I shift my focus with the seasons — crafting lighter designs in summer and spring, and warm alpaca felt slippers, hats, and wraps in the cooler months.

Inspiration at Dawn

At dawn, when mist curls low over the paddocks and the first birds begin to stir, inspiration strikes most vividly. The palette of the land at this hour — soft greys, blush pinks, muted greens — often appears in my felted work.

Dawn is also a metaphor for creativity itself: from silence comes form, from stillness comes expression. Each piece in the Whispers of the Tablelands collection carries this quiet energy within its fibres.

The Birth of Whispers of the Tablelands

The Whispers of the Tablelands collection grew directly from these lived experiences — the trust of plovers, the grace of kangaroos, the shifting rhythm of seasons, and the peace of dawn.

The name came during a morning walk. The land felt alive, not in a loud or obvious way, but in a hushed murmur:

• The whispers of grass beneath my feet

• The beat of wings overhead

• The quiet steadiness of the farm itself

These whispers became the guiding thread of the collection, reminding me that true beauty often speaks softly.

Crafting with the Land’s Gifts

Each piece in this collection begins with alpaca fleece grown here on my farm. I know the animals who provide it — their quirks, their temperaments, their personalities. With rainwater, handmade olive oil soap, and the ancient art of wet felting, I transform fleece into something new:

• Handmade alpaca felt slippers that cradle the feet

• Felt hats that shield from sun and cold

• Scarves, wraps, and vests that bring warmth, comfort, and style

But beyond function, every creation holds within it the soul of this landscape. To wear something from Whispers of the Tablelands is to carry a piece of paradise with you.

Creativity, Peace, and Wholeness

The Tablelands offer more than inspiration — they offer a way of being. Here, I feel creative, at peace, and whole.

The slower rhythm of country life allows me to notice the subtleties of nature — the return of a bird, the shift of colour in a leaf, the gaze of a kangaroo. These details become the foundation of my designs, grounding each piece in a sense of connection and belonging.

That’s what I want to share with you: not just the physical warmth of alpaca felt, but the emotional warmth of harmony with nature.

Carrying the Whispers Forward

When you slip on a pair of alpaca felt slippers from Whispers of the Tablelands or wrap a handmade felt scarf around your shoulders, you are stepping into more than an accessory. You are stepping into a story:

• A story of land and sky

• A story of wild creatures and farm life

• A story of the Southern Tablelands at dawn

These whispers remind us to slow down, to listen, to find beauty in small things. They remind us that we, too, belong to the rhythm of nature.

Closing Reflections

At dawn, as light spills across the paddocks and mist lifts from the valleys, I am reminded of how blessed I am to call this paradise my home.

Whispers of the Tablelands is my way of honouring that blessing — a collection that carries forward the stories of this land, not in words but in fibres, textures, and colours. It is a tribute to the quiet strength of the Southern Tablelands and the gentle voices that speak when we are still enough to hear them.

The Tablelands at dawn are more than a view; they are a feeling. And it is that feeling — of connection, of reverence, of home — that I invite you to share, one handmade piece at a time.