There is a buzz in Harrow on the day of the Long Lunch, a near palpable excitement.
The delicious smell of Greek lamb wafts through the beautifully decorated setting. The Hall is full of great conversation, smiling people and enchanting music.
Tasting Plates
There is always something happening in this picturesque town, that I now call home. The Harrow Long Lunch, established in 2018 is an exciting addition to the social calendar.
Table setting 
Wreaths and lights hang from the canopy
The Vision
The Harrow Long Lunch is the brainchild of Slobadanka (Sloba) Petrovic. Sloba is a french trained chef who owned and ran the renowned Volga Restaurant in Adelaide for 16 years.
Sloba envisioned the community coming together for beautiful food and wine. Her original concept was to hold the Harrow Long Lunch in the middle of the main street. As Sloba explained this to me we both laughed at how much trouble that would cause! When the weather is fine, it is held on the banks of the Glenelg River and this year, due to unpredictable weather, it was held inside the Hall.
Sloba talking to Sarah Hearn from The Collie Foundation
The event is a fundraiser for the Harrow Neighbourhood House, of which Sloba is a founding member. I joined the Neighbourhood House steering committee last year and I am really enjoying getting involved. It is great to be part of such an active community.
Harrow Long Lunch Menu
The 7 amazing cooks and chefs have all presented cooking worskhops for the Neighbourhood House over the years. They all volunteered their time and expertise to create this amazing Long Lunch:
- Sloba Petrovic
- Greg Hodgson
- Jessica Sutherland
- Katrina Lodge
- Steph Schall
- Narelle Webb
- Gurjit Sondhu
Menu
So many elements, something for everyone
Main is served – Greek lamb 
Almond biscotti 
Dessert – Apricot Bavarian cream
Cheese and fruit platters
The Volunteers
Like most events in a small community, it runs on the strength of its volunteers. For example, there is a Working Group, the dedicated Chefs/Cooks, the waiting staff, cleaning team, the MC, photographer, the list goes on. The Long Lunch is a massive team effort.
Tasting plates – a work of art 
Assembling the dessert 
Delicious food created by a great team of volunteers
Fundraising events face competition from other forms of entertainment and therefore must strike a balance between tradition and the need to stay relevant. The Harrow Long Lunch is a brilliant example of how events in this small country town, continue to evolve. The community and surrounding districts rally behind it, with tickets selling out within hours.
Life is busy and often people don’t have enough time to stop, enjoy each other’s company and celebrate. That’s what events like the Long Lunch provide. It allows attendees to relax, enjoy the beautiful food and music and say wow, what a fabulous community!
Stunning floral centrepiece
It is wonderful to see the Long Lunch movement growing throughout our cities and towns. There is a deep sense of belonging that comes from connecting with your community. Google what’s happening in your area and book a seat at your next local event. You could try your luck at getting a ticket the next time Harrow holds the Long Lunch! Judging by the success of this year, it is fair to assume it will sell out again in record timing.
The Details: Harrow Long Lunch 2019
Date: Saturday 30 March, 2019
Location: Harrow, Victoria, Australia
Venue: Harrow Memorial Hall
Number of guests: 112
Band: Kalimna, a jazz quartet showcasing student talent from the James Morrison Music Academy.
Harrow Neighbourhood House: Formerly known as the Bay Riders Community Centre is auspiced by the Harrow Bush Nursing Centre.
Grants: Victorian Farmers Federation – Look over the Farm Gate Grant and
Bendigo Bank Edenhope Branch – Community Grant
Fantastic recount of the day Kate!
And the pictures are fabulous too 🙂
Thanks Narelle, you did an amazing job. It is easy to take good photos when everything looks fabulous!
Great post, Kate, and I finally got to see the full menu, which I somehow missed during proceedings! You took some great shots, it really shows the efforts behind the scenes. I wish I had thought to shoot through the wreaths along the tables, that worked really well.
Thanks for the positive feedback Melanie, I managed to get a few photos before the crowd arrived! I am loving your candid pics and will follow ‘Precious Ruthless Captures’ on Facebook with great interest. I’m sure we will cross paths again soon, at another local function.
Wonderful capture of the day Kate, many thanks for your amazing photographs and write up of the day. It truly captures the significant volunteer contribution and the atmosphere of the day.
Many thanks again
My pleasure Ann, I really enjoyed it. I look forward to contributing to the Neighbourhood House committee and the wonderful events and activities held in Harrow.
An inspirational blog Kate! Always love a long lunch or foodie experience in general. I completely agree, being part of a community and taking time out to enjoy and participate in local events, regardless of location, is always rewarding on many levels!
Thanks Ash. It is great to be part of an active community and I do love a lingering lunch!
Wow… looks fabulous. How do I get on the mailing list for next year?
Hi Esky, the concept was to hold the Harrow Long Lunch every second year. I will keep you updated. In the interim you could host an MKR event at the farm. I provide the venue, you provide the cooking!
Looks so good and great to read about the Harrow community.
Hi Kath, thanks for the feedback. You will be appearing in an upcoming blog post photo!