Fleurieu Living Magazine Spring 2016 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

• Port Noarlunga: Family living at its finest • Meldon: A gorgeous stone house full of ‘real stuff’ and dreams • Vineyard View: New function centre in the Vale • Eat drink and enjoy the view at the Goolwa Wharf Precinct • Feastival Kangaroo Island. Go there!

AU $8.95 SPRING 2016

McLaren Vale Region · Goolwa · Victor Harbor · Yankalilla · Kangaroo Island

Magic on your doorstep! Just 45 minutes from Adelaide, the Fleurieu Peninsula offers a tapestry of experiences showcasing the best of South Australia, including regional flavours and stunning scenery. Visit Fleurieu Peninsula at www.fleurieupeninsula.com.au

Key Personnel Petra de Mooy Working on FLM comes with many rewards and Petra still pinches herself every time she archives another great story. When not wrangling content, you can find her hanging out with Jason and their daughter, gardening, or perusing the farmers’ market. Jason Porter Jason has worked as a graphic designer and creative director both locally and overseas for thirty years. When not in the office, he can usually be found in the garage tweaking some kind of rare hi-fi component. Perscia Maung After years of moonlighting as a blues singer and keeping rather anti-social hours, Perscia now enjoys her day job at FLM. This allows her to not only walk her Great Dane on the beach, but to properly take in the region she so adores. Lulu Our company mascot, Lulu started appearing in way too many of our Instagram posts – so now she has her own profile (sad, we know) where you can follow her charmed life. Search for ‘miss_majestica’ if you’re so inclined.

Featured Contributors Esther Thorn Esther Thorn believes everyone has a story and is passionate about helping people tell theirs. Esther has worked as a journalist for the past 16 years in print, radio and television but is most inspired by the stories she writes for Fleurieu Living Magazine. When she’s not writing, Esther’s wrangling her three children (aged four and under), working in the garden of her Willunga property or chasing escapee chooks. She loves the Fleurieu Peninsula, especially its beautiful beaches, interesting people and amazing food and wine. Esther is also studying to be a teacher. She keeps herself sane by practising yoga, paddle boarding and regular family camping trips to Deep Creek Conservation Park.

Che Chorley Che Chorley is an award winning photographer with a passion and affinity for the ocean. Che is blessed to be able to pursue his changeable subject which fortuitously gives rise to art, taking photography seriously, but not necessarily expecting serious results. Photography has been a natural accompaniment to his travels and he continues to strive to convey the beauty and uniqueness that surfing, adventure and travel allow. He studied photography at the Centre for Creative Photography in Adelaide, and currently has a studio at The Mill, Angas St, Adelaide. Che has worked throughout Australia and internationally, and continues to work commercially for a variety clients when he’s not bobbing about in the ocean.

Publisher Information Harriet Leahy Harriet Leahy hails from Devon in England, but has lived in Victor Harbor for the last six years, breeding and training racehorses with her partner. An English Literature graduate, Harriet comes from a family of journalists and writers, and has always aspired to follow in her parent’s footsteps. Needless to say, the all-consuming lifestyle of ‘horses’ had somewhat inhibited achieving her ambitions until recently. Harriet has gladly swapped the cold English winters for the idyllic terrain of the Fleurieu Peninsula, and, when not on a horse, can be found exploring the fantastic restaurants and wineries of the region.

Other contributing writers and photographers Cheryl Buck, Darcy Colwill, Holly Dauk, Freya Dougan-Whaite, Pip Forrester, Kate Gardner, Robert Geh, Nina Keath, Jay Leech, Heidi Linehan, Angela Lisman, Mike Lucas, Leonie Porter-Nocella, Winnie Pelz, James Potter, Ben Robinson, Richard Souter, Lyndal Vandenberg, Penny Westhorp and Corrina Wright.

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 petra@fleurieuliving.com.au EDITOR Penny Westhorp ADVERTISING SALES Perscia Maung perscia@fleurieuliving.com.au ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT Cathy Phillips GRAPHIC DESIGN AND ART DIRECTION Jason Porter jason@fleurieuliving.com.au PRINTER Graphic Print Group DISTRIBUTION Integrated Publication Solutions SUBSCRIPTIONS www.isubscribe.com.au ALL ENQUIRIES Petra de Mooy petra@fleurieuliving.com.au POSTAL ADDRESS PO Box 111, Aldinga, South Australia 5173. ONLINE fleurieuliving.com.au facebook.com/FleurieuLivingMagazine instagram.com/fleurieulivingmagazine/ COPYRIGHT All content copyright Fleurieu Living Magazine Pty Ltd unless otherwise stated. While Fleurieu Living Magazine takes every care to ensure the accuracy of information in this publication, the publisher accepts no liability for errors 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 and controlled sources using environmentally friendly vegetable-based inks.

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Contents

14 FEATURED HOME: McDonald Home: Family living at its finest. FRONT COVER PHOTO: by Robert Geh

24 FEATURE: Cheryl Buck is Stoked to recount the euphoria she felt upon discovering a secret world in the waves.

FOOD AND WINE

FESTIVALS AND EVENTS

62 Najobe: A Red Angus cattle stud.

10 Check our Diary Dates for what is on this spring!

38 Tastings – Wine reviews with a competition to WIN WINE! 28 Eat drink and enjoy the view at the Goolwa Wharf Precinct. 00 Taste the Season – Peas (aka Pisum sativum). 72 Chef Tarik Marco and Sandrine Maltret on opening the doors of their acclaimed French restaurant Le Mistral.

36 Gavin Wanganeen Exhibition at Hardy’s Tintara 14-28 November 2016. 58 Feastival KI: Art, food and more in September and October!

TRAILBLAZERS 34 Pam Dunsford: Pam’s world. 74 Graham Ward: Portrait of a soil maker.

FEATURED HOME: Meldon: A big house full of ‘real’ stuff ... and dreams

FOOD FEATURE: Chef: Tarik Marco and Sandrine Maltret on opening the doors of their acclaimed French restaurant Le Mistral

FEATURE: Kings of Rock: Four Fleurieu stonemasons

PENINSULA PEOPLE 66 Dora and John Dallwitz: Linking art with the landscape. 54 The Vandeleurs of McLaren Vale Motel unveil their Vineyard View function space.

LIVING GREEN AND LIVING HEALTHY 20 James Potter dishes up The Dirt at Raywood Nursery. 76 Step into Spring with maximum vitality: CLEANSE.

60 Claire Byrt: The dream maker.

BEING SOCIAL 90

FLM sees who was out and about at: · Fleurieu Milk Company turns 10! · Fleurieu Art Prize launch · Tatachilla Luteran College Formal · Winnie Pelz opening ‘Solstice to Solstice’ · Talking Tourism at Vineyard Views · The Strand Gallery opening.

80 Jill Stone: Creating a life of her own.

BOOKS & WORDS

WEDDINGS

64 A spring reading selection from Mike Lucas.

84 Kristen Georgiou and Phil Donnelly: January 23 at Barn1890.

ACKNOWLEDGES

A special thanks to the advertising partners that have made a long term commitment to FLM. GOLD PARTNERS

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Welcome to FLM Spring has sprung.

Letters to the Editor

Well, winter is over and what a doozy it was. All of the rain was good news for our water tanks, dams and most plant life. Reports say it was also the windiest winter on record in thirty years – so that was not so good for some plant life. The soursobs seemed to like it a little too much.

Hi Petra, Jason and crew, Congratulations on an amazing four years of a great magazine. This quarter’s is a wonderful celebration of food, wine, heart and history. It was so lovely reading about the Western Fleurieu, with so many lovely cafes in our midst. I was also very touched and proud to read about our chefs and see them in such a natural setting. I hope your readers understand how powerful our region is, and why such professional and talented people are drawn here. Well done on a great edition. Warm regards, Jane and Alan, Leonards Mill

Spring in our fair part of the world brings mild temperatures and blue skies, with a sporadic north wind that can give us the odd day of plus thirty temperatures. It is also the beginning of beach weather. Even the hardiest amongst us must look forward to the warming of the ocean waters to a more bearable state. In this issue of FLM we have once again ventured to all parts of the Fleurieu in our quest for fresh content. We particularly liked meeting the Steers at their ‘labour of love’ stone house in Yankalilla. After three years of building, the home has the resonance and quality that only many years of dreaming and planning can bring. We also visited John and Dora Dallwitz at their art-filled home – and appreciated their extensive collection of art, craft and design dating back to the 1950s and 60s. And we marvelled at the home of Sarah and Ben who, despite living in a built up suburb, still have 180 degree views of the Onkaparinga wetlands and the coastal waters of Port Noarlunga. In every issue, we have a strong focus on people – long-standing and newcomers – trailblazers and entrepreneurs who have made a difference or are making one now. We loved meeting Pam Dunsford, who was one of the first women to complete a winemaking degree in South Australia and was at the helm of winemaking at Chapel Hill for many years. Then there is Claire Byrt, who after years in corporate HR, decided to have a go at creating her own business supporting women on the Fleurieu. Claire has managed to bring together a lovely bunch of individuals and has supported many businesses to start up, flourish or revitalise. It is the small businesses and entrepreneurs that make our community special. The eat-and buy-local ethos is alive and well here on the Peninsula. Now that we can relax a bit more with this fairer weather – let’s get out there! The FLM Team.

Hello Petra, Firstly, let me say how much we enjoy reading your top quality magazine – supporting and reporting on the wonderful Fleurieu Peninsula. We have recently returned from a week spent in this area at Currency Creek with our girls during which time we lent our hands to a ‘plant in’. Vicki Matchett and Fiona Watson purchased five hundred mixed eucalyptus, melaleuca and weeping she-oak seedlings (propagated by Peter Footner on behalf of Trees for Life Inc.), with a view to not only environmentally re-invigorating their property, but also to providing added faunal habitat for the many varieties of wonderful birds in their vicinity. Together with twenty or so of their close friends, they planted the five hundred trees in record time – just over two hours on the last Sunday in May which, fortunately, happened to be fine! This great effort just goes to show what can be done if the will is there. Congratulations to them, to their team and also to Trees for Life, who incidentally, also offer to plant donated trees in specific areas of the state - a great scheme for re-greening Australia. Only wish the other states would come into line with a similar tree purchase/planting scheme. We have just received the Winter edition of FLM and already are looking forward to Spring! Keep up the good work. Best wishes. Pat & Brian Watson, Canberra HI FLM team, As one of the lucky parents to have had a child attending the Montessori Children’s Centre in McLaren Vale, it was lovely to read last issue’s article about their Director, Ainsley Roscrow. My daughter, who graduated at the end of 2014, is still keen to dig out the 2014 Recipe Book to share with friends at the dinner table. This book features each child’s dictated story of their favourite foods, how they are cooked, who cooks them and where they eat out. Not a dry eye is left as we read about “how you don’t have to pay to eat at a restaurant, you just have to pay to leave” and many other precious gems. Thanks for the great local stories! Jacqui Hunter Hi Nina, Enjoyed the read and I always enjoy learning about other people living on the Fleurieu - little tit-bits that you wouldn’t normally know or find out about. The Fleurieu Living Magazine has that unique slant on our inhabitants that other magazines don’t seem to have. Take care and Ciao, Sue March

MARKETS & EVENTS

Spring Diary Dates LOCAL MARKETS: Aldinga, McLaren Vale and Willunga Aldinga Bay Art, Craft and Produce Market On the 4th Sunday of every month at the Aldinga Institute Show Hall from 8 – 1. Arts and crafts from local artisans, as well as fresh local produce. Willunga Farmers’ Market In the Willunga Town Square every Saturday from 8 – 12.30. Don’t forget to buy a membership and receive discounts on all the fabulous local food! Willunga Quarry Market Adjacent to the Willunga Oval, every 2nd Saturday of each month, rain or shine! Come and browse an eclectic mix of everything, ranging from second hand tools to plants to craft. Always something new to see. Willunga Artisans’ Market In the Willunga Show Hall (opposite the Willunga Farmers’ Market) on the second Saturday of each month. Local art and craft, with a little bit of something for everyone. A great place to buy a unique handmade gift!

Goolwa, Port Elliot and Victor Harbor Goolwa Wharf Market The 1st and 3rd Sunday of every month from 9 – 3.30. With around 80 stalls there is a myriad of goods on offer. Bric-a-brac, collectibles, fresh local produce, coffee and food, plants, books both new and old, and hand-crafted goods. Port Elliot Market At Lakala Reserve Port Elliot, on the 1st and 3rd Saturday of each month from 9am – 2pm.. A typical country market with plenty of fresh local produce on offer as well as a good mix of other goods, such as plants, bric-a-brac, books, fishing gear – even a $2 stall! There is sure to be something for everyone.

Victor Harbor Country Market Held the second and third Sunday of every month in The Soldiers Memorial Grounds opposite Hotel Victor on the Esplanade. Come and browse plants, gifts, crafts, toys, BBQ and cakes. Something for everyone. 9am – 3pm during the winter months.

COUNTRY MARKETS: Kangaroo Island Farmers’ and Community Markets Lloyd Collins Reserve by the beach at Penneshaw – first Sunday of the month from 9.30 – 1.00, with Kangaroo Island’s top food producers selling a range of fresh local produce in a great village atmosphere. For special SeaLink Ferry fares, visit sealink.com.au Meadows Country Market Meadows Community Hall on the second Sunday of the month from 9.00 – 3.00. Local produce, crafts, collectibles, plants and bric-abrac. A true country market. Myponga Markets In the old Myponga Cheese Factory every Saturday, Sunday, and public holiday from 9.30 – 4. Enjoy browsing a variety of stalls including an art gallery, books, fine China and glass, Christmas ware, toys; local leather work, coins, records, fossils and for the sweet tooth ... waffles and gelato! Strathalbyn Markets In Lions Park, South Terrace, Strathalbyn. On the 3rd Sunday of the month from 8am – 2pm. Bric-a-brac, produce, coffee, pies, apples, plants, soaps, jewellery and much more in wonderfully historic Strathalbyn. Yankalilla Market In the Agricultural Hall, Main South Road, Yankalilla on the 3rd Saturday of each month. Craft and produce market featuring goods from the local area. You’ll be surprised at what you may find!

Victor Farmers’ Market At the Grosvenor Gardens, Victor Harbor every Saturday morning from 8 – 12.30. 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. Market of Earthly Delights Held from 3pm at the Old School Building, Torrens Road, Victor Harbor on the first Sunday of each month. Bring and swap your surplus produce with other like-minded growers. Think home-grown fruit, vegetables, seedlings, flowers, honey, sauces, recipes, kindling, compost and more! 10

Above: A crowd gathers at the Goolwa Wharf Precinct.

Above left and right: Don’t miss the fabulous Yankalilla Cruise on November 20th.

FESTIVALS AND EVENTS: SEPTEMBER Rock ’n’ Roll Festival The Rock ’n’ Roll Festival brings together a range of local Rock ’n’ Roll bands and a large display of classic cars organised by the Historic Motor Vehicles Club of Victor Harbor. Check out the cars, enjoy the good vibes and a dance or two – and feel free to bring the kids! Where: Warland Reserve, Victor Harbor When: 17th-18th September Cost: FREE! More info: www.rocknrollfestival.com.au International Grenache Day For the third year running, Serafino McLaren Vale invite members of the community and Grenache lovers alike to their free tasting. Join renowned special guest James Halliday and Australian Ambassador of Grenache, Russell Gallagher for this special event. All producers of Grenache in Australia (or from around the world) are welcome to submit their wine for the open tasting. For more information, contact Russell Gallagher - Mobile +61 403 124 911 Where: Serafino Winery, McLaren Vale When: 16th September, 4-7pm Cost: FREE!

OCTOBER Yankalilla Show The 134th Annual Show of the Yankalilla, Rapid Bay and Myponga Agricultural and Horticultural Society Inc will be held on the Saturday of the October long weekend. Highlights will include an animal nursery, wine tasting and sales, and main stage entertainment. Where: Yankalilla Show Grounds When: 1st October, 9am - 4pm Cost: Adults - $10. Pensioners and children aged 5-15 - $5. Children under 5 go FREE! Kangaroo Island Art Feastival For the first time Kangaroo Island’s Art Feast and Feastival will combine throughout the months of September and October, with a particular focus on October’s long weekend. Art, culture, cuisine and beverages of the island will all be showcased at various venues across the island. Where: at over 25 venues across the Island When: 1st September - 29th October Cost: FREE Entry to venues/exhibitions. More info: kangarooislandartfeast.org.au

Red Poles Shimmer Exhibition An exhibition titled Alchemical Traces will showcase twelve South Australian photographers exploring ‘slow photography.’ Bypassing the digital process, they will use the techniques that would have been used 150 years ago in traditional laboratories. Where: Red Poles, McLaren Vale When: 1st September - October 2 Fleurieu Folk Festival The Fleurieu Folk festival in historic Willunga presents a weekend of music concerts and sessions, dance, workshops, bush poets, children’s entertainment, stalls and more. Discover your own talent at one of the many workshops, or just relax and enjoy the various local and interstate performers. Where: Willunga When: 21 - 23rd October Cost: $70 for the entire weekend. Children go FREE! More info: www.fleurieufolkfestival.com.au Red Poles Spanish Cabaret Make your way through a Spanish inspired menu, whilst enjoying a cabaret show and South Australian wine. Where: Red Poles, McLaren Vale When: Saturday 22nd October at 7:00pm Cost: $99 More info: www.redpoles.com.au Lake Breeze Picnic – Langhorne Creek Pack your deck chairs for a relaxed event on the lawns of Lake Breeze Wines. Activities for kids, live music and delicious food and wine. Where: Lake Breeze Wines Cellar Door – Langhorne Creek When: October 30th More info: www.lakebreeze.com.au

NOVEMBER Handpicked Festival Australia’s favorite bands, food and wine combine for a wonderful day out. Having previously hosted acts such as Birds of Tokyo, and Conrad Sewell, this is sure to sell out fast. When: Saturday 12th November Where: Lake Breeze, Langhorne Creek More info: www.handpickedfestival.com >

MARKETS & EVENTS

FESTIVALS AND EVENTS (continued) Yankalilla Cruise Head to the Yankalilla Oval for the Yankalilla Cruise with the main event on Sunday on the oval with over 600 classic and hot rod cars, rock and roll and a fair!! Where: Yankalilla Oval When: November 20th Cost: $15 per vehicle, $5 walk-ins www.yankalillacruise.com Langhorne Creek Vigneron’s Race Day One of the most popular Sunday race days on the South Australian calendar, the Langhorne Creek Vigneron’s Day is more than just a horse race. Celebrating the best that the local region has to offer in food and wine, the day is one for all the family to enjoy in the atmosphere and grounds of the picturesque Strathalbyn Racecourse. Where: Strathalbyn Racecourse When: November 20 Time: Gates open 9:30am Cost: General Admission $20, other packages available A Porchetta Party Don’t miss the final chance to take part in a three-course Italian style-lunch at Oliver’s Taranga Wines. With some sessions already fully-booked this is a culinary experience not to be missed! Where: Oliver’s Taranga Vineyards When: November 27th 12-5pm Cost:$100 per head, all inclusive Wood, Wine and Song Goolwa’s premier foodie event returns with music, food and wine showcased at a variety of ‘pop-up stalls’, sure to delight all the senses. This event is free entry, family-friendly and boasts some of SA’s finest produce. Where: Garden of Honour, Goolwa RSL When: Sunday November 15, 11-5

ONGOING Red Poles – Live Music Red Poles, 190 McMurtrie Road, McLaren Vale Every Sunday 12.30 – 3.30

Right: Keep October 22nd free so you can partake in Red Poles’ Spanish Cabaret event. Starts at 7:00pm. 12

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Darcy Colwill visits the McDonald family and discovers

Family living at its finest Photographs by Robert Geh.

Previous page: The high raked ceilings and open airy spaces are a real drawcard to this family home. Flowers by McLaren Vale Florist and home wares from the Sound of White Port Noarlunga. Above: Views from the home stretch all the way from the Onkaparinga River Recreation Park, across the silver sand dunes of South Port Beach, to the ocean and township of Port Noarlunga.

The rolling hills of the Fleurieu Peninsula form the backdrop for this unique property. Featuring open-plan living, bathed in light by large windows, and with high-drama ceilings – the modern design of this home combined with its location, makes for idyllic family living. Views from the balcony stretch all the way from the Onkaparinga River Recreation Park, across the silver sand dunes of South Port Beach, to the ocean and township of Port Noarlunga. Envious yet? You will be when you discover there is much more to this property than meets the eye. Sarah McDonald and her husband Ben moved into their Port Noarlunga property just six months ago, and it has been built with the rest of their lives in mind. The design, location, builders and neighbourhood have all been key factors in the search for and construction of their perfect home. As a township where everyone knows everyone, Port Noarlunga could have been an alternate setting for the television show Gilmore Girls. Sarah was looking for exactly the GG’s feeling when selecting the location of their multi-story oasis. ‘I wanted to feel like we knew

the people in the township and that we could go and get our coffee and they’d know our order – to not to feel like you’re a stranger in your own town.’ Growing up without air-conditioning in McLaren Vale and Port Noarlunga, both Ben and Sarah spent their summers seeking solace at the beach. Thus this location was a natural choice for them. Their three children now appreciate the same opportunity to escape and explore that they enjoyed. ‘They love being able to walk to the beach and bakery. Last summer we went to the beach a lot more than we had before, just because it didn’t feel like a big deal. They all feel like they have more freedom here,’ says Sarah. But this isn’t the only perk of being a child in this house. The children have their own space on the lower level – complete with living area, bathroom, and the best access to the pool. The large street level entrance leads up to an open-plan living area and the parents’ bedroom. This means family members aren’t living on top of each other, and the kids can entertain their friends in their own space. But nothing about this home feels separate. An open staircase allows easy communication between the two main areas, and the evenings are often spent together upstairs in the large open-plan family area. The building is angular, with tall raked ceilings and clerestory windows facing north. Timber floors, area rugs, warm wood and soft furnishings give this large space the cosiness Sarah was after. ‘We wanted open-plan, but we wanted it to feel cosy as well. It’s hard to ask someone to design two things at once, but I think the builder has achieved this. The way we’ve decorated has helped as well.’ > 15

Previous page: The large entryway is bathed in light and features this gorgeous wooden pendant lamp. This page above left: A generous balcony with fantastic views. Above right: A cosy corner in the living room boasting a large painting by Brian O’Malley. Below: Tessa’s room is fun and quite tidy considering she is a tween!

Sarah and Ben selected Bailey Homes after visiting a couple of their show homes. Although the showcased designs were not exactly to their taste, for Sarah the homes felt ‘peaceful’ and that was what she wanted. Throughout the process of tailoring the property, the McDonalds developed a strong relationship with Bailey Homes’ owner Don and their supervisor Anthony. As Don enthuses, the home is ‘... a credit to the way in which we all worked so well together.’ ‘I often think I’ll cry when it’s completely finished. It has been a long process and particularly Anthony feels like part of the family now,’ says Sarah. The builders and the McDonalds worked closely to remain in budget and be practical, whilst meeting their ideals. Future-proofing was an important aspect of the build for Ben and Sarah. They chose to build as close to the street front as possible, and placed main features like the pool close to the house, so that one day they will be able to ‘cut off the bottom’ of the block. The house has also been designed so that downstairs could be rented out to international students. Upstairs can be made independent by converting the butler’s pantry into a laundry. Sarah joked at the beginning of the design process that she wanted ‘a Scandinavian, mid-century, Hamptons house’. Surprisingly, this property comes close. The house is full of light, with high ceilings and windows both high and low. Scandinavian-style light timber is featured on the living area floors, the breakfast bar and the statement ceiling fans in both the living area and kitchen. The upper floor is an entertainer’s paradise and the definition of Hamptons style, with the master bedroom, en-suite with a double shower and vanity, the butler’s pantry, study nook and the outstanding balcony. The butler’s pantry is one of the most practical features of the home, perfect for when everyone is getting ready for work and school. ‘And it’s great when I get home from work - I’m not walking into a really messy kitchen; its hidden and I can come to it when I’m ready!’

Downstairs, a guest bedroom and bathroom can be closed off with a sliding door for complete privacy. The sliding doors also lead down onto a basketball court. Three sizable bedrooms for the children surround their living area, with a three-way bathroom, laundry, and next to the pool, another entertaining area complete with BBQ. In this Port Noarlunga paradise, the fantastic view will always be the highlight. As Sarah says, ‘It’s something that we both talk about a lot; we both hope that we never stop looking at it and that we never take it for granted.’

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The Dirt

James Potter ventures down the memorable (for him) Tappanappa Road to visit Raywood Nursery. Photographs by Holly Dauk.

Previous page: Quentin and Jenny’s son, Lucas, works with their trusty dog Rex close at hand. Above: Quentin Wollaston in one of Raywood’s propagation houses.

Tappanappa. I can’t get the name out of my head as we bump along Tappanappa Road. Well, out of my mouth really; a rally of small sounds between lip and tongue. I must appear afflicted. Thankfully, I’m with the in-laws and they see bigger flaws. Tappanappa Road is a series of small wet bumps from months of rain. It winds. It dips. It splashes. The weather’s clear today though. The only cloud around is the one the forest slowly exhales as the sun dips low. We unfurl from the car and on cue, the black cockies mourn. Every time I visit Deep Creek, the black cockies mourn. Beat slow powerful wings and mourn. It’s a stunning site to see them dip and curl through the giant stringybarks. Their cries lead your eyes up to the canopy, and as the cries fade, they set off a huge, slow silence. We stroll down from the carpark now and notice the small sounds. The frogs, the small birds, the crickets. Ferns trace steps, a gate, an old tap. Gravel under foot. Nothing better than gravel underfoot. Somewhere, I’m sure, in a grimy CBD is a hipster café, with gravel underfoot and a line up around the block. No coffee here though, nor a tea room, not a heavily discounted aubergine watering can either. Rows of plants. Texture, shape, colour. All the greens. Luminous in the fading light are the purples, the blues, the mauves. The nursery’s working buildings emerge from the gardens, slung low and weathered.

I spy Quentin Wollaston, the owner and revered nurseryman. He doesn’t see me but spots a customer in need. He spends time, selects specimens, walks the length of the nursery, chats, points and laughs. I leave him to his customers and snoop amongst the back-end of operations, potting benches, secateurs, tractor implements in for repair, grease guns and plant labels. The working heart of the nursery. Quentin’s son is here, loading trolleys. He catches me lurking and I feebly offer my explanation ‘official duties, Fleurieu Living Magazine.’ He smiles and points me in the direction of Quentin. He’s finished with his customer now and strolls over. We have met before. I’m remembered I think, and prompted now he explains ‘We’re not a garden centre. We are a nursery. You know the difference? We grow our own plants.’ I follow him to glass house, where he stokes a fire. We have started a tour of sorts. Another small billet of stringybark is fed into the mouth of the superb cast iron beast. ‘This heats the propagating beds’ and I follow the plumbing, guided by an outstretched finger and then his footsteps as we make or way to the hot house next door. He apologises for the state of the perfectly tidy timber and glass house. ‘I would have cleaned it up if I’d known you were coming.’ I warn him to be on-guard when the photographer arrives. He raises a quizzical eyebrow, then turns to the trays of cuttings in front of us and with the back of his hand brushes a leaf away, then straightens up a tray and picks up a stray plant label. In my childhood and partly misspent > 21

Above: People are attracted to the property – a quiet atmosphere – natural surroundings – a wealth of plants and birds. ‘To be here is like going back in time to another world.’ Quentin hand feeds the little blue wrens by hand.

youth I spent time in places like this. A humidity, a glow and low roofed comfort, work at hand, the small muted sounds and the big smell of thriving plants. Everything is different in an old hothouse. I love these places and it’s clear Quentin does too. We stroll out and over to a table with flittering birds. They are fed by hand. Flashes of white, blue, superb wrens, fairies perhaps? He seems to know each one. Many decades of living and working in the nursery, in the forest, in the garden. Steeped in these birds, the other creatures, the plants. The slow watching, from season to season, year to year. In a meeting a few years ago Quentin and I reviewed some plant selections. He was unconvinced about a tree selection. I assured him it had been ‘planted extensively in a municipal setting over the past 5 years.’ He replied only with a stare and a very slight shake of the head that meant ‘unproven, a mere upstart.’ A different way of knowing. Quentin, if prompted, is happy to tell you of the history of the nursery. He told me. His father, his grandfather and so on, three generations, four, five maybe, on it goes. I’m not a note taker, I’ve lost track. His story and that of the nursery is an older one. An art, a science, a gardener’s way, handed from father to son, from thumb to green thumb.

Note from editor – who is a note taker: In 1974 Quentin and Jenny Wollaston were looking to buy land at Deep Creek to start a nursery. It was risky, because the government was looking to enlarge the conservation area. ‘Armed with this warning, we wrote to the State Government explaining our intention to buy a portion of the Eitzen farm adjacent to Deep Creek. Six weeks elapsed without answer, thus we purchased the land rather than forfeit our deposit,’ Quentin reports. The following year, the Wollaston’s neighbours began to get compulsory acquisition notices. After great community support and loud cries of dissent from Council, television coverage and articles highlighting the injustice by Advertiser journalist Stewart Cockburn, the Acting Labor Premier Des Corcoran agreed to meet with the Wollastons. He decided the family could remain until Quentin and Jenny died, making it impossible for them to leave it to their children. The Wollastons next enquired of the incoming Liberal Government what their policy would be and ‘they agreed to let us do what we like with the property.’ Consequently, locals and visitors alike can enjoy visiting this nursery that’s been established for over forty years, in the midst of the conservation area. It is a really special place, with abundant bird life, and a truly unique selection of plants, many of which were developed by Quentin. Note – the Claret Ash, Fraxinus raywood, discovered by Quentin’s grandfather T.C. Wollaston, was added to the BankSA Heritage Icons List in 2003.

Cheryl Buck recounts the euphoria she felt upon discovering a secret world in the waves:

Stoked Photographs by Che Chorley.

Previous page: Cheryl Buck with up and coming junior surfer Amy Gore and national surfing champion Ray Palmer getting ready for a surf. This page: After years of surfing the south coast, Cheryl Buck now heads up Surf Culture Australia and is the President of SurferGirls Surf Club SA.

I was fortunate to spend my childhood growing up around Aldinga Beach. We had one of the first beach houses at Silver Sands and spent practically every weekend and school holiday there. Spending hours on the beach was the norm for our family. A short walk down the dirt road, through the sand hills and over the amazing pebbles and the coastline would open up: The oldies fishing, we kids swimming, snorkeling, or tearing through the sand hills making secret forts, or looking for tadpoles in the pond behind the kiosk. We hiked to Sellicks or into the Aldinga Scrub, taking our survival kit of potatoes, bush biscuits, box of matches and our bowie knives. And from storm flotsam, we made rafts for the creek that ran through the Aldinga Washpool. At around age ten, I started surfing with my cousin Peter. We would stand on our foam bodyboards, holding hands and waiting for a wave to push us along. That’s when I first felt ‘the stoke’ – not that I would have known the term then. My love and passion for surfing, the ocean and the beach lifestyle began around fourteen, when I bought a nine-foot Malibu surfboard –

too heavy and difficult to ride, but I loved it. Then short board surfing took off and I really wanted a board I could carry on my own. For my sixteenth birthday, my dad had a board custom made to my design and length. We waited for the stormy conditions that created waves at Silver Sands, which otherwise isn’t a surfing beach. But then, with my driver’s license in hand, I could borrow mum’s car. With my cousin Peter, brother Michael and mates, I’d head down to Middleton Beach and refine our surfing skills. Christine Cox was an innovator in surfing in South Australia. Among many achievements, she started SA’s first surf school, Surf Culture Australia. I decided to become a surf coach in 2003, and trained with her. My coaching instructor was Ray Palmer, who had won the over 50’s short board division at the Australian National competition. Here I was, being taught by an Australian Champion! I was pretty stoked to be part of this great surf school, and all my mentors were famous surfers from the Fleurieu region. I find teaching surfing incredibly rewarding. Seeing the expressions on the faces of students as they triumph standing up and cruising along a wave, just brings pure joy to my heart. I love introducing them to the ‘stoke’ – the euphoria of a secret world of endless waves, clear blue water and a freedom that no-one can touch. >

Above: Star SurferGirl student Amy Gore ripping it up. Below top: Ray Palmer. Bottom: Amy Gore is working her way up through the ranks. Follow her journey @amygoresurfer.

This joy led me to developing a surf club for women and girls. SurferGirls Surf Club provides a support network, encouraging participation in the sport and connecting girls and women who love surfing. In 2012, I was stoked again when my dream lifestyle became reality: I bought the surf school. Ray Palmer and I, with our team of coaches, educate people on the joys of surfing, running lessons for all ages at Moana and Middleton Beach. Ray says, ‘Coaching allows me to share a bit of that surfing ‘stoke’. As a former National Champion, I can pass on my knowledge of surfing technique and competition strategy to our up-and-coming champions like Amy Gore.’ We’ve taught Amy Gore from Christies Beach, who started surfing at nine years old. She’s one of the most dedicated and enthusiastic surfers I’ve met. Her ambition is to get onto the Pro Tour. At only fifteen years old, she has won many titles and placings in competitions. She says, ‘Even when I can’t be in the water, I realise how much I love it – not just the surfing but the whole culture of being a surfer … talking to everyone, yelling out ‘yew!’ when someone gets a sick one – surfing seems to bring people together and make new friendships.’ Winter and spring are great seasons to surf. Yes, it’s cold, but wetsuits have come a long way. The weather patterns often produce good solid swell. But we also love a ‘stormy’: rugged, rough conditions, big swell that pits you against the elements, fighting to get to the peak and paddle into a wave, and enjoying that feeling of ‘stoke’ as you drop down the face. Gotta love the smaller crowds and the die-hards out there surfing!

Where the vines meet the sea. Relaxed shopping. Find us on Facebook to see what’s on at Aldinga Central this spring. Opening Hours Mon to Fri 6am till 9pm. Sat 6am till 5pm. Sun 11am till 5pm. www.aldingacentral.com.au

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Harriet Leahy discovers history, culture and unique spaces to

Eat, drink and enjoy the view at the Goolwa Wharf Precinct Photographs by Heidi Linehan.

Above: The Signal Point complex is a pivotal aspect of the Goolwa Wharf experience; it’s home to the Signal Point Exhibition Centre. On view here are metal sculptures by David Hamilton.

Putting the cold months of winter behind us and venturing outdoors again, a quiet evening stroll along the creaking wooden boardwalk of Goolwa Wharf brings a sense of history and meaning. With the breeze whispering in the rigging of the masts and the water lapping a few feet below, we are transported to a thriving port, and a highly industrial period in the history of Australia. Where the mighty River Murray ends its journey into the sea, a final bend lent itself to the creation of a town. It’s named after the unique course of the river: ‘Goolwa’, in the local Ngarrindjeri language means ‘Elbow.’ This town became Australia’s first inland port, and for half a century flourished as a principal player in the nation’s river trade.

Goolwa today is a very different domain, primarily reliant upon tourism. The town has survived numerous assaults on its industry, infrastructure and lifeblood - most recently, the coupled misfortune of the nation’s worst drought coinciding with the global financial crisis. The great river was reduced to a stream, the town lost half of its recreational boating and the tourist trade suffered immensely. Yet despite these difficulties, Goolwa has rebuilt, and is now a thriving waterside community. Situated at the gateway to the Coorong National Park, it has an extraordinary location, with exciting plans for development. I enjoy a superb coffee in the conservatory of Hector’s on the Wharf, a gorgeous cafe bar right on the foreshore, owned and run by Goolwa locals Monty and Grantley Schmidt. Not only is there the spectacular view of Hindmarsh Island and the majestic bridge connecting it, but also the delightful company of local resident Mon Bowring. Mon, who has lived in Goolwa for five years, sings its praises. ‘We saw this little weatherboard house, and just fell in love. I have never looked back, I adore Goolwa. It just feels really … vibrant. Even in winter when it’s quiet, the river and the art still draw people here.’

Top: Spirit of the Coorong Cruises depart from Goolwa Wharf, right in front of Hector’s on the Wharf. Photograph courtesy Spirit Australia Cruises. Bottom: 90 Mile Wines use the ‘old school’ charisma of the Wharf Barrel Shed to create a rakishly offbeat, charming cellar door.

Goolwa could easily be considered the cultural capital of the Fleurieu. It has a distinct Aboriginal heritage from the Ngarrindjeri people – an important influence on local art and history. The Wharf is host to a wide range of art, music, photography and poetry events. Markets on the first and third Sunday of the month are an eclectic and interesting carnival of local producers and sellers. And monthly exhibitions and live music at the renowned Signal Point gallery, hosted by Cittaslow Goolwa, generate both local and national interest. The Signal Point complex is a pivotal aspect of the Goolwa Wharf experience; it’s home to the Signal Point Exhibition Centre (which holds serial exhibitions), popular meeting spot Cafelicious, and the enchanting cellar door of Shaw Family Vintners of Currency Creek. They are a truly ‘local’ establishment that has helped transform the Signal Point building. The company, which formerly traded as Ballast Stone Estate Wines, has a strong affinity with Goolwa. All the buildings on their vineyards are made from ballast stone unloaded here from sailing ships, which refilled their holds with wool and grain for the return trip to England. It is quite an experience to sample their

wines from vines grown only four kilometres away, while enjoying the spectacular views of the Murray. The delicious local cheese platter is a very welcome addition! Goolwa is home to many festivals. It hosts the widely celebrated, biennial South Australian Wooden Boat Festival. Also, it is one of the few regions in South Australia to host an offshoot of the famous Adelaide Fringe. Goolwa Fringe has installed itself as a ‘must-do’ on the list of Fleurieu experiences, where the wonderful, crazy world of the Fringe plays on the river foreshore over the long weekend in March. There are lots of activities here for all the family. There’s the famous Cockle Train, christened after the horse-drawn train traditionally taken to collect cockles from the local beach. The sight of this great steambelching engine departing Goolwa station beside the beauty of the river creates a nostalgic scene that is second to none. And the Spirit of the Coorong cruises are an exciting opportunity to delve into the Aboriginal history and the environment of the Coorong and the river. >

Top: The enchanting cellar door of Shaw Family Vintners of Currency Creek provides the experience of sampling wines from vines grown only four kilometres away, while enjoying the spectacular views of the Murray. Bottom: The Steam Exchange Brewery is housed in an old Railway Goods Shed. Spend an easy few hours here for a lesson in whisky tasting, or a coffee brewed by nearby boutique coffee roasters De Groot Coffee Co. 30

The town has retained many of its industrial and architectural legacies. In 1987, the Wharf and the centre of the town were declared a State Heritage Area. The businesses on the wharf have capitalised on these old industrial buildings, creating stylish new spaces to eat, drink and enjoy the view. 90 Mile Wines seem to have got it completely right: They’ve used the ‘old school’ charisma of the Wharf Barrel Shed to create a rakishly offbeat, charming cellar door. There’s weekly live music, with local beer and food. History plays a part too: The building was originally used to store wool from trading paddle steamers, and is only metres from the famous wood fired paddle steamer, the Oscar W. The Steam Exchange Brewery, just over the road, is housed in an old Railway Goods Shed. As the website states, ‘The integrity of the building is still sound and is a tribute to the workmanship of a bygone era.’ The tasting room of the boutique brewery and distillery is shared with the factory itself. Owner Gareth Edwards points out the name ‘brewery’ is a bit of a misnomer, as the business has diversified and is now predominantly a distillery, producing 85% whiskey, 5% gin and only 10% beer. ‘It is a case of ‘watch this space’’ Gareth says. ‘We are undergoing a transformation, and should be fully ‘transformed’ by Christmas. Not only is the Steam Exchange the oldest brewery in South Australia, but Fleurieu Distillery was also the first distillery on the Fleurieu Peninsula.’ Spend an easy few hours here for a lesson in whisky tasting, or a coffee brewed by nearby boutique coffee roasters De Groot Coffee Co. Alexandrina Council, together with a new Goolwa Wharf Precinct Board, have grand plans for the Wharf as an area primarily dedicated to tourism. Key objectives include a turntable for the Cockle Train, and an extension and rejuvenation of the Wharf itself, providing increased space for new bars, restaurants, retail shops and cafes. Ian Darbyshire, who headed up the Rundle Mall transformation, has taken on the role as Chairman of the Board. He is confident about the bright future of the town. ‘We are working to create a remarkable destination at the Wharf - a destination where people can come and enjoy history, heritage, fun, food and wine. It is also a gateway to a wonderful natural resource, the Murray River and the Coorong: natural wonders, wildlife, quiet backwaters and pounding ocean surf. Stories of the first explorers opening up Australia, the great trading route of

Top: Hector’s on the Wharf cafe bar is right on the foreshore. Owned and run by Goolwa locals Monty and Grantley Schmidt, the wharf front location offers a spectacular view of Hindmarsh Island and the majestic bridge connecting it to Goolwa (seen above).

the Murray and early encounters with indigenous people. Imagine a pretty town having such an enviable experiential destination at the end of its interesting Main Street!’ The current upgrade of BF Laurie Lane will increase pedestrian traffic to the precinct, and with the promise of things to come, both business owners and visitors have reason to be excited. Goolwa Wharf is more than an incidental collection of businesses and eateries - the whole walk feels unified in its shared history, environment and purpose. Retaining its historical integrity whilst becoming an upwardly fashionable place to visit is no easy feat, yet it seems that Goolwa Wharf is doing just that.

The Goolwa Wharf Precinct Page

Winners of the 2016 SABA Customer Service Best Business Award, the Wharf Barrel Shed is located on the historic Goolwa Wharf. A unique cellar door for 90 Mile Wines, we also offer regional local produce, beer, coffee and live music every Friday night and Sunday afternoon. It’s the best spot on the wharf, and we have something for everyone...

Coorong

OF THE

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Open every day from 9am for breakfast. Lunch from midday. Housemade cakes & coffee available all day. Open for dinner long weekends, school holidays and during the summer months Please telephone 8555 5885 to check opening times and to make your reservation. hectorsonthewharf@bigpond.com. Like us on facebook.

“Travel the winding roads of the Fleurieu - Live a life less ordinary.” www.fleurieudistillery.com.au. Ph: 8555 3406.

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TRAILBLAZERS: Corrina Wright explores the past to bring us a glimpse into

Pam’s World Photograph by Angela Lisman.

Picture this: It’s late 1972 and you probably have a perm and are listening to Billy Thorpe & the Aztecs. A young Pam Dunsford is in the last year of her Agriculture degree at the Waite, when she has an epiphany: she loves red wine. Like, really loves it. Loves it so much, that she decides then and there that she wants to become a winemaker. Federal Minister for Education, Malcolm Fraser, has just decreed that all state universities will need to be co-educational from 1974. Pam is hoping to take up winemaking at Roseworthy College as a postgraduate, transferring from her general agriculture studies into the fourth year of the coveted Oenology degree. However, it is still 1973, and there is more than a little resistance from the faculty to having a woman attend the male-only Roseworthy campus. Unbeknown to Pam, after significant behind-the-scene persuasion from several Waite professors who happened to sit on the Roseworthy board, she is finally accepted into the Roseworthy Diploma in Oenology as a post-graduate. Roseworthy at that time was a residential college. As there had never been any women living on campus, Pam and all her ‘girl germs’ were 34

housed in the infectious diseases ward, as it had its own bathroom. She joined the likes of current winemaking luminaries John Duval (ex-Penfolds Chief Winemaker) and Brian Light (three times McLaren Vale Bushing Monarch), all of whom had significant experience working in wineries before starting their studies. Pam had no practical exposure to a working winery whatsoever. Even if she had wanted to, there was no way a woman would have been hired as a cellarhand. You may be starting to get a bit of a picture of the type of person Pam is by now, and, as with everything else, this lack of practical experience didn’t faze her at all. Pam giggles when she tells me she graduated that year 19th out of 20 students. While she had more than enough smarts to understand the science behind winemaking, the course still had a significant focus on the practical and physical nature of working in a winery, an area in which she lacked experience. Luckily the wine industry at the time was in a significant boom period, and Pam was able to secure a position post-graduation with Wynns at Glenloth Winery in Reynella. 1974 was her first year in the winery, and it also just happened to be one of the worst vintages on record. It rained torrentially during the harvest season, unripe grapes were full of all manner of fungal diseases, and making decent wine was almost impossible, even for the most talented of winemakers. For her first year review, Wynns Technical Manager told her that she had made the worst wines he’d seen in 23 years.

After such a tumultuous beginning in the wine industry, I am sure that Pam would have been forgiven for throwing in the towel and putting her winemaking dream in the ‘too hard’ basket. We are talking about an extremely bright and talented woman, who could put her many skills to any manner of careers. What can one say? – having been bitten by the bug myself, wine is an intriguing beast and, once its tendrils get hold, it can be hard to shake! Things started to progress much more smoothly from then on. The 1975 wines that Pam made cleaned up on the wine show circuit, and her career went from strength to strength. She attended the University of California Davis to do her Masters in Enology in 1978/79, and soon became the manager back at the behemoth Glenloth Winery. In 1985, Wynns was purchased by the Adelaide Steamship Company, which at the time also owned Penfolds. Pam didn’t want to move to the Barossa or become part of an even larger corporate company, so resigned in 1986 and took the opportunity to spend time living and immersing herself in one of her other great loves Champagne. Pam was granted a Churchill Scholarship to study Champagne manufacture and through her industry contacts, she was able to work in the cellars of many of the big name houses: Pol Roger, Krug, Roederer, Charles Heiseick, Bollinger, Veuve Cliquot, Lanson … just thinking about it makes me thirsty! After two years living the dream in France, Pam decided to head home and set herself up as a winemaking consultant. Many roles

ensued, until Clipsal’s Robert Gerard came knocking in 1988. He had just bought McLaren Vale’s Chapel Hill and needed a winemaker. Pam began assisting for a few hours per week, but she soon bought into the business and it was her responsibility for almost 20 years, leading it through the sale to Swiss interests in 2000. In 2003, Pam was on a flight to Switzerland and picked up a virus. It resulted in a complete loss of her sense of smell for just over two years. As a winemaker, this is your worst nightmare. Smell is something you rely upon intimately on a day-to-day basis, and to lose it is devastating. Pam wasn’t even thinking about retirement at this stage, but the virus forced her hand, and she had to turn away from wine to other activities. She took up studies in anthropology and became an experienced scuba diver, diving all over the world. Thankfully, her sense of smell has now returned and she still has a keen interest particularly in the sparkling wines coming out of the cooler climes of the Adelaide Hills. While she has lived in Adelaide all her adult life, Pam has maintained a strong love and connection with the Fleurieu region. The undulating hills, the views to the sea, the coastal environment, the lack of disease or frost in the vineyards and the consistent fruit quality of the region, she believes are unrivalled. “But don’t get lazy!” Pam chides. No chance of that. If we all display a tenth of the tenacity and continual thirst for knowledge that Pam does, the sky is the limit!

Above: Left: Gavin in his studio.

This November, the Fleurieu Peninsula’s Willunga Gallery will present a solo exhibition by

Gavin Wanganeen Wanganeen is a former Australian rules footballer turned contemporary Indigenous artist, living and working in South Australia. Descended from the Kokatha people of the Western Desert of South Australia, Wanganeen is a role model within the Indigenous community, due to both his successful sporting career and transition to celebrated working artist. Many will know Wanganeen as a two-time Premiership winner, member of the AFL Hall of Fame and Brownlow Medalist. In fact, he played 300 games for the Essendon Football Club and the Port Adelaide Football Club during his AFL career. ‘Football has given me some wonderful opportunities in my life,’ says Wanganeen. ‘It has given me a strong sense of achievement and an understanding that role models can make a difference to people’s lives. I believe Indigenous kids need a range of role models – some in sport but also, teachers, business leaders, nurses, researchers and artists.’ Wanganeen is now working as a contemporary Indigenous artist, painting stories that remind him of his Aboriginal heritage and in particular his ties to both the Kokatha people of the Western Desert of South Australia and the Narungga people of Point Pearce.

When asked how he first became interested in painting, Wanganeen recalls a time he was playing for Port Power, and some of the team members were debating which region produced the best Aboriginal art. This discussion sparked a competition among the players to produce the best piece of art from their respective regions. Inspired by the challenge, Wanganeen started his first painting, but soon found the process too time-consuming. ‘I put it away and it was forgotten about until my wife Pippa found it and made me finish it,’ Wanganeen says. ‘I’ve been painting ever since!’ From his first painting born of friendly competition and cultural pride, Wanganeen has continued to explore his Indigenous heritage in his work. He paints his own journeys, and stories, and his family’s stories. ‘My work has a fresh and modern approach while keeping strong links to my cultural past. I am keen to take my work to a wider audience,’ he says. ‘I’m very drawn to my Aboriginal heritage which comes from my mother’s side. Through my art, I have found an incredible connection to country and culture.’ Wanganeen was born at Mt. Gambier in South Australia’s South East in 1973. Growing up, he spent time on the State’s West Coast, where his maternal great-grandfather, Dick Davey, was a respected leader of both the people of Kooniba Mission and the general community.

Top left: Shooting Star Orange. Top right: Shooting Star Blue Coral. Bottom left: Star Dreaming Blue. Bottom right: Star Dreaming Blush. All works are acrylic on linen.

‘When I paint it brings me back to my culture, My mum was part of the stolen generation herself and taken from her parents when a young girl. To learn all about that is really powerful stuff. It started about 10 years ago and I really enjoy expressing myself on canvas. It’s my own unique style.’

Willunga Gallery presents Gavin Wanganeen Eileen Hardy Room, Hardy’s Tintara, McLaren Vale.Exhibition dates 14 to 27 November 2016.

These days, Wanganeen spends a lot of time at his wife Pippa’s family beach home on the Fleurieu Peninsula’s Encounter Bay. ‘We usually head down there after Christmas and base ourselves there over January,’ he says. ‘We love going boogie boarding at Dump with the older kids, and then head to Horseshoe Bay for a play on the beach with the little kids followed by fish and chips at The Flying Fish.’ Visitors to the Fleurieu region will be able to see Wanganeen’s art at Hardy’s Tintara Winery in November, as part of a special exhibition presented by local business, Willunga Gallery. Willunga Gallery is an art gallery, gift shop, wine bar, and special events venue, located on Willunga’s iconic High Street. The Gallery is owned and operated by South Australian ceramics artist Irene Dougan.

FOOD & WINE

Tastings Wine reviews by Richard Souter.

2016 Oliver’s Taranga Fiano Fiano is relatively new variety to Australia, and originates from the Campania region of Italy. This 2016 release from Oliver’s Taranga is pale straw in colour, with an aroma of cloudy apple cider with ginger and nutty notes. The palate shows lemon zest, cashew nut and delicate honeysuckle florals. Great finish with fresh beery character, nutty texture and grapefruit crunchy tannin to finish. Enjoy this by itself or try it with Moroccan-spiced chicken. The Oliver family has been growing grapes on the Taranga property in the McLaren Vale region since 1841. They are regarded as one of South Australia’s most respected wine-grape growing families. Passionate about everything they do, you cannot help but notice the respect for family, history and tradition. The Cellar Door simply oozes history. It is located in the renovated 1850’s worker’s cottage, with fantastic views overlooking the surrounding vineyards and the Willunga foothills. Each weekend and on public holidays between 10am and 4pm, you can enjoy yourselves in their Taranga Wine Bar. They provide a range of platters full of fresh local produce, along with wines by the glass and bottles, a range of Swell Beers, Bickford’s sodas and Gelista choc-top ice creams. They have a much sought after events calendar too. Take your taste buds for a spin at one of these winery events – you won’t be disappointed. www.oliverstaranga.com

2016 Lake Breeze Vermentino The 2016 Vermentino is pale straw in colour with green edges and exhibits attractive aromas of fresh pear, orange blossom and lemon peel. Citrus flavours flow onto the palate, which shows the lovely minerality that the variety is known for and a long zesty finish. Try this with light seafood dishes such as calamari or fried white bait.

Lake Breeze winery lies on the banks of the Bremer River, surrounded by majestic river red gums and overlooking the Follett family vineyard. It is one of Australia’s most awarded boutique wineries. The Follett family has been grape growers in Langhorne Creek for over 120 years and winemakers for 29 years. They have rapidly built an enviable reputation for consistently producing outstanding wines. The Lake Breeze cellar door is open seven days per week for tastings. Stay for lunch or simply grab a seat on the deck with a glass of wine and delicious platter. www.lakebreeze.com.au

2014 Hugo Grenache Shiraz Ruby red in colour, this classic blend of Grenache and Shiraz offers a bouquet of fresh red berry and spice. Smooth, with a generous and juicy palate of medium intensity, it displays good fruit/acid balance. Dry-grown Grenache fruit with its engaging, earthy, ripe-fruit characters merges in a most attractive way with the lifted, plump, dark fruit and spice of the Shiraz. Try this with a hearty veal casserole. Hugo Wines is intrinsically linked to the property on which the vineyard is established. The family first farmed the land in the early 1900’s. Their cellar door is located at 246 Elliott Road, off Kangarilla Road approximately 2km east of the township of McLaren Flat. Here you can taste and purchase award-winning wines and extra virgin olive oil, appreciate the gallery of works by local artists, while taking in the panoramic views of surrounding vineyards. Seating for picnics or relaxing, and a lawn area for the younger family members to play, make for a very pleasant experience. www.hugowines.com.au.

Enter our new Spring competition and you could win a case of 2016 Oliver’s Taranga Fiano or Lunch for two from Lake Breeze Cellar Door (to a value of $100). Simply go to fleurieuliving.com.au/flm/winwine and fill in your details. Competition closes 5pm on November 30 and is open to Australian residents only. Entrants must also be over 18 years of age. Winners will be contacted via mobile phone and announced on our Facebook page: Facebook.com/FleurieuLivingMagazine. Good luck!

Property located at 9 Needlebush Drive, Hayborough. Photo by Laura Vanags.

INDIVIDUAL FRIENDLY REAL ESTATE SERVICES WITH AN ECO EDGE Dianne Looyestyn Property Management M: 0427 011 630

www.smarthomevision.com.au

Sylvie Clarke Principal M: 0411 191 005

Look up to Spring. Book time away today

1300 965 842 | visitfleurieucoast.com Yankalilla Visitor Information Centre 163 Main South Road – Yankalilla

 Visit Fleurieu Coast @fleurieucoastmadebynature

Petra de Mooy visits Mel and Donovan Steer in Yankalilla to explore their

Big house full of ‘real stuff’ – Photographs by Robert Geh. Above: Aptly named ‘Meldon’, the stone house of Melissa and Donovan’s dreams was built over the course of three years.

Mel and Donovan Steer are what one would call ‘humans doing’. Being is just too commonplace for them. Donovan describes himself as ‘determined’, but this is belied by his friendly manner.

abundant work, including garlands of the best garlic I have seen, preserves, and dried herbs. And, on the day we arrive to take photos ... fresh passionfruit muffins.

We are sitting at the dining table looking out at the Steer’s splendid garden. ‘It is not a wild permaculture garden, but it is planned with those principles,’ says Mel. Everything in the garden has a place and a purpose. The garden has an orderly symmetrical design and includes a vast array of fruit trees, vegetable beds, culinary and medicinal herbs, climbers, grasses, hedges and succulents. ‘Over a hundred different edible plants,’ says Mel. I am pretty sure she could name everyone of those plants in Latin too. Not one to rest on her laurels, the large pantry is laden with the products of all of this

The table and most of the interior woodwork (of which there is plenty) was made using the Red Gum trees selectively cut from where the house foundations now sit. The majestic gums that dot the property are enormous, and one doubles as a tree house for the Steers’ two young children. ‘We wanted to retain as many of the trees as possible.’ The property hadn’t been touched for thirty years so they had some nice big trees, but in Steer style they planted five hundred more.

I admire these two. Through hard work and endless perseverance they have built a beautiful family home. ‘It took three years to build,’ says Donovan.

It is indeed a house of place. The Limestone - 150 tonnes of it - was sourced from a quarry close to Brinkley on the Southern Fleurieu.

– and dreams Local limestone walling expert Tiger MacMillan helped the couple get started with building the walls. ‘Tiger built the first metre with us and then we kept going,’ says Donovan. ‘We wanted it to be done right,’ says Mel. So the hydraulic lime used to bed the stone in place and complete the pointing was imported from France. The thick walls ensure good thermal mass and are a testament to tradition.

‘One of my favourite things is watching the kids forage and discover in the garden,’ says Mel.

The house works. With passive solar orientation and lots of available water, they are fairly self sufficient. Mel says, ‘The house faces north, with strategic shading to gain maximum winter sun while shading the harsh summer sun. The linear design places the living areas on the north side and the utility spaces on the south.’ Good crossventilation, double glazing, extensive insulation, a wrap around verandah and heavy curtains all add to the home’s comfort in both summer and winter. ‘We didn’t install air conditioners and the ceiling fans are only used on really hot days of plus-forty,’ says Donovan. These features, however, don’t compromise the paired down aesthetic of the place. > 41

Above left: The house has a warm earthy feel and is set up to have easy access to the abundant garden. Above right: One of the old gums doubles as a tree house for the kids. Opposite page top left: The family room (small ottoman from Sound of White, Port Noarlunga). Top right: The master bedroom (throw and accessories from Maudie and Fox, Normanville). Bottom left: A large cast concrete bench top forms the heart of the home with the dining area and outdoor entertaining area all at close hand (tableware from Maudie and Fox, Normanville).

‘My parents built their own house, and from a young age I always wanted to build a house.’ It was not, however, what Donovan thought he would also choose as a career. The stone and wood features carry through exterior and interior, making all of the spaces both inside and out complement each other beautifully. A little like Mel and Donovan themselves. Mel grew up at Mt. Compass in a ‘true country town.’ She says: ‘I am very grateful that we grew up where we did.’ The community support Mel and her family experienced there has left a lasting impression and given her wisdom and poise beyond her years. Donovan grew up on a farm between Myponga and Mount Compass. Donovan’s dad, Stephen Steer, grew vegetables, and ran sheep and beef. ‘It was a good upbringing,’ he says. Early exposure to a high degree of self-sufficiency held both in very good stead for what was yet to come. After getting his driver’s license, Donovan expanded his opportunities. A chance meeting with Mel at the Mt Compass Tavern changed the course of both of their lives. They fell in love and moved in together within a short while, and their common interests began to meld. 42

The couple adventured throughout Australia, travelling to Tasmania for extended stays, falling in love with the island’s natural beauty. Land was affordable in Tasmania and these entrepreneurial youngsters decided to buy a piece. With little more than a caravan, cars and a dog, the couple moved to Tassie with the intent of building a home on their newly acquired property. Mel finished her health degree and Donovan worked with an earth moving company. But upon graduation, it was not in Tassie that Mel found work but back in Adelaide, so they decided to come home. It was here that the Steers made their first foray into home renovation. ‘We ended up buying our first house at Maslin’s Beach, then we sold the land in Tassie and bought another house at Port Noarlunga, so we did them up and sold them, trying to get ahead so that we could buy land on the Fleurieu.’ ‘My parents built their own house, and from a young age I always wanted to build a house.’ It was not, however, what Donovan >

Previous page top: The outdoor entertaining area is complete with a table for ten, wood oven and lounge area. Bottom right: The bathroom features beautiful hardwood cabinetry. This page above left: The limestone fireplace is paired with gorgeous jarrah floor boards. Above right: Dormant fruit trees are regenerating for spring bud burst. (Accessories page left and page right from Sound of White, Port Noarlunga).

‘We looked for land for about two years,’ says Mel, ‘We really wanted a good water supply for a big garden, so that was key.’ The property at Yankalilla sits just south of the Bungala River and has a natural spring as well as a large dam. thought he would also choose as a career. An opportunity with a mate led to a job in construction. An official carpentry and joinery apprenticeship followed, with strong groundwork in Adelaide working with an architectural and heritage builder. Donovan worked his way up from apprentice to single story, double story and commercial building tickets. In 2009, the Steers registered their business Catalyst Homes, all the while staying true to their dreams of building for themselves. After flipping a few homes that they had renovated, the couple were cashed up enough to begin to look at what was available. ‘We looked for land for about two years,’ says Mel. ‘We really wanted a good water supply for a big garden, so that was key.’ The property at Yankalilla sits just south of the Bungala River and has a natural spring as well as a large dam. This was the main attraction but they also wanted a country life like they had for their two young children. ‘We struck it gold I think,’ says Mel.

‘When we found this property we did not think about local business, schools, or community,’ say Mel and Donovan. ‘We said, right, here is our property and now we are going to build.’ The icing on the cake has been the local community. Donovan’s business employs seven Fleurieu locals. Donovan makes a morning stop at the 21 Junk Street café down the street for a coffee before heading to work on mostly local projects. ‘We go from Yank to Normie and Carrickalinga all the way down to Cape Jervis, over to Parawa and Waitpinga.’‘The kids are at the local school and we really feel part of the community here now,’ says Mel. Deservedly so for this focussed and hard-working team. Dreams really do come true.

FOOD & WINE

Esther Thorn visits the acclaimed new French restaurant Le Mistral at the former Fino site and discovers the meaning of French proverb ‘Qui n’avance pas, recule’.

Winds of change

Photographs by Heidi Linehan.

So busy were the weeks after Tarik Marco and Sandrine Maltret opened their second French eatery in Willunga, that the couple neglected to tend to the colour-filled pot-plants gracing Le Mistral’s window sills. ‘It was dreadful,’ says Tarik. ‘I kept thinking I must look after those plants but we were so busy and they just wilted and died. It was one of those things that I could just never get around to.’ Then one morning Tarik arrived at the historic white-walled cottage to find the lifeless plants had been removed and replaced with new healthy ones. ‘There was no note or anything,’ says Tarik. ‘Someone just recognised we were busy and did this for us; this is what this community is like.’ Tarik and Sandrine are still unclear whether they chose Willunga, or if the town chose them. Their latest gastronomic venture, Le Mistral, is named after the north-westerly wind that blows from southern France most strongly in the transition between winter and spring. In a similar manner, Tarik says his young family ‘blew in’ to the Fleurieu Peninsula. ‘We never sat down and had this definite idea that we were going to move to the Fleurieu Peninsula,’ says Tarik. ‘We just followed our personal goals and we felt ‘yes’ this is a place we can make our home.’ After the hectic pace of working in a Michelin-starred restaurant in France, Tarik and Sandrine wanted a ‘tree change’ where they could lead a more holistic life that could see their young children included in the daily running of their business. Indeed, on the day I visit the children greet me smiling. ‘I complain about the children being there because I am French and that is what we do,’ laughs Tarik. ‘Really though we wanted to lead this inclusive lifestyle where our children can be part of what we do.’ Tarik and Sandrine bring passion and an easy French flair to everything they touch. Their first venture La Terre, a French-inspired cafe and creperie on the high end of Willunga’s High Street, is popular with locals and tourists alike. ‘We love La Terre but our goal has always been to provide restaurant quality French food to the region and La Terre was limited to a cafe experience,’ says Tarik. When the building which housed the award-winning restaurant Fino Willunga became available at the beginning of this year, Tarik and Sandrine didn’t hesitate to accept it and open the restaurant they had dreamed of. The venture has not been without its challenges including frequent comparisons to Fino but Tarik says he is confident in Le Mistral’s ability to establish its own identity. ‘We simply want to deliver the best French food using the finest ingredients we have available to us,’ he says. Tarik’s food ideology is to use the whole product and to source local, seasonal ingredients from small producers. ‘Of course it is easy to order in whatever you want but I like the challenge of using what is close by and making something beautiful and unique from 46

it,’ says Tarik. Le Mistral’s comprehensive menu offers traditional French favourites as well as dishes unique to the Fleurieu Peninsula. ‘The produce here is of such high quality,’ says Tarik. ‘On Saturday mornings I open the restaurant doors and if I have forgotten something I walk into the market and think ‘yes I will have some of that.’ The market was the first thing that made us fall in love with Willunga, it seems fitting that now it is right at our front door.’

MAIN: Blanquette de Veau Sounding even tastier in Tarik’s unique accent! One of the favourite meal of French people is ‘Blanquette de Veau’ (veal in white cream sauce). This is the same recipe but with turkey. Ingredients Aromatics Salt & Pepper Sel 1 bouquet of aromatic (thyme, bay leaves, celery, parsley) 5 pods of Juniper 6 cloves Vegetables 4 carrots 2 white onions 1 fennel 300 grams of white button mushrooms Poaching liquid for mushrooms 600 ml water 50 grams butter 1 lemon juice Turkey Maryland Turkey Maryland with bone (approx. 1kg) 2 garlic cloves Sauce (Blanquette) 70 grams butter 70 grams flour Turkey cooking water Finish & plating 2 egg yolks 100 grams crème fraiche lemon juice Process Preparation of vegetables Clean and dry the vegetables Peal and cut the carrots on the wanted shape. Prick onions with cloves. Prepare the aromates: thyme, bay leaves, parsley. Cut fennel into wedges. >

Above: Decorative tableware furnished by I am Tall Poppy. 47

FOOD & WINE

Poaching Mushrooms Bring water to boil. Cut baking paper of the pot shape (we will use it as a lid). Add butter to water and the lemon juice, season and stir. Add the mushrooms and cover with ‘baking paper lid’ to contact and boil them for 4 or 5 min. Drain them and keep them in a bowl. Turkey Put turkey in big pot, add carrots, pricked onions, garlic, aromatic (thyme, bay leaves, …) and juniper (crushed with finger… to release more flavour), cover with water, bring to simmer and cook it for an hour. Clear water of the impurity during cooking process. After 1 hour, season the water (bouillon). Keep an eye on the level of water and if necessary add to cover the turkey. It’s done when the meat is tender. Drain (with one sieve) the turkey bouillon in a pot. Debone the turkey and cut in square. Be careful the meat should be tender and fragile … Keep all the vegetables. Pour a bit of the bouillon to turkey to avoid letting it dry. Sauce Heat the butter in saucepan; once melted, add flour and whisk it till obtain nice white “cream” and stir it for 2 or 3 min (no coloration, we want our sauce white); then remove your saucepan from heat and add the remaining “bouillon” slowly and keep stirring. Once combined and smooth, back on middle heat and reduce until the sauce is thick as you like. Finish & plating In another pan, pinch of butter and when the butter sing (bubble), sautée the poached mushrooms a couple of minutes, just to give the colour. Season them. Add the cream to the sauce and yolks and combined it, then filter the sauce through one sieve and bring back to heat. Add lemon juice, correct the seasoning, drain the turkey and add in the sauce as well as all the vegetables and warm on low heat ... Et voila, is ready to be served! Matching wine White! Chardonnay, Pinot gris, Marsanne or Riesling Bon appetit.

DESSERT: Coconut cream with fruit Same principle as crème brûlée. Easy to make! Ingredients: Fruits (I will use passion fruit and mango if I can find it or banana). Shaved coconut 4 egg yolks 40 grams of rice syrup or 30 grams of sugar 15 grams of crème fraiche 20 grams of coconut milk Process: Dice the fruits and infuse them if necessary with vanilla, cardamom, cinnamon… whatever you like! Depends the fruit, but you can infuse them by poaching (like apple, pear, rhubarb, figs) or just infuse in syrup (water and sugar) with flavour (vanilla, grounded cinnamon, star anise.) Divide the fruits in the ramequins and sprinkle them with shaved coconut. Combined eggs yolk and rice syrup and whisk until it starting become white (blanchir). Add crème fraiche and coconut milk and combined all till smooth mix. Pour this preparation in the ramequin and bake them in bain marie at 120˚C for 30 min. Check the consistence at the end of the cooking. The mix shouldn’t be liquid. Allow to set in the fridge for 2 hours. You can enjoy as is or by sprinkle raw sugar and flame it.

A picture is worth a thousand words. 11 Commerce Cres Victor Harbor. Phone: 8552 2090 Email: info@innovativekitchens.com.au

Open from 5pm Wednesdays to Saturdays,Â Come and see us for our bright, busy family friendly vibe featuring a kids zone!Â www.locomexican.com.au Upstairs, Harbor Mall 17-21 Ocean Street Victor Harbor. LICENSED Ph 8552 9883 for bookings or takeaway

Kings of rock Nina Keath has a rockin’ good time with a group of Fleurieu stonemasons. Photographs by Angela Lisman.

You might think that being a stonemason would be a solitary pursuit. But after meeting four stonemasons from the Fleurieu Peninsula, it turns out that stonework is far from lonely. Darryl Lindsay is a registered stonemason working across the Fleurieu. After incongruously studying visual arts and bricklaying, he discovered his true vocation on a trip to Ireland. Falling instantly in love with the ancient tradition of stonemasonry, he found a calling that not only fulfils his creative and practical impulses, but also allows him to forge genuine connections with people and places. ‘The beauty of this work is that I get invited to stunning properties and the clients are usually very interesting. You get to know them and build a sense of rapport, which I really love. It’s a high-quality workplace, especially when you’re on a long-term job. And then you just keep going back because every year they’ll find you another job. It’s very satisfying having this long-term creative relationship.’ Rick Wheatley fell into stonemasonry as a labourer when he needed extra cash for his wedding. Fifteen years later, he is a first-class stonemason in his own right, along with older brother Bob. Like Darryl, he relishes the artistry of stonework and the relationships formed. ‘With a lot of jobs you’re almost best friends with your client by the end. You end up really close and then you never see them again. I call them mini-friendships.’ Other friendships last longer – one long-term client insists on cooking a sit-down breakfast at the 50

beginning of each workday so they can have a proper catch-up, and Rick’s children are always welcome. ‘The kids love it. They aren’t too bothered about the stonework … it’s more about smoko and scones!’ Tiger McMillan is now retired but may hold the record for one of the most influential creative partnerships in the region. In the late 1990s, Tony Parkinson from Penny’s Hill Winery asked him to build a limestone wall on the road between Willunga and McLaren Vale. The job kept expanding and Tiger recalls, ‘The wall got higher and longer and I ended up using over 120 tonnes of limestone. I was there, on and off, for three years.’ Tiger says that Tony offered him the job out of friendship, when he needed work – a kind act that ultimately became a gift to the region. Completed in 2001, the wall became an icon, spawning countless more, to the point where Tiger’s characteristic limestone walls have now become synonymous with the McLaren Vale wine region. Like the others, Doug March came to stonework via a circuitous route. Initially specialising in tree planting and sprinkler installation, he broadened into stonework when his landscaping business was impacted by water-restrictions. He deadpans, ‘Stones don’t need watering.’ He is more than happy to have made the shift, saying ‘I like the simplicity of stone and the fact that it doesn’t simplify to the point of being boring. It’s always a challenge and the height, dimension and intimacy that stonework brings to a garden creates real character.’ Each speaks about stone with a fondness that would almost make you believe it was living. Tiger says, ‘You have to treat each stone

Above left: Rick Wheatley sitting on the gorgeous slate stairs he created for this extensive terraced garden. Above right: Doug March likes the character created by stone walls and features.

like a lady – carefully and with respect.’ He continues (with no pun intended!), ‘There’s nothing hard about stonework. Every stone you lay is enjoyable.’ Rick shares his enthusiasm, saying, ‘You’ll find most stonemasons are very passionate. It’s addictive.’ He explains that, far from being inert, ‘Stone will move, breath, expand and contract’ and that capitalising upon a stone’s inherent qualities yields the best results. For example, sandstone draws in moisture like a sponge, making it a poor choice for retaining-walls, particularly when mortared, because the continual wetting and drying will lead to gradual disintegration. Bluestone, on the other hand, is dense and won’t be so affected by moisture. Doug says it took him a long time to realise, ‘You need to allow the material to do its thing. You might think you want to be the master and shape each and every piece to your will but you’re better to surrender and find a way to work with the qualities and behaviours of each piece.’

‘With a lot of jobs you’re almost best friends with your client by the end. You end up really close and then you never see them again.’

Fortunately, South Australia and the Fleurieu offer an abundance of stone to suit any need. Often, stone can be scavenged from within a client’s property. If not, there is a range of quarries to choose from – Willunga Slate, Kanmantoo and Wistow Bluestone, Carey Gully, Basket Range Sandstone, and Goolwa limestone to name a few. This wealth of quality stone (and lack of local timber) means that South Australia has a rich living history of stone buildings, some of which were constructed by master stonemasons from the UK in the 1800s. Restoring one of these buildings is a lesson in time-honoured techniques and an investment in longevity. >

Above left: Local limestone walling expert Tiger McMillan says: ‘I like the permanence of stonework and the fact that it won’t be knocked down next week.’ Above right: Darryl Lindsay loves stone and has found a calling that not only fulfills his creative and practical impulses, but also allows him to forge genuine connections with people.

This focus on durability is emphasised by each of the stonemasons. Tiger says, ‘I like the permanence of stonework and the fact that it won’t be knocked down next week.’ Rick concurs, saying, ‘I love the job satisfaction you get from starting with a pile of rocks from the paddock and making it into something that will last forever. Drystone-walling, in particular, is such a simple form of building that only requires stones and hard work. It’s a natural product that’s been used for thousands of years and it’s going to outlast any new building materials. There are stone walls still standing in Europe that are thousands of years old. I like knowing it will be there for my grandkids.’ And speaking of future generations, they seem to be passing their passion onto their offspring. Tiger’s son Dean has followed in his father’s footsteps, and Darryl says of his teenaged children, ‘I drive my kids nuts because I love going to new places and looking at stone walls…. but they’ve actually become stone snobs too. We’ll be driving past a stone place and my son will say, ‘That wall’s not up to scratch, is it Dad!’ Rick purports to being relaxed about his kids’ preference for scones over stonework. Despite his abiding love-affair with stonework, he says he would be happy for his children to avoid the physical toll that stonework can inflict. However, I must confess to being a little sceptical, because he has just named his newborn son … Mason!

‘I like the permanence of stonework and the fact that it won’t be knocked down next week.’ Rick concurs, saying, ‘I love the job satisfaction you get from starting with a pile of rocks from the paddock and making it into something that will last forever ...’

Alexandrina Council A selection of upcoming events in the Alexandrina region: Happy to be here at South Coast Regional Art Centre, Goolwa until 27 September Anthropocentric exhibition at Signal Point Gallery, Goolwa until 2 October Burnside Symphony Orchestra* at Centenary Hall, Goolwa on 11 September Gardens Alive at Goolwa* with Sophie Thomson and Costa Georgiadis of Gardening Australia at Signal Point Gallery, Goolwa Wharf Precinct on 1 October Night Fever* Bee Gees Tribute at Centenary Hall, Goolwa on 1 October Drawing on Country at Goolwa, Clayton Bay, Milang and Raukkan on 1 October Childhood exhibition, explore changing clothing styles over the decades at South Coast Regional Art Centre, Goolwa from 1 to 30 October

The Coorong’s Milky Way master class workshop throughout the October School Holidays at Signal Point Gallery, Goolwa Found exhibition at Signal Point Gallery, Goolwa from 6 to 30 October Flourishing on the Fleurieu at Goolwa Wharf Precinct on 19 October Shamrock On the Road Again* at Centenary Hall, Goolwa on 16 October The Dusty Springfield Story* at Centenary Hall, Goolwa on 22 October Births, Deaths & Marriages* at Centenary Hall, Goolwa on 30 October The Boswell Project* at Centenary Hall, Goolwa on 12 November Handpicked Festival* at Langhorne Creek on 12 November Goolwa Poetry Cup at The Steam Exchange Brewery on 20 November

* tickets/ booking required ddd

For bookings and enquiries please visit www.visitalexandrina.com or call Council’s Visitor Information Centre on 1300 466 592. Alexandrina Council continues the ‘Just Add Water’ arts and culture program in 2016. View a copy online for more events in the region, www.alexandrina.sa.gov.au

Limited Vacancies Years 8 & 9 2017 Years 7, 8 & 10 2018

R-12 Twilight Tour Thursday 10 November, 6.30pm

a place to

ACHIEVE

tatachilla.sa.edu.au 53

Pip Forrester visits a local generational business not involved in the wine industry.

McLaren Vale Motel Photographs by Angela Lisman.

The McLaren Vale Motel shows us that generational business commitment is not limited to the wine industry In the last couple of years in our region, we have seen several celebrations of long term, generational continuation of high profile wine businesses. Kay’s and d’Arenberg are recent examples. It is really pleasing to see another family is also maintaining its commitment and investment in another sector that is integral to the success of the region as a tourist destination. The Vandeleur family and their McLaren Vale Motel have been a mainstay of the accommodation sector for decades and have recently ramped up their offering. The intriguing development on the corner of Caffrey Street and Main Road seemed to go on for ages. I am sure I was not the only one in admiring the new fence and wondering what was being built behind it. Well, now it is finished and we find out that it is a very clever and attractive function room with adjacent outdoor recreation space. Michael, Peter and their parents bought the corner site in 1972. They owned and operated the McLaren Vale Hotel, at that time the only accommodation venue in town. In the late seventies and eighties, 54

the popularity of the eight rooms at the Hotel, the dawning of tourism as an industry for the region and the needs of people working in the growing town, all indicated that more accommodation was needed. Michael and Raelene took the plunge and built their first fifteen motel rooms in 1981. In 1985, the business was expanded by the addition of ten executive and family rooms. With these twenty-five rooms, the Vandeleur family built a solid and valued accommodation business in the Vale. As is their way, they responded to increasing demand and changes in their customer’s needs by adding twelve studio apartments in 2004. The original rooms were also refurbished over a six-year period from 2006 to 2012. Now with the thirty-seven new and refurbished rooms completed, the family (that certainly never lets the grass grow under its feet!) started to plan the next project for their growing business, a function room. Over the thirty-five years of their business, the motel has been largely a family-run affair. Michael and Raelene Vandeleur, their son Mark and niece Debbie formed the pioneer team in 1981. They were joined in 1985 by Mark’s siblings, Anne-Marie and William. Since then, Mark’s son, Ryan, has joined the team to help Mark run the administration side of the business and William’s son Kane has also joined, as he

Previous page: The newly built Vineyard View function centre soars accross the landscape and is a welcome addition to McLaren Vale offerings. Above: Sauna, covered areas, workout room and soft furnishings all contribute to a great place to relax and enjoy.

says, ‘to keep the business running’. This team oversaw the addition of the function room. Michael and Raelene are supposed to be retired, but there’s little evidence of that. They are both on hand to help and were very much part of the planning of the function area development. So, as we are seeing with the wine industry in our region, second and third generations are perpetuating their family businesses. The Vandeleurs’ commitment to their business and the community is profound. Michael, the patriarch of the family, was a pioneer in the tourism sector in our region. He was Chair of the McLaren Vale Tourism Association and played a pivotal role in creating the McLaren Vale Bushing Festival, the first wine festival to put McLaren Vale on the map as a food and wine destination. He was also the linchpin in capturing the inaugural Oyster South Australia promotional event that has now evolved into our hugely successful ‘Sea & Vines’ festival. Mark has inherited his father’s broad view of the potential of McLaren Vale, and the importance of operating with the wellbeing of the whole community in mind.

Over the thirty-five years of their business, the motel has been largely a family-run affair. Michael and Raelene Vandeleur, their son Mark and niece Debbie formed the pioneer team in 1981. They were joined in 1985 by Mark’s siblings, AnneMarie and William. Since then, Mark’s son, Ryan, has joined the team to help Mark run the administration side of the business and William’s son Kane has also joined, as he says, ‘to keep the business running’.

It was this thinking that underpinned the concept of the function centre at the motel. While a facility that attracted people to their beds would serve the growing needs of their accommodation business, the > 55

Top: A multi-generational family business, McLaren Vale Hotel owners the Vandeleurs, enjoy some time out by the pool. Above: The function space is slick and modern, complete with industrial kitchen, views, mod cons and a gorgeous open plan design.

Above: What better way is there to spend your down-time when visiting the McLaren Vale?

Vandeleurs recognised that it would also benefit other businesses. As Mark says, he ‘saw this as an opportunity to keep money in the district.’ They have created a space without brand allegiance, which will provide businesses with a place to conduct promotional activities. They envision the space being used for wine promotions, trade events, ‘show & shine’ car events, food and wine events, general celebrations for the community, and for business groups to base their activities to take advantage of all the ancillary attractions the region has to offer. The function room was designed by architect Chris Waites. The family had clear but disparate ideas about what the facility should be. They credit Chris with pulling it all together to achieve their collective dreams. What they did all agree was, with its location at the entrance of the town, the new facility needed to have a ‘wow’ factor. The street front should reflect the quality of their recent refurbishment. In William’s words, ‘the outside of the building was not doing justice to the interior’. There is no doubt the family has achieved their goal. The striking fence envelopes a generous, partially covered courtyard that sports a small

gym, a pool, outdoor sixty-five-inch television screen, and an outdoor kitchen with barbecue, wok burner and fridge – all in all, a beautifully designed space equipped for both relaxation and revelry. The light and airy function space is no ordinary conference room. It’s designed to give its occupants a sense of place, and it’s a significant asset for the region. The windows, opening to the garden at one end and to the courtyard at the other, are conducive to productive work or pleasant relaxation. The room can accommodate up to one hundred and twenty guests and has a large screen and a television on the eastern and western walls. It is supported by a full-sized commercial kitchen, which, in keeping with their general philosophy, is available for hire by caterers and local chefs to suit the needs of their guests or the function. In short, the space offers flexibility and facilities to meet the needs of numerous markets and activities. This significant investment by the Vandeleurs is yet another testament to the growing strength of our region as a place where family businesses can thrive and offer opportunities for future generations.

Art, food and more on tap during the springtime

Celebration on Kangaroo Island Two of Kangaroo Island’s premier cultural events – Art Feast and Feastival – are joining together on a trial basis this year to create Kangaroo Island Art FEASTival. The new event will be running right through the first two months of spring, with the October long weekend continuing to be a focus. There are so many events, we can’t even list them all! Come across any time in beautiful September or October and you’ll find something to enjoy. The Launch Art FEASTival will be launched on the first day of spring, Thursday September 1. Tony Blight invites you to Willowbrook to enjoy a taste of Thai, with drinks from the bar, in his vibrantly decorated wool shed. Live music, art and open fires will provide a backdrop for the evening.

Youth Art FEASTival The youth program has grown significantly over the last three years with excellent support from the local school. A vibrant touring exhibition from Tasmania, Sixteen Legs, will entice the whole family in the Parndana Town Hall during October. Senior student Belinda Zeeman will be curating an exhibition at the Kingscote Airport. And check out the launch of the student-inspired mural at KI Council. KI sculptor, Deb Sleeman, has been working with students to create models for real sculptures to be placed along the Kingscote foreshore. At the Kingscote school campus find the Asian Market (16 Sept) and Music Showcase (25 Sept). Go out West See Western River Wild at Western River Homestead, featuring the work of Caroline Taylor and Audrey Harnett and Nick Hannaford’s recent work. There will be gourmet food by chefs Rachel and Sasha in their Hannaford & Sachs woolshed. Wine maker Yale Norris from Islander Wines is combining food and film along with his excellent wines. Raptor Domain will be open for you to see Bea Chuan-Ellson creating her beautiful glass art.

Previous page left: Lunch at the Cliff House, Life Time Private Retreats. Photo by Adam Bruzzone. Top right: Prawns. Photo by Greg Snell. Bottom right: Afternoon platter with wine. Photo by Adam Bruzzone. This page left: Western River Cove. Oil on board 45 x 35cm by Caroline Taylor, 2016. Top right: Morning Light Kangaroo Island, watercolour by Nick Hannaford. Bottom right: Let Kangaroo Island Spirits wow you with a Gin Long Weekend featuring Gin Friendly Food by Marion Trethewey. Image courtesy of Authentic Kangaroo Island.

FEASTival Fun at American River The Shed will be open for a Champagne Breakfast. The Wharf will be on board with food and art, dragon boats and yachts. And the Mercure KI Lodge will have Art FEASTival cocktails to go with an exhibition showcasing some of the best local artists including Deb Sleeman. Tru Thai will open with art, live music and fantastic food every Thursday from 5pm.

In and Around Penneshaw If you’re a busker, a collector, a food and wine lover or a coffee imbiber, don’t miss the Penneshaw Market on the first Sunday of October. Just out of Penneshaw, the Artist’s Collective at Baudin Beach will host a solo exhibition of Mike McKelvey’s photographs, together with a collective members’ exhibition on the theme ‘Splash Out”.

Round and About Kingscote In a single day, the KI Community Art Group plans to paint-bomb Kingscote’s main streets! Up at the Lion’s Hall ’Young at Art’ invite you to enjoy their annual exhibition. Junction Australia are planning a great art and craft exhibition: ‘Hand in Hand’. Jenny Clapson opens her studio on Hog Bay Road to showcase the tools of her artistic creations and demonstrate the art of solar etching. Don’t miss the unique tasting experience at Clifford’s Honey Farm and investigate ‘Possible Pleasure’ by local artists. Let Kangaroo Island Spirits wow you with a Gin Long Weekend featuring Gin Friendly Food by Marion Trethewey. Major sponsor, Island Pure invites you to an Argentinian BBQ and an art exhibition in their foyer.

Pelican Lagoon Cottage offers wine, cheese and an exhibition by Cathy Harding. At Teasdale’s you’ll experience good artisan food, an exhibition of Dean Wiles’ photographic prints, mosaic bird baths by Debbie Clarke and architecture and gardens to delight your artistic senses. Art Festival Closing Event As a fitting finale to Art FEASTival 2016, go to Emu Ridge for an evening of family fun, food and music. Be entertained by the irrepressible Scott and Tim, sample the latest vintage of Colony Cove Ciders, along with great art, Island wines and a special menu from Larry and Bev. Starts at 5pm on Saturday 29 October. Check our evolving website (www.kangarooislandartfeast.org.au), and our FaceBook page for details of these and other events. 59

Above left and right: Warm, honest and supportive women attending quarterly ‘Love Local’ events – this one at Oliver’s Taranga held in June. Photos by Courtney McFarlane.

The dream maker

Esther Thorn takes part in a networking function like no other and finds a community of people turning their business dreams into a reality.

On my way to my first Love Local Fleurieu event, I brace myself for an all too familiar networking function; full of terse smiles, platitudes and empty promises to catch up. But when I arrive at Oliver’s Taranga winery at McLaren Vale on an icycold Friday afternoon, the reality couldn’t be more different. Surrounding me are warm, honest and supportive women, who are more intent on listening than self-promotion. At their centre is the effervescent Claire Byrt. It makes sense that an event organised by Claire breaks the mold because nothing about the 39-year-old mother-of-two is ordinary. Claire tells me that when she held her newborn son for the first time, instead of being overwhelmed by the weight of responsibility in her arms, she felt overawed by the possibility of a new beginning. ‘The minute Eddie was born I thought ‘Yes, now I can think about what I want to do,’ says Claire.

The pregnancy had been a challenging one for Claire, who was working in human resources at the time. When she told her corporate employer she was having a second child, she was given the choice: return to work full-time when the baby arrives, or resign. So Claire handed in her resignation and stepped into uncertainty. The decision had big ramifications for Claire and her growing family. They left their city rental and moved back to their property at Port Willunga. ‘I just knew that if I didn’t use this opportunity to create a future career and lifestyle that I really wanted, I would never do it,’ says Claire. Her first step was to discover what she most desired. ‘I started by asking myself what I’m really passionate about. Then, I was really brave and I went back to people I used to work with, and my friends and family, and asked them ‘What am I really good at?’ The risk Claire took in seeking honest opinions paid off; she realised her true talent was hearing people’s business and lifestyle dreams, and breaking them down into achievable goals. Disillusioned with the corporate sector, Claire decided to focus on small businesses, where she could have more impact. ‘Most of the struggles small businesses face come about because the owners don’t have a really long-term plan,’ she says. ‘I thought ‘let’s do what

‘It is possible to live in alignment with your core values and have an abundant life.’ ‘heart-based’ planning workshops, in which she helps participants to listen to their heart instead of their head. Claire also runs a quarterly ‘Essential Regroup’ event in collaboration with Fleurieu Yoga’s Kristin Nelson, which comprises an equal balance of yoga and planning. ‘When you practise yoga you connect to your whole body and your soul,’ says Claire.

Project Work Life’s Claire Byrt.

big businesses do and create a system where we constantly clarify where we’re headed’.’ In that moment Claire’s business Project Work Life was born. From her Port Willunga home office, Claire helps people discover and create their dream business and life. ‘It is possible to live in alignment with your core values and have an abundant life,’ she says. Claire’s mantra is: ‘Be clear about your values, have a vision, take action, and then regroup and let go of what no longer serves you.’ She offers

Through her ‘Love Local Fleurieu’ networking afternoons Claire has created a community for the business-women she works with. ‘When I started Love Local I was a mum of two very little children. I spent the day working from my shed feeling incredibly isolated,’ Claire remembers. ‘I kept thinking, there must be other women out there who are feeling really alone too and wanting people to connect with. My father told me to just start small, get a room in a library and get an urn but I thought ‘no – I have a vision, there has to be wine and food and a really true opportunity for open-hearted connection, celebration and community building.’ Her foresight has proved flawless. Over the past two years the event has grown steadily with the most recent one being sold out. Claire credits her success to the Fleurieu Peninsula, to which she returned pregnant, unemployed and scared. ‘I feel like there’s this magic energy here,’ she says. ‘I feel really blessed to be part of this heart-centred community.’ 61

Willunga Farmers Market Producer Profile:

Lyndall Vandenberg meets with Willunga Farmers Market stallholder Ben Heath from

Najobe

It was the mantra ‘rise above the ordinary’, recounted to Ben Heath by his father Bob throughout his upbringing, and a genuine interest in farming, that inspired Ben to join the family business Najobe, a registered Red Angus cattle stud. Together, father and son forged a successful business partnership based on a commitment to providing a pure ‘paddock to plate’ experience, one that remains true to the source. But, it is Ben’s commitment ‘to do it really, really well’ that truly sets Najobe apart. It is clear that a great deal of thought has gone into every step of business planning and development. Najobe was originally developed to breed quality seed stock for the beef industry. A niche market for the grass-fed beef was beginning to transpire, when Ben saw an opportunity. He wanted total quality control over Najobe’s meat, so he set about developing a unique genetic registration system, to complement their commitment to sound cattle management.

‘Free range to us is all about ethical animal husbandry. Our cattle are run at a stocking rate of 1 cow per 4 acres, which is appropriate for our area because the cows can eat their natural diet of grass. They follow the ute when we want to move them, encouraged by the bale of hay on the back, and we never forcibly move them,’ Ben explains. ‘We match bulls with herds; we know where they were bred and what they feed on. We have charts to map birth and growth weights,’ he says. ‘All of the meat can be analysed and traced back to Najobe, the source. It’s our guarantee of 100% traceability.’ The main family farm is at Wistow in the Adelaide Hills. In addition, Najobe has commercial agreements covering sixteen other properties from Verdun to Port Elliot, which makes twenty five hundred acres of farming land available for cattle and, more recently, lamb and pork. With Ben’s vision and drive, it was inevitable that a shop front and fully accredited butchery was opened in 2015. ‘We are genuinely providing our customers with something that’s true to the source from start to finish.’ said Ben. Long may that vision endure.

Every Saturday 8am till 12:30pm

Meet the grower, TASTE THE REGION Follow us: @willungafarmersmarket Located at Willunga Town Square, Willunga www.willungafarmersmarket.com.au 62

Take the

Water Challenge to look and feel great

Staying hydrated Should be one of the eaSieSt health needS to be met. Sadly in our environment it iS one of the moSt neglected areaS of our health, affecting all of our body functionS.

  Locally Made

Locally Owned

The first and last question I ask when someone comes to me with a complaint whether it is a headaches or aching bones I ask “how much water have you drank in the last few days”? Dr Dr. F. Batmanghelidj in his book Your Bodies many Cries for Water, talks of his experience of curing all in the war prison camps with water. In his best-known work Dr B outlines the breakthrough medical discovery, that if we drank more water daily degenerative diseases such as asthma, diabetes, obesity, high blood pressure, heart disease, bulimia, Alzheimers disease and many other afflictions could be prevented and sometimes cured

So how iS the body made up of water

Supporting Aussie Farmers

muscle consists of 75% water brain consists of 90% of water bone consists of 22% of water blood consists of 83% water transports nutrients and oxygen into cells moisturizes the air in lungs helps with metabolism protects our vital organ helps our organs to absorb nutrients better regulates body temperature detoxifies protects and moisturizes our joints Colon hydrotherapy cleanses the bloodstream, which supplies the body with vital nutrients. If the blood stream is Water is absorbed into our blood stream via the large colon. This is why it overloaded with toxic waste then the body functions on a lower level, inviting diseases. is saidthethat if youAare thirsty you are isin fact dehydrated. It has a little way to The procedure assists to clean out the toxins from the bloodstream as well as hydrate colon. cleansed colon the proteins, body canwater utilize and this liquid. better able to assist in moving food through the digestive system, while absorbingtravel vitalbefore nutrients,

Do you suffer from

fatigue, bloating, headaches, brain fog, IBS?

cell salts back into the blood stream.

Drinking filtered water is a must to remove chlorine and fluoride that change the taste of the water along with killing all of our beneficial bacteria in our Colon hydrotherapy is a natural, safe and tested method of cleansing and supporting the body to release toxins. inner ecosystem. You can add fresh lemon or lime, in this hot weather herb The benefits will help you achieve optimum health and wellbeing. Including probiotics daily also have teas that are will made and chilled are great ice teas. Fresh herbs like ginger profound effects on your digestion, and on your overall health. These are some of and the changes experience mint are you greatmay in filtered water.

• • • • • •

Helps relieve gas, constipation, diarrhoea, & other common digestive symptoms Drinking soft drinks, energy drinks, commercial ice teas, coffee, alcohol, Promote vitamin and nutrient absorption commercial herb waters and natural flavoured spring waters are not hydrating, they are dehydrating. Help regulate hormone levels Strengthen your immune system Drink room temperature, water large glass full amounts often during the day, Increase energy levels if you are hungry you maybe thirsty so try this first, if you have a headache, Improve mood and stress-related digestive symptoms body ache or heartburn drink water before taking medication.

Eating a healthy diet, drinking pure water, effectively managing your stress, and creating an all-important bacterial balance ifwill that you’re to take on and the warmer months ahead. youensure are feeling stuck ready with your health don’t know what your next step is or not getting the results you would like i am doing free health assessments, looking at your diet and lifestyle for improved overall well being for the month of november, get a head start on your new year’s Fermented vegetables & probiotic products available in clinic. resolution and feel great for your chrissy break

Book & pay for a spring detox package in the month of September and receive Free jar of fermented vegetables & culture starter – T&C’s apply.

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Ph 08 8381 9185 222 | Old South Road, Old Reynella, SA 5161. Like us on Facebook: Bottoms Up Colonics Southern Vales Colonic Hydrotherapy // Body Ecology Nutrition // Health Products // Emotional Release Technique

www.corelife.com.au 63

BOOKS & WORDS

Book Reviews by Mike Lucas.

museum in Alaska. The clash of science and superstition, the expectations of society of both sexes and the irreversible changes set in place by human’s wish to cross new frontiers create a momentous novel of adventure and perseverance. Eowyn Ivey, herself an inhabitant of Alaska, has captured the beauty and dangers of a world that no longer exists, in an exceptionally breathtaking book.

An Unsafe Haven by Nada Awar Jarrar

Anas, a Syrian from Damascus discovers that his wife, Brigitte, has left the country and returned to her home in Germany with their two children. When Peter and Hannah come across a young refugee mother and child who have been separated from their family, they do all they can to try to reunite them. An Unsafe Haven presents a picture of the turmoil that is ever-present in this increasingly volatile part of the world from the point of view of the people who live there, some by birthright and others by choice, and the constant struggle between normality and disorder.

Published by Harper Collins ISBN 9780008165024 $29.99

To the Bright Side of the World by Eowyn Ivey

Published by Headline Publishing ISBN 9781472208613 $32.99 Eowyn Ivey’s latest novel is set in the harsh, life-threatening landscape of Alaska during the late nineteenth century. The desolate country that follows the Wolverine River north is inhabited by natives whose superstitious beliefs and tales of folklore begin to take a toll on the expedition led by Lieutenant Colonel Allen Forrester. Any heroic expectations they may have had before the journey are soon dashed and the brutality of nature and environment makes its mark upon the travellers. While Allen and his team of explorers brave the extreme cold, risking injury and starvation, his new wife Sophie is left to deal with her own problems at Vancouver Barracks, compounded by her troubled pregnancy and the paucity of news from her husband. The story is recaptured through journals, diaries and memorabilia handed down to their great-nephew and sent to a historical

In Beirut, as the war in neighbouring Syria rages on, and Lebanon continues to suffer its own troubles, four friends struggle with the stress and injustice of the violence and unrest. Beirut is Hannah’s place of birth and her work as a journalist takes her to refugee camps to record the horrors and desperation of the innocent families fleeing the conflict. Her American husband, Peter, sometimes finds it hard to reconcile the beauty of the country and the love for his wife with the dangers that living in an often-hostile environment bring. Their friend,

The Boy Behind the Curtain by Tim Winton

Published by Penguin Australia ISBN 9781926428765 $45.00 Australian icon and best-selling author Tim Winton has put together a series of insightful and sometimes remarkable tales from his past that gives the reader glimpses of the events that have inspired his creative career. From his father’s

near-fatal motorcycle accident, through his love of the sea and surfing, and his environmental activism, to his views on Australia’s treatment of refugees, these brief memoirs are honest and brave accounts of key aspects of his life. He questions his own religious beliefs, wanders the wilderness of Western Australia and describes his unfortunate relationship with accidents and hospitals. The title of the book comes from a young Tim Winton’s self-confessed unsettling habit of hiding at a window with an unloaded rifle, pointing it at unsuspecting passers-by. This feeling of having the potential power to change people’s lives is undoubtedly germane to the same irresistible impulse to create stories based on events that are out of the protagonists’ control. Unless you knew, each of these diverse chapters could be a fictional account as told by one of Winton’s everyday characters, and it is this connection between fiction and realism that has helped to make him the successful author that he is today.

Daughter of Nomads Book 1: The Tales of Jahani by Rosanne Hawke

Published by University of Queensland Press ISBN 9780802253935 $16.95 Adelaide author, Rosanne Hawke has an impressive backlist of novels for upperprimary children and young adults, many of which are historic tales of adventure set in Asia. This latest book, the first of a trilogy, is based in the turbulent Mughal Empire of India in the mid-seventeenth century. Fourteen year old Jahani lives in a modest dwelling in the village of Sherwan with her mother. A week before her best friend, Sameela, is to be wed, the two girls make their last outing together to the local market. When an assassin strikes and Sameela is killed, Jahani discovers that her life and identity are not as she had thought and she embarks on a voyage of discovery with

captures the hardships of the family, and the devastating effects their newly introduced farming practices have on the Ngarrindjeri people. Hester’s father’s failure to accept help and his stubborn persistence in farming the land eventually cause rifts within the family and force Hester to question the values that she has held for most of her life. Each of her siblings has differing views of morality, responsibility and self-entitlement, and as the harshness of the seasons come and go, Hester and her family find it hard to endure the elements and each other. When they befriend Tully, a local Ngarrindjeri boy, a chain of events is set in place that leads to conflict, despair and betrayal. A wonderfully rich and evocative story of early life in what is now a protected area in South Australia.

her mother, Hafeezah and her protector, Azhar. As the journey progresses, Jahani witnesses the devastation left behind by warlords and, in particular, the new Demon King. Rosanne’s writing captures the culture and the essence of seventeenth century India and adds a touch of fable and fantasy, to create a tale of magic and mystery that will captivate children and have them waiting eagerly for the next instalment, The Leopard Princess.

Salt Creek by Lucy Treloar

Published by Picador ISBN 9781743533192 $29.99 This book is the winner of the 2016 Indie Book Award for Debut Fiction and is a shortlisted title for the 2016 Miles Franklin Literary Award. This is a stunning novel set in South Australia during the mid-nineteenth century. It follows the fall of the Finch family when they move from a wealthy suburb of Adelaide to the as-yet relatively-unexplored wilderness of the Coorong. Narrated by the eldest daughter, Hester, the story 65

Winnie Pelz ventures down a bush track in search of a couple

Linking art with the landscape Photographs by Heidi Linehan.

Previous page: A young western grey kangaroo poses beside Dora’s fibreglass resin sculpture celebrating the famous 1970s Nullarbor Nymph hoax. This page: Dora’s mosaic ball ‘Kingfisher I’ contrasts with the textures of one of the property’s many Xanthorrhoeas and the Timbercrete block house wall.

Question: What sort of house does a person build for themselves, when they have spent a lifetime designing, building and restoring award-winning houses for other people? Answer: A house of great simplicity and integrity, which nestles in the landscape like an extension of the rocky escarpment on which it sits. Totally hidden from the road, high above the undulating hills south of Yankalilla, a bush track leads through scrub and sandstone boulders to an unexpected break in the rocks. On a site that posed somewhat of a challenge to local builder Catalyst Homes, John and Dora Dallwitz have built a remarkable home with breathtaking views, surrounded by pristine bush and abundant wildlife. It is not an architectural chest-beater, but an understated, sophisticated reflection of built form linking with the landscape. Art, design and building are in their DNA. John is the son of Dave Dallwitz, who was a trailblazer in Adelaide’s art and music scene from the 1940s until his death in 2003. An artist and lecturer at the SA School of Art, he won international recognition for his Southern Jazz Group, which was hailed at the Chicago Jazz Festival in 1987. From Dave, John inherited his love of painting and of the Fleurieu Peninsula, which provided the subject matter for many of Dave’s landscape paintings.

But John’s first foray into formal study was in architecture. Deciding after a couple of years that tthis was not where he wanted a career, he switched to art teaching. Simultaneously, he launched his own career as a painter with a sell-out exhibition in Sydney, followed in the 1960s by several highly successful exhibitions around Australia. In 1970, wanderlust and the tradition of fine Italian design took him to Italy, where, at Superstudio in Florence, he was introduced to their radical ideas about architecture, design, conservation, and the environment. It was a pivotal time for John and provided the impetus and conceptual framework for his development and personal credo. Returning to Adelaide, he took on projects that reflected a new thinking about the value of Adelaide’s heritage buildings and their place in the Australian environment. Instead of knocking them down, restoration of old buildings was recognised as adding significantly to our ‘sense of place’ and the character of our built environment. The Barn at Burnside, Best’s Winery at Great Western, the Middleton Mill and the acclaimed Biscuit Factory in Coromandel Valley were projects to which John provided his expertise. Perhaps the most ambitious project was the upper north township of Dutton. On the edge of the Goyder Line, the little town represented an extraordinary example of early settler determination and resilience ... and ignorance about weather patterns and rainfall. >

Previous page: John and Dora enjoying coffee at their river red gum dining table, milled from the same fallen tree as the exposed beams, doors and architraves. 1969 painting by John’s father David hangs in the centre of the room. This page: The hallway features two distressed furniture pieces, John’s 1967 painting ‘Red Is’ and Dora’s terracotta sculpture installation ‘Talking Heads’.

Abandoned and largely in ruins by the turn of the century, Dutton became a focus of John’s restoration skills and he rescued five buildings that now stand to tell a story of early settlement, with the Blacksmith’s Shop on the National Heritage Register. Returning to the Fleurieu landscape so loved by his father, John and Dora fell in love with the vast skies and vistas, the pristine scrub and the wildlife - particularly the birdlife. An avid birdwatcher, John was delighted to discover that the Nature Conservation Society had included their property in a bird survey. Of 178 properties across the Mt Lofty Ranges, theirs was ranked second in terms of bird diversity. Some seventy species have been identified with about thirty coming to drink from water pools outside the windows. To design and build a house in this special environment and on a steep, rocky site presented more than a few challenges. The house is angled across the excavated area because a Xanthorrea growing in the way had primary consideration! Huge rocks have been replaced to minimise the visual scarring and access tracks have been carefully cut to ensure as little as possible has been disturbed. Built from Timbercrete – an Australian invention comprising fifty percent wood shavings and cement, hand-made at McLaren Vale – the building has the highest fireproofing possible. Steel shutters, small windows and no exposed timbers give the design a sense of

an above-ground refuge. Energy wise, the house operates totally off the grid, with sustainable solar energy, passive thermal properties and maximum water efficiency. Externally, the house appears modest and restrained in its design and materials. It is when you enter that the rich diversity of colour, texture and the collection of art works is revealed. A terracotta floor and magnificent red gum beams provide a backdrop for a three metre red gum dining table, window and door frames all milled and constructed from one grand old fallen eucalypt found in a Macclesfield paddock. The house has been built to accommodate an extended family with separate living spaces, but with the central welcoming warmth of a communal kitchen and eating area. John’s daughter Sarah married and lived in Italy for some years, and John and Dora visit and explore Italy annually. The importance of family and food in the Italian culture has translated into their lives here in Australia. The new house provides a place for the whole family to come together. The walls are covered with a rich collection of works by Dave Dallwitz; with early paintings done by John in the 1960s and his more recent photographs; with drawings and paintings made by their children, and by friends and fellow artists. As well as being a colourful and comfortable home, it is a remarkable gallery of exceptional talent displayed by several generations. > 69

Top: Dora’s mosaic theme carries through to the concrete water tank nestling against the house high above the misty Yankalilla River valley. Above left: The deep red living area wall compliments the warmth of furniture and the terracotta concrete floor. Above right: Terracotta and local stone sculpture from Dora’s ‘Golden Rock’ series and son Christopher’s bronze ‘Hand with Fork’ sit on South Australian kerosene tin depression furniture. Below: ’Passiflora’ lamp designed by Superstudio and purchased by John in Florence in 1970 with Dora’s ceramic figure behind at their bedroom window.

Sited amongst the rocks, Xanthorrheas and pink gums outside are sculptures and mosaics superbly crafted by Dora Dallwitz. Her early art school training was in sculpture. The legend of the Nymph has provided a wonderfully fertile imaginative scope for depicting the human figure in her recent work. Exciting plans are being hatched for future projects that will incorporate her work on site. For both Dora and John, the house and property represent a culmination of creative energy and development and an exceptional partnership. John has rediscovered his love for photography and birds, kindled seventy years ago as a six year-old trying to capture the images of sparrows in his back yard. His binoculars, bird list and camera are never far away. And for Dora, the property is giving new meaning to a whole body of work that has found a sense of place ... as if it has come to where it was intended. 70

Serafino – more than just a winery. Stay · Relax · Indulge Serafino Wines, a family owned business since 1972, has developed a reputation as one of Australia’s most respected wineries and leading producers of Italian style red wines. If the ‘vines by the sea’ vibe of the region hasn’t already charmed, then the incredibly scenic setting for Serafino’s cellar door, restaurant, accommodation, conferences facilities, major events and function centre surely will. serafino.com.au | 39 Kangarilla Road, McLaren Vale SA 5171 Australia Telephone +61 8 8323 8911

TASTE THE SEASON:

Peas

(also known as Pisum sativum)

Story by Leonie Porter-Nocella.

Although we usually source peas from the freezer cabinet these days, they actually do have a season. You poor people who’ve never sat at a table shelling peas for dinner don’t know what you’ve missed: no pea ever tasted better than those eaten raw, straight from the pod. Despite being considered a vegetable for culinary purposes, each pea pod and its contents is collectively a fruit, the peas themselves being the seeds. Picked very young and eaten whole, the fruits of Pisum sativum are known as snow peas, or sugar snap peas – both referred to by the French as mangetout (‘eat all’). Left a little longer and podded, they turn into sweet garden peas, and if then dried, husked and divided in two they become split peas, a staple ingredient in many dishes of the Indian subcontinent. Peas are known to have been eaten by humans for a staggeringly long time. The earliest reported archaeological evidence of their consumption is from a cave on what is now the border between Burma and Thailand and has been dated to almost 12,000 years ago. Pease pudding is the old English dish we all know from the eponymous nursery rhyme, although like Dutch pea soup it relied heavily on salted meat for flavour. In Jacobean London, street vendors could be heard crying their wares with the shout ‘hot grey peas and a suck of bacon’, the latter being tethered to the stallholder by means of a length of string. Who says ‘you can’t have your meat and eat it too’? The following recipe can be modified to suit your own taste and purpose. 72

Pea pancakes This is not what you expect from a pancake, but it’s easily adaptable. For example, as a breakfast, try serving with a poached egg and a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil. Serves 6 500g peas (frozen, if you must) 125g butter 3 tbsp cornflour 2 eggs, separated Salt and black pepper 2 tbsp olive oil 1. Cook the peas in boiling salted water for a few minutes until tender, then drain in a colander. 2. Put 50g of the butter in a small non-stick frying pan over a medium heat and cook until light brown, then remove from the heat. 3. Place the peas in a food processor with the cornflour, egg yolks, brown butter and seasoning and process to make a fairly smooth puree, then transfer to a bowl. Whisk the egg whites until stiff peaks form, then gently fold them into the pea mixture. 4 Heat a large non-stick frying pan with 1 tbsp olive oil and half of the remaining butter. When the butter starts to foam, ladle three pancakes into the pan, using about half the pea mixture. Cook until golden on each side. Keep them warm in a low oven (120C). Repeat with the remaining oil, butter and batter. Serve warm.

Premium Wines & Local Produce I Home of the Original Grapple Cider I Gourmet Platters I Regional Inspired CafĂŠ only 40 minutes from Adelaide CBD 26-28 Kangarilla Road, McLaren Vale SA 5171 (08) 8323 0188 info@oxenberry.com oxenberry.com Follow us

Happy To Be Here Exhibition

Spring Art by Tangerine Meg Exhibition 1 - 27 September Launch 5.30pm Friday 2 Sept Gallery Hours: Wed - Fri 11am - 4pm Sat & Sun 10am - 4pm South Coast Regional Art Centre (Old Goolwa Police Station) 1 Goolwa Tce, Goolwa. Ph 8555 7289

tangerinemeg.com

For this issue of FLM we suggested senior students at Tatachilla Lutheran College seek out an interesting individual who has contributed to our region â&#x20AC;&#x201C; and write a story about them. This article was written by student Ben Robinson.

Portrait of a Soil Maker Photographs by Angela Lisman.

‘I’m not a winemaker,’ says Graham Ward. However, you only need a glance at his resume and accomplishments in his seventy-four years to rebut this claim. But he persists: ‘I’m not a winemaker ... I’m a soil maker.’ Before we probe cover cropping, French vs. American oak and the undeniable symmetry between wine and humans, let us first delve into the history of the soil maker himself. Graham Ward was born in 1942, and was a promising science student at Adelaide University. But he left tertiary education after one year because he discovered that his heart ‘wasn’t in it.’ Ward simply has no time or interest in doing something that doesn’t ignite him. As he puts it, passion rules his brain. Following his passion has powered him through all his endeavours. He began to make wine while still in his first year of study, using grapes grown by his father. But without the constraints of university, Ward could finally put his soul into viticulture. These days, wearing an old flannelette shirt, faded scruffy jeans and a permanent baseball cap, he is not the image of a successful winemaker we might expect. But he reminds me, ‘I’m barely even a viticulturist. God makes the wine; I just make the soil.’ In fact, ‘making the wine,’ Ward explains, ‘is one of the easy things.’ The real secret to great wine lies in two crucial factors, soil and oak – both of which Ward swears by. The secret to great soil? A technique called ‘cover cropping’ passed down from his father. It involves planting other crops in between the rows of grapes, in order to enhance soil fertility. Early on, Ward discovered that wheat and oats produced the best soil. However, larger local winemakers frowned on the practice, believing the soil should be left untouched to develop naturally. Ward took no notice and continued to make the best wine possible. The soil, Ward claims, is what made his wine stand out from other winemakers. Well, the soil and the oak. Ward’s greatest accomplishment was re-introducing chardonnay to the people of South Australia. He says chardonnay was most likely brought to Australia in the 1800’s during the ‘wine boom’, but became lost and was ‘blended away’. In the 1970’s, larger betterknown winemakers managed to produce a ‘little batch’ of the wine, but were reluctant to put it on the market. Ward managed to obtain some for himself. He was far more passionate about making chardonnay public than any other winemaker, even when ‘nobody

believed in it.’ Ward says that he never had a doubt about its inevitable success – ‘it’s chardonnay!’ But it wasn’t easy. ‘It took ten years to get it, and almost fifteen years to get people to buy it, and another twenty five to make any money from it.’ So, what made Ward’s chardonnay a success? Ah, the oak! Ward says it can make or break a wine. If making the wine is ‘one of the easy things’, then trying to ‘match it with the oak is where you win or lose.’ Ward swears by French oak, and claims American oak to be ‘harsher and tougher’ on the wine. Despite the more affordable price of the American timber, Ward says it makes sense for French grapes to be paired with French oak. Perhaps the most intoxicating thing about talking to Graham Ward is his passion for wine. Few minutes pass without likening wine to humans: ‘young wines,’ he claims, are similar to ‘young people – full of drive and ambition,’ whereas older wines are full of ‘wisdom and maturity.’ And wine ‘needs to breathe,’ just like us. Ward says to make wine, he takes gifts from the earth and adds humanity. It’s such a contrast to the view of winemaking as just a set of processes. Perhaps the secret to Ward’s wine may not lie in the ground or the barrels, but in his passion. However he is quick to remind me: ‘soil and oak – that’s what it’s all about.’

Opposite page and above: Graham Ward in one of the vineyards he tends in the McLaren Vale Region. 75

Kate Gardner helps us all to

Step into spring with maximum vitality After a long winter of indulging in comfort foods, you may feel like you need to press a reset button on your body for Spring. This is the ideal time to clear out those heavy toxins that accumulated over the past few months. A lack of movement in winter can also cause stagnation, which leads to a toxic buildup. This may leave you feeling fatigued, achy, congested, headaches, constipation etc. The good news is it’s possible to rid your body of toxins and restore alkalinity by eating right. According to ancient Ayurvedic practices, Spring is the best time of year to detox and reset. As the weather warms, shedding the excess kapha dosha, or protective fluid, is a crucial part of the transformation. The detox & nutritional cleansing process allows us to feel lighter and more vibrant as we hit the outdoors again. Here are some easy to follow steps to help detoxify, hydrate, and refresh naturally, just in time for the warmer months! Drink lots of purified water. Upon rising have a glass of room temperature water with freshly squeezed lemon. This helps clean/ flush out your liver, prepares your gut for digestion and alkalizes your body. Ensure your fruit is either organic or pesticide free. 76

Start your day by blending together a cup of greens like spinach, kale and celery with a handful of berries or green apple to make a delicious smoothie. These leafy greens contain chlorophyll, a molecule that helps eliminate harmful environmental toxins that can contribute to illness and liver damage. Fresh pineapple is also wonderful, aiding in detoxing your body, thanks to the presence of bromelian, a powerful digestive enzyme. Include other liver-supporting foods such as raw garlic, grapefruit, avocado, beets, carrots, artichokes, etc. You can also add cumin, turmeric, cayenne and coriander, as they are great for assisting with digestion and detoxing. Avoid or limit gluten, dairy, sugar and other processed foods. These foods can create problems all on their own. If you do choose to consume, ensure they are organic or bio-dynamic. Get moving; exercise helps to rid the body of excess toxins. Breathe deeply & try to get plenty of good sleep. During a detox, it’s very important to get proper rest. Our body repairs itself over night. It’s crucial to provide this space to repair and heal. Colon Hydrotherapy is an excellent natural, safe and tested method of cleansing the body and supports the detoxification process. It helps aid conditions that may arise as a result of poor bowel function and supports optimum health & wellbeing. A treatment should be considered on a seasonal basis at the least. Happy Healthy Spring – and stay safe.

exhibitions workshops events

Immerse yourself in a month of incandescent photographic Haefligers Cottage, Peter Solness, 2016

brilliance. Over 35 photographers are celebrated across 30 days of exhibitions, workshops, artists talks and events. LAUNCH: Friday 2 September For more information visit www.onkaparingacity.com/shimmer Thanks to our generous sponsors

NEW SOLAR AIR CONDITIONING SYSTEM Tier 1 Quality Commercial & Household Solar Systems

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SAUERBIER HOUSE TRANSFORMATION PROJECT / A YEAR OF RESEARCH FRIDAY 7 OCTOBER – SATURDAY 5 NOVEMBER Lisa Harms, artist, writer, curator in residence and mentor, Ngankiburka-Mekauwe, Georgina Williams present a ‘female history’ of house and garden in conversation with the long history of the land. Exhibition opening Friday 7 October, 5.30–8pm

SAUERBIER HOUSE culture exchange

21 Wearing St, Port Noarlunga | 8186 1393 | Wed to Fri 10am–4pm | Sat 12noon–4pm www.onkaparingacity.com/arts

DINING AT ANCHORAGE Dining All Day m. from 8a s. Day Open 7

SMILING SAMOYED BREWERY Fri, Sat and Sun 11-6 Open for dinner last Friday of each month Hansen Street, Myponga. Telephone 8558 6166

All day dining. Enjoy a choice of light meals and share plates as well as hearty breakfast, lunch and dinner favourites. Indulge in a delicious dessert or house made cake with a house roasted coffee by a cosy log fire.

info@smilingsamoyed.com.au www.smilingsamoyed.com.au Craft Beer • Delicious Food Friendly Atmosphere

PH: 8552 5970

21 Flinders Parade Victor Harbor. www.anchorageseafronthotel.com

Celebrating back to back trophies for “Most Outstanding Beer in Show” at the Royal Adelaide Beer and Cider Awards 2015 and 2016.

eat

Voted Top 5 Breakfast destination

ANGELA LISMAN PHOTOGRAPHY Freelance Photographer with a passion for Food, Wine and Events.

T: 0409 738 297 E: angela@angelalismanphotography.com.au W: angelalismanphotography.com.au

121 Franklin Parade, Encounter Bay

Ph: 08 8552 4400

INTRIGUINGLY FRENCH CUISINE MADE WITH SEASONAL AND LOCAL PRODUCE 8 Hill St, Willunga SA (08) 8556 4488 0439 248 374 lemistral.com.au Lunch & Dinner - Wednesday to Sunday

Discover the fine mix of food, wine, art and ale! Red Poles Restaurant / Cellar Door / Art Gallery / B&B

Delight all your senses and also embrace live music, and an art gallery amongst lawns, gardens and vineyards! The cellar door for Brick Kiln wines and Vale Ale craft beers is set in an ambient courtyard. Open Wednesday to Sunday from 9 to 5 190 McMurtrie Road McLaren Vale Phone: 08 8323 8994 / 0417 814 695 redpoles@redpoles.com.au | www.redpoles.com.au

Supporting Australian Artists and Craftspeople Paintings, Prints, Cards, Jewellery, Giftware, Aboriginal Art, Ceramics, Textiles, Glass, Garden Art. Open Friday, Sunday and Monday 11-4, Saturday 10-4 29 High Street, Willunga, South Australia 5172 contact@willungagallery.com.au willungagallery.com.au

Willunga Gallery signage 03June2014.pdf

3/06/14

2:48 PM

CMY

Nina Keath visits Jill Stone at her farm in Hindmarsh Tiers and finds a woman

Creating a life of her own Photographs by Heidi Linehan.

Previous page: The crop under the net is sorghum grown for seed by a company which leases a small plot of Jill’s land. This page top: The small home is completely self sufficient. Bottom left: Sappho waits for the next adventure. Bottom right: Baskets and artwork collected from Jill’s travels adorn the understated interiors.

Jill Stone spent three long years, during her thirties, sitting at a public service desk in a windowless room ‘hating most minutes.’ Her life since then has been one long liberating rebellion against walls and desks of most kinds. Now a great-grandmother in her mid-seventies, she says, ‘You’ve only got one life, so you might as well enjoy it.’ To understand just how successfully Jill has rebelled, you need to visit her farm in Hindmarsh Tiers. But first, let us go back to the point when she broke free from her office ... In 1976, her eldest daughter undertook an exchange to Switzerland and, throwing caution to the winds, Jill ditched her job and joined her. After six glorious months eating her way around Europe, Jill returned home revived but unemployed. To make ends meet, she baked for the Providore Stall at the Adelaide Central Market until, spying fresh herbs on their counter, she offered some from her own garden. She soon expanded growing into her mother’s garden and then a vacant block down the street. Rather than turning Torrens Park into a patchwork quilt of herb gardens, she took up an opportunity to farm at her brother’s property in Darlington. Within seven years, she was the main supplier for Coles with thirty-five employees and turnover well into six figures. Her success made it clear she would need a property of her own. After six months of solid searching, she discovered 120 acres of undulating land interspersed with patches of remnant bush and one broken down dam ... the farm at Hindmarsh Tiers.

Seventeen years later, she reflects with an understated delight, ‘I haven’t regretted it for a minute. It’s a beautiful spot.’ Although she does add, ‘The whole place was broom bush and I pulled my bloody arms off getting rid of it!’ But Jill is not afraid of hard work. Indeed, she says, ‘Getting the farm up and running with all the irrigation, power, shedding, bush regeneration and plantings is one of the most satisfying things that I’ve ever done.’ Jill takes me on a farm tour in her 4WD Ute pointing out a dizzying array of herbs, and fruit and nut trees, as well as 20 hectares of Eucalyptus and Pine plantations. She admits, ‘I’m far too diversified but I can’t resist growing what no-one else is growing.’ One of her greatest loves is her timber splitter, which she uses to process plantation thinnings into firewood: ‘Just look at that machine!’ However, not one to play favourites, she loyally adds, ‘I also love my tractors.’ Jill sold her original herb business years ago but retains the business name Herbivorous, and now trades primarily through the Willunga Farmer’s Market: ‘The market is a great way to catch up with people you’ve known from all over the place. You don’t stop talking all morning and then you spend the rest of the week recovering!’ Jill is still in touch with many of her old school friends and says, ‘They all think what I’m doing is very strange but they also think it’s exciting. They’re coming to visit next week.’ It’s just as well that they >

This page top left: Jill sits happily upon her Kubota tractor. Top right: Top right: The stone for the fireplace was collected by Jill from the property after the lines for the tree plantation were ripped by a large dozer. Bottom left: Jill cuts and mills firewood from trees planted thirty years ago when she first purchased the property. Bottom right: Bees happily cross pollinating in the rosemary bushes.

do visit because nearly all of her time is spent at the farm. While she continues to share a house in the city with her husband of 55 years, Bob, she says, ‘If I go up to town, I sit there wondering what to do. I’m not interested in bowls or tennis, so this just suits me nicely.’ After a slight pause, she adds with subdued fervour, ‘I’m glad I haven’t got too much house to dust or floors to polish!’ To be perfectly honest, I think Jill would be quite content living in a tent. In fact, she spent many years sleeping in a swag whilst establishing the property. However, she overcame her dread of contained spaces and dusting after discovering Troppo Architects. The blurb on their website says it all: ‘Architecture of adjustable skins; that connects the indoors with the out (or should that be the outdoors with the in?) … that responds to the morning, the evening, the season, the heat, the cold, the sun, the rain, the moment that will never pass again.’ Jill was sold.

The house they delivered was exactly as promised. At 48m2, this one room home is just one-fifth the size of an average new Australian home, but its soaring windows and seamless integration with the outside makes it anything but poky. A cavernous stone fireplace that one can step right into brings reminiscences of campfires. And the impression of luxury camping is perpetuated by the bathroom - a separate building on stilts about fifty metres down a leaf strewn path, with big sliding glass doors opening onto surrounding bushland. Passive solar building design, solar panels and rainwater tanks round out the home’s impressive eco-credentials. As we sit gazing out at the tree-studded view together, Jill muses, ‘There’s not too much I would have done differently if I had my time again. I like what I’m doing and I’ll never run out of things to do, that’s for sure. Everyone seems to think that I’ll have to give up at some stage, but while I can, I will.’ Judging by her performance to date, I don’t think Jill will be giving up any time soon.

Now Open Monday for Lunch

S C A R PA N TO N I SERIOUS REGIONAL WINES MADE BY SERIOUS FAMILY WINEMAKERS. Scarpantoni Estate wines are classically ‘McLaren Vale’ in style, particularly the reds - being generous, mouth-filling, full of ripe fruit flavours and regional characteristics. Our range of wines covers a wide spectrum, from crisp, dry sauvignon blancs, chardonnays and rosé, to full bodied shiraz, cabernet sauvignon and fortified wines. Over the past three decades the wines have amassed an enviable collection of well over 500 wine show awards, including ‘The Jimmy Watson Memorial Trophy’ at the Royal Melbourne Wine Show in 2007. Tel:(08) 8383 0186, Scarpantoni Dr, McLaren Flat SA 5171, Web: www.scarpantoniwines.com

R & KIT BA CH E E IN

New hours: Thursday to Monday 11.00 am for coffee and lunch Friday and Saturday dinner. New Spring Miller’s menu. Dishes from $25.

Bookings: 8598 4184 www.leonardsmill.com.au 7869 Main South Road, Second Valley

Enter code FLM15% for 15% discount on all orders – plus free freight on orders over $30! Offer Valid Until January 1st 2017.

THE GENERAL M c L A R E N F L AT

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The residence of Mr. Riggs Wine Co. & Zonte’s Footstep +61 (0)8 8383 2055 | Main Road, McLaren Flat SA 5171 www.thegeneralwinebar.com.au

We’d love to offer a glass of vino. Present this coupon to receive a glass on us.

New Products! We are so excited to release our new range of oh-so-healthy Ancient Grains. Our aim is to make mealtimes easier and healthier for you. The range also includes delicious flavoured quinoa, couscous, risotto and the best tasting dukkah you can find. All products are made in Willunga. See our full range and either order online at thistlebegood.com.au or email jacqui@thistlebegood.com.au for local stockists.

Valid until NOV 1, 2016. T & C, visit website.

Fleurieu Weddings Kristen Georgiou and Phil Donnelly were married in style on 23 January, 2016 with a vintage-inspired theme at the historic Barn1890, Willunga. Photographs by Angie Doughty-Garside and Sabine Minks.

After a chance meeting and an engaging conversation four years ago, Kristen and Phil realised they lived on the same street. Who could waste such an opportunity to become friends? Shortly after, they were best friends and soon became a couple.

lived next door to her market-gardener grandparents, so they felt immediately at home, with the ultimate goal for the wedding to be an encapsulation of their past, present and future.

Phil proposed on Christmas Eve over hot chips on the beach at Grange and they couldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t wait to tie the knot a year later. From the moment they stepped onto the property, they knew Barn1890 was the perfect representation of them and their relationship, relaxed and natural but filled with charm and wisdom. Phil spent much of his youth on his grandfatherâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s horse stud in One Tree Hill, and Kristen

After a freak storm the day before, the wedding day was stunning, with mild temperatures and gorgeous sunshine peeking through the grand old trees on the property.

The bride and bridesmaids spent the night in the cottage, with cheese and bubbles. What better way to wake up than opposite a vineyard? A relaxing morning was spent in the cottage, with make-up and hair done by Tallora of Mobile Makeovers.

The stunning flower aisle piece, bouquets and a gorgeous indoor hanging feature were constructed by Eliza W. Flora. The ceremony

Bottom left: The ceremony and reception furniture were styled by Lee Widdison of Vintage Exchange at Barn1890.

and reception furniture were styled by Lee Widdison of Vintage Exchange and Barn1890, with the goal to be as relaxed as the couple’s living room and backyard. Father Gavin Small, who had married Phil’s parents many years earlier, conducted the ceremony. By complete chance, Phil’s grandparents Peter and Mary Donnelly were also celebrating their 62nd wedding anniversary. Father Small gave a lovely blessing to Peter and Mary after the ceremony. A cheese and small goods table engaged the guests while the bridal party spent time with the photographers, Angie and Sabine of Mink Studios, who made the most of the rich colours and the ambience. Opting for casual dining rather than a formal seated dinner, Cindy’s Classic Gourmet were delighted to put together a hearty ‘small eats’ menu. It all worked perfectly, with lots of food, wine and laughter

filtering through the room. Everyone got together for some traditional Macedonian dances later in the evening. Phil made a table full of delicious sweet tarts for the guests, and also spent the day before baking the incredible wedding cake which was served in jars for guests as a take-home treat. Kristen spent the day before at the property adding personal touches from home, including Mum Donnelly’s table flowers. Lee and Colin of Barn1890 made the process wonderfully easy. ‘We could not have asked for a more perfect day, and we are so grateful to have had such special time with friends and family from Adelaide, as well as those who made the trek from interstate. The night ended with laughs and hugs all around, with a big fat slice of love on the side.’

Taken an amazing photo on the Fleurieu lately? Send us an email or upload it to our Facebook page and you could see your handiwork in print. Each issue weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll choose an image to publish right here in the pages of FLM: facebook.com/FleurieuLivingMagazine. This photo of a paraglider on the foreshore at Aldinga was taken by an anonymous contributor.

SALTY GIRLS

from

03 09 16

Enrol at Galilee for 2017 What motivates them, why they surf, their experiences ... the surfer girls’ story.

Galilee Catholic school is an R-7 school committed to high quality learning and working in partnership with families to nurture love for learning as well as the skills and attitudes needed to be successful learners.

GEMTREE WINES

Learning at Galilee is inspired by the Reggio Emilia approach with an image of the child as a current, competent member of a community which fosters relationships of care with God, self, each other and the environment.

167 Elliott Road McLaren Flat

Visit our inspiring inside and outside learning spaces by booking a Principal’s tour.

Corner Quinliven and How Road Aldinga T: 85579000 E: info@galilee.catholic.edu.au W: galilee.catholic.edu.au

‘A quality, crafted, caffeine experience’

Barn1890

celebrating 126 years of history.

Mobile Specialty Coffee Bar · Event/ Weddings Corporate Functions · Barista Training hello@fromhumblegrounds.com.au // Rebecca Moore 0435 478 211

gallery studio If you love art, visit John Lacey’s contemporary gallery/studio and meet this award winning artist. Originals and prints. Open most days 11am - 5pm. 41 Woodcone Rd Mt Compass. T: 8556 8388 M: 0419 823 708 W: johnlacey.com.au 87

Stay, Shop and Eat Local

jimmy smith’s dairy style guide

For a logo to be effective, it’s essential that it doesn’t change. It needs to be represented the same way over and over again. If a logo is suddenly represented in a different way (for example, a red logo suddenly becomes blue) the audience becomes confused and the strength of the brand diminishes. Repetition and consistency is the key. This style guide is a reference for your logo, and will outline how to use elements in different circumstances.

McLAREN VALE FLORIST Bridal bouquet and floral designs. Arrangements for that special day – or everyday. Fleurieu floral specialists to make your home or business look gorgeous. Let them consult and design something amazing for you. Winner of McLaren Vale Regional Awards 2015 Customer Service.

JIMMY SMITH’S DAIRY At Jimmy Smith’s we believe in the great value of simplicity and the restorative beauty of the Fleurieu Peninsula. For this reason, we’ve lovingly restored this colonial dairy in Port Elliot as luxury accommodation and a truly regenerative, natural retreat. www.jimmysmithsdairy.com.au

136 Main Road, McLaren Vale www.mclarenvaleflorist.com.au Telephone: 8323 8555

I AM TALL POPPY I am Tall Poppy is passionate about looking and feeling great. That’s why they love unique quality fashion that is Australian designed and made, using natural fibres, and supporting small Australian businesses. The ‘hot look’ for this Summer is Ecowear, layered trans-seasonal pieces and supporting small Australian businesses. I am Tall Poppy (Open 7 days) Shop 1, 1 Aldinga Road, Willunga SA 5172 Ph: 08 8556 2665 W: iamtallpoppy.com.au Follow us on Facebook & Instagram

The Sound of White THE SOUND OF WHITE Inspired by the Sea and the Desert this boutique has become a go-to destination for the modern bohemian woman. With sought after fashion labels such as Spell, Auguste, Kivari and Arnhem, along with jewellery sourced from Australian designers, Turkish Silver, homewares and much more. 7 Gawler Street Port Noarlunga Telephone: 7200 3499

88 88

OTRA VEZ Otra vez is a boutique catering to the discerning creative dresser. Featuring hand-sourced new and as-new women’s designer clothing including Desigual from Spain, plus a collection of pure silk pieces. They also stock beautiful shoes and boots including Camper & Hispanitas as well as a range of colourful jewellery from Brazil. Open Fridays and Saturdays 10am-3pm, Select Sundays, or by appointment. 185 Port Rd Aldinga Telephone: 0488 412 630

WILD INDIGO NATURAL HEALTH AND WELLNESS SPA Stimulate your own collagen and repair skin, with Dermapen, the world’s most advanced skin-needling device. Know as CIT, it firms and tightens the skin, and can be used on the face or body. It addresses sagging skin, stretch marks, scars, fine lines, wrinkles, pigmentation and much more with no downtime. Treatment packages are available. HICAPS available 31 Saltfleet St Port Noarlunga Telephone : 8384 5005

The Local Ad Page

Let’s talk hearing.

Healthy aging is very dependent on good hearing. We risk our social skills if we cannot communicate. A hearing test is simple and informative. Mary Trowbridge Audiologist 187 Main Rd Mclaren Vale M: 0411 779 916 mary@fleurieuhearing.com.au www.fleurieuhearing.com.au

Interior Designs SA Designing Solutions for SA Residential, Commercial & Retail Properties

adelaideinteriordesign.com.au

Ph: 0438 800 609

IBIS HAS THE LOT! Plants, Water Lilies, Aquatic Plants, Statues, Goldfish and Aquarium Accessories, Stock Feed, Honey, Apiary Gear and Gifts. We are at the Corner of Kessell Rd and Cadell St Goolwa SA. Ph: 08 8555 1311

Big Palms • Clumping Bamboo Glorious Exotic Foliage p 8556 2818 • 175 Main Rd Willunga 5172 www.jungleinwillunga.com.au

McLaren Vale Garden Centre

Award winning, South Australian, cool climate, extra virgin olive oils. Nangkita Olives 2250 Bull Creek Road, Tooperang, South Australia 5255 T: 0419 804 896 E: olives@nangkita.com.au W: nagkita.com.au

wants to inspire you to achieve something special in your garden 174 Main Road McLaren Vale Phone 8323 8440 www.goodgarden.com.au Find us on Facebook

“First for fruit trees on the Fleurieu”

For the saftey of your children and pets call us for prompt snake removals and deterrents

0413 511 440 Find us on facebook.com/SnakeCatchersAdelaide snakecatchersadelaide.com.au

At Paxton we pride ourselves on being certified organic and biodynamic, crafting wines with true regional expression with a Paxton twist. Red 5 star winery James Halliday’s Australian Wine Companion 2016. Cellar door opening hours: 10am~5pm seven days. Ph 08 8323 9131 www.paxtonvineyards.com 89

SOCIAL PAGES

Being Social: Fleurieu Milk Company turns 10 On 4th June, Fleurieu Milk celebrated ten years in business at the Willunga Farmers Market. This iconic local business has gone from strength to strength with great local, national and international support. Congratulations to their team!

Being Social: Fleurieu Art Prize On 4th June, artists, organisers and art appreciators gathered to celebrate the launch, and announce the winner, of the Fleurieu Food and Wine Art Prize 2016. Congratulations Fran Callen for taking out the prize!

01: Leon Bignell and Nick Hutchinson 02: Kelsey Allen and Rachel Hutchinson 03: Geoff and Louise Hutchinson 04: Merridie, Barry, Lauren, Kasey and Brad Clarke 05: Rachel and Kirsten Hutchinson 06: Ryan Haverty, Tom Carroll and Tyson Pratt 07: Tony Washington and Pip Forrester 08: Hans Zimmerman, Ulrike Zimmerman and David Griggs 09: Fran Callen (prize winner) and Lorraine Rosenberg 10: Sarah Howard and Sarah Abbott 11: George Agius, Talia Wignall, Jen Wright, Sophia Nuske and Erin Davidson 12: Brian Oâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Malley and David Driden.

Being Social: Tatachilla Lutheran College Formal On Friday 8th July, Year 12 students form Tatachilla Lutheran College stepped out in style to celebrate their formal at the Stamford Grand, Glenelg. The white and gold themed event was a night filled with glamour and good entertainment.

Being Social: Winnie Pelz ‘Solstice to Solsitice’ opening On 24th July a large crowd gathered at the Murray Bridge Regional Art Gallery to attend the opening of a painting exhibition by Yankalilla local Winnie Pelz. The small and large paintings depicting the changing seasons and beautiful flora and fauna at her Cape Jervis property were absolutely stunning!

01: Samuel Brown, Elise Hall, Ethan McErlean, Nathan Riches, Joshua Foulger and Maggie Cooper 02: Madison Gardner, Indiga RoscrowKreis, Grace Hutton, Harriet Trubshaw, Mollie Milburn, Tahlia Zadow and Michaela DiFabio 03: Maddisan O’Toole, Lillian Cooper, Jazmine Clarke and Josie Hudson 04: Elizabeth Bentley, Cain McDonald and Narelle Camm 05: Jordan Lampard, Lachlan Breakey, Oscar Keightley and Cameron Johnston 06: Isaac Lord, Tyler Cox, Lauren Busch and Nicholas Burrough 07: Rosie Knott and Helen Seamark 08: Jo Sabey and Winnie Pelz 09: Lowen Partridge, Rosie Burn, Cameron Grant and Gretta Willis 10: Vita Brockschmidt and Kay Lawrence 11: Helen Fuller and Ingrid Kellenbach 12: Marion and Jane Alderman. 91

SOCIAL PAGES

Being Social: Talking Tourism at McLaren Vale On 27th July, the SATIC Board and ATEC SA Branch Committee invited regional tourism operators to an evening of Talking Tourism at McLaren Vale Motel and Apartments. This exclusive networking function enabled regional tourism members to get together and discuss tourism issues and opportunities.

Being Social: The Strand Gallery opening On 5th August FLM attended the opening of The Strand Gallery at the old post office building in Port Elliot. A beautiful array of art work by local artists with exciting things to come with this new creative venture.

01: Martin Agius and Trevor Sharp 02: Marie Davis and Julie Kammerman 03: Sneha Chaudhary and Harsh Mehta 04: Alison Hassel, Anneliese Powell, Tanya Mitchell and Minnie McCreanor 05: Grant Burton, Miranda Lang and Stuart Livingstone 06: Shaliza Ferragamo, Andrea Heading and Rachel McMillan 07: Ron Langman and Jennifer Neilson 08: Kate Elmes and Lynwen Maeder 09: Sonya Khender and Georgia Martin 10: Darrell Lewis with Carolyn and Andrew Hendriks 11: Nisa Bella and Jane Knight 12: Maryanne and Phil McGovern.

Illustration by Chris Edser.

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