Rusty Lane cafe leading the way in a rejuvenated Charleville

A polished concrete floor, leadlight glass work and exposed brick posts in the art gallery that fronts the shop have been incorporated into a refurbishment by locals Jane and Michael White that is bursting with character.

And while it might bear the name of Rusty Lane, Charleville's newest business is offering clients a taste of city living with its drive-through coffee commerce.

"People love it - they're joking that we need to install a speaker to place orders," proprietor Jane White said.

The beverage service was meant to be an add-on to the gallery and shopfront for Jane's long-standing design and print desktop publishing business, which she decided to move out of her home and into the public arena, but it's been the main attraction in the week that it's been open.

"The kitchen was for the kids, a place for them to learn skills and give them a headstart in life," she said.

As car after car pulled into the ordering lane, Jane said she was immensely surprised by the interest and positive feedback for the venture in its first week.

Originally from Cunnamulla but doing all her schooling in Charleville, Jane's first experience of work was panelling on Radio 4VL weekend broadcasts, along with a job at IGA, before taking on an admin position at Charleville's hospital.

That was scaled back when she and her husband began a family and working regular hours became too tricky.

Photography began to fulfill Jane's creative urge, which morphed into her desktop publishing business, operating for around eight years now.

The new premises give her a contact point outside the home for business transactions, plus a place to display her work.

A colourful mural splashed along an outer wall, as well as enhancing the creative vibe, is full of meaning for Jane and her family.

It includes her grandfather, the legendary Frank Manthey, best known as one half of the Bilby Brothers.

A bequest in his will is what enabled Rusty Lane to come into being, and Jane described Frank as a mentor for her.

"He saw things and went for them," she said.

Further along the wall is a happy kookaburra, representing Jane's grandmother and Frank's wife Eve.

Noting that she was from Cunnamulla's Kooma tribe, Jane said Eve was front and centre where she belonged.

Finishing the mural is a grey kangaroo for Jane's husband Michael.

"Growing up, art was a big part of our lives," Jane said. "It's not just lines and colours, it's what it represents."

Family also means a lot.

As well as Jane and Michael's three children - Eva, Jade and Dusty - busy in the kitchen, they all worked together to renovate the long unused building.

Jane points to the ironwork gates made by her dad, Brian Russell, saying the linemarking was also his work.

As for its name, she explains that Rusty was her nickname throughout school.

"And Lane, I just wanted to be collective and incorporate all the family," she said.

Even the piano sited along one wall of the gallery has a family significance, being something that Jane's mother Karen loves to play.

The public is also welcome to tinkle the ivories, which one girl, a street walk-in, did this week while waiting for her smoothie.

"She was terrific," Jane said, adding that a group of dancers from Brisbane had expressed interest in performing in the space already, saying they liked the building's vibe.

"There's all sorts of things I've not had time to think a lot about - we're very open to offers," Jane said.

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