Fleurieu Living Magazine Winter 2012 by Fleurieu Living Pty Ltd

FLEURIEU LIVING T H E B E S T O F S O U T H A U S T R A L I A’ S F L E U R I E U P E N I N S U L A A N D K A N G A R O O I S L A N D

Shangalia Kangaroo Island

Getaway AU $7.95 WINTER 2012

MERRICK WATTS

on why the Fleurieu takes his fancy

McLaren Vale Region

We review truly world class food and wine Strathalbyn Collectors Fair · South Seas Books and Trading - Port Elliot The Yearlings · Maslin Beach Garden

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Old timber water break at Victor Harbor. Photo courtesy of Robert Geh. 2

Congratulations on the launch of Fleurieu Living Magazine

Key Personnel

Contributors

Petra de Mooy Petra is a publisher, an interior designer, a furniture maker and a devotee of good food, good design and good stories. She is also mum to Lucy!

Robert Geh Robert Geh can’t remember who to blame for his descent into photography, but he has been a purveyor of fine commercial photography servicing many clients over the last two decades. His work proliferates in this edition of FLM.

Jason Porter Jason has worked as a graphic designer and art director both locally and overseas for more than twenty five years. He’s tired now and would like to go home to fiddle with his hi-fi.

Heather Millar Heather once lived in London and edited the Spice Girls magazine. Now she lives in Willunga and gets her thrills peering into other people’s lives by writing for Fleurieu Living and other magazines.

Hazel Wainwright Hazel’s office looks down the coastline, capturing the views of the Fleurieu Coast. Her position here allows her to meet all the movers and shakers on the Peninsula and Kangaroo Island.

Adam Jacobs In 1994 Adam came to McLaren Vale as a viticulturist. It wasn’t long before he experienced the wonders of its wine region. He now owns and operates Doc Adams Wines in Willunga, which has wine markets all around Australia and overseas.

Leonie Porter-Nocella Leonie lives in a ‘publish or perish’ environment where her brief is to lift the rate of quality publishing while stemming the perishing rate. Here her brief is to retain each author’s voice within a (quality) house style.

Robert Godden Robert is a tea writer, presenter, video blogger and blender with local business www.the-devotea.com

Anne Drury-Godden Anne is a director of specialist anxiety assistance agency, People Magic. Her blog www.anxioussmanxious.com offers new perspectives on this issue.

James Potter Allegedly conceived in a hot-house, James believes all gardens are improved by a drink and a gentle dig. He works, sometimes, as a garden designer.

Publisher Information Meredyth Cilento Meredyth is a woman with eclectic life experiences, an unquenchable thirst for adventures and new challenges, and an almost religious belief in beauty.

PUBLISHER Fleurieu Living Magazine is published four times a year by Fleurieu Living Pty Ltd. ISSN 2200-4033 PUBLISHING EDITOR AND MANAGING DIRECTOR Petra de Mooy

Kim Harding A would-be designer in another life, with a fetish for large doors. Kim is a renovator of stone cottages and a shearing shed. She also hopes to build a rammed earth house one day. Jo Kiley Jo Kiley is a born and bred Adelaide girl working locally as a freelance writer and marketing professional. Keen to fine-tune her craft, Jo is currently studying ‘non-fiction writing and publishing’ through Open Universities. Emily Shepherd Living and working as a photographer and designer on the Fleurieu for over 10 years, Emily specialises in promoting the wine industry. Her images appear in numerous publications and can be seen adorning the walls of local businesses.

EDITOR Leonie Porter-Nocella ADVERTISING MANAGER Hazel Wainwright GRAPHIC DESIGN AND ART DIRECTION studio threefiftyseven PRINTER Graphic Print Group. SUBSCRIPTIONS www.isubscribe.com.au ADVERTISING ENQUIRIES Hazel Wainwright hazel@fleurieuliving.com.au EDITORIAL ENQUIRIES Petra de Mooy petra@fleurieuliving.com.au

Pip Forrester Pip Forrester is a McLaren Vale-based foodie who has a long and strong commitment to regional food, the importance of using local produce; and the role food partnered with wine plays in both the local community and in the tourism experiences the area offers.

POSTAL ADDRESS PO Box 7, Sellicks Beach South Australia 5174

Mike Lucas The right side of Mike’s brain has enabled him to be a children’s author and owner of Shakespeare’s Bookshop in Port Noarlunga. His left side has qualified him as an engineer. He is cognitively ambidextrous.

ONLINE www.fleurieuliving.com.au www.facebook.com/FleurieuLivingMagazine

While Fleurieu Living Magazine takes every care to ensure the accuracy of information portrayed in this publication, the publisher accepts no liability for errors contained in editorial or advertising copy. The views of the contributors are not necessarily endorsed by Fleurieu Living Magazine. Printed on paper from well managed forests using environmentally friendly vegetable-based inks.

Contents

FEATURED HOME: Shangalia is a stunning beach house overlooking Kangaroo Island’s Emu Bay.

FEATURED ARTIST: Tom Mirams is an Aldinga-based furniture designer whose work references landforms, history and time.

FOOD AND WINE

LIVING GREEN

HEALTH AND WELLBEING

58 Doc’s Diary. Wines from the region (that won’t break the bank).

43 Gardening. It’s all about the dirt.

54 Why tea is good for you.

62 Café La Terre and Jardinage: a touch of France in Willunga. 64

The Chef, The Recipe and the Wine. Nigel Rich, Slow Roasted Goat Forequarter with J. Petrucci and Son 2010 Shiraz.

57 Settling in.

44 Waterproofing the South. Somebody had a really good idea.

55 Retiring on the Fleurieu.

MARKETS & EVENTS

FASHION

10 Diary Dates.

74 Out and About. 26 Fashion Forward Fleurieu.

FEATURED HOME: Sarah and Simon Edwards moved their federation home from Malvern, Victoria to Willunga — on the back of a truck.

FEATURED ARTIST: Meet ‘alternative-country’ duo The Yearlings.

FEATURED GARDEN: An unusual drought-resistant garden at Maslin Beach.

COUNTRY LIFE

MUSIC AND BOOKS

PENINSULA PEOPLE

53 Strathalbyn Collectors’ Fair. Bring the whole family!

18 On the Download. Music that’s actually worth listening to!

48 Meet the Merbeins. A family-owned orchard with heart and soul.

16 Book Reviews. Five books to curl up by the fire with.

HOLIDAYMAKER

WEDDINGS

BEING SOCIAL

76 Merrick Watts on why he loves the Fleurieu.

21 South Seas Books and Trading at Port Elliot. Come browse with us.

Be inspired by these two couples who married on the Fleurieu, live on the Fleurieu — and had super stylish weddings. All catered for by Fleurieu businesses.

New Faces on the Fleurieu. Mike Lucas hits the ground running after moving his family from Plymouth in the UK.

78 Christo Reid: four fabulous photos.

FLM gets out to see who was at the events: · Farmers Market 10th Anniversary · Vintage Classic · d’Arenberg’s 100th Birthday · Langhorne Creek Wine Tasting 7

Original boat ramp at Encounter Bay. Photo courtesy of Robert Geh.

Welcome to FLM Welcome to the first edition of Fleurieu Living Magazine, a lifestyle publication that showcases the best of the Fleurieu region — including Kangaroo Island. We have great beaches and landscape as diverse as it is stunning. We know that rain or shine, on weekends, if we want to buy fresh food, the Farmers Markets are a sure thing. We also know that if we don’t feel like cooking there are plenty of cafes, restaurants and wineries serving up everything from the basic to the sublime. A good coffee is almost always only a stone’s throw away — and if you are at a loose end there is bound to be live music, a country fair or even a fantastic festival to attend. All of this is apparent to even the infrequent visitor. What may not be so obvious are the people who make it happen. The farmers

and producers, the chefs, the artists and musicians, the philosophers and surfers, and passionate gardeners whose gorgeous homes and gardens are normally hidden away in the back streets. We aim to seek out the most interesting people and places, and to highlight top quality produce. We will inform through intelligent writing and inspire through beautiful photography. The challenge for us is not only to find interesting stories and people to write about, but to bring to this rich and diverse community a magazine that delivers on the same level. We are proud of what we have achieved in our first edition and it provides a fantastic insight into just a fraction of what is yet to come. Please join us again in Spring.

Special thanks to the advertising partners that have made a long term commitment to FLM.

designed for living FLM would also like to acknowledge valuable assistance from Toni and Grant Stoeckel of Mildura Living Magazine. Photographer Robert Geh has also been very generous in allowing us access to his amazing personal library of photographs taken on the Fleurieu Peninsula.

Diary Dates Markets, Festivals and Events.

Markets: Willunga Farmers’ Market In the Willunga Town Square every Saturday from 8am to 12.30pm. The Farmers’ Market has a real buzz, is wonderful for regional produce — and you just know that all the diehards will always be there each week, come rain or shine. Willunga Artisans’ Market In the Willunga Show Hall (opposite the Willunga Farmers’ Market) on the second Saturday of every month. Local art and craft, with a little bit of something for everyone. Fig Tree Market In the Port Elliot Institute, The Strand, (opposite the Hotel Elliot ) on the third Sunday of each month. Local wares from jewellery and sculpture to toys and food. Fun for all the family. Victor Farmers’ Market At the Grosvenor Gardens, Victor Harbor every Saturday from 8am to 12.30pm. Over 32 stalls, with locally caught seafood, organic vegetables, seasonal fruit, local honey, mushrooms, fresh flowers, Fleurieu regional wines and much more. Well worth the visit. Goolwa Wharf Market Goolwa Wharf — every first and third Sunday of the month from 9am to 3.30pm. With around 80 stalls there is a myriad of goods on offer. Bric-a-brac, collectibles, plants, books both new and old, and hand-crafted goods. Kangaroo Island Community Markets Lloyd Collins Reserve, by the beach at Penneshaw — first Sunday of the month from 9.30am to 1.00pm — with Kangaroo Island’s top food producers selling a range of fresh local produce in a great village atmosphere. Meadows Country Market Meadows Community Hall on the second Sunday of the month from 9.00am to 3.00pm. Local produce, crafts, collectibles, plants and bric-a-brac. A true country market. The Original Open Market Beach Road, Christies Beach first and third Sunday of the month from 9 to 2pm. Bric-a-brac, second-hand goods, fruit, vegetables — they have the lot! Strathalbyn Market In Lions Park, South Terrace, Strathalbyn. On the 3rd Sunday of the month from 8am to 2pm. Bric-a-brac, produce, coffee, pies, apples, plants, soaps, jewellery and much more in wonderfully historic Strathalbyn.

Yankalilla Markets In the Agricultural Hall, Main South Road, Yankalilla on the third Saturday of each month. Craft and Produce Market featuring goods from the local area. You’ll be surprised what you may find! Willunga Quarry Market Adjacent to the Willunga Oval, every second Saturday of each month, rain or shine! A real gem, from fantastic coffee, tarot readings to that hard to find plant and local produce — it’s not to be missed. Port Elliot Market At Lakala Reserve Port Elliot, on the first and third Saturday of each month. A typical country market with plenty of fresh local produce on offer as well as a good mix of other goods such as, bric-a-brac, books, fishing gear — even a $2 stall! There is sure to be something here for everyone.

Festivals and Events: 9 and 10 June Antiques and Collectors’ Fair Currency Creek, at two locations Currency Creek Estate Winery and Currency Creek Community Hall from 10am to 4.00pm. Featuring china, antique jewellery, Australiana, toys, kitchenalia and much, much more, over both venues. 10 and 11 June BankSA Sea & Vines Festival More than 20 wineries match their wines to delicious seafood, while offering a wide range of food and entertainment. This event celebrates the renowned wine district of McLaren Vale; this time celebrating 20 wonderful years. 29 July to 6 August Willunga Almond Blossom Festival This long-standing event celebrates the blossoming of the almond trees and the Willunga almond-growing tradition in general, along with Fleurieu Peninsula food, wine, arts, crafts, festivities and fireworks over the entire weekend. It’s a great celebration on the Oval right in the heart of beautiful, picturesque Willunga. 3 to 26 August SALA Festival South Australia Living Artists’ Festival program of visual arts showing all around the Fleurieu. This is a great showcase for the work of numerous South Australian artists. 18 and 19 August Strathalbyn Collectors’, Hobbies and Antiques Fair The signature Antique Fair and iconic Strathalbyn event. The former director of Sotherby’s and star of Bargain Hunt fame, Mr Tim Wonnacott, will return again to Strathalbyn especially to host the event. See you there. 22 to 26 August Targa Adelaide, throughout Adelaide and regions Join the excitement and get behind South Australia’s newest motor sport event. This worldwide car rally hits the streets of South Australia, forming part of the Australian Targa Championship. Strap yourself in! www.targaadelaide.com.au

Inspired by nature. Heather Millar meets furniture designer Tom Mirams, whose work references landforms, history and time.

The first thing you notice when you enter the beach-house home of furniture designer and now Aldinga resident Tom Mirams, is the light and space, then the ocean views from the upper floor. For a man so influenced by the environment, it will be interesting to see how his new life on the coast shapes his work. ‘I’ve always wanted to live at the beach’, says Tom. ‘I grew up in the country on a biodynamic farm on the south-east coast of New South Wales, so I wanted to eventually end up outside the city but close enough to visit for work’.

I’m really fascinated by time and history, and something about endurance too— that if you live close to nature and go with it rather than fight it, over time it shapes you in a good way.

Tom is creative director of the furniture design studio at the JamFactory in Adelaide, working four days a week in town, and having three days a week in his ‘coastal country’ home. He runs the program for emerging designermakers in furniture and product. Some 14 years ago he was one of those emerging designer/makers at the JamFactory himself, after graduating from the University of Tasmania’s Bachelor of Fine Art (Furniture) course. ‘When I got accepted into the JamFactory as a design associate, I came across to South Australia with my little Subaru packed to the hilt. I didn’t know anyone.’ Design associates work two days a week on studio commissions, for which they are paid, and the rest of the week on their own design using the JamFactory’s machinery. ‘It’s competitive to get into,’ says Tom, ‘but it’s like a stepping stone between university and being a practising or freelance designer’.

In 1998 Tom and a group of friends started up the George Street Studios — a group work-space for independent designers and businesses — where he ran Tom Mirams Design until 2005, when he was then employed at the JamFactory. His large-scale commissions include work for Microsoft, Forestry SA, Transport SA, Adelaide Fringe and Adelaide Festival for the Arts; and his work has featured in the JamFactory’s leading exhibitions, including Resource Re-Source and Credenza Credentials. ‘Sometimes I might work for a client who has a very simplified, modernist approach, and then another time for a client who has a more flamboyant and sculptural approach. To pinpoint what the client wants and expects, including what would suit the space best, gives me the ability to work across a lot of different styles. My work always references land and landform, history and time;―and in a very subtle way, my connection to the environment. I think I have an innate sense of identity based on Australian landforms, possibly by reason of having grown up in the country. I don’t necessarily emulate what’s in nature, but my work is inspired by it.

I’m really fascinated by time and history, and something about endurance too — that if you live close to nature and go with it rather than fight it, in a good way over time it shapes you. Obviously that’s not said overtly in my work, but it’s part of my ethos― and what drives me. Then there’s the other side of my work that is for a commercial context — which I love too. Not only does it have to fulfil a brief, but it needs to state something clearly and sharply. Removing the unnecessary; and with enhanced clarity of finish and quality — that’s really important to me’. When Tom’s contract finishes at the JamFactory at the end of next year, he will have a workshop down this way. ‘I’ll stay working parttime in education — but I also need my own headspace’. He has plans to make surf boards, perhaps even a boat. ‘Peter Walker, who was my head of department, makes beautiful wooden surf boards and he got me started’.

My work always references land and landform, history and time; and in a very subtle way, my connection to the environment.

One of his favourite things to do on the coast is to get out in his dinghy. ‘We sneak along the coast and go snorkelling, or pull in on some four-metre beach and have a picnic’. Other favourite pastimes are fishing, swimming and hang-gliding up the coast at Ochre Point. ‘I like having a beer at sunset up at the Victory; and breakfast at Tango Turtle in Willunga’ (run by Nicki Senior and her partner, glass artist Mark Thiele, who he knows through the JamFactory). ‘I love having a wander through the Willunga Market on Saturday mornings. I like the Honey stall — the girls are really friendly. The cheeky butchers up the road in Willunga are good too. I love Adelaide and the Peninsula because there’s so much creativity here, as well as good food, good lifestyle — I love the climate; it’s hot but dry. It’s got that quintessential Australian light and feel.’ Tom is working toward his solo show on Friday 23rd November with Worth Gallery at Fisher Jefferies. You can see some of his current work online at www.worthgallery.com.

Photo credits: Screen light images by Grant Hancock. Sandblasted oregon cabinet images by Tom Roschi. 15

MUSIC & BOOKS

Book Reviews by Mike Lucas.

Time’s Long Ruin by Stephen Orr

The Tin Ticket by Deborah J. Swiss

Being born poor in Great Britain in the early nineteenth century was considered a crime waiting to happen by many of the ruling class. Survival for such unfortunate individuals often ensured that these expectations were met. Being born female as well exposed you to the depravity and injustice of a society that expected more of the fairer sex and hence set the punishments that much higher. Deborah Swiss’s well researched true story follows the tragic lives of three women whose sentences far outweighed their small misdemeanours. From the squalid streets of Glasgow and London to the utterly inhumane conditions of Newgate Prison and the lawless trip to ‘parts beyond the seas,’ or Van Diemen’s Land, Swiss conjures a harsh reality where immorality of those imposing the rules often cast the women’s petty crimes into insignificance. This book takes you to places that shame the humanity of what was perceived to be a civilised nation. 16

Voted as the best book to represent South Australia in the National Year of Reading’s ‘Our Story’ program, Adelaidean Stephen Orr’s novel about three children who disappear on an unaccompanied trip to the beach in 1960 purposefully echoes the unknown fate of the Beaumont children who would vanish from Glenelg Beach 6 years later. Told from the point of view of 9 year old friend and neighbour, Henry Page, the northern suburbs of Adelaide are portrayed in a grey, insular, yet unquestionably nostalgic fashion that suitably reflects the free, unsupervised childhood of the time. The characters’ faults, foibles and weaknesses make them all the more real, and the main plot is paralleled by several subplots which are just as enthralling. Part depressing, part uplifting, this book is the story of an era that, for better or for worse, has now disappeared forever.

The Red House by Mark Haddon

Fluid, yet disjointed. Ordinary, yet extraordinary. Mark Haddon’s new novel about two families who spend a week in rented accommodation on the Welsh border reflects the complexities which lie within relationships that, from the outside, appear mundane and nondescript. Haddon’s distinctive way of writing gets us inside the mindsets of the characters with truths and secrets that may sometimes seem uncomfortably familiar. The constant shift of viewpoint at first throws up more questions than answers, but as the dynamics change and past issues are confronted, it all becomes clearer. Real, engaging and enlightening, this is a finely constructed insight into human interactions.

Women of the Land by Liz Harfull

Following on from Liz Harfull’s successful Blue Ribbon Cookbook, Women of the Land follows the lives of 8 inspirational Australian women who run their own farms. Overcoming personal tragedies, unsubstantiated prejudices and the hard demands of the land, each has a remarkable story to tell and a spirit that inspires. The balanced determination and dedication to both their farming and their families shows the real strength of these women who, for one reason or another, have found themselves at the helm of a business that is so much more than that word implies. Harfull has researched, interviewed, listened and captured the true nature of what makes these women more than just farmers. They should be proud of, not only the road they have ridden, but also the way that their tracks in the land have been retraced and recorded within this book.

One Small Island

by Alison Lester and Coral Tulloch Ages 6-12. The effects of human habitation on one small island in the Southern Ocean during the 19th Century, and the subsequent attempts to restore Macquarie Island’s original balance are explained using uncomplicated historical facts in this imaginatively illustrated children’s book. Shortlisted for the 2012 Children’s Book Council of Australia (CBCA) Awards, the book covers the island’s geological formation, the first arrival of human settlers and the inevitable loss of its natural equilibrium, which was eventually officially recognised by the island being declared a wildlife sanctuary in 1951. Alison Lester’s love of, and fascination with, nature shines through brightly and Coral Tulloch’s

informative texts and illustrations both match and contrast at the same time. Educational, inspiring and freshly presented, the book leaves you with the message that the island, though small in physical size, exists as a far larger representation of how we care for the world around us.

MUSIC & BOOKS

On the download. by resident audio aficionado Jason Porter.

One of the side effects of being a die-hard audiophile is the non-stop quest for outstanding musical recordings. Once you’ve heard how good music can sound, you want it all to sound like that. And amazingly, some of the best recordings I’ve ever heard were made decades ago. In the same way people just assume that digital is better than analogue (don’t be so naive), they also assume modern recordings are better than vintage ones. If my years of obsessive research have only taught me one thing, it’s to ‘never assume anything’. I thought the rampant uptake of MP3 players marked a sad day for lovers of high fidelity. And initially that appeared to be the case. Music was able to be downloaded quickly and easily due to the small size of compressed audio files. This of course sent the music industry into a tailspin. Initially they wasted years trying to stop illegal music downloads and wasted plenty of money on unsuccessful lawsuits. Finally, they realised this technology is not going away and are now devising ways to work with it, instead of against it. Musicians have also become wiser. They realise that the days of trying to get a record company to notice and spend money on marketing them are also well and truly over (for the most part). Enter social media networks — it’s now possible to launch your own music career. (Who needs a record company!?) And the best part? If successful, you make the money, not the record company. So what I’ve been leading up to is that many musicians are now bypassing outdated business models and bringing their music straight to us. But it gets better, now that we all have fast connections and plenty of bandwidth on tap, many musicians are now offering (uncompressed) high resolution files that (have the potential to) sound absolutely incredible.

So while going to the music store to purchase new CDs is still viable if you listen to mainstream radio and purchase nothing but top 40 hits, it’s often a waste of time if you’re looking for pretty much anything else. You’re much better off searching online and downloading audio files either directly from artists’ websites or from music distribution sites like Bandcamp. You’ll also pay a fraction of the cost of a store-bought CD. Admittedly you won’t have a physical disc or the cover art, but you will have a minimum of CD-quality audio, but often even higher quality. (To play higher resolution files than you’d get on an audio CD (16bit/44.1kHz), you’ll need more specialised playback equipment. I won’t bore you with technical details, but you’ll need a digital to analogue converter (DAC) that can handle 24bit /96kHz files.) Anyway, in my search for well recorded (and uncompressed) music files I’ve come across some very inspiring recordings by artists you may not have heard of, but perhaps should have. The following are not reviews as such, but mere pointers to set you in the right direction in your search for satisfying music for your library.

Questions regarding the download of high resolution music files? Don’t know what format to choose? Need advice putting a high end system together? Send me an email and maybe I can help: soundsgreat@fleurieuliving.com.au.

INTERESTING MUSIC: Daughter The Wild Youth EP This UK-based three piece comprises Elena Tonra (vocals and keyboards), Igor Haefeli (guitar) and Remi Aguiella (drums). This is Daughter’s second release after their debut four-track, ‘His Young Heart’ EP. Both these EPs are well worth your attention. What struck me right away was the fact that every song on both these recordings is just as good as the next. It’s a very simple, clean, acoustic sound that’s as haunting as it is enchanting (thanks to Tonra’s standout vocals). Well recorded and immensely satisfying. http://ohdaughter.bandcamp.com/ XXXX

Andrew Bird Break It Yourself Andrew Bird is a Chicago based violinist, songwriter and vocalist. This is his sixth album as a solo artist and it does not disappoint. Although trained as a classical musician, his music is not typical of anything! He has an original and distinct sound, no doubt as a result of playing his instrument pizzicato through an overdriven valve amp. (Take a look at his ‘Anonanimal’ video on YouTube from his ‘Noble Beast’ album and you’ll hear what I mean.) Although not as good as some of his previous releases, it’s definitely worth the download. www.andrewbird.net X X X 1/2

Jack Johnson Bushfire Fairytales (REMASTERED) This is Jack’s debut album from 2001 that has recently been remastered from the original analogue tapes by Bernie Grundman (and subsequently re-released). It’s available for download via Bandcamp and sounds fabulous. This new version also includes some bonus live material. http://brushfirefairytales.bandcamp.com/ album/brushfire-fairytales X X X 1/2

NEW MUSIC: Lana del Rey Born to Die Although del Rey gets pretty close to mainstream, there’s something very compelling about her sound. Born to Die is a debut album, and if you’ve not heard it yet you should put this on your list. She offers an expertly crafted blend of sultry vocals, streetwise lyrics and film-like string orchestrations. www.lanadelrey.com XXXX

Shakespeare's Book and Coffee Shop A place to discover and relax.

Fiction · Reference · Children’s · Book Vouchers · School & Library Supplies Instead of a demanding trip to a busy shopping centre, why not visit a family run, friendly bookshop where customer service is our number one priority.

Shop 3, 7 Gawler Street, Port Noarlunga, SA 5167 Telephone 08 8382 3343 Email: contact@shakespearesbooks.com.au

HAIR, FASHION & ART Opening Hours: Thurs to Sun 10-4 Jewellery · Eco products · Retro and vintage clothing · Orienka mixed fabrics · Antique kimonos Metalicus, Staple, Davines, Mesop, One Teaspoon, Dog Star, Essence, Laika.

If anxiety is preventing you from seeking work then you should know that you are not alone and I can help you. I have been in your shoes. I can start with helping you with your anxiety and then we can polish your resumé and help you find the right place to work. Together we can get you to where you want to be.

Ring me personally on 0433 237 289 for a no-obligation chat about how we can help you find your future. Anne: Consultant / Counsellor / Success Story www.peoplemagic.com.au

Book Shop Near the Sea. by Heather Millar.

If you’re a book lover set aside at least an hour when you visit South Seas Books and Trading in historic Port Elliot — you may find yourself whiling away several! If you’re a book lover, set aside at least an hour when you visit South Seas Books and Trading in historic Port Elliot — you may find yourself whiling away several! Owner Sarah Taylor says she’s always had a love for the literary, and after several incarnations as a lawyer, teacher and resident of Papua New Guinea, she found her way to Port Elliot and fulfilled her passion for books. ‘I always had a dream of a bookshop where you could also get good coffee’, she says, with her ‘trademark’ bright, welcoming smile. ‘The dream was that it would look like a living room so you could come in and sit down, be surrounded by books and interesting bits and pieces I’ve picked up from different places’. Tables and shelves overflow with the latest fiction, eclectic art and design books, cookbooks — and there’s even a table of ‘favourite reads’ with scribbled reviews from South Seas’ staff. There’s also a small selection of out-of-print second-hand books, and magazines to read while you sit and have a coffee and biscuit on the comfy leather couches. But it’s not just about the books; if you look closer you’ll see there’s also furniture, lamps, art, ceramics, stationery and other appealing gifts on display and tucked away in all corners of the shop. There are candles and curios — even handbags and scarves. And the walls are decorated with all kinds of colourful delights, including artist Chris de Rosa’s seaweed-based prints. (Chris also works in the store.) South Seas also has regular ‘events’ — book launches, ‘meet the author’ nights, exhibition openings, and book clubs. However, it’s Sarah’s knack for finding out what her customers’ want that really impresses; her enthusiasm is infectious. I find myself trawling through the books and discussing all sorts with her — even leaving with my own purchase or two! 53 North Terrace, Port Elliot, Ph (08) 8554 2301.

An afternoon with The Yearlings.

Jo Kiley spoke with the band upon their return from the International Folk Alliance in Memphis.

Alt-Country duo, The Yearlings, tell us what they love about living in Maslin Beach and share their plans for the rest of 2012. You couldn’t meet a more delightful couple than Chris (Parko) Parkinson and Robyn (Bob) Chalklen of alternative-country (altcountry) band The Yearlings. This down-to-earth pair met at the Tamworth Country Music Festival in 2000 while Chris was touring with country music icon Jimmy Little, and Robyn with Problem Pony. Now with five albums under their belts and a long list of performances across Australia and abroad, The Yearlings have become the darlings of the folk/country music scene in South Australia. Robyn and Chris talk fondly about their slice of the Fleurieu and explain how living at Maslin Beach has helped shape their music. Commonly described by the music industry as ‘alt-country’ or Americana, The Yearlings’ sound crosses the divide between folk, country, roots and a little bit of rock. Having seen The Yearlings play live a number of times, I can report that their harmonies melt your soul. The quiet loveliness of their music evokes a sense of longing, encourages a wistful smile and sweeps you away to a time when folk listened to the wireless.

In February this year The Yearlings received an invitation to play an official showcase at the prestigious International Folk Alliance in Memphis. It’s an annual event that attracts all the decision-makers from the folk music industry including festival directors, venue operators and DJs.

When asked how living at ‘Maslin’ affects their music, they reflected on the pace, the quiet of their surrounds, and their love of living near the beach. ‘Yes I do think the slower pace and serenity of living down here inspires our music. I think different sounds would come out if we lived somewhere else,’ says Chris. In February this year The Yearlings received an invitation to play an official showcase at the prestigious International Folk Alliance in Memphis. It’s an annual event that attracts all the decision-makers from the folk music industry including festival directors, venue operators and DJs. Held at the Marriott Hotel, the event fills its 600 rooms with workshops, exhibitors and performances. Chris and Robyn excitedly talk about their motivations for going and the significance of their attendance. ‘It’s a chance for artists like us to get some great exposure to key people in the industry. ‘This is a big deal ... it’s rare to get offered a showcase gig’, says Chris.

The Yearlings Discography 2010 — Sweet Runaway 2008 — Highway Dancing 2007 — Live album, Bless This House with Suzannah Espie & Ian Collard 2005 — Wind already blown 2002 — The Yearlings

Chris tells us how artists that don’t get an official showcase put on more informal showcases from their rooms. ‘They fill up their fridges with beer, send out invitations and perform in their hotel room from morning ‘til night, trying to get people to watch’, says Chris. ‘You get to meet loads of people and a few of our favourite artists were showcasing as well. It is good just to be there in the mix’, says Robyn. The Yearlings performed gigs in Nashville, Atlanta and Birmingham during their time in America as well.

Warm and inviting, their studio, named ‘My Sweet Mule’, is a lovely space, full of guitars, banjos, microphones and recording equipment nestled on earthy wooden jarrah floorboards sourced from an old dairy in Willunga. On my 50 minute drive to visit The Yearlings at their Maslin Beach home I asked myself, why choose to live there? Arriving via the Esplanade, I saw a breathtaking view of the sparkling ocean, white beach and ruddy, copper-stained cliffs. I smelt the salty ocean and felt a sense of space and quiet. I immediately understood the appeal. When asked how they ended up in Maslin Beach, Robyn laughed and said ‘it’s a really long story’. Robyn grew up in the Adelaide hills, but her Grandma had a shack at Port Willunga which she visited often. After moving into the shack to be near her ill mother many years later, Robyn developed a great appreciation of the area and decided she wanted to buy a place of her own there. It was Robyn’s father who convinced her that nearby Maslin Beach was an ‘under the radar’ suburb that was still an affordable and appealing choice. It didn’t take her long to find a house she loved, which she bought in 1999. Here’s what Chris and Robyn came up with when asked about their favourite local spots and hidden treasures: The Currant Shed, McLaren Flat: Restaurant ‘Its a gorgeous little spot and a good place for a date.’ Acoustic Peacock, Willunga: Live music venue ‘Live music venue that’s great for a meal and a drink.’ Alpha Box and Dice, McLaren Vale: Winery ‘They do beautiful wines.’ The Singing Gallery, McLaren Vale: Performance Space ‘Great acoustics.’ Red Poles, McLaren Vale: Winery and Art Gallery ‘We play at Red Poles quite a bit ... it’s awesome, especially in summer.’ Beach Road, Christies Beach ‘Has a good stretch of second hand shops.’ Blessed Cheese, McLaren Vale: Cheese Shop, Café and Providore ‘Its like our little market down there.’ Noddy’s Curios, Port Noarlunga: Antiques ‘They’ve got some real treasures in there.’ Russell’s Pizza, Willunga: Restaurant ‘Always a favourite.’

Robyn described what they can see from their front window; ‘We’ve got the Mt Lofty Ranges to the left, a view of the ocean to the right and across the road is a horse stud’. Very fitting for a band called The Yearlings! Robyn explains how an unfortunate accident in 2006 altered their mostly acoustic sound. As the opening act for a gig in Byron Bay featuring folk band, ‘The Audreys’, they were busy making their usual pre-gig preparations. Chris went to tune his very rare 1937 Martin 0018S archtop guitar, accidentally tripped on some stairs, and smashed his precious instrument to pieces. He was devastated, but this event did lead to a significant musical shift. Robyn described how they were struggling to get their solely acoustic sound out to big, noisy crowds at the time but were forced to use electric guitar at that gig because the other guitar was broken. ‘It worked really well, so now I plug in and Parko doesn’t play acoustic any more’ says Robyn. Chris proudly showed me his rebuilt Martin archtop guitar during my visit. As a result of getting it restored, they discovered that it was the very first prototype of only eight made in the world. A beautiful and precious instrument! Seemingly accident-prone, Chris describes how an incident in 2009 prompted the creation of their home recording studio. ‘It had been in my mind to convert the garage to a studio for a while, and then I accidentally bashed the car through the garage door’, says Chris. They decided it was as good a time as any to make the conversion. Warm and inviting, their studio, named ‘My Sweet Mule’, is a lovely space, full of guitars, banjos, microphones and recording equipment nestled on earthy wooden jarrah floorboards sourced from an old dairy in Willunga. Their first use for the studio was recording their 2010 album, ‘Sweet Runaway’, which received rave reviews. ’My Sweet Mule’ attracts musicians and artists from around Australia to record there, including Sara Tindley, Heath Cullen, John Baker (The Baker Suite) and Charles Jenkins. The Yearlings plan to record their sixth album in their studio during the second half of 2012. Nestled in the seaside haven of Maslin Beach, you can see why Chris and Robyn call this part of the world ‘home’. You can’t help but feel a soft spot for this couple who seem truly grateful for the life they live and for each other. You can catch The Yearlings playing regular gigs at The Wheatsheaf Hotel, Red Poles and The Acoustic Peacock. Check out The Yearlings website for details of their upcoming shows (www.theyearlings.net).

FASHION

Fashion Forward Fleurieu.

Katherine available at:

Charnelle available at:

Laika available at:

All that Jazz

Eleaner

Spock Sisters

29 North Terrace Port Elliot SA 5212 Open 7 days

141 Main Road McLaren Vale SA 5171 www.charnellecollection.com.au 9:30 – 5 Mon to Sat except Tues 11 – 5

30 High Street Willunga SA 5172 Open 7 days 10 – 4

When you think of one-stop-shopping, we are guessing that Port Elliot, McLaren Vale and Willunga are not the first stops that spring to mind. But look a little closer, shopping on the Fleurieu has never been so good! With providores, cafés, wineries, hotels and gorgeous shops, you can have the total experience. All the while avoiding stoplights and parking snags. The retailers featured here sell an array of top quality Australian and New Zealand brands, available in styles ranging from sleek and modern to layered and asymmetrical. The fabrics are luxurious and the designs are unique. It really is a good time to shop local.

Merinomink available at:

Neemah available at:

House of Elliot

I Am Tall Poppy

31 The Strand Port Elliot SA 5212 www.thehouseofelliot.com.au Open 7 days 10 – 4-30

Shop 1, 1 Aldinga Road Willunga SA 5172 www.iamtallpoppy.com.au Open 7 days 10 – 5

Cape Town to Kangaroo Island. Kim Harding writes about a stunning beach house overlooking KIâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Emu Bay. Photographs by Robert Geh.

Shangalia (Swahili, for Welcome) overlooking the small township of Emu Bay on the north coast of Kangaroo Island, is easily one of the island’s most unique beach houses―designed by one of Adelaide’s most eminent architects, Max Pritchard.

the house be uncomplicated, sustainable, and ideally capture a view of the brilliant ocean from every room’.

Owners Fiona and PJ, both from Cape Town South Africa, moved to Australia in 1997. They settled in Adelaide and spent their weekends and holidays exploring the coastal towns of South Australia.

‘Winter on Kangaroo Island can be quite blustery, so it was also important for us that the deck and external entertaining area be sheltered from strong winds. We planned to use the outside living space for as many months of the year as the elements would allow’, says Fiona.

Kangaroo Island soon became a favourite holiday destination — a place where they were able to escape the daily pressures of city life. In 2006 they decided to buy their own property on the island.

Max Pritchard recalls that the land faced north and had a natural incline and that the location, overlooking the ocean, was near perfect. It offered an ideal opportunity to design a beach house that

At Shangalia, swimming with dolphins, water skiing or simply watching nature at work provides a canvas of ever-changing colours of sea and sky. Family and visitors are always pleasantly occupied. Native wildlife inhabits the surrounding land and koalas often drop in to visit, just sit on the deck and take in the view. On a day when the weather turned too cool for any outdoor activity, Fiona and PJ drove into Kingscote and decided to call on a real estate agent. Initially interested only in properties on the beach, their attention was drawn to a property high on a hill at Emu Bay. Real beach-side properties remained elusive, but with time to spare their curiosity got the better of them and they found themselves driving on the road out of Kingscote to Emu Bay — just to look, of course. As the saying goes, ‘... and the rest is history’. After a short drive they stepped out of their car on to the property, taking in the 270 degree view across the ocean—300 metres away. Captivated, they realised how special this place was and signed the contract the following day. A year later Fiona and PJ had decided to build a style of house unlike any they had previously lived in; one designed to suit a more casual, beach side environment. Eager to start building, all they needed was an architect who would be sympathetic to their brief. ‘We had admired a house belonging to friends at Encounter Bay and discovered it had been designed by Max Pritchard, so choosing Max as the architect to design our Emu Bay beach house was an easy decision. We approached Max, who already had an affinity with Kangaroo Island, having lived there as a child. Our ‘brief’ stated that

would enhance the landscape. The brief required that the view from inside the house and from the deck remain unimpeded. He designed Shangalia with a prominent north-facing central living space, and a deck either side separating the two bedroom wings. A central courtyard is on the south side of the main living space adjacent to the kitchen. The western wing has two main bedrooms, each with an en-suite, while the eastern wing incorporates two bedrooms, a bathroom and the laundry. This functional design also dictates that storage space will never become an issue in any part of the house. One of the most dramatic features of the house is the main roof, which appears to float high above both decks and living area. Built to withstand the strongest wind, a number of steel columns were used in the construction. Max explains, ‘The roof is designed to direct storm-water through a covered channel into two large rainwater tanks, eliminating the need for gutters. The wide channel has a dual function. It runs above the outdoor entertaining area of the courtyard, providing a roof to protect the dining table and capturing the valuable storm water. Two decks have been incorporated into the design

under the main roof, one on either side of the living space, to offer much-needed shelter from the elements in both summer and winter. As the house sits on piers, soil has been mounded to the edge of the decks, eliminating the need for a balustrade, and allowing uninterrupted views’. The main entrance is at the rear of the house, guiding the visitor up a few steps and into the eastern wing, then along a walkway overlooking the enclosed courtyard, passing the guest rooms and continuing through to the centre of the house. The kitchen space is defined by a magnificent work bench with a curved, solid hardwood top. The central core of this unique design allows the visitor to be drawn into the dining space and through into the central living area. The stainless steel flue of the large slow-combustion heater rises through a lofty four-metre-high ceiling. Towering double-glazed windows provide an abundance of natural light and sweeping views along the coastline. ‘Watching the fire flicker against the backdrop of the sun setting over the ocean is spectacular — even in winter’, says Fiona.

Choosing to build on Kangaroo Island has been a great lifestyle choice for the entire family. We unwind completely as soon as weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re on the ferry away from all the distractions associated with city living. Our favourite past-time is cooking together, often eating late in the evening after watching yet another stunning sunset from the deck.

Western red cedar doors lead from either side of the dining space and out onto the decks—a place to read and relax. Doors open from the kitchen into the main outdoor entertaining area in the courtyard. At the far end of the courtyard is the large wood-fired pizza oven, framed by two water tanks forming part of the feature wall. In order not to disturb the natural vegetation surrounding the building, landscaping has been kept to a minimum. Native shrubs are planted close to the decks providing a subtle break between the house and land. A row of bay, lemon and lime trees provide fresh produce for the kitchen. Two curved timber screens conceal the hot water service while providing an impressive entrance to the house. A third water tank captures storm-water from the roof of the large shed sited at the rear of the courtyard. In addition to the mains power, solar panels mounted on the roof of the shed supplement the supply and contribute towards its five-star energy rating. Colorbond was used for the water tanks, fencing and to clad the main building. Max Pritchard oversaw the project throughout the build which took a year to complete. Embracing the brief, he has designed a magnificent beach house with clean, simple lines, and a view of the ocean from every room―exceeding Fiona and PJ’s expectations. At Shangalia, swimming with dolphins, water skiing or simply watching nature at work provides a canvas of ever-changing colours of sea and sky. Family and visitors are always pleasantly occupied. Native wildlife inhabits the surrounding land and koalas often drop

in to visit to just sit on the deck and take in the view. Art galleries at Kingscote are a pleasant diversion, should inclement weather descend on the island. ‘Choosing to build on Kangaroo Island has been a great lifestyle choice for the entire family. We unwind completely as soon as we’re on the ferry away from all the distractions associated with city living. PJ is a keen fisherman: he seldom returns from a fishing trip without a catch, so fish has become our staple diet while we’re on holiday. Our favourite past-time is cooking together, often eating late in the evening after watching yet another stunning sunset from the deck’, says Fiona. Technology is cast aside. TV is rarely turned on and mobile phones are put away. The only decision to be made is which BBQ fish recipe to use for the day’s catch. Walks along the beach and other activities ensure that relaxation continues throughout holidays and long weekends. Fiona and PJ visit Emu Bay as often as city commitments permit. The ferry to Kangaroo Island takes just 45 minutes, departing from Cape Jervis on the southern tip of the Fleurieu Peninsula. The uninterrupted panoramic view across Investigator Strait, Cape D’Estaing and Emu Bay is surely one of the best on the island.

Hit the deck and let yourself go Choose from these great SeaLink ferry and accommodation holiday packages 4 days/3 nights holiday package Return SeaLink ferry travel for passengers and own car 3 nights self-contained accommodation FREE discount voucher book FROM

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Kangaroo Island.

Let yourself go.

More to explore! Call 13 13 01, visit sealink.com.au or your local travel agent

*Package prices are per person, twin share and include accommodation and return ferry travel for you and your car (up to 5 metres in length). Travel from 15 May to 31 August 2012. 33

The Kangaroo Island Seaside Inn is a 3 1/2 star country style motel situated on the shore of the beautiful sandy Nepean Bay in Kingscote, Kangaroo Island’s largest town. The motel has 20 newly refitted rooms all with ocean views. All room have 32” inch digital TVs, split reverse cycle air-conditioning and new Queen and King sized beds. The Seaside Inn is 10 minutes walk from the town centre and 15 minutes drive from the airport. The restaurant is open Wednesday - Saturday for dinner and daily for breakfast. The Kangaroo Island Seaside Inn is ideally situated for touring to all parts of the island and all tour companies pick up daily from the Motel. Kangaroo Island Seaside Inn

7 Cygnet Road, Kingscote SA 5223 Telephone: 8553 2707 Web: kiseasideinn.com.au

The Islander Estate Vineyards was planted by French winemaker Jacques Lurton after he fell in love with Kangaroo Island’s natural beauty. The maritime climate is ideal for producing wines of elegance and power – and the pristine location makes for a unique wine tourism experience. Personalized vineyard and barrel tasting tours available daily, bookings required. Contact us on 8553 9008 / 0448 282777 Visit www.iev.com.au for more information or email yale@iev.com.au

Café MESO

and Simply Organoleptic Cellar Door Reflecting the influence of truly traditional British fare Come dine al fresco or enjoy one of our theme days! 319 Chalk Hill Road, McLaren Vale Open Wednesday to Sunday 11am - 4:30pm PH: 8323 9556 www.simplyo.com.au

New faces on the Fleurieu by Mike Lucas.

Mike Lucas migrated to Hallett Cove from Plymouth in the UK in 2009 with his wife, Becky and two children, Hope and Christian. Here is a little of his story. Among other things, I’m a writer. I began writing quirky, humorous poems for our children when I worked as an engineering manager in Switzerland. In 2008, while planning to run the London Half Marathon, I had the idea of penning a few more poems, approaching a printer for a hundred copies and selling them with the proceeds going to UNICEF. And that’s exactly what I did. And they all sold. Then came the difficult part — running the half marathon. I immediately began working on my second book, then my third. They sold well. I created my own website, visited schools and signed books at shops and libraries … and, in my spare time carried on with the 9 to 5 job of engineering. Then the writing stopped for a year or so while we underwent the minor inconvenience of planning a move to a place where the water (apparently) swirls the opposite way down the plug hole. In 2009, we were in the rare and enviable position of having two teenage children who actually didn’t mind moving away from their friends. In fact, if it hadn’t been for their persistent pestering, we may never have taken a break from our daily routines to undergo the medical, financial, criminal and professional tests required to get here. The dream was to move to Australia. We ticked that box. We arrived without jobs, without anywhere to live, and with most of our possessions still on a cargo ship somewhere on the Indian Ocean. Within 3 weeks we had permanent accommodation and full time jobs. The dream even went so far as to open our own bookshop near a beach. Pie in the cloudless sky!

Above: Mike Lucas (right) after the London Half Marathon, takes an opportunity to have his photo taken with actor and Unicef ambassador, Charlie Boorman (left).

Six months after that a major bookstore chain shut down and we had to ask ourselves — have we been very clever or very stupid, opening a new bookshop in this age of electronic downloads and Kindles? And in September 2011 we were a finalist in the Southern Messenger Business Awards — the first company to do so within a year of opening. The kids have settled in and consider it home. The lifestyle is more relaxed. The sky is blue. The sandy beaches are on our doorstep. Wineries surround us. And as for the writing…I’ve just released my fourth book, finished a novel, have a constant demand for workshops and events at schools and libraries … oh, yes, and I’ve recently been asked to write a few columns for a fantastic new magazine based around life on the Fleurieu Peninsula. Could things get much better? If only our British Pounds were worth more!

Just like the immigration process, we did everything ourselves — from the accounting, through to the ordering and the laying of the carpet. Was that because we were tight with money, business savvy, or didn’t trust anybody else? Not sure. At times I had to take some deep breaths and go and lay outside on the decking. At times the computer was nearly tested in its capacity to bounce off walls. But in October 2010, six months after arriving in the country, we opened our own book and coffee shop in Port Noarlunga.

Photographs by Robert Geh.

Heather Millar speaks with garden designer James Potter about the creation of this drought resistant garden at Maslin Beach.

The Darwinian Garden.

Designing a drought-resistant garden was just one of the challenges faced by garden designer James Potter at this Maslin Beach home.

‘The modern concept — Colorbond cladding, lots of modern features etc. — was ahead of its time’.

When the owners of this modernist house in Maslin Beach approached garden-designer and landscaper James Potter of Dirt Garden Design and Landscape Construct, they asked him to come up with a contemporary and unique garden to complement the home and to also provide solutions to a number of problems.

The bones of the garden were designed by the original owner. ‘Most of the structural stuff, like the paving, the pond, and the decking were already in place’, says Noni. The planting selections were a bit cottage-y and more traditional, but after years of neglect, were well and truly ready for a revamp!’

The collaboration between the owners and their landscaper began eight years ago, and is still progressing, in stages, today. Owners Noni Lauder, a vintage-clothing dealer, and her partner Ernie Murray, a natural resources manager, moved into the house in 1999. It had been built four years earlier, and according to Noni is one of the oldest of its style in Adelaide.

When Ernie and Noni went looking for someone to help them build the garden they believed the house deserved, they found James ‘in this funky little garden store in Woodville. We thought he was our kind of person’, laughs Noni.

James has gardening in his blood. His grandfather and great-grandfather were responsible for a number of public gardens around Adelaide.

‘It’s significantly important to be practical as well as creative,’ says James. ‘I think that’s the sign of good design. It’s easy to have creative flourish, but for that to really work it also needs to be practical as well. Although it’s quite common to do either one or the other, it’s really rewarding to bring both qualities into your design’. ‘With the brief for this place, there was a huge amount of scope — it wasn’t a tight brief at all, which makes it good fun.’ Says Noni: ‘In the back yard we had a problem with the trees, and the slope. When we first moved in, not being gardeners, we put in impractical plants like palms. We tried all sorts of things, but nothing would grow under the huge she-oaks; and the needles from the trees would blow all the way down and cover everything up. We asked James to come up with a solution …’

The solution involved a ‘sculpture’ made with stakes — a series of waves. James explains: ‘The stakes create interest — and give some rhythm and definition to the space. But functionally, they also hold the needles in place, and stop them moving. The solution to the ‘desert where nothing would grow’ as Noni describes it — some local agaves. ‘They grow throughout the area as weeds’, James explains. ‘We basically did some ‘weed removal’ from the land where the old 37

original Maslin House homestead was. We also got some Yuccas and Cotyledons — the silver grey succulents out front. They are ‘remnant’ plantings — that is, the ones that survived. This garden is quite Darwinian — only the tough plants survive’. A couple of years later they tackled the front yard. The challenge there was finding something drought-resistant that they wouldn’t need to water; but also to create a design that would work with the house. James came up with a number of designs and they decided to carry the ‘stake’ theme through to the front. ‘It gives a really coastal, relaxed feel to the property, which is lovely, and ties in with the surrounding scenery’, says Noni. ‘We had silvered-off decking out front, which blends beautifully with the stakes. It had to look good from the upstairs of the house, as well as downstairs’.

A more recent phase of development is the yellow block veggie patch in the back yard, where lavender, Chinese greens, and other herbs and vegetables grow. The steel framework was designed by James to reflect the modernist look of the back of the house.

As you walk through the front garden and up into the house, different views and aspects of the garden catch your eye. ‘We really tried to layer the front garden,’ explains James, ‘because the house has such a sheer façade. It was really flat before we started’. Featuring Yucca elephantipes — a huge flowering plant, variegated agaves, Westringia fruticosa Melaleuca, and local stones, the garden is drought resistant, as per the brief. ‘We’ve probably watered it three times in 10 years!’ laughs Noni. A more recent phase of development is the yellow block veggie patch in the back yard, where lavender, Chinese greens, and other herbs and vegetables grow. The steel framework was designed by James to reflect the modernist look of the back of the house. 39

Ernieâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s future plans involve using the pond as an aquaponics system where he will grow vegetables and add trout and silver perch to the water, thereby providing much of their own food. He also plans to incorporate some fruit trees in the next phase.

‘The seasonal nature of the garden gives colour and interest and the structure of the garden beds gives form to it throughout the year,’ he says. The back of the garden close to the fence line is flanked by two steel walls — which were originally made of treated pine lattice. James replaced the lattice with sheet metal to give it more strength and definition, and then created an original sculpture to go in the centre as a focal point. The screens hide a garden shed and clothes line. The Yucca gloriosa, which had lined the old lattice screens were moved forward to create more depth, and trachelospermum jasminoides and the Metrosideros add seasonal colour. The picturesque pond features gold fish and White Cloud Mountain Minnows and is a permanent water source for the local birds and spotted grass frogs. Growing on top is Typha reed — a wetland plant; Azolla, a water fern otherwise known as ‘fairy moss’, which covers the surface in spring and dies off in winter; and yellow and

purple water lilies (Nymphaea odorata). Agave attenuata grows alongside it and an Acacia and Coral Tree tower over it. Ernie’s future plans involve using the pond as an aquaponics system where he will grow vegetables and add trout and silver perch to the water, thereby providing much of their own food. He also plans to incorporate some fruit trees in the next phase. James plans to move his design practice to Yankalilla where his new home is currently under construction. ‘It will be finished by December’, says James. ‘It has to be — my in-laws are coming!’ James is looking forward to bringing his focus back to the design practice which been on the back burner for a number of years while he has developed the construction side of his business. ‘Design is where my passion lies these days’, he says.

Design Dirt Garden .au www.dirt.com 622 Ph: 0419 838

New Manager for Aldinga Beach Community Bank I am really pleased with my appointment as the new Bank Manager for Aldinga Beach Community Bank® branch of Bendigo Bank, as we have only recently moved in to the area and after some soul searching I have now taken up my new position. I have been in the Banking Industry for 38 years, originally beginning my career with the NAB at the ripe old age of 17 years. I then moved to the ANZ and the CBA where I continued my career as a Manager for 23 years. My last 6 years have been spent as Bank Manager of Goodwood Community Bank® branch of Bendigo Bank. Annette Seeliger - Branch Manager Aldinga Beach Community Bank Bendigo Bank

I am married and have two adult married children and two delightful grand children with another one on the way in early June.

Shop 32 Aldinga Central Shopping Centre, 1 Pridham Boulevard, Aldinga Phone 8557 8166

My vision for Aldinga Beach Community Bank is to expand the already successful business that was started in 2006. With our friendly and efficient team, I would love to see us become the main banker for all residents and businesses in the Aldinga Beach area and surrounding suburbs. Sounds like a big challenge … well it is, and I will be looking for the support of the community and shareholders. I hope to see us continue with our existing sponsorship but also extend it to the wider community through grants etc. I look forward to the community’s on going support and I look forward to welcoming new clients and existing clients. My door is always open, so please come in and discuss your future banking needs with me.

65,000 reasons to thank U At Aldinga BeachCommunity Bank®Branchyou’re the reason we’recelebrating our contributionof over $65,000 to our localcommunity. Our commitment extends tovolunteering, fundraising,sponsorships and grants forour local groups andcommunity projects. Aldinga Beach CommunityBank®Branch has proudlydonated to AldingaCommunity Centre,TribeFM, Aldinga TradersAssociation, Tour DownUnder, Aldinga PrimarySchool, Southern ValeChristian School, WillungaWaldorf School, WillungaDistrict Community Bus,Aldinga Bay Scouts,JamaeRaw School of Arts,and local bowling, football,netball, hockey and croquetclubs. Aldinga Beach Community Bank Branch proud to assist many local organisations, including; Aldinga Football Club, Willunga Bowling Club and Aldinga Community Centre

We’re open Monday — Friday 9am to 5pm. Saturday 9am to 12noon

Aldinga Beach Community Bank© Branch 42

The Dirt. by James Potter.

I’m only going to tell you this once. Maybe twice. OK, I might go on about it endlessly – but it is important! Don’t go out in the garden and pot. Don’t go to the nursery or get on-line and buy plants. Don’t call the posh garden designer, nor the burly landscaper. Don’t ask your feng shui consultant & don’t open a book. Don’t despair either. Go outside and dig a hole. Have a scratch around, a sniff & a taste if you dare. The stuff under your feet is what it’s all about — the real deal. Your soil is your best friend in the garden, get to know it, give it a little love and it will do most of the work for you. If you can understand your soil, how it works, what it needs and what plants need from it — then you are most of the way there.

Just like elephants, almonds are not self-fertile. Two plants of different, but compatible cultivars are needed so they can crosspollinate to achieve fruit-set. At least this used to be the case. A lot of work has been done on developing a prolific nut producing, self-fertile almond. To have an almond blossom festival in your own back yard contact Perrys Fruit & Nut Nursery in McLaren Flat on 8383 0268.

You can get your soil professionally tested for pH, nutrient levels and even microbial activity for a modest sum. Try APAL Laboratory on 8332 0199 or Pro Ag Soil Management Specialists on 0417 925 824. Winter has brassica written all over it. Brussels sprouts, cauliflower, cabbage and their pals. If you are a complete novice then broccoli is a great place to start. It’s easy to grow and provides repeated harvests. Don’t become obsessed with growing steroid pumping, 7 kilo, prize-winning broccoli: be content harvesting the small heads for each meal as you need them and you will be rewarded with new heads well into the warmer months. The whole plant is edible so don’t be afraid to tuck into the tender leaves, the softer stems & even the peppery flowers. Keep eyes peeled for the brassicas’ nemesis — the cabbage moth caterpillar; pluck them off and squash with relish or feed them to the chooks — or better still pay a child to do it. If I recall correctly it was my first gardening gig, the 1983 going rate was 2 cents per grub (about $87 in today’s money). Try the Italian brassica varieties — plant anytime from Autumn through to Spring. Prized initially as drought-tolerant garden specimens, aloes, like most South African floral imports have turned feral. With vivid winter flowers attracting an array of native nectar-seeking birds, these hardy succulents are doing their utmost to fit in. Generally tolerant of drought and neglect; you may, however, need to prune larger specimens with a machete when unruly. Don’t be scared though, as Sunbird Nursery of South Africa has released a range of very civilised hybrids on the market under the Aloe-Aloe label … get it? Readily available at local nurseries, or for suppliers, check www.aloe-aloe.com.au

Waterproofing the south.

The marvel of nature is that it can take non-potable water and turn it into extra lungs for our planet. Polluted storm-water that would ordinarily kill sea grasses in the Gulf are instead emerging as nature intended to nourish trees and agriculture. Written by Robert Godden. Illustration by Chris Harris. Sometimes, ideas are just too good not to adopt. To the north of Adelaide, the Salisbury Wetlands has grown since its inception into a winner in all fields, an inspiration borne of an accident of geography; a confluence of time and place and a few passionate individuals. It provides a haven for migratory birds that fly a Siberia-ChinaMalaysia-Vietnam-Broome-Salisbury wetlands tour route every year. 20,000 of them, which believe it or not, is only about 10% of the levels of fifty years ago. And that’s just the Curly Sandpiper. There are over 200 species within the wetlands, and most of them are slowly returning to previous levels. It renews water that is not fit for any other purpose. The marvel of nature is that it can take non-potable water and turn it into extra lungs for our planet. Polluted storm-water that would ordinarily kill sea grasses in the Gulf are instead emerging as nature intended to nourish trees and agriculture.

Stage One of Waterproofing the South concentrated on effluent, trade waste and distribution of treated, non-potable water. Very necessary, but not the sort of projects that people notice. It makes sense that Stage Two will borrow heavily from the techniques employed by our northern compatriots and comprise of some dynamic projects that will add to public amenity as well as the underlying community benefit. ‘The City of Onkaparinga is blessed with having such a large area of such a diverse catchment’, says Ben Hall, the Council’s Waterproofing The South Program Leader. ‘Nine separate catchments through to a coastal environment — all that presents us with a unique chance to capture as much storm water as possible.’ Existing wetlands at Seaford Rise and Aldinga Beach will be enhanced, and in an innovative move, connected, so that water from one wetland can be used for the other, or even distributed at locations between the two in an effort to wring every drop of benefit from each drop of water that ends up in these wetlands.

It reduces flood risk; reduces fish death; reduces pollution and is also an amazing amenity; to be able to walk through these areas and Two other projects — a storm water harvesting pool at Candy Road, Happy Valley and a wetland at Reynella East — will also be just feel that all is right with the world. connected, this time via the Christies Creek scheme, and these And even though most of it has been carefully constructed, it has a projects are already having an impact. natural look. All of these projects combined have a hefty list of goals in mind. With such a successful model, councils across South Australia Under the City of Onkaparinga’s Water Futures Strategy, steps need are rushing to get the cost-saving, environmental and recreational to be taken to conserve water, to protect water quality, to reduce benefits of implementing similar schemes, and the four councils that reliance on water sourced from the River Murray, to protect watermake up the Fleurieu Peninsula are no exception. dependent ecosystems (including coast and marine) and to promote The largest of those councils, The City of Onkaparinga, is about economic development opportunities. to embark on the second stage of the ‘Waterproofing The South’ initiative, in conjunction with SA Water and the Willunga Basin Water Authority. 44

Tagging onto this work is the Wine Industry, which is eyeing sustainability as a key plank in their marketing and business planning ‘going forward’. Already a region that has a high degree of sustainability in the wine sector (a spokesman claimed 90% in a recent TV interview) McLaren Vale winemakers are making great leaps toward the idea of 100% sustainability within a few years, and drawing on the resources and results of this project is an ideal way for the industry to achieve this. The remainder of the Fleurieu is also dotted with similar projects. Work is well under way on the second stage of a District of Yankalilla project, with construction of an underground pipeline, water tanks and pumping infrastructure to be completed within a few months. This will mean that sporting clubs within the Yankalilla Memorial Sports Grounds, the Yankalilla Area School and Council’s Skate Park will be able to use treated waste water for irrigation purposes. After the Council’s Waste water Treatment Plant was upgraded, a Federal Government grant of $830,000 has been used to

accomplish this project to reduce the need to use mains water — and therefore reduce costs — to those groups in a small council area where sporting, education and community groups are the key to staying connected. Alexandrina Council put in a comprehensive submission to the Murray Darling Water Authority on April 16, calling for as much water as possible for both environmental and irrigation uses. Alexandrina has also joined the ICLEI ‘Local Governments for Sustainability Water Campaign’. Like 29 other councils in South Australia — about 40% of them — they are tapping into the resources available from a long-standing project which has won various environmental awards. This has led to a comprehensive Water Plan over the last decade that has seen important projects get up. In 2003 the switch of Strathalbyn racecourse to recycled water grabbed headlines, and since then various reserves and even private businesses have been facilitated to go down the same route. 45

Above: Typical urban wetlands development.

And the plan is truly comprehensive, covering initiatives from removal of a single publicly accessible tap to installation of clever water management technology. It also includes simple things like adding rainwater tanks to various council buildings. The final and smallest Fleurieu council, The City of Victor Harbor, has also joined the same scheme as Alexandrina, using the Water Campaign methods to ‘support the systematic identification and evaluation of water management challenges’ within the city according to council information. It is progressing through the framework towards the creation and achievement of similar schemes, which in the end means that smaller councils can achieve big things in water management. Alexandrina and Victor Harbor have also joined with the Kangaroo Island council to form the Fleurieu Regional Waste Authority so that they may combine their efforts in the overall environmental challenge of waste removal and management — and better management of waste invariably leads to better water usage.

With all this action, it’s easy to miss the fact that residents are the key here. Residents pay their rates; and their water bills. Residents play sport and go to community markets, pottery classes and Weight Watchers meetings. And residents walk their dogs and stroll along with kids in hand. They buy groceries from shops and centres that need water. And they increasingly have an activist role to play; whether it be protesting high water bills or the degradation of natural resources. Despite the multi-million dollar price tags, none of these projects alone will make a noticeable difference, except for a few megalitres here and there, less effluent pumped into the waters of the Gulf and nice parks for the locals. But when you add all of these projects together with projects to come, it’s hard not to see a smarter and more self-contained water management environment spreading out over the Fleurieu map; adding and joining strips of nature and streams and ponds in a network in which we all live with a more secure water future.

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COUNTRY LIFE

Meet the Merbeins.

Pip Forrester meets Mark and Lisa McCarthy, who put in long hours and hard work to ensure South Australian Farmers’ Markets are well stocked with quality produce. Photographs by Emily Shepherd.

Owning a farm on the Fleurieu Peninsula was a dream for Mark McCarthy. Mark, a fifth generation Merbein farmer whose ancestors were among the first settlers in the Sunraysia, came to live on the Peninsula for family reasons — and has realised his dream. In addition to the Merbein property, he now owns his dream property in McLaren Vale. He and his wife, Lisa, run a twenty-seven acre farm on Sand Road. They grow an impressive range of produce: nine types of apples, ten varieties of pears, and cherries, peaches, plums, nectarines and apricots. Mangos, avocados and asparagus will come on stream in a

couple of years. This produce, together with the figs, sultana grapes, pomegranates, quinces and nuts grown at Merbein constitutes the splendid display presented under the ‘Miss Merbein’ banner at three South Australian Farmers Markets — Willunga, Victor Harbor and the Adelaide Showgrounds. For Mark, Lisa and their girls Miah, Tilly and Coco, the McLaren Vale farm is not only the source of their livelihood, but also their home. Lisa, originally from Adelaide, has had a varied working background, with a strong focus on event and festival management. Her position as the Manager of the Willunga Farmers Market brought her to the Peninsula where she and Mark met. The Willunga Farmers’ Market is central to the ‘Miss Merbein’ story. Not only did Lisa and Mark meet there, but even the purchase of the ‘dream’ on the Fleurieu Peninsula came about through a Market contact. Ray and Lois Seidel were one of the first stallholders at the fledgling Market in 2002 and their apples and pears were a huge draw-card for the new Market shoppers. When selling his much loved farm, Ray was determined to find a buyer who would keep the property as an orchard. In Mark and Lisa he found his perfect buyers. They have maintained and continue to improve the orchard, with the assistance and support of Ray. The Market is also one of the key sources of income for the McCarthys. They sell all their produce from both farms directly to their customers, mainly at the three Farmers’ Markets — two of which are on the Fleurieu Peninsula. The rest goes to ‘value-adding’ manufacturers or to restaurants and cafes in the local region and interstate. Although the realisation of the dream provided an opportunity to establish a farm business in a peri-urban region with a growing tourism focus, it has come at a price. The conditions providing the business and life-style benefits also result in high property values. In purchasing the McLaren Vale Orchard, Mark and Lisa took a significant financial plunge.

Photo at right: Mark and Lisa McCarthy. 48

Photo above left: The McCarthy family. Above right: Orchardist Peter McLean.

The McCarthys are firmly committed to further developing their business in innovative ways. They are consulting with an expert to improve their McLaren Vale property and to make the transition to organic farming so that they are able to tread as lightly as possible on the environment. Furthermore, their preferred business model of selling direct to their customers is the hard alternative, but the only one acceptable to them for ethical, lifestyle and economic reasons. The farm at Merbein, forming a critical part of the McCarthys’ business, is managed very effectively by a one-hundred percent Aboriginal team. This gives Mark the freedom to focus on the McLaren Vale property and to spend two to three months every year working off-farm as a grafter — thereby funding two farms in transition phase. The reality of the farm business and life makes for long hours and hard work. The McCarthys are firmly committed to further developing their business in innovative ways. They are consulting with an expert to improve their McLaren Vale property and to make the transition to organic farming so that they are able to tread as lightly as possible on the environment. They currently offer farm-gate sales and over time hope to diversify the on-farm experience of their customers. The boy from Merbein is quick to point out, that although the farm is a great place to produce food and the Merbein community that he grew up in is fabulous, it is the lifestyle and opportunity offered by the Peninsula that now drives both of them. As he says, working in McLaren Vale allows them to live and play in one of the most beautiful places in South Australia. When relaxing, the family loves to visit the McLaren Vale region beaches. They enjoy wines produced by friends and neighbours and

know that restaurants and cafes in their local region are some of the best in any region. They love Russell’s Pizza in Willunga, Vasarelli’s in McLaren Vale, and wouldn’t miss their annual degustation lunch at d’Arry’s Verandah. And their very special pleasure is to wander across the road and have a beer at the Goodieson Brewery. When precious holiday time comes, they still prefer the Fleurieu Peninsula to any of the destinations further afield. The Southern Fleurieu, Middleton, Goolwa, Port Elliot and Victor Harbor provide the family with the chance to relax on the Southern Coast and have a break by dining at any of the many good restaurants and pubs in the area. Mark and Lisa continue to dream. They have plans to increase their business focus in McLaren Vale and improve the profitability of their produce and the farm experiences they can create. They look forward to being able to continue to work and play as a family on the Fleurieu.

Visit the McCarthys at the ‘Miss Merbein’ stall at the Willunga, Victor Harbor and Adelaide Showgrounds Farmers’ Markets and at other times you can purchase their produce at the farm using their ‘honesty box’ system. To contact them, telephone (08) 8323-7711.

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Calling all collectors! by Meredyth Cilento.

Looking for a way to please the whole family at weekends? Perhaps a drive in the country, finding antiques, a playground and great food? Sounds good? Strathalbyn, especially on the weekend of the 18-19 August, has something for everyone. Tim Wonnacutt, from the BBC TV program Bargain Hunt, was such a hit at last year’s 20th birthday celebration of Collectors, Hobbies and Antique Fair that he’s been invited back again. Strathalbyn is the hub of these interests in South Australia, and for this annual event the locals are host to traders from all over Australia. So anyone with a desire to fossick can happily while away half a day picking over someone else’s previously owned treasures. Need a big, red, public telephone box in the back yard for the teenager? Collect matchbox toys? Eighteenth century furniture? Coins, military memorabilia, curios, hand made tools lovingly worn smooth, china, dolls, an enamel sign for Golden Fleece from a long defunct petrol station, or just what you didn’t know you always wanted ... a nineteenth century dog cart in need of a coat of paint! Strathalbyn was established by 105 Scottish settlers who came out to South Australia in 1839 on the good ship Fairfield and quite quickly found this fecund valley through which runs the River Angas, named after George Fife Angas, a Commissioner of the South Australia Company. They named the village Strathalbyn; Strath being Gaelic for valley, and Albyn a contraction of Alben, the old name for Scotland.

Above: Tim Wonnacutt from BBC TV program Bargain Hunt, with Bec Smith, Event Co-ordinator of the Strathalbyn Collector Fair.

clubs could finance their whole year’s activities. It was a success from the beginning, and now we get between 5000 and 6000 visitors in the weekend.’ Antique appraisals are available, for just $3 an item, next to the Town Hall. There are loads of great places to eat out too — bakeries, pubs, coffee shops and cafes, over 30 Heritage listed buildings to admire and explore, and all within a delightful scenic setting. Worth a look.

Perhaps because Strathalbyn was originally settled by quite well to do folk, it has been a haven for antiques for many years. While various other hills towns have seen their shops closed, there is safety in numbers here — connoisseurs are quite happy to make the trip from Adelaide as a day’s outing, knowing that they can visit half a dozen or more establishments within the area. Twenty one years ago, the Strathalbyn and Lakes Tourist Association determined to encourage visitors by holding a Collectors’ Fair each August. Fay Walker, who was involved in the organisation for many years, recalls ‘The philosophy was to give something back to the community, so groups from the tennis club, Little Athletics, the Scouts, the CWA and others nominated certain halls and set out trestles which were offered to collectors from all over Australia to sell their wares. Each group received a percentage of the fees charged and were able to increase their take by catering as well. In this way, 53

HEALTH & WELLBEING

Eat, drink and be healthy. Robert Godden writes on the virtues of drinking tea.

When you eat and drink on the Fleurieu Peninsula, it’s easy to make choices that benefit your health, without even noticing. As a long term resident of the area, it is hard to say exactly when I realised how good our local produce is. For me, it probably started with a client at Mount Compass in the 1990s who started a free range egg operation. I think I started to realise that this wasn’t just hippies who wanted to give chickens a better life, it was an ethos that leads to naturally better food. When we have occasion to seek out the best in local produce for projects, videos or events, there is just so much of it. The critical step for all of us on this peninsula is to see that same quality and ethos on the plate in front of us — when we dine out. It is, first and foremost, led by taste. It should be. From a drink with friends to a fancy degustation menu with local wines, a meal with colour and quality should shine in equal measure for what it offers — fresh local taste and quality — and for what it does not have — pesticides, hormones, antibiotics and other nasty stuff. Where my interest lies, as primarily a tea writer, is in the movement to offer quality tea alongside these meals. Not so long ago you could have an excellent, healthy breakfast with country bacon, free range eggs, artisan bread, local tomatoes and mushrooms, perhaps an organic sausage—and then you’d always get to wash it down with chloramine-tainted water containing a dismal tea bag. It’s an insult; particularly in an area that prides itself on the quality of its food and wines. 54

For years, coffee has been a better choice when eating out. And when the fantastic Fleurieu Jersey milk is used, a well-made quality coffee is indeed delightful. But there are many reasons why we may prefer a tea: it has much less caffeine, it’s more of a palate cleanser and it doesn’t require much milk, if any. Luckily, these days when eating out from McLaren Vale right down to the southernmost reaches, there are cafés and restaurants who have invested in bringing suitable teas to their customers. Mostly, it’s places that also pride themselves on the attention they pay to other products. For example, Blessed Cheese at McLaren Vale is near faultless, and from a health point of view, have great products — as long as you don’t over-indulge in their astonishing range of cheeses. The Old Vine in Aldinga is a recent entry with a great range of teas to match their wood-oven pizza and other dishes containing fine local ingredients. If you’re going to eat a salad or a well-proportioned and balanced meal, a tea is an ideal way to keep yourself on track. If you’ve just eaten half a pizza or a delicious plate of spaghetti carbonara swimming in egg and cheese, then the last thing you need is a fizzy, sugary drink or a cappuccino—you need an anti-oxidant rich green or white tea to clean your palate. And with research showing that drinking more than three cups of tea a day can significantly diminish your chances of getting Alzheimer’s, an added bonus is that your memorable meal will stay memorable.

Retiring to the Fleurieu. Or ‘How to Live Forever’ by Meredyth Cilento.

I know people who live in the city. I feel sorry for them. They don’t know their neighbours, they inhale carbon monoxide when they step outside their homes, their friends live kilometres away through snarling traffic and road-raging commuters and on every corner there are temptations — shops selling irresistible stuff they don’t really want and don’t need. Those are some of the reasons why many highly intelligent folk decide to retire to the Fleurieu. Here’s a small sample of the joys of country living, say within a fifteen kilometre radius of Willunga. Firstly — the scenery. Driving on the Victor Harbor road, nearing McLaren Vale, you round a corner and there in front of you is a panorama of vines and trees and occasional buildings with a backdrop of gentle hills patched with greens and greys and browns and golds, small holdings stitched together with gum trees, all leading down to the sea. You feel the tension you didn’t know you had draining away. Need somewhere to live? You certainly get more building for your buck in this neck of the woods. Land is cheaper so that building that dream house may be possible; though hurry, they are not making any more, (land, that is) and sensibly, the council has ordered a ‘green belt’ which precludes subdividing large areas, thereby maintaining the expansive country feel. And food! We are spoilt for choice. It is possible to eat out every day of the week for a month without using the same eatery twice, if your shrinking retirement funds allow. Casual snacks or the full silver service, locally sourced produce — home grown beef, pork, lamb and venison, chicken and eggs, fish, nuts, fruit and vegetables; washed down, of course, with great local wines, cheaper by the bottle here than the glass elsewhere. And, every Saturday, in the heart of Willunga, a country market voted the best in Australia.

Driving on the Victor Harbor road, nearing McLaren Vale, you round a corner and there in front of you is a panorama of vines and trees and occasional buildings with a backdrop of gentle hills patched with greens and greys and browns and golds, small holdings stitched together with gum trees, all leading down to the sea. And what a place to exercise! Picturesque walks in every direction to match varying fitness levels; the sea and the delightful beaches of Port Willunga and Aldinga, and nearby, the Aldinga Scrub with its unique vegetation including, in spring, wild flowers and spider and donkey orchids, and the possibility of coming face to face with a grazing kangaroo or an echidna waddling along the path. Golf course, tennis and bowling clubs, and cycling groups energised every summer by the international cycling race now bringing Europe to the district. And exercise classes and taiso and pilates. The list is endless. Those of us in the prime of our lives need to keep our neural pathways unclogged; we can de-rust ourselves with the University of the Third Age, wherein numerous retired academics and hobbyists voluntarily share their knowledge about everything from philosophy to growing bonsai. It’s a great way to meet people. I have 49 friends and acquaintances in their 80s. Most of them are physically fit and mentally sparking on all cylinders. Perhaps it’s the ambience, or something in the water, or just maybe we’ve found the fountain of youth.

Winemaking from the heart, it’s that simple!

Come in and taste our range of boutique McLaren Vale Wines and Meads while enjoying views overlooking the vineyards. Stay for lunch and indulge in the house specialty “The Quartet”; a 4 course mini degustation menu that will fulfil all your culinary delights. Cellar Door open daily from 10am – 5pm Ellen Street Restaurant open 4 days a week (Fri-Mon) for lunch from 12pm Maxwell Of McLaren Vale Cnr Chalk Hill & Olivers Roads McLaren Vale SA 5171 Ph: (08) 8323 8200 info@maxwellwines.com.au www.maxwellwines.com.au

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Settling In. by Anne Drury-Godden.

Since 2006 over five thousand new families have moved to the Fleurieu from overseas. We thought it would be a good idea to talk to someone who has experienced this move to hear about what this relocation and its subsequent adjustments are like for our newcomers. When people move into our district from overseas, or even from elsewhere in Australia, it may be easy for us to fall into the trap of thinking it’s easy for them to settle in. Who really knows the issues involved in leaving family and familiarity behind to forge a new life? This is a brave step, and while our beautiful area is a great place to start — what are some of the issues? Settling in to the Fleurieu is like settling in to a comfy warm pair of pyjamas. There’s the warmth of our beautiful beaches, the sublime wine districts, and the unending variety of our cafes and shops, many of them selling fresh produce or home-made artefacts. But, as anyone who has ‘made the move’ to a different country will attest, the toughest element is ‘fitting in’ and regaining a sense of belonging, especially if family and friends are thin on the ground. Firstly there is housing and employment to find; then schools and childcare to research and enrol in, transport to negotiate. The list is endless! There are a lot of questions and anxiety in having to reconstruct your life in a new place. Questions like: Will my kids like it? Have I/we made the right decision? Will we have the better life we envisaged? So much is wrapped up in the acceptance of the community and the support services provided, not to mention the availability of jobs and housing. The most important aspect for most of us is a sense of connection and contribution. Forming a network while putting foundations down is crucial — friends often come first, and gradually contacts, because a lot of emotional ‘safety’ can be attained by acquiring a good support system. However, the question is often: where do I start? Imagine arriving here knowing nobody. That was certainly the case when my family arrived here in 1972. I remember my mother having to go back to work, and we three kids were suddenly given a quick lesson in independence. Luckily, we all came through it relatively unscathed (I think!) but I do recall the uncertainty of those days, and the worry of coping, both financially and emotionally, in a new country. One of the most important factors I see in my counselling service regarding people new to the community is the question of employment, with the new arrivals often having to accept a position

that is at entry level, just to gain ‘local experience’. Not being recognised for the skills by which you have formerly defined yourself can have quite a strong effect on self esteem, and can quite often be the source of conflict within a family or couple. When May Loi moved from Malaysia to the Fleurieu a couple of years ago, she was waiting tables at a cafe while gaining a degree in Behavioural Science. Now a youth worker, May says her main barrier to settling was in not having mastered the English language. She said ‘My main support came from co-workers, who were usually quite patient when I asked questions, but I was very determined to make a good life for myself here’. That sort of courage is very precious and should really be nurtured by us as a community. Whether the settler is global or from interstate, what they bring with them impacts the community as a whole through influences such as food, art, music, and ideas. This is very positive, but the story behind their journey and into that community may well be even more valuable.

Doc’s Diary. ‘Wine and Vine Abundance’ by Adam Jacobs.

The Fleurieu food and wine region never ceases to amaze with the bountiful variety of local produce grown there, the wine it makes, and the incredibly wide selection of tourism options available; like the amazing Gulf of St. Vincent, many local wineries, good cafes and restaurants. Its temperate climate and its close proximity to major towns such as Victor Harbor, Goolwa and Strathalbyn — not to mention Adelaide — all go towards making it a significant and achievable destination within South Australia. One aspect in the production of premium wines is the location in which the wine grapes are grown. The Fleurieu region offers an abundance of opportunity, soils and locations to grow high class grapes for the wine industry. In 1995 I was asked by the Currency Creek Grape Growers Association to officially draw up the wine boundaries of the Currency Creek grape growing region. This task embraced the study of climate, soils, topography and grape-growing factors that all act in tandem to determine wine styles and quality. When comparing Currency Creek with established neighbouring wine regions such as McLaren Vale and the Adelaide hills, the Fleurieu’s boundaries, approved by Australian Wine and Brandy Corporation some years earlier, depicted a significant food and wine source that differed quite significantly from its neighbours. Some stand-out factors in this study comparing grape growing regions became evident; like the difference in soil types, climate, topography and water availability, all of which joined forces to distinguish individuality and characteristic within regions.

Photograph (this page): Robert Geh 58

Looking outside these factors, wines from the larger Fleurieu region, encompassing Currency Creek, are generally higher in acidity and fruitful aromas as well as in taste sensations. Slightly lower in alcohol due to lower ripening periods and lower sugar levels, the cooler growing seasons ensure the sustainability of white wine production. On the other hand, McLaren Vale experiences an extended growing season, and by virtue of a warmer climate red wine production is better suited. Wines are generally heightened by higher alcohol, colour and richness. The major varieties, such as Shiraz and Cabernet Sauvignon wines are suited particularly to the region. Minor varieties such as Grenache and Tempranillo are also popular and produce wines with great style. Of course there is no hardened rule that prohibits red or white wine production from any wine region; however a more consistent trend is that the cooler regions are better suited to white wine and warmer regions for red wine production. In the selection of wines for review, two white wines were a standout, expressing all the characteristics of the Fleurieu and Currency Creek wine regions. Two red wines from McLaren Vale were also outstanding, displaying all that the McLaren wine region does best with its wine styles. These are:

Adam Jacobs wine rating: Colour; maximum out of 2 Aroma; maximum out of 3 Palate; maximum out of 5 Total out of 10.

Ballast Stone 2010 Chardonnay ‘Classic and Shaw-like’ The Shaw family have a wonderful and proud history in the wine industry, and with John Loxton currently at the helm of their winemaking, he typifies their commitment to consistent and superb winemaking. The Shaw family has vineyards in the McLaren Vale and Currency Creek regions of the Fleurieu but their passion lies within their Ballast Stone range of wines. Chardonnay may have recently fallen out of fashion, but on the strength of this wine it should soon be back, as this 2010 is a

delightful wine. A straw colour is apparent 2/10, with outstanding aromas of butterscotch & toasty oak characters 3/10. The winemaking for this 2010 wine is enhanced by partial maturation in French oak and explodes with flavours of melon & peach on the palate 4/10. It is very complex and shows a full flavoured palate. Oak enhancement does not dominate the wine but instead, improves it. My rating is excellent and indicates a big win for the variety. 9/10. RRP $20. Available at the Goolwa Hotel.

Parri Estate 2010 Savagnin ‘Traditional label’ No wonder the Philips family are excited about this wine. Having made wine from their ultra premium vineyards at Mt Compass and McLaren Vale for a number of years, their enthusiasm for excellence is unquestioned. Having vineyards at both Mt Compass and McLaren Vale, they are in the envious position of accessing cool and warm climate viticulture and winemaking. This grape variety is relatively unknown, but does have a history from its original importation by James Busby in 1832 from some of the original planting material brought to Australia. Its production and

marketing is now on show, with the wine displaying an exciting aroma and taste sensation, with a golden hue rather than ‘straw’ appearance 2/10. Displaying a pineapple and tropical aroma which virtually leaps from the glass, it is immediately inviting 3/10. The palate has a rich texture with a great integration of fruit and grape acids. A winner and a great food wine 4/10. My rating indicates a fantastic and extremely interesting wine and variety 9/10. RRP $18.99 Available at the cellar door or Mt. Compass Fine Wines.

FOOD & WINE

Adam Jacobs wine rating: Colour; maximum out of 2 Aroma; maximum out of 3 Palate; maximum out of 5 Total out of 10.

Gemtree Vineyards 2010 Bloodstone Shiraz ’A stone of wisdom and creativity’ The Buttery family has long been an outstanding and professional wine family in McLaren Vale. After attaining organic accreditation for their vineyards, it is not hard to understand when you taste their range of wines that organic farming, and in particular viticulture, has great merit. Their range is outstanding. With winemaking led by Mike Brown and viticulture by his wife Melissa, the future is bright for the family, and exciting times with their production and sales are on the horizon. Crimson red, in a colour typical of McLaren Vale Shiraz 2/10.

The aroma is one of spice and black-currant, and its leap from the glass is extremely fruitful 3/10. A sign of a great wine is in the transfer from aroma to palate and that’s what is evident here. Velvety sensations with a caramel, soft finish are a testament to the wine and team alike. This wine has the appearance and followthrough of clean and green 5/10. All-up great value and ready now. Initially gave it a 9/10 but the last glass — Wow ! 10/10 RRP $18.99 Available at the Victory Hotel.

Oliver’s Taranga Vineyards 2009 Shiraz ‘Traditional McLaren Vale’ In 1839 William and Elizabeth Oliver travelled to South Australia from Berwick in Roxburghshire, Scotland aboard the 360 ton sailing ship ‘Delhi’ and in 1841 eventually settled on land at McLaren Vale. This was long ago, so a very quick traverse to 2012 sees a very different crew running the show with amazing wines from very old and amazing vines. Don and Margie, along with Brioni and Corrina, are a great integrated team from vineyard to winery and ultimately to the marketplace. Their 2009 shiraz came from a season which was very low yielding, thanks to a heat wave during flowering. Consequently, the 2009 shiraz aroma explodes into old McLaren Vale — and might I say typical McLaren Vale. In a deep line-up you would pick it in one, and the reason is a maximum rating of 2/10.

The colour is deep, dark maroon, somewhat black, with an aroma of loads of spice, some sweet blackberry, with dark chocolate and Christmas cake characters 3/10. Its palate describes old world earthy richness. This is what I tasted 18 years ago when I first came to McLaren Vale. Oh my goodness !!! ... my past has transcended my present. Layers of flavour and long length in the mouth. Balanced tannins and fresh fruitiness for a 2009. It shows some balanced oak treatment with American and French oak. WOW!!! 4.5/10 It is complex and at $29 RRP 9.5/10 at the McLaren Vale Hotel it’s a great buy. Drink now to 10 years. Congratulations, if McLaren Vale had brown and gold as their colours the Oliver family would bear the colours in their hearts.

Soar over the beauty of the Fleurieu Peninsula in a Tiger Moth, or the big, classy Waco biplane with double seating in the front open cockpit. Long, sandy stretches of beaches, blue green waters, reefs, coastal ochre cliffs and vineyard tapestries. McLaren Vale is famous for wine and from the air ... Awesome!

Adelaide Biplanes www.adelaidebiplanes.com.au Aldinga Airfield Tel: 08 8556 5404 · Mob: 0422 519 355 61

FOOD & WINE

A Taste of France on the Fleurieu. Meredyth Cilento stops by Café La Terre in Willunga for a coffee.

In 1838, 50 kilometres south of Adelaide, local aborigines found themselves sharing ‘Willa-unga’, place of green trees, with newcomers who realised its potential for farming. Following English tradition they named the main street High Street, and to this day it remains the site of all commercial activity. Where else can you find doctors, chemist, physiotherapist, library, hotels, banks, post office, general store, butchers, baker, art gallery, wine merchants, gift shop, hairdressers and six coffee shops cohabiting comfortably within three hundred yards of easy walking? And lots of them in the buildings which sprang to life in the early days using local stone and slate, now renovated, but retaining the charm of yesteryear. The latest High Street arrival is La Terre. Wander east up the High Street and on the corner of Bishop Street is an almost perfect example of a late nineteenth century store. The Atkinson family built this bakery, corner shop and residence in 1886, and it retains most of its original features, both inside and out. Jen Hanna, who established a loyal following of aficionados extolling her great coffee at the Saturday Farmers’ Market, took the plunge 16 months ago and opened La Terre Café and Jardinage. Jen has brought to this project knowledge she has accumulated over many years as an inveterate traveller, keen cook and passionate gardener, to say nothing of her years as a wholesaler supplying restaurants. After living in France and Italy for six months in 1999, she decided that a permanent Mediterranean lifestyle beckoned, and that being the case, Willunga seemed the obvious answer. There is an appealing charm about this café. It feels relaxed and welcoming, and the décor incorporates the many exclusive gardening and outdoor goods which are, together with the house coffee beans and French teas, also for sale. Let’s check out the coffee. It deserves its formidable reputation. Jen spent four months with Adelaide master roaster Tony D’Angelo tweaking organic Ethiopian and Peruvian coffee beans until they were both happy with the result. And the tea, in elegant black and red caddies, is imported direct from Dammann Freres of France, whose experience dates back to 1692. The food is simple and moreish. There are regular offerings which change seasonally, and the Plats du Jour use the freshest available ingredients. Apart from the hand made croissants, everything is made on the premises. Cakes and pastries for the sweet toothed, or a glass of wine and some warm olives for people who just want to chat.

Zealand and Haws watering cans, made in England, are reputedly the best in the world. Specially designed pocketed canvas belts hold all the tools you need in the garden.

Gardening accoutrements are the best quality available — the garden chairs, in gorgeous colours, are the original French Bistro brand. Traditional willow trugs in various sizes are hand made in New

This is a stylish addition to the street ambience. So where do you find the other coffee makers in Willunga? Often as not, enjoying a coffee at La Terre!

Since 1912, four generations of the Osborn family have tended vineyards and made wines with the distinctive red striped label. Known for an eclectic portfolio of oddly named wines and a bold red stripe that adorns each bottle, stories have been a central component to who we are. Visit our cellar door and taste the wine, talk with our knowledgeable staff and hear about a racehorse named Footbolt, money spiders, dead arms, laughing magpies, lucky lizards and more.

d’Arry’s Verandah Restaurant

d'Arenberg Cellar Door

With breathtaking views overlooking the rolling hills of McLaren Vale, d’Arry’s Verandah Restaurant is the idyllic place for an unforgettable dining experience. Head Chef Peter Reschke draws inspiration from local and seasonal produce to compliment the award winning d'Arenberg wines, and a selection of international treats.

The Cellar Door is housed in our restored 19th century homestead, with views over McLaren Vale, the Willunga Hills and the Gulf St Vincent.

Open for lunch 7 days a week Bookings essential, phone 08 8329 4848.

Group bookings required for more than 5 people. A Grenache Tutored Tasting and the Blending Bench Tasting are available by appointment. Open 10am – 5pm daily Phone 08 8329 4822.

FOOD & WINE

The Chef, The Recipe and The Wine. by Leonie Porter-Nocella.

The Chef: Nigel Rich Many of you will already be familiar with Nigel Rich’s culinary magic, perhaps from the workshops he’s given at Producers, but also from his remarkably long-standing stint at d’Arry’s Verandah. If so, you will undoubtedly be quite excited at the prospect of revisiting the wizardry at his new restaurant, The Elbow Room. While The Elbow Room itself is a relatively new addition to the Willunga/McLaren food and wine scene, a glance at the menu displays a distinct emphasis on produce from the farm and nearby seas, including local (well, Fleurieu-local) delicacies like cold smoked venison, steamed cuttlefish, and roasted rhubarb and strawberry salad with lavender meringue. The floor-to-ceiling windows looking out over the vines and the hills of bring a light and summery atmosphere to the room; yet over the winter months an open fire bathes that same area in a warm cosiness. Since Nigel is not merely a chef but also a winemaker, you’ll observe this passion first hand in the wine list. Well actually, you can even do better than that by trying the wine he makes on site — Nigel’s Pinot — and ask him to match it to a dish (and yes, it probably will be the wonderfully succulent confit duck). The Elbow Room is open for lunch on a Friday, Saturday and Sunday with bookings available via phone 8323 0060, or email info@theelbowroom.com.au. The only thing left to say is ... Buon Appetito!

[Editor’s note] At the weekend we enjoyed this dish at our Sunday lunch with the family. The unanimous score was a whopping 10/10. The flavour was quite big, but still surprisingly gentle on the tender palates of younger diners. As soon as the dish approached the table the big, wafting aroma foretold of the lusciously warm flavours about to arrive. The heat of the dish was surprisingly gentle with the various spices combining to create a ‘well-rounded’ heat; an effect comparable to one you’d get by blending carefully chosen coffee beans to create a full and round taste in the cup.

The Recipe:

And The Wine:

Slow Roasted Goat Forequarter Serves 6 Cooking time about 3 hours

J. Petrucci and Son 2010 Shiraz. ‘The Butcher Shop’ The Petrucci family has been fine wine purveyors for over 35 years in McLaren Vale — even though the label displays a past profession. Joe, Rosa and Michael have plucked this one from the cellar to present a new wine label independent from their ‘Statue of Abundance’ range. Joe has been quoted as saying ‘great wines are made from the soils in a vineyard’. I think he may have something with this saying. They are a proud family with deep roots in the local and wine community.

Further enhanced by pairing with ‘The Butcher Shop’ J. Petrucci & Son 2010 Shiraz. Ingredients: 1 Goat forequarter available from Ellis Butchers at McLaren Vale or anywhere else you may find it. (The recipe also works well with lamb.) The Marinade: a splash of red wine or stock, and tinned, crushed tomatoes plus the ingredients listed below (and processed in a blender). Prepare the marinade by combining the following ingredients: 2 large onions, peeled and chopped 4 cloves of garlic, peeled 1 teaspoon of cumin, ground 1 teaspoon of paprika / sweet / Spanish ½ teaspoon of dried oregano ½ teaspoon of saffron ¼ of a bunch of sage ½ of a bunch of mint 1 bunch of fresh parsley, preferably flat-leaf 2 cups of olive oil ½ a preserved lemon.

Deep red, almost black in colour, it looks at you flexing muscle 2/10. The aroma indicates a definite blackberry and spice tone with a richness of all the fruit berries 3/10. Upon the senses it doesn’t disappoint, with Christmas cake-like flavours it is rich and packs a punch. A typical McLaren Vale shiraz in a cracker 2010 vintage 4.5/10. A ripper wine which represents Joe — small in stature, flexing muscle — bold in appearance and true to life. 9.5. RRP $19.99. Available at McLaren Vale Hotel. Doc Adams.

Process all the ingredients for the marinade in a food processor until it forms a smooth paste. Once this has been achieved scrape the paste from the food processor, combine these ingredients with the goat (or lamb) forequarter to marinate, covered in the refrigerator, overnight. Next day, oil a heavy-based roasting pan and place the goat skin-side down and season with salt & pepper. Roast in an oven preheated to 200° for 30 minutes, then turn the goat over and cook for a further 20 minutes. Splash with red wine and/or stock, then add the crushed tomatoes, cover and lower the heat to 150° for 1½ to 2 hours. Rest and serve. 65

A New Lease on Life. Sarah and Simon Edwards’ weatherboard cottage ‘Highbury’ began its life in Malvern, Victoria in 1905. It now resides happily in the back streets of Willunga. Heather Millar tells the story of its monster move. ‘After’ photographs by Robert Geh. ‘Before’ photographs supplied by Sarah and Simon.

When Sarah Edwards saw the Federation home for sale on the internet in May 2009 she fell in love with it. When the real estate agent told them it was selling for only $40,000, she and husband Simon couldn’t get on the plane quick enough. ‘All the houses were being removed for high rise apartments to be put in,’ explains Sarah.

‘We had quite a bit of trouble with council,’ says Sarah. ‘A weatherboard house in Willunga? The council didn’t think it would fit — that it was part of Melbourne’s history not Willunga’s. But then they came around ... though they insisted we build right back from the street, and plant trees to disguise it.’

They had been looking at designing a house in Willunga for two years, but plans had never quite come together. This time it did. They owned a steep block on Green Lane, but the house would never fit there, so they sold it. Then a friend told them a block might be for sale in the old part of Willunga. ‘It all fell into place really quickly,’ says Sarah.

The removalist company hadn’t moved a house to South Australia before. ‘But they said they couldn’t see why not,’ says Sarah. ‘It’s the putting it on the truck and taking it off the truck that’s the hard part, the bit in between — moving it — isn’t.’

Sarah, a nurse and trainee midwife, and Simon, a local vet, bought the house in May: the house arrived in December.

The roof was taken off, pulled apart and put on one truck. The house was cut down the middle, each piece was jacked up hydraulically and lifted; the trucks driven underneath and the house section lowered back down.

The rebuild and renovation took three months. ‘Not a day went by when there wasn’t something happening,’ says Sarah. ‘Either we were working on it or tradies were – pretty much constantly!’ ‘The company had two separate people on two occasions do the route they were going to drive from Malvern to here, measuring every single tree, bridge and roadway to make sure it would fit through!’ says Sarah. The Edwards meanwhile had the site levelled, and the removal company put in all the stumps when they arrived. ‘Then it was pretty much the same in reverse. They lowered the house down in pieces, pulled it together, then put the roof back on. They had it all back together and secured and the roof back on within two weeks.’ The rebuild and renovation took three months. ‘Not a day went by when there wasn’t something happening,’ says Sarah. ‘Either we were working on it or tradies were — pretty much constantly!’

‘If we’d have built, it would’ve taken a year, and the builders told us that to build this house new would cost $600,000 to $700,000 depending on the finish.’ All of the walls are now insulated, all new wiring, all new plumbing. ‘All of the plaster was replaced, walls, cornices, architraves — all matching the era. So it’s got the charm of an old house but with modern benefits.’ ‘We bought the house for $40,000, the renovation was $150,000, and the move was $100,000. So that’s just under $300,000 all up.’ The family made some changes to the layout. What was the formal dining room is now the library. The main bedroom was lined with Tassie oak — ‘As nice as Tassie oak is,’ says Sarah, ‘I couldn’t live with it: it was too dark. I think it was done in the 70s and was probably someone’s den.’

All of the walls are now insulated; all new wiring, all new plumbing. All of the plaster was replaced, as well as walls, cornices, architraves – all matching the era. So it’s got the charm of an old house but with modern benefits. The family made some changes to the layout. What was the formal dining room is now the library. The main bedroom was lined with Tassie oak – ‘As nice as Tassie oak is,’ says Sarah, ‘I couldn’t live with it: it was too dark. I think it was done in the 70s and was probably someone’s den.’

Photos this page: Top: The house in its original location in Malvern, VIC. Centre: Renovations in progress. Bottom: The house being delivered to its new address in Willunga. 71

‘We’ve been in Willunga for 16 years now. What’s not to love about it?’ They renovated the bathroom, and found an old Victorian bath and sink from local recycling warehouse, de Youngs.

the move.’ This is a spacious, light kitchen/dining/family area which looks out onto the back garden with its rocky garden feature.

‘We moved the laundry out of the house — it was originally in the middle of the house, and it seemed wrong to have a wet area there, so now it’s in the shed out the back, and the laundry has been converted into an office space,’ says Sarah. ‘A lot of old houses had the plumbing outside, so again it sort of suits the era.’

‘We had to cut into the earth to get the house level. The first year we were here, the whole back yard filled up with water because of the Willunga clay. So we put a creek bed in, with gravel underneath the rocks. In winter it fills up and we have a creek, and in summer it dries out.’

The leadlight in the front door features the name of the house and it is original. ‘Local stained glass specialist Glen Howlett took this panel out while the renovations were happening so it didn’t get broken, and he then made up the other panels to match it. You would never know they weren’t original.’

Sarah and Simon’s home is surrounded by gardens and trees. ‘The kids sit up in the loquat tree in summer and eat the fruit,’ says Sarah.

The whole back area of the house is a 1960’s extension — ‘We know that because we found 60’s newspapers stuffed in the walls during

‘We’ve been in Willunga for 16 years now. What’s not to love about it?’

JOHN LACEY ARTIST STUDIO & GALLERY

Starting point of the McLaren Vale Cheese and Wine Trail, Blessed Cheese combines a specialist artisan and farmhouse cheese shop, licensed café and providore. Pack a picnic or dine in our casual café for a regional breakfast, lunch, coffee or cake and of course ... cheese.

OPEN MOST DAYS 11 - 5pm • Impressionistic & contemporary landscapes • Original oils • High Quality Prints • Art Classes • Workshops

41 Woodcone Rd Mt Compass Ph. (08) 8556 8388 Mob. 0419 823 708 Email: laceyjla@internode.on.net www.johnlacey.com.au

gallery studio

150 Main Road McLaren Vale 5171 T: 8323 7958 F: 8323 7918 E: info@blessedcheese.com.au W: blessedcheese.com.au

EL L IO T

Quality Food & Beverage - Unmatched Customer Service Lunch - Dinner - Accommodation - Weddings & Special Occasions Like us on for Live Music Gigs

Hotel Elliot 35 The Strand, Port Elliot T (08) 85542218 F (08) 8554 2256 E: info@hotelelliot.com.au W: www.hotelelliot.com.au

Homewares, Gifts Gifts &&Ladies LadiesFashions Fashions Homewares, Open Mon ~ Sat: 10:30am ~ 4:30pm

Sun and Public Holidays: 11am ~ 4.30pm 29 North Terrace, 8554 3645 PortPort ElElliot liot 73

FASHION

Out and About. Fleurieu Living went out on the streets to see what people had to say when asked about their personal style and favourite places.

We found these lovely folk hanging out at Port Noarlunga, McLaren Vale and Kangaroo Island.

SUBSCRIBE TO FLM NOW

Subscribe to FLM for one or two years and be in the running to win a lunch for two at d’Arry’s Verandah.

Who: Kristy Paparella seen at Port Noarlunga. Lives at Maslin Beach. What I Wear: Vintage, Eclectic, love pearls. Where I go: Salty Lime, d’Arenberg, The Currant Shed, Charli Rose.

Who: Tom Edmonds seen at McLaren Vale. Lives at Echunga. What I Wear: Classy Casual Polo t-shirt bloke. Where I Go: Silver Sands, The Barn, Echidna, Molly Dooker.

Who: Kate Pow seen at Port Noarlunga. Lives at Port Noarlunga. What I Wear: Vintage, Bright and Warm with a bit of femininity. Where I Go: Blue Water Cafe, Horta’s, Lavish, Willunga Market.

Who: Magali Gervier seen at Kingscote, Kangaroo Island What I wear: Smart, Casual – a little bit sexy. Where I go: Ozone, Bella, Southern Ocean Lodge.

03 Who: Cherie Foran seen at McLaren Vale. Lives at McLaren Vale. What I Wear: Not Mainstream, beautiful, classy, clothes made with love. Where I Go: Eleanor, Blessed Cheese, Gemtree Vineyards, and the beaches.

06 Who: Fabian Olive seen at Kingscote, Kangaroo Island. What I Wear: Smart Casual NO SUITS! Where I Go: Seal Bay, Little Sierra, Wilderness Retreat.

07 Who: Tam Howard seen at Dudley Wines, Kangaroo Island lives at Seaford. What I Wear: Casual Relaxed Where I Go: Blue Water Cafe, Vasarelli’s

That’s right. A voucher for lunch to the value of $250 dollars will be mailed to the lucky winner and is redeemable at the restaurant until November 30, 2012. Competition closes on August 15. The winner will be contacted by phone or email and announced via the FLM Facebook page. Conditions apply. Subscribe online at: http://www.isubscribe.com.au/FleurieuLiving/ or mail us the subscription form in the magazine.

HOLIDAYMAKER

When comedian, radio host and television presenter Merrick Watts is not working in Sydney, you can find him in Port Willunga with wife Georgie, and children, Wolfe and Kinga Rose. Heather Millar spoke to Merrick Watts recently about why he chooses to spend much of his down time here on the Fleurieu.

When was the first time you visited the Fleurieu? As a kid in the Seventies — my mum has cousins down this way. Then I rediscovered the area about 12 years ago. I was here for the Fringe Festival, and someone took us to lunch at the Star of Greece — I was hooked. In the last 10 years, I’ve spent only one summer away from here; about six years ago, we bought a house. What were your first impressions? I thought — my god, how does no-one know about this place? It’s so Mediterranean. I thought this is a hidden gem — a secret I am now vastly helping to destroy by bringing my friends over from Sydney and Melbourne! Favourite local restaurants and wineries? We love Fino — always go there when we are here. Penny’s Hill is excellent. They are probably my two favourites, but you could go through a whole list of places — I like pizza at Russell’s; Samuel’s Gorge winery is nice. Tomorrow I’ll go to the Willunga Market and buy a few kilos of live yabbies, which I’ll cook up. The venison and the Yankaponga lamb — first rate. I know all the people who sell the foods there now. They probably think I’m a show business wanker, but I don’t care! What do you make of the local community? It’s very mellow here. That’s one of the reasons why Georgie and I choose to be here when I’m not working Sydney. I find it really grounding, there’s a sense of community here you don’t get in Sydney. Favourite beaches on the Fleurieu? Port Willunga of course — that’s my local. Silver Sands is really beautiful. Maslin is awesome in some areas. You know, I’ve never even seen a nude person there … maybe I just haven’t gone to the right spot? As my kids get a bit bigger, I’ll take them down to Second Valley and they can jump off the pier there — another hidden gem.

If it were not for your career where would you live? Here. I love the frenetic intensity of Sydney, and the show business of it all. But at heart, I’m not that show biz. I like to think I’m more grounded and earthed. I get the best of both worlds, because I come here for long periods of the year anyway. How long do you spend here? It’s been three months this summer — the longest stint so far. Normally I ride my motorbike here from Sydney — through the mountains down into Victoria, along the Great Ocean Road. I look forward to it all year. Georgie was too heavily pregnant this time though, so I didn’t ride. [Daughter Kinga Rose was born at the Ashford Hospital in Adelaide in December]. If I’m in Adelaide for work during the year, I’ll pop down for a night or two. When we’re not here though, the place is usually full with other family members. How has having children changed you? It’s mellowed me and made me less selfish — because really, I am fundamentally a selfish human being. In another life, I would be ... I hate to think. Thank Christ there’s the safety net of show biz for people like me, because we have no other talents. We’re very shallow people, with very little skill base. Besides, making people laugh is the best job in the world. Top things still to do on your bucket list? I really want to go on a bi-plane flight over Port Willunga. I want to sky-dive over the Murray Mouth. And I want a day out with a local winemaker, to find out how they make wine.

Look out for Merrick on Triple M’s Drive show, and the ABC’s new game show Randling, with Andrew Denton.

PENINSULA PEOPLE

Christo Reid

For those of you who are yet to encounter him, Christo Reid is a celebrated photographer. Christo has worked on a range of projects, including as a photographer for Gourmet Traveller. His travels have taken him to Malaysia, India, Europe and Thailand.

Most recently Christo published Cactus, a book that chronicles the history of the rugged surf break on the West Coast of South Australia. Revered by the most dedicated of surfers, Christo himself lived at Cactus for ten years in the seventies, and it is his personal connection to this place that enabled him to make a moving narrative of an existence that would certainly not be for the faint of heart.

Christo now lives part time in an old stone house he purchased in 1989 in Port Willunga. The two story house, built in 1845, once served as the Seaview Hotel. He was also one of the main contributors to Trottâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s View, a book dedicated to the stunning landscapes of McLaren Vale and its surrounds.

Christoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s long connection to Port Willunga and the areas around it are best appreciated by the photos we present from his collection taken over twenty years of living there. The distinct views captured in these photos show an appreciation for the light, space and solitude of the landscapes of the Fleurieu.

WEDDINGS

Fleurieu Weddings

Briony Liebich and Damian Dawson were married in St Paulâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Lutheran Church McLaren Vale on April 14, and held a reception for family and friends at Our Place @ Willunga Hill, run by the Clappis family. Briony and Damian initially met 16 years ago while studying at Adelaide University, but it was a mutual love of music that resulted in a chance reunion at a music festival in 2006. Their love of music influenced the selection of songs used within the ceremony, using only music from artists that the couple have seen together live over the past six years. The bride wore a stunning light blue 1950s vintage dress and matching bolero jacket with accessories styled by boutique vintage store Hunting Ground of Maslin Beach. The groom was dressed in a 82

slim fit suit from menâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s outfitter Hombre in Norwood. Wedding bands were designed by the couple and made by Belinda Newick, a friend based in Melbourne. Floral arrangements were created by friends and featured shades of pink, purple and burgundy. The couple requested that edible elements be used within the flower arrangements, which resulted in a variety of herbs, coloured heirloom eggplants and kaffir limes being skilfully included.

The choice of reception venue was based upon their desire to have a strong focus on food in a relaxed atmosphere.

Photographs courtesy of Willunga Portrait Company. www.willungaportraitcompany.com

Another personal touch on the day was the use of succulents from their garden potted in vintage homewares as table decorations, and hanging bunting, made from their vintage fabric collection and sewn by Brionyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s cousin. The couple used their recently restored 1960â&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Volkswagen beach buggy to arrive at the reception. The choice of reception venue was based upon their desire to have a strong focus on food in a relaxed atmosphere. The classic range of Italian dishes, prepared by Anna and Andy Clappis at Our Place, was a perfect choice. 83

Andy’s slow-cooked roast lamb, presented whole, was a highlight, as were his cannoli di siciliana, which the couple used as their wedding dessert arranged on vintage crystal plates. Briony’s family winery, LiebichWein of Rowland Flat in the Barossa Valley, provided a selection of wines, including museum magnums and a specially-blended aged and fortified Semillon. They also supplied chocolate port and fig truffles to accompany the cannoli. The day was captured by the Willunga Portrait Company, and included a range of photographs taken at the Alpha Box & Dice cellar door in McLaren Vale. The couple honeymooned on Kangaroo Island and plan to reside in their recently renovated 1960’s shack at Aldinga Beach. Briony and Damian wish to thank their parents, Ron and Janet Liebich and Ross and Pauline Dawson, along with the rest of their family and friends for helping to make the day so memorable. 85

Brett Adams and Sarah Kildare married at The Hundred Eaves in Sellicks Beach, where they also enjoyed a reception with family and friends. Sarah and Brett first met in 2002. Having spent time travelling both here and abroad, they combined their love of adventure and continued to travel together, spending the next three years exploring Australia. They relocated back to Adelaide in 2006 and had the first of their first of three boys — where they currently reside at Aldinga Beach. Brett — in the company of their 3 boys — proposed marriage on the cliffs overlooking Port Willunga Beach. The simple ceremony was held at The Hundred Eaves at Sellicks Beach and celebrated with family and friends. Sarah wore a stunning vintage-style dress by Charli Rose Boutique at Port Noarlunga, and the boys (who were unbelievably well-behaved) looked most handsome in matching attire. Flower arrangements were by Andrea at Fleurieu Flowers, hair-styling was from Hair by Kim at The Gallery, Old Noarlunga, makeup by Alicia of Fringes in Seaford and the threetiered cake was made in McLaren Vale by Angel Wedding Cakes. Pre-reception drinks, with beautiful views of the gulf, were from Leconfield and the McLaren Vale Beer Company, after which the wedding party headed back into the chapel for a great night of local food, wine and entertainment, provided by the wonderful acoustic band ‘The Chines.’ Brett and Sarah would like to thank their friends and family for making the effort to travel from distances ranging from Darwin, Sydney, Melbourne, London and Stockholm. They would also like to thank all the grandparents for enabling them to honeymoon on the Fleurieu the following Sunday — a gorgeous day that started out with breakfast at Blessed Cheese in McLaren Vale, a mid-morning stroll plus coffee in Strathalbyn, followed by lunch at Goolwa’s Bombora, and an afternoon stroll with ice-cream at Horseshoe Bay. All capped off with their favourite drive home, through Hindmarsh Tiers to ‘pop out’ at a stunning sunset on Sellicks Hill.

Photographs courtesy of Glenn Alderson. www.glennalderson.com

Pre-reception drinks, with beautiful views of the gulf, were from Leconfield and the McLaren Vale Beer Company, after which the wedding party headed back into the chapel for a great night of local food, wine and entertainment, provided by the wonderful acoustic band â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;The Chines.â&#x20AC;&#x2122;

Subscribe now to and go in the draw to win a lunch for two at dâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Arryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Verandah worth $250.

FLM

Subscribe to Fleurieu Living Magazine for one year and go in the draw to win lunch for two at d'Arry's Verandah. Competition closes on 15 August 2012. The winner will be contacted by phone or email and announced on our Facebook page: www.facebook.com/fleurieuliving on 24 August. A voucher for $250 dollars will be mailed to the winner. This will be redeemable at the restaurant until 30 November 2012. You can subscribe online at www.isubscribe.com.au/FleurieuLiving/ or by filling out the subscription form contained in the magazine. Good luck!

Terms and Conditions: Subscriptions must be received by Fleurieu Living before 5 pm on 15 August 2012 to be considered for the draw. One entry is allocated per subscription. The winner must be over 18 years of age.

SOCIAL PAGES

Being Social: WFM turns ten. On February 25th The Willunga Farmer’s Market celebrated it’s 10th anniversary.

01: Liz Elder 02: John Edmeades and his partner Carolyn.

03: Tony Rosso 04: Anna Clappis

05: Virgara’s Produce 06: Mt. Compass Venison celebrates

SOCIAL PAGES

Being Social: 2012 Vintage Classic On Sunday the 29th of April both cars and wines were showcased in the 6th Annual Vintage Classic.

OXENBERRY FARM 01: Kimberley Irving and Sacha Moody.

PENNY’S HILL 02: Brother and Sister: Fletcher and Ainsley Roscrow. 03: Mari Roscrow, Soren Roscrow-Kreis, Karlu Roscrow-Kreis, Ainsley Roscrow, Malachy Roscrow-Kreis, Rebecca Kerr, and Indiga Roscrow-Kreis. 04: Kevin O’Brien with his 1954 Austin Healey. 05: Left to Right: Donna Drage, Ken Messenger - President of the Sporting Car Club, Wes Southgate and Jill Southgate. HARDY’S TINTARA 06: Lizzie Button and Tim Mellonie. 07: Left to Right: Georgia Chik, Anne Moulds and Jeanette Walsangham - MGB Club - Social Secretary. McLAREN VALE VISITOR INFORMATION CENTRE 08: Front seat: Mark & Michele Vaughan. Back seat: Zoey, Madison and Ashley. 1961 Ford Thunderbird convertible.

09: Front Seat: Lynette and Daryl Krinks. Back Seat: Rachel Krinks. 1965 Ford Thunderbird convertible. 10: Left to Right: Georgina Dupont, Kimberley Phillips, Gemma Dupont, Ben Binder, Jenny Dupont, Oliver Dupont, Patrick Dupont.

SOCIAL PAGES

Being Social: Langhorne Creek 12th anniversary of the Langhorne Creek Winemakers Showcase.

Sunday the 6th of May saw the following people out and about, enjoying some award winning wines: 01: Keith Williams and Chris Harris 02: Mum & Daughter Jenny and Georgina Gower 03: Ben Thomas, Kanishka Jayasuriya, Priya Chacko 04: Penny Geue - Langhorne Creek Grape & Wine - Finance and Member Support Bek Schapel - Marketing Manager 05: Barry & Heather Trowse

Being Social: d’Arenberg turns 100 In February, the Osborn family celebrated d’Arenberg winery being in the family since 1912.

01: Left to Right: d’Arry Osborn, Toby Porter, Sarah Nolan, Monique Porter and Nick James Martin

02: d’Arry Osborn cutting the birthday cake. 03: Chester d’Arenberg Osborn, fourth generation family winemaker. 04: The marquee 05: Left to Right: Malcolm Condo (Cospack), Charmaine Feast, Simon Feast (Labelmakers) 06: d’Arenberg Cellar door manager, Rachael Whitrow and Tim Ward, Willunga.

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recommends:

VALE ALE Vale Ale is a South Australian beer company that brews the award-winning VALE/ALE, VALE/DRY and VALE/DRK, as well as the most recent addition VALE/IPA. All beers in the VALE range are interesting interpretations of well-known styles and are designed to be enjoyed by beer aficionados and discovers alike. And, like any good beer company, they own an inn — the VALE/INN Taphouse & Kitchen, serving great honest food to match their versatile range of brews.

WILLUNGA FARMERS MARKET Willunga Farmers Market has long been a weekly drawcard for Willunga and celebrated 10 years of fresh, local produce in February 2012. Producers selling everything from dairy and meat to bread, cheese and vegetables are on hand to answer questions about the food you buy. Open 8am ‘til 12.30pm every Saturday, the market is now a regular stop for anyone wishing to fill their bellies, their pantry, or both.

HOUSE OF ELLIOT The House of Elliot has grown out of a passion for lifestyle products that will enhance your home and bring style and sophistication to your way of living. Purchase from our vast array of products including clothing · fine furniture · giftware · jewellery · Crabtree & Evelyn · aromatherapies · gifts and more ... 31 The Strand Port Elliot SA Ph: 8554 1958 www.thehouseofelliot.com.au

THE FLEURIEU KITCHEN Macarons — a delight for the senses! A crisp, delicate shell, giving way to a slightly chewy, soft and luscious centre. All our macarons are handmade on the beautiful Fleurieu Peninsula using the finest quality ingredients. M: 0413 969 392 Email: thefleurieukitchen@bigpond.com www.thefleurieukitchen.com.au

STRATHALBYN COLLECTORS’ FAIR Strathalbyn Collectors’, Hobbies & Antique Fair, with special guest Tim Wonnacott.

SPOCK SISTERS Hair, Fashion and Art. Opening Hours: Thurs to Sun 10 – 4

Saturday 18th August, 10am – 5pm. Sunday 19th August, 10am – 4pm. $10 admission per day gives entry to all venues. Children free / No concession. $15 weekend pass or $5 single hall entry.

Jewellery · eco products · retro and vintage clothing · Orienka mixed fabrics · antique kimonos. Labels include Metalicus, Staple, Davines, Mesop, One Teaspoon, Dog Star, Essence, Laika.

Sunday is the huge open air treasure market. Gold coin donation for market. Strathalbyn, South Australia.

30 High Street, Willunga SA. Telephone 8556 4403.