Silver Lining Crystal Clear for Flynn Family.

Where memories are made: John Flynn at home in Flynn Silver's Kyneton workshop.

‘From Kyneton to Dubai and through to the United Kingdom’ is not what one would think about a little silversmith business crafting in the heart of Victoria’s Macedon Ranges.

Yet, for John Flynn of the highly coveted Flynn Silver, there is nowhere he and his tight-knit family business would rather be.

“It’s a wonderful place; I like to think I’m the luckiest person in the world.” Flynn says.

From the moment I drove up the grand gravel drive, past a pond with dipping ducks and a miniature train rail circling it’s edges, I was greeted with two grand houses, sitting a mere hundred metres apart.  

 As I stepped foot out of the warmth of my little city hatchback and onto the cold luscious lawn, I felt a sense of great privilege and warmth to be welcomed by John and wife Anna Flynn’s country abode.

John and his brother Dan own and run the boutique business that was started by their father shortly after World War II, and since the gradual control of the reigns after the death of their father in 1978, it is clear both the brothers have carved creations that even the most acclaimed of artists would be impressed by.

“It wasn’t so much a [instant] take-on, it was a more gradual process,” Flynn said, of his father’s passing.

“As kids, we grew up in the workroom, so it was quite natural,” 

“In the early days it was a big learning curve. We made a lot of mistakes, but that’s the beauty of it [silver] - if you make a mistake, most of the time, you can melt it down,” Flynn explained.

“We were very critical of our early work – we were using the same stamp [as their father did] so we had to be careful of the quality we were producing.”

In a global world with short lived trends, it is that exact attention to detail and critiquing skill that has paved the way for a highly respected career of international success.

Flynn takes me into the brothers’ workshop, neatly hidden behind the grand, white 1950’s style house that centrepieces itself as the property’s showroom and the family home for Dan and his wife. 

We are accompanied on the short stroll from home to workshop by the adorable Reuben, Anna’s miniature chocolate brown poodle, who Flynn insists “Is really only a one-person type of dog,” but acts as a third worker on weekdays, keeping the duo company, for often, hours at a time.

Quiet company: adorable little Reuben.

As I wander around the tool cluttered workshop, Flynn explains the basic process of moulding silver, and points out a large, blue machine, a casting machine, used for drilling silver moulds at a high temperature, that is seemingly the key tool of their trade and the apple of their eyes.

“The majority of the furniture and tools in here were purchased by Dad,” Flynn says.

Silver moulds are made from Jeltrate, a quick drying gel commonly used in dentistry. 

 “The casting machine cost a lot of money in that period just after the war, but it was an investment for the business, but it’s that thing... once you get a good one it will cast well for years to come.”

Everything from medallions, brooches, sporting trophies and decorative ornaments, to gold prosthetic fingers have been produced by Flynn Silver.

“A local farmer had his finger cut off by a windmill, and we were asked to make him another one,” Flynn recalls of the unusual request.

When asked of the type and class of clients, Flynn is incredibly humble of the business’ achievements. 

Attention to detail: John Flynn perfects a silver medal.

Flynn Silver is internationally renowned for quality, having supplied designs to a handful of elite and prestigious organisations, with pieces in Buckingham Palace, the Vatican, many local and international churches and cathedrals, even supplying to corporate moguls such as Qantas, Ferrari, and BHP Billiton.

L: A polished piece ready for trophy assemble.

R: A painted piece prior to polishing.

Flynn Silver has also supplied medals to champion athletes in previous Commonwealth Games and is also the maker of “the Melbourne trophy” – the Formula 1 Grand Prix dish that drivers exuberantly raise in celebration each and every year in the highly publicised national sporting event.

“They [the winners] hold it up for...five seconds maybe, the publicity is very short-lived.”  Flynn says.

For a small, home based business in a small, Victorian country town, the scale of success by Flynn Silver is remarkable.

As brothers, it is clear John and Dan share a very dynamic, precious relationship.

“As you get older, you become wiser, and you develop a mutual appreciation of what each other does,” says Flynn. 

“We have regular discussions about a job, and I think that’s where the difference lays. Dan takes care of the creative side of things, while I’m more physical with the work.” 

 But surely living a few hundred metres apart and working together everyday hasn’t caused the odd explosive argument or two over the years?

“[Laughs] I am happy to say there have been no big spats,” chuckles Flynn at the suggestion of the partnership being a ‘perfect marriage'."

“We can work in comfortable silences for hours at a time.”
  
Just above the dusty casting machine, hangs two vintage photographs. 

One of Flynn and his brother Dan, with their mother, the other of Dan as a young boy with their father.
 

John stares longingly at the frame for several seconds, and it is at this point that that the appreciation this family holds for one another is crystal clear.

They say you can ‘pick your friends, but not your family’, but in this instance, it is obvious John and Dan Flynn have hit the silver and gold jackpot.

Country cool; Kyneton is one-of-a-kind, says John Flynn.

Wintertime in the Macedon Ranges

Winter is a wonederful time to be in the Macedon Ranges.

The Macedon Ranges Shire covers approximatley 1700 Square kilometres and is divided into the following localities: Gisborne, Romsey, Lancefield, Carlsruhe, Woodend, Macedon, Mount Macedon and my family home base, Kyneton.

Despite the chilly night breezes and icey grey slush come morning, the country lifestyle is truly unique.

I feel very grateful to be able to live in the city and retreat back to the country to work at Monsieur Pierre.

At present, I feel somewhat of an unofficial ambassador for the region - after living in the country for 8 months, I have developed a liking to all things provincial - with particular reference to my writing subjects and personal dress style.

I am curious in exploring other regions of the shire and beyond!

Waking up at the family home: Kyneton

A naturious view of vertical tree trunks

Morning fog: looking down the driveway

Minutes Meeting

So I joined a journalism group today.
The Macedon Ranges Shire Council runs (as apart of the youth scheme) a writer's/photographers group, where once a month a whole page of the Midland Express is dedicated news, stories and articles written by local budding journo's.

After emailing Marita, I tagged along for the monthly group meeting. Over the course of an hour, we chatted and discussed local events, issues and article ideas. Sitting in the portable school-like room, I felt like a welcomed outsider. The 4 other people who form 'Kyneton Minutes' explained to me the differance between this town; how it was very split charachter wise (Local bogans and former Melburnians of suburbia who now chase after the country 'dream' reside here) to that of Daylesford, Bendigo and even Melbourne's outskirts such as Sunbury and Taylor's Lakes.
As a self confessed city girl, my observations on this town are very much the same as a bird peering down and taking in the buildings, people, streets and culture.

Before the impromptu meeting ended, Marita set us a project; inspired from Melbourne's underground and writting scene (and possibly her uni days), we are to write quotes, stories or snippets of our daily lives that play the purpose of inspiring or making people have 'a bit of a giggle' in their day to day routine...to make their day or to give them something to think about.
We can wrtie as many little notes as we wish, and we can stash them anywhere, from the supermarket to the post office to the park to the train station..
The catch? We must trademark them (in the form of a smiely face and artist name- mine being 'L' and a cheesy, glasses clad cartoon) and the whole project is to be anonymous..

I must admit, I felt like a criminal, stashing the first two notes behind blocks of Dairy Milk and tinned fruit. It was like I was stealing, being all sneaky...but rather than taking, I was giving.
This little project should be interesting. I know I am devious enough to have a bit of fun with the concepts.

"The world is you oyster..it's up to you to choose how you eat it"