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
FLEURIEU LIVING MAGAZINE
A family home in McLaren Vale The wonderful world of whisky Seagull Droppings: Art with a splash and a dash Choose your own Willunga adventure A village less ordinary: Aldinga Arts Eco Village Island adventure: KI Wilderness Trail
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Art · Design · Food · Wine · Fashion · Photography · People · Destinations
NEW 2 Day Food, Wine and Natural Wonders Tour K AN G ARO O I S L A N D
Spoil your senses! On this brand new tour visit local boutique industries, sample their amazing food and wine and see some of the natural attractions Kangaroo Island is so famous for. Highlights include: • Return coach and ferry travel to Kangaroo Island • Morning tea, tour and tastings at Island Pure Sheep Dairy • Gin tasting at Kangaroo Island Spirits and wine tasting at Bay of Shoals Wines • Two-course lunch at the Zone Restaurant, Kingscote • Tour and honey tastings at Island Beehive • Sunset drinks at Remarkable Rocks • Flinders Chase National Park including Remarkable Rocks and Admirals Arch • Guided underground cave tour at Kelly Hill Caves • Two-course lunch at The Marron Cafe at Andermel • Birds of Prey In-flight Display at Raptor Domain • Two-course dinner at Sunset Food and Wine • Overnight accommodation at the Kangaroo Island Wilderness Retreat, including two-course dinner and continental breakfast
From $677 per person* ex Cape Jervis From $725 per person*, ex Adelaide
*Conditions apply. Prices are per person, twin share and valid to 31/03/18. See website for details. Minimum of 8 passengers per tour required to operate. Tours depart Monday, Wednesday and Fridays and commence from September, 2017. ABN 69 007 122 367.
Call 13 13 01 or visit sealink.com.au
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STAFF & CONTRIBUTORS
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 over thirty years. When not in the office, he can usually be found tweaking the crossover filters on his ridiculously over-the-top hi-fi system. Esther Thorn Esther Thorn is a storyteller. She has worked as a journalist for twenty years in print, radio and television. Esther believes small things, like commas and apostrophes, are important. This makes her an irritating dinner guest but a good editor. 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.
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Featured Contributors Deb Saunders B.A. APP Deb has been a photographer for twenty-five years, capturing weddings, families, events and commercial work. She spent her childhood in Adelaide and Darwin and lived in Queensland for seven years, before then settling in SA with her husband and two kids. She finds great inspiration in the diversity of the Fleurieu, and all of its amazing industries and people. Deb is a member of the SA board of the AIPP (Australian Institute of Professional Photography), and is a volunteer photographer for Heartfelt, an organisation that gifts photographic memories to families experiencing infant or child loss. Capturing the love and relationships between people is a focus of Deb’s work.
Neil Charter Neil has always been a storyteller. Born in the West Country of England and having lived in Germany and Yemen as a young child, he moved to Adelaide in his late teens and quickly developed a love of surfing and fly fishing on the Fleurieu. He has worked as a creative advertising writer in Canberra and Adelaide and was for many years a Tourism Marketing Manager in the Snowy Mountains of New South Wales. As a published writer across his career, Neil draws on a life of enviable and not so enviable experience to provide depth and insight in his written work.
Publisher Information Ellie Jones Ellie Jones has grown up immersed in the rich beauty of the Fleurieu Peninsula. Her drive is formidable and she’s inspired by nature, life, design and all things bespoke. If gin was a personality type, it would describe Ellie almost perfectly; quirky, eccentric and passionate. She has a wealth of experience in all things hospitality, including bars, restaurants, cafés and events. Ellie is also a ‘bomb-barista’, with a passion for local business and a love of food and wine.
Other contributing writers and photographers Annabel Bowles, Robert Geh, Gill Gordon-Smith, Stephanie Johnston, Julie Jordan, Nina Keath, Mark Laurie, Heidi Linehan, Angela Lisman, Winnie Pelz, Jo Pike 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 Esther Thorn ADVERTISING SALES Holly Wyatt holly@fleurieuliving.com.au ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT Cathy Phillips GRAPHIC DESIGNER AND CREATIVE DIRECTOR Jason Porter jason@fleurieuliving.com.au PRINTER Graphic Print Group DISTRIBUTION Integrated Publication Solutions SUBSCRIPTIONS Print: isubscribe.com.au Digital: zinio.com 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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Lightning struck our vineyard. Our tractor took off sans driver. We didn’t start vintage till March, and it rained so much a yabby floated down to the cellar door.
THIS ISSUE
Contents
22 FEATURED HOME: A family home. Brioni Oliver and Chris Johnson.
16 FEATURED PRODUCER: Fleurieu Distillery.
FRONT COVER PHOTO: by Robert Geh.
FOOD AND WINE AND SPIRITS
BOOKS AND WORDS
28 Uncorked – Wine reviews
40 Winter reads from Mark Laurie
42 Willunga Farmers Market Producer Profile – Introducing Primordia Labs
72 Rojina McDonald Park’s Faces and Food of the Fleurieu
74 Chef Feature: Maxwell Wines’ Fabian Lehmann 16 Goolwa’s Fleurieu Distillery 84 Victor Harbor’s Going Loco
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FESTIVALS AND EVENTS 12 Markets, Festivals and Events to keep you busy all Spring
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FEATURED HOME: Seagull Droppings: Art with a splash and a dash.
FEATURED VENUE: Victor Harbor’s Going Loco.
74 FEATURED FOOD: Maxwell Wines’ Fabian Lehmann.
PENINSULA PEOPLE
PLACEMAKING
BEING SOCIAL
82 Trailblazer – Di Bickford
56 Discover Willunga
64 Tom Hajdu: Swapping Los Angeles for Silver Sands
90 Gavin Malone’s Lot 50K – A stepping stone to reconciliation
92 GOLFs – An unlikely band of Bro’wers from Goolwa
70 The heart of a community – What’s happening in the City of Onkaparinga
LIVING GREEN
ART AND DESIGN
78 The changing nature of play at Tatachilla Lutheran College
44 Seagull Droppings – Art with a splash and a dash!
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30 A village less ordinary – The Aldinga Arts Eco Village
36 Alice Lindstrom – The illustrator with the magic touch 68 The Boutique and Unique illustrations of Kimberley McMurtrie
FLM sees who was out and about at: · Fleurieu Arthouse Unmasked · FLM Five by the fire at Barn1890 · The hunt for Mrs Oliver at Madame Hanoi · Jane and Alan’s Farewell at Leonards Mill · Fleurieu Aquatic Centre Opening · Tatachilla Year 12 formal at Serafino · Sea & Vines Wirra Wirra family day
WEDDINGS 94 Justine Muncaster and Tom Trenerry, January 14, 2017
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ACKNOWLEDGES
A special thanks to the advertising partners that have made a long term commitment to FLM. GOLD PARTNERS
BRONZE PARTNERS
o 4 Kids Party at Strathalbyn Library Centre on 27 April , at Centenary Hall, Goolwa on 5 May 2015, Aboriginal arts at Signal Point olwa from 5 May to 11 June gs Small Packages, at South Coast t Centre, Goolwa from 5 May to 18 June Yellow Brick Road - The Elton John ow at Centenary Hall, Goolwa on 20 May * tickets/ booking required
1300 466 592. Alexandrina Council , www.alexandrina.sa.gov.au 88
Welcome to FLM From the FLM team
Letters from our readers
In some sad news for FLM, our long-standing and very much loved advertising manager Perscia Maung moved onto a new career opportunity in June. Perscia was extremely conscientious and had developed a great rapport with many of our contacts. She made a massive difference to our business. We will miss her impersonations, great voice, caring nature and optimistic attitude. We are absolutely certain she will be an asset to her new employer. Love your work Perscia!
Jason and Petra, What a journey FLM has been over last five years and personally for me over the last four years. From my ‘job interview’ (coffee at Home Grain Bakery) to the Five By The Fire celebration at Barn1890, I’ve had an amazing time getting to know the Fleurieu (its wine) and all that its people have to offer. So a heartfelt thanks to you both Jason and Petra. May the Fleurieu region and all its business entities continue to support the gem of all its gorgeousness — FLM. Love & cheers, Perscia
Also a special thanks to Esther Thorn, Annabel Bowles and Ellie Jones for stepping up to fill Perscia’s very big shoes! And welcome to our new team member Holly Wyatt. The Spring issue is a mixed-bag of goodies; food, wine, art, design, gorgeous landscapes and destinations. But what we love most about creating the magazine is the amazing people we come into contact with. In this issue we have ex-pat Tom Hajdu, who recently swapped his address from Los Angeles to Silver Sands. Tom describes his new home as: ‘A magical part of the world ... only just being discovered.’ Soon to be publisher Rojina McDonald Park echoes his passion for the Fleurieu. ‘This unique region deserves to be recognised for its beauty and the richness of its land, sea, people and produce,’ she says. We feel pretty lucky indeed to be representing this amazing part of the world. Now bring on the warmer weather! Team FLM.
When I first met Petra, I was excited for a number of reasons, one being she was a fellow Canadian. Right away we forged a special bond. The concept of Fleurieu Living Magazine reflected everything about the essence of life on the Fleurieu. The vision that Petra and Jason had to bring alive the true character of the Fleurieu was driven by passion and maintained by integrity. It has been an absolute pleasure seeing the publication grow year after year and yet never compromising the brand of FLM. Congratulations and thank you for bringing us FLM. Big hug. Miranda Lang SATC FLM is the one mag I love to read when I get downtime. Beautiful, fun, creative and full of stories about old friends and new friends to be made. Thanks for your vision FLM — you do the Fleurieu and KI proud. You also know how to throw a swell party! Rachel McMillan Scoop SA Dear Petra, I can’t thank you enough for the opportunity to do an internship at FLM. I’ve learnt so much and had a great time. Thanks for investing so much time in me! Annabel Bowles
Below: Spectacular late afternoon light cast on the cliff face at Port Willunga.
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MARKETS & EVENTS
Spring Diary Dates LOCAL MARKETS: Aldinga, McLaren Vale and Willunga
Victor Harbor Farmers Market At the Grosvenor Gardens, Victor Harbor every Saturday morning from 8am – 12.30pm. Over 32 stalls, with locally caught seafood, organic vegetables, seasonal fruit, local honey, mushrooms, fresh flowers, Fleurieu regional wines and much more. Well worth the visit.
Aldinga Bay Art, Craft and Produce Market Aldinga Bay Art, Craft and Produce Market On the 4th Sunday of every month at Central Way, Aldinga Central Shopping Centre. From 9am – 2pm. Arts and crafts from local artisans, as-well-as fresh local produce.
COUNTRY MARKETS:
Willunga Farmers Market In the Willunga Town Square every Saturday from 8am - 12.30pm. You must go just for the seasonal fruit. Oranges, persimmons, pears and apples – the freshest you’ll find! Don’t forget to buy a membership and receive discounts on all the fabulous local food!
Kangaroo Island Farmers and Community Markets Lloyd Collins Reserve by the beach at Penneshaw on the first Sunday of the month from 9am – 1pm. Kangaroo Island’s top food producers sell a range of fresh local produce in a great village atmosphere. For special SeaLink Ferry fares, visit sealink.com.au
Willunga Quarry Market Adjacent to the Willunga Oval, on the second Saturday of each month, 9am – 1pm, rain, hail or shine. Come and browse an eclectic mix of everything, ranging from secondhand tools to plants and craft. There’s always something new to see.
Meadows Country Market Held at the Meadows Community Hall on the second Sunday of the month, from 9am – 3pm. Up to 70 stalls of local produce, crafts, collectibles, plants and bric-a-brac. A true country market.
Willunga Artisans Market In the Willunga Show Hall (opposite the Willunga Farmers Market) on the second Saturday of each month, from 9am – 1pm. Local art and craft, with a little bit of something for everyone. A great place to buy a unique, handmade gift.
Myponga Markets In the old Myponga Cheese Factory, next door to Smiling Samoyed Brewery, every Saturday, Sunday and on public holidays, from 9.30am – 4pm. Enjoy browsing a variety of stalls, including art, books, fine china and glass, toys, local leatherwork, coins, records and fossils. There are also waffles and gelato for those with a sweet tooth.
The Vale Market The Vale Market is open on the following dates and times: Monday, October 2, 10am – 3pm at the McLaren Vale & Fleurieu Visitor Information Centre. The market offers locally made produce and products, wine, art and craft as-well-as handmade souvenirs. The Vale Market is family-friendly and features buskers and local acts.
Strathalbyn Markets In Lions Park, South Terrace, Strathalbyn. On the 3rd Sunday of the month, from 8am – 2pm. A quaint, country-style market with brica-brac, produce, coffee, pies, apples, plants, soaps, jewellery and much more in wonderfully historic Strathalbyn.
Goolwa, Port Elliot and Victor Harbor Goolwa Wharf Market The Goolwa Wharf Market is held on the 1st and 3rd Sunday of every month, from 9am – 3pm. 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.
Right: The Yankalilla Cruise (Sunday 19 November) is always a popular day out. Photo courtesy Rob Law. 12
Yankalilla Market In the Agricultural Hall, Main South Road, Yankalilla on the 3rd Saturday of each month, from 10am – 1pm. This craft and produce market features goods from the local area. You’ll be surprised at what you may find!
FESTIVALS AND EVENTS: SEPTEMBER
OCTOBER
Wirrina Bluegrass & Acoustic Roots Festival Where: Wirrina Cove Holiday Park When: September 1 – 3 It’s on again for the sixth year! Head to Wirrina Cove for this annual gathering where people hear, play and share acoustic music from the Bluegrass, Old Timey and other related traditions. Featuring world class musicians, many of whom come back each year to perform, run workshops, and join in on the fun and inspiration. Visit www.wirrinabluegrass.com for tickets and information, or phone 0428 263 795.
A Flamboyant Party Where: Oliver’s Taranga When: Sunday, October 15, 12 – 4pm Enjoy a three course lunch including Oliver’s very own lamb on a spit, complemented by Oliver’s Taranga Wines. Cost: $100 per head www.oliverstaranga.com.au
Rock ’n’ Roll Festival Where: Warland Reserve, Victor Harbor When: September 16 – 17 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! For classic car enthusiasts, car entry is free and eligible for all rock ‘n’ roll related vehicles. Cost: Free More info: www.rocknrollfestival.com.au Red Poles SALA Exhibition ‘Creatures - Real and Imagined’ Where: Red Poles When: Until Sunday, September 24 Red Poles is hosting a fantastic exhibition as part of the annual South Australian Living Artists Festival, featuring a range of mixed media work by an impressive list of artists. Yankalilla Show Where: Yankalilla Showgrounds When: Saturday, September 30, 9am – 4pm Featuring all the fun of the fair, this is a fabulous family day out! Highlights include show rides and sideshows, market stalls, competitive exhibits, camel and pony rides, a hands-on animal nursery and the art pavilion. There’s entertainment galore with live music, magician Scott Stunz, The Amazing Drumming Monkeys, Flavella and Radicool Reptiles. For more information visit www.yankshow.com
Spring Farm Fair Where: Wakefield Grange Farm, 5455 Main South Road, Wattle Flat When: Sunday, October 15, 10am – 5pm There’s no better time than spring for an on-farm farmers’ market. Located just outside Yankalilla, Spring Farm Fair is the place to stock up on the freshest fare from local artisan producers, including pasture-raised meats, dairy products, honey and preserves and other fresh produce, as-well-as plants and homewares. BYO picnic rug and enjoy children’s entertainment and activities, food stalls, live music and a bar. Spring into Willunga Street Party Where: Willunga When: Saturday, October 21, 10am – 5pm Willunga’s High Street will come alive with live music, food and wine, street performers, long-lunch tables and special activities for families and kids. Fleurieu Folk Festival Where: Willunga When: October 27 – 29 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. Cost: $70 for the entire weekend. Children are free. More info: www.fleurieufolkfestival.com.au
NOVEMBER Aldinga Arts Eco Village Open Day Where: 173 Port Road, Aldinga When: Sunday, November 5 from 10am – 4 pm. Self-guided tours of energy efficient houses, permaculture gardens, shared gardens, art studios and a ‘tiny house’. Guided tours of the farm, recycling and composting areas, community wastewater treatment plant and more. Refreshments available all day. Refer to Aldinga Arts Eco Village website or Facebook page for details. 13
MARKETS & EVENTS
FESTIVALS AND EVENTS cont: Handpicked Festival Where: Lake Breeze, Langhorne Creek When: Saturday, November 11 Great music combined with some of South Australia’s best food and wine will be on offer at the Handpicked Festival, held at Lake Breeze Wines. More info: www.handpickedfestival.com Yankalilla Cruise Where: Yankalilla Oval When: Sunday, November 19, 10am – 5pm Head to the Western Fleurieu for the Yankalilla Cruise with the main event on Sunday. There will be over 600 classic and hot rod cars, rock ‘n’ roll and a fair on the town’s oval. Cost: $15 per vehicle, $10 per motorbike, $5 walk-ins (under 14yo free) www.yankalillacruise.com Langhorne Creek Grapest 5K Run Where: Lake Breeze Wines When: Sunday, November 18, 5pm onwards A five or ten kilometre run through the vineyards and trails of an exquisite wine region, followed by a one kilometre wine-tasting walk. One kilometre, four wine tasting stations, eight beautiful wines. Enjoy live band ‘Hurricane Fall’ and more wine after the race. Cost: Varies, visit www.grapest5krun.com.au/langhorne-creek for more information and to book. Langhorne Creek Vigneron’s Race Day Where: Strathalbyn Racecourse When: Sunday, November 19, 9:30am onwards 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 the local region has to offer in food and wine, the day is one for all the family to enjoy in the grounds of the picturesque Strathalbyn Racecourse. Cost: General Admission $20, other packages available.
Kangaroo Island Sufferfest Triathlon Where: Various locations across the Island. When: November 24 – 26 One of the most scenic and fastest races in the world, Australia’s newest Iron Distance race, is coming to Kangaroo Island. There will be a range of races, including swimming, sprinting, duathlons, triathlons, aqua-biking, and even a kids race. Along with an outdoor cinema, live music, and a street party, this weekend will be the perfect combination of thrill and fun for all ages. Cost: Varies, visit www.sufferfesttri.com/kangaroo-island.html for more information and to register. A Porchetta Party Where: Oliver’s Taranga Vineyards When: Sunday, November 19, 12 – 4pm 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 fullybooked, this is a culinary experience not to be missed. Cost: $100 per head, all inclusive
ONGOING Red Poles – Live Music McLaren Vale Every Sunday 12.30 – 3.30pm It’s the perfect chilled-out Sunday session in the Vale. Listen to some tunes on the verandah with a beer or wine in hand. Visit: redpoles.com.au to see who’s performing each week.
Above: Don’t miss this year’s Handpicked Festival at Lake Breeze Wines on Saturday 11 November! 14
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The wonderful world
of whisky Story by Esther Thorn. Photography by Heidi Linehan.
Previous page: Samples from the individual oak barrels ready for blending. Above: The still is an exact replica of the Caol Ila on the island of Islay in Scotland, renowned for their peated whiskies.
There’s alchemy in the air when I walk into the cavernous innards of the Fleurieu Distillery. Enormous vats in the brew house pop and hiss, spewing out clouds of steam, like some great industrial era machine. Whisky makers Gareth and Angela Andrews navigate the distillery with ease and confidence. They nimbly scale ladders, opening the vats and momentarily disappearing behind the steam cloud. This hive of activity and noise is taking place in the historic Railway Goods Shed on the Goolwa Wharf. Originally built in 1879 by James Shaw Harding, it once stored products that were to be transferred from the paddle steamers to the steam trains. Gareth and Angela took over the lease in 2005 and repurposed the building as a cellar door and brewery, before shifting gears into distillation. It’s a fitting location for such industrious activity. The old Railway Goods Shed was built for hard work in a style that would now be described as ‘industrial chic’ but was purely functional. Everything is solid, from the giant posts and beams holding up the ceiling to the floorboards, which are as thick as they are wide. But the building also has warmth and ‘heart’. At the front Gareth and Angela have built a bar, surrounded by tables and heaters. The doors are wide open and visitors and tourists wander in, watch the activity
and slowly sample the wares. At one of the tables, the couple’s two young sons sit, reading, playing and drawing. It’s school holidays and the old building is clearly a second home for them. Within seconds of sitting down, Gareth is offering me a whisky. It’s a little too early in the day for me but I breathe in the aromas and am overcome by the rich raisin and toffee warmth. Gareth and Angela’s passion for whisky is obvious, and I’m keen to discover what drew them to the unique and wonderful world of distillation. It wasn’t a linear path. Upon graduating from education degrees at university, the couple moved from country area to country area for work. It was while they were living in the Riverland that they decided their next move would be to the Fleurieu Peninsula, ideally Goolwa. All the while, Gareth’s true passion – brewing – was slowly bubbling away and in 2004 he decided to take the plunge and make his hobby a career. The next step was to find a location and, as fate would have it, the historic Railway Goods Shed came up for lease. Two years later, the Steam Exchange Brewery opened with Angela and Gareth proudly at the helm. This was well before ‘craft beer’ became a household word and the Steam Exchange Brewery quickly established itself as a leader in the boutique industry. ‘At the time we started there were only three other micro-breweries,’ Gareth tells me. ‘Over the first ten years we won twenty-eight beer awards. It started getting ridiculous, we just didn’t have enough space on the walls to hang them all.’ >
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Above left: Angela and Gareth Andrews checking the whisky barrels. Above right: Brewing the whisky wash and making the liquid ready for distillation is a labour intensive process. Bottom left: Gareth testing their wares. Bottom right: ‘New make’ spirits are completely clear before they go into the barrels.
Great craft beer, Gareth tells me, should be treated like milk; it has to be transported and stored at a low temperature for it to be at its best. Whisky on the other hand is a far more stable and consistent product. ‘It’s easier to send a bottle of whisky to Germany than it is to send a carton of beer to Melbourne,’ says Gareth. In addition to traveling well, whisky has a significantly longer shelf life than beer and can be kept open for much longer periods of time. This allows connoisseurs to explore whisky from across the globe and develop extensive whisky ‘libraries’. Humans have been distilling for a long time. It’s possible the Babylonians were distilling in the second millennium BC. The art of distillation spread to Ireland and Scotland in the fifteenth century and the first evidence of whisky production in Scotland comes from an entry in the Exchequer Rolls for 1494 where malt is sent ‘To Friar John Cor, by order of the king, to make aquavitae’. In recent years, whisky has enjoyed a surge in popularity with several small-scale distilleries popping up in unexpected locations. ‘Whisky has a certain sophistication,’ says Gareth. ‘It has complexity and depth of flavour. You can have several bottles in your ‘library’ open and there is no strict timeframe in which it must be consumed.’ Like beer, whisky starts with barley, water and yeast. But that’s where the similarities end. While a batch of beer can be brewed in five to six weeks, whisky is a labour of love ... and patience. It takes on average around five years for a barrel of whisky to mature, but as I’m about to learn, there is no usual when it comes to this liquor. ‘It can all depend on the particular micro-climate that that barrel is sitting in,’ says Gareth. ‘If it’s just slightly cooler than the others stored on top, it’ll take longer and taste completely different.’ Indeed, whisky maturation is so variable; there is an element of the unpredictable, if not magical to it. ‘The end result is affected by the barrel size and what it was previously used for, where exactly in the shed the barrel is located and then also what the weather is like in the place it’s being stored; our terroir,’ says Gareth. ‘Unlike Adelaide’s heat waves throughout summer, by the afternoon we get this amazing, cooling sea breeze. Goolwa’s climate is ideal for whisky making.’ The process begins with crushing malted barley and mixing it with 18
pure spring water, which Gareth and Angela have trucked in from Mount Lofty. The ‘wash’ is then fermented for eight days and then distilled twice, bringing the alcohol content from six per cent to seventy-three per cent. Finally, the whisky is watered down and put into a reconditioned barrel that originally held a fortified wine such as sherry or port. This is where the real magic happens. ‘There are just so many factors, every barrel has its own distinct character,’ says Gareth. ‘The complexity of flavours within whisky is just incredible,’ Angela adds. ‘One barrel may have strawberry and cream flavours, sometimes you’ll get coffee overtones or salted caramel and raisin, it’s just amazing what can happen in the barrel.’ To maintain consistency of flavour, Gareth and Angela take several barrels and blend them, before the whisky is bottled. ‘We want people to be able to taste our whisky and say ‘yes, that’s Fleurieu Distillery,’ says Angela. ‘We are aiming for high quality and consistency of flavour.’ Fleurieu Distillery whisky is only available from the cellar door or by joining the mailing list, but already it has a strong following. Their ‘First Release’ became available in November last year and was quickly snapped up. The second release, a peated whisky called ‘The Rubicon’ has limited numbers. Future releases for this year include the lightly peated ‘Whisky Kisses’, and ‘River’s End’, an unpeated single malt whisky. The number of bottles, which are hand-numbered, varies for each release. ‘It’s labour intensive at times but it’s good,’ says Gareth. ‘This is very much a family business and we’re really proud of what we’re doing.’ Throughout our entire interview, Gareth and Angela’s two sons have been playing next to us. They’re as comfortable in this building, full of sounds and steam, as they would be in their own living room and that’s exactly how Gareth and Angela like it. ‘As a family owned and operated business our growth is much more organic and familyorientated than if we were a large-scale, investor-driven operation,’ says Angela. As much as the Andrews family is breathing new life into the historic building, filling it with purpose and enterprise, the magic of whisky is also weaving its way into the fabric of their future.
Want insurance that suits your needs, we’re with you! Whether it’s business, farm, personal or fleet and commercial motor insurance, you can rely on Elders Insurance Southern Fleurieu when the unexpected happens. Based in Victor Harbor, our local authorised representative Sarah Somerville has more than 12 years’ experience in the insurance industry and believes strongly in providing customers with the best possible service and advice. Sarah is supported by a team of insurance professionals including agent Grant Stoeckel who has an excellent understanding of the challenges faced by rural and regional communities having grown up on the family farm. This, combined with his experience in the insurance industry, enables him to find the right solution for your insurance needs. Wherever life takes you, we’ll help to provide you with the most suitable cover and advice. And in the event of a claim, in most cases you will deal directly with us, ensuring you receive personalised service. Talk to us about your insurance needs today. 11-13 Victoria St Victor Harbor SA 5211
www.eldersinsurance.com.au
Call Grant on 0400 699 856 or Sarah on 0477 443 799
Southern Fleurieu Insurance Services Pty Ltd the trustee for the Southern Fleurieu Insurance Services Unit Trust ABN 55322739901 trading as Elders Insurance Southern Fleurieu AR No. 1245065 is an Authorised Representative of Elders Insurance (Underwriting Agency) Pty Limited ABN 56 138 879 026, AFSL 340965. Insurance is underwritten by QBE Insurance (Australia) Limited ABN 78 003 191 035 AFSL 239545. Contact us for a Product Disclosure Statement to decide if a product is right for you.
A picture is worth a thousand words. 11 Commerce Cres Victor Harbor. Phone: 8552 2090 Email: info@innovativekitchens.com.au
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As nature intended
Need some space? Need some space? forget to add these events to your diary Book Don’t Book time away time away today today
Wirrina Bluegrass & Acoustic Roots Festival 1-3 September 2017 Yankalilla Show 30 September 2017 Wakefield Grange Spring Farm Fair 15 October 2017 Yankalilla Cruise Weekend 17-19 November 2017 Local markets: Myponga, Inman Valley, Yankalilla, Second Valley.
1300 965 842 visitfleurieucoast.com 1300 965| 842 | visitfleurieucoast.com Yankalilla Visitor Information Centre /fleurieucoast Yankalilla Visitor Information Centre /fleurieucoast 163 Main South Yankalilla 163Road Main–South Road – Yankalilla @fleurieucoastmadebynature @fleurieucoastmadebynature
This home is located at 17 Manna Gum Avenue, Hayborough.
INDIVIDUAL FRIENDLY REAL ESTATE SERVICES WITH AN ECO EDGE Dianne Looyestyn Property Management M: 0427 011 630
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www.smarthomevision.com.au
Sylvie Clarke Principal M: 0411 191 005
The Strand Gallery is extremely proud to exhibit outstanding new paintings by internationally acclaimed artist Jane Price. Jane’s work hangs in galleries and private residences in major cities across the world. She has been a finalist on six occasions in the Waterhouse Prize. To learn more about acclaim for Jane’s work please go to www.janeprice.com.au. Paintings of this quality are rarely seen outside major city galleries. Jane’s work will be at the Strand Gallery in Port Elliot from 10.00 till 4.00 Friday till Monday throughout October.
Take in some of the magic right 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
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A family home Petra de Mooy visits Brioni Oliver and Chris Johnson. Photography by Robert Geh.
Previous page: The dining area is pared down and minimal, with a gorgeous custom made red gum table and multi-pendant light. Ceramic tableware by: Brooke Thorn Ceramics. Above: The combination of rammed earth and corrugated steel will eventually be surrounded by lovely kangaroo paw plants and grasses.
We are sitting at the newly-built Seaview Road home of Brioni Oliver and Chris Johnson. The light-filled, earthy interiors are about quality and maximisation of functionality, with some luxurious comforts. The outlook is spectacular and stretches out in every direction, offering the king’s purse in views. ‘I always knew I wanted build a house here one day,’ says Brioni. ‘Even my dad would call it ‘Brioni’s Block’, so it was always in the plan.’ Brioni Oliver grew up on the property now renowned as Oliver’s Taranga in McLaren Vale and has helped work the land in big and small ways for almost all of her thirty-four years. Chris was born in England, but immigrated to Australia with his family as a young boy. They eventually settled south of Adelaide. Though Chris and Brioni attended the same high school (a few years apart) I
am surprised to hear that they did not meet there. ‘Our paths didn’t really cross,’ says Brioni. But it was great fate that their paths did cross again at the University of Adelaide. Brioni was studying Wine Marketing and Chris was studying Commerce. But the true meeting of their minds had more to do with their mutual love of sport. ‘Brioni was playing netball for McLaren Vale,’ says Chris. ‘Chris was playing footy for McLaren Vale,’ says Brioni. So I am not sure where they actually met, but it seems it was bound to happen at some point, so we will just leave that part private. Brioni’s dad was impressed when Chris showed up to help Brioni with the commerce part of her marketing degree. Chris is good with numbers, which has proven to be an asset to the family-owned Oliver business. But Chris works outside of the family business as the chief financial officer for Redarc Electronics, which is a South Australian success story in its own right. ‘They won Telstra Business of the year nationally in 2014 and also won a Westpac Top 20 Australian business award in April this year,’ Chris says. Together they have worked hard to achieve Brioni’s dream of building on the family property, and Chris has been instrumental in ensuring the build take place at the right time in their lives. > 23
Above: The light and bright nursery is ready for the new arrival. Next page: The semi-industrial, wire-guard, multi-pendant lighting is offset by the warm and colourful carpet runner. Wide plank floors run with seamless continuity through to kitchen, dining and living areas.
Together they have worked hard to achieve Brioni’s dream of building on the family property, and Chris has been instrumental in ensuring the build take place at the right time in their lives. ‘We lived at Seaford for eight years’, says Brioni. ‘We always knew it was not going to be our forever home,’ Chris adds. ‘We lived at Seaford for eight years’, says Brioni. ‘We always knew it was not going to be our forever home,’ Chris adds. They are planners, so while Chris developed spreadsheets for their thirty-year plan, Brioni worked on a ‘lookbook’ for each room, with cut-out pictures of what they liked. By the time they were in a position to build, they had a strong idea of what they wanted. ‘Once I had ten (pictures) of the same thing it was, ‘okay I must like that’,’ says Brioni.
The couple wanted to use as many local trades people as possible. The fireplace was built out of natural stone by local stonemason Carl Mills, while the concrete benchtops were created by Concrete House. There is a rammed earth wall by a guy at Maslin’s Beach named Howie. Howie’s mate Wayne from Bushscapes designed and implemented all the landscaping. ‘It is fun working with people who are really passionate about what they do,’ says Brioni.
On a holiday in New Zealand, while sitting by a stone fireplace drinking wine, they agreed that that was a ‘must have’ as well. The fireplace and the wine together that is.
The bathtub in the bedroom was in the ‘dream book’ and it is a little bit glamorous and the walk-in closet is a ‘good treat.’ ‘I think a bit of the Kardashians came out in me there,’ Brioni says.
For the home’s overall design, Chris and Brioni had a hand-sketched footprint and layout. ‘Then we tried to find a builder that had a similar feeling to what we had in mind,’ Chris says. ‘We found a display home in Blackwood that was really close to what we wanted, so we went with them.’
Most other features of the home are practical. ‘We used all of the limestone and ironstone from the property and included a lot of natural materials and earthy textures, while making the most of the views,’ says Brioni. The home sits on the highest point of the property with large windows in every room. ‘Our old house was quite dark, so we wanted lots of light.’ They hit the brief with that one so much so that curtains became a priority during their first summer. >
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Above: Some ‘bling’ in the bedroom via a gorgeous freestanding bath.
The summer sunsets are ‘mind-blowing’ and when Chris and Brioni first moved in, they were amazed they had not fully registered that their living room windows would capture such an inspiring evening display. But they say the views are stunning all-year-round, as the seasons change. ‘Winter is beautiful because of the green and the vines, which are wild and woolly until they’re pruned. Then everything looks neat again,’ says Brioni. Being immersed in the landscape seems to have given them even more pause to be grateful. ‘We didn’t realise how fantastic it was until we finally got to sit here,’ they concur. Family is number one when it comes to living on the property and as we speak of it, Brioni’s stepbrother and his kids fly past on dirt bikes. ‘It is about having everyone close by, it just makes you feel good,’ 26
Brioni says. ‘You look around and think: Grandpa planted those vines and all the thoughts and stresses that he would have had are all here — What are those vines going to do in March? Are they looking alright? How should we prune? How much do we water? Where are we going to sell them? — Each generation has had those thoughts and put their effort in so all that history is here.’ As it happens, Chris’s extended family has also moved into the community with his sister and her family, and his parents, living in McLaren Flat. So the Oliver–Johnsons will have plenty of help when they welcome their first baby this year.
Top: The kitchen features hexagonal tiles in a metal-look finish, which combined with the polished concrete benchtops, adds another level of industrial sophistication. Bottom left: Custom made leather lounge seating and wool rug are complemented by a retro-style chair form Coastal Habitats. Above right: Chris Johnson and Brioni Oliver relaxing by the fire at their new abode.
It wasn’t always clear to Brioni that she wanted to work in the family business. But after a little bit of time away travelling and gaining some adult perspective, she decided it was indeed what she wanted to do. ‘I didn’t really realise how lucky we are to have a family business and the property,’ she says. ‘It also helped that Corrina (Brioni’s cousin and Oliver’s Taranga head winemaker) had come back and wanted to work in the wine side of things to add a new element.
The couple wanted to use as many local trades people as possible. The fireplace was built out of natural stone by local stonemason Carl Mills, while the concrete benchtops were created by Concrete House.
All of the current owners of Oliver land are now very clear about their future direction. Brioni sums it up like this: ‘It is actually pretty cool that our family has been here so long and has run a business for all of those years and that we can take it on and try something new and pass it on. We are very lucky.’
Editor’s note: On the eve of this edition going to print Brioni and Chris welcomed baby Hugo Oliver Johnson into their family. Congratulations to all of you from FLM!!
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FOOD & WINE
Uncorked Wine reviews by Gill Gordon-Smith CSW FWS
The Fleurieu was founded on forward-thinking people, who have developed and cared for the region over generations. Their names have become revered in the global wine world and are inspiration for newer families, who have chosen to put down roots and make their own foray into the industry. This edition we look at some of the up-and-coming names that are gaining recognition; young families investing in the region and building a future. Their products are exciting and very drinkable wines, with a refreshing perspective.
red fruits and chocolate - cherry ripe, intertwined with waves of savoury spice. While it calls out for duck, I am dreaming of a plat du jour of smoked meats, terrines and cheese, with just-baked bread smothered in butter.
Golden Child 2016 ‘Beach Bum’ Rose Golden Child Wines is the result of a collaboration between father and son, named after a long-running family joke. James Hamilton is a winemaker at an iconic local winery and, along with his wife Alanna, juggles work, family (two toddlers) and now their own label. The grapes are grown by James’ father David Hamilton. Despite only launching last year, the label has already started to make waves in the industry, with a spot in the Adelaide Review Hot 100 and a win for their label design. This delicious, dry Rosè is one of the reasons they’re having such success. It’s full of florals, spice, soft red fruits, mandarin and a fresh strawberry tang. A beautifully balanced Rosè that finishes dry, but with a touch of sweet fruit on the finish. This is great spring and summer drinking, with or without food. Personally, I’ll be pairing this with everything from salads to tagines.
Year Wines 2016 Mataro The story of Year Wines is one of love beyond borders. Aussie wine boy meets Canadian wine girl. Fast forward a few vintages, the birth of two munchkins full-of-personality, add some focussed winemaking and the end result is Year Wines. This is a one hundred per cent family affair from Luke Growden and Caleigh Hunt. These 2015 Young Gun of Wine Best New Act winners are finding their own place in the region. Their wines are honest, flavoursome, expressive and textural; all the things that make for moreish drinking. This Mataro ticks all the boxes for me; juicy black plums, cherries, wafts of fresh licorice, graphite, dark chocolate, black pudding, savoury flavours and a soft, velvety slide to the finish. Add roasted meat and spring vegetables or chill for a few moments and pair with a spiced lamb salad or a smoked ham and cheese toasty.
Aphelion Wine Co. 2016 Grenache This young family has been blessed twice recently; first with a new vintage baby and then taking out Best New Act in this year’s Young Gun of Wine awards. Willunga locals Rob Mack and Louise Rhodes Mack are focussed on not only the region’s classics but also newer varieties. As dedicated foodies and wine lovers, they make foodfriendly, varietal wines with a splash of Euro style. As soon as you pour this wine, you smell Mclaren Vale. We grow some of the best Grenache anywhere in the wine world and it’s finally getting the attention it deserves on lists and shelves. This is a lovely, seethrough, ruby-red wine, with perfumed smells and flavours of berries,
Cooter & Cooter 2016 Shiraz Kimberly and James Cooter are a blend of two established wine families, now making wines under their own label. The two winemakers are quiet achievers, whose wines speak for themselves. Bitter chocolate wrapped tightly around black fruits, dried cranberries picked at the perfect moment – not too ripe, not too sweet. Red licorice and aniseed spice that smells like the wild fennel growing along the roadside in that part of the Vale. This is certainly not a lightweight, but it is perfectly structured and totally delicious.
Gill is the owner of Fall From Grace wine-education-tasting, which is based in Aldinga, nestled between Rosey’s and Miss Gladys on Sea. Gill is also a Mclaren Vale Ambassador. 28
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A village less ordinary Story by Aldinga Arts Eco Village resident Julie Jordan. Photography by Heidi Linehan.
Previous page: Even the magpies revel in the beautiful surrounds of the village. Above: The fusion of ecological sensitivity and creativity is evident throughout the community.
On the edge of the historic township of Aldinga, on gently undulating land bordered by the wooded slopes of the Willunga Creek basin, is an eclectic mix of almost 200-eco homes. When newcomers move to the Fleurieu region, it’s not uncommon for them to be intrigued by this village of solidly-built homes with oddly angled rooflines and unconventional gardens. They might drive down the streets and find themselves drawn into the permaculture landscape of mounds, streams, dams, gardens and orchards. This is the Aldinga Arts Eco Village; a place that slowly and effortlessly creeps into your consciousness and heart. A place of contradictions and commitment, but most importantly a place of community. Despite its established gardens and homes, the ‘Eco Village’ as it’s fondly known, is relatively new. Its founders only secured the land in 1999 and three years later began work to transform the thirty-four hectare degraded and barren horse-agistment property.
From the very beginning, it was a collaborative project. The founders were from two separate camps. The first was a group of people involved in a proposed permaculture project at Burra in the midnorth of the state, whose plans had not progressed. The second was a collective of ageing artists, who wanted to live in a supportive community group, rather than a conventional retirement setting. Despite their differences they shared a vision to create an oasis in a threatened environment; an ecologically sensitive village designed for, and by, creative people as a centre for the Creative Arts within an organic market garden and rural creek setting.’ A non-profit development company was formed by the founders to oversee the design and subdivision. It was an ambitious project for its time, larger than most comparable eco villages, not only in Australia but worldwide. It was decided the private lots would be in a range of sizes, and forty per cent of the village would be shared common land, well above the equivalent in an average suburb. Some lots would be designated commercial to allow for future villagers’ livelihoods and there was to be a central hub with spaces for community gathering and entertainment. Sixteen hectares (about half the total of the farm) was set aside for a productive village farm. >
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Top and bottom left: Children have a range of options when it comes to play spaces; the woodlot, the boat, the maze, sand-pits – as well as real and invented obstacle courses. Right: Homes range in style; some are architect-designed, others are owner-built, incorporating an eclectic mix of recycled and handmade elements.
Almost two decades on, this intentional community is now well established. The village has filled out to its boundaries, with a population of well over three-hundred, from all backgrounds and of all ages, newborns to octogenarians. While not all of the founders’ dreams have been realised, such as the central community hall, their overarching philosophy is alive and well. The fusion of ecological sensitivity and creativity that was so desired is evident throughout the village. There are no solid fences so private and common land softly merge. The roads follow the land’s contours, rock-lined flow-ways direct stormwater runoff to ponds, while roadside mounds help direct water and provide shelter and privacy for homes and gardens. The streets are narrow to slow traffic, with soft edges and no kerbs or gutters, and a network of footpaths meander through the common land allowing safe navigation across the village on foot or bicycle. Creative reuse of materials is evident in the unifying theme of large basalt cobblestones used for retaining-walls and path edges. Now in their third life, these stones previously covered the ground at the Gepps Cross stockyards, having originally been transported from the UK as ships’ ballast. Artistic elements abound, including decorative street names wrought in steel, oversize timber benches fashioned from gnarled tree limbs, 32
and a footpath labyrinth secreted in one of the commons. There are murals, street art, and sculptures such as the ‘rusty cluster’ of mailboxes at the entrance, where villagers stop and chat as they collect their mail. Close by are stables repurposed as artists’ studios and craft workshops. The recommendations for building in the village include features such as a northerly aspect, rainwater harvesting, high levels of insulation and solar hot water. Most homes have solar electricity, while also being connected to the grid, and at least one has battery storage installed, as well as charging for an electric car. A recent proposal to develop a village-wide micro-grid, with only a single connection to the external mains, would make the village even more self-reliant for energy. With ecological sensitivity as a basis, owners have plenty of freedom in the design of their homes. Some are architect-designed, others are owner-built, incorporating an eclectic mix of recycled and handmade elements. There are homes of straw-bale, hebel, colorbond, mud brick and rammed earth, in styles ranging from warehouse open-plan to traditional cottages. Owners are encouraged to incorporate artistic features such as hand-crafted staircases, mosaic or pebble work, and stained glass.
Top: The maze is hidden in the common land green space between homes. Photo courtesy of studio threefiftyseven. Bottom left: The philosophy of ‘Live, Work, Eat, Play’ is well established within the village. Many inhabitants simultaneously maintain vegetable gardens, home-based businesses and commuting short distances via bike to local shops, the beach or the farm. Bottom right: ‘Honk’.
One home, with the outward appearance of a conventional singlefronted cottage, incorporates innovative features including a novel method of heating. Solar heated water is stored below the central kitchen counter, and also in a bedroom wall, with heating regulated by opening and closing decorative timber panels. Another home is built with a mixture of hemp and lime masonry, which provides insulation and moisture regulation, while locking up atmospheric carbon. A windowed clerestory at the apex of the roof directs sunlight to the centre of the home. As-well-as sustainability and creativity, the village founders envisaged a progression towards self-reliance. Food production is encouraged on private lots and the common land, and in particular on the village farm, which has been developed with orchards, chickens, geese, a market garden, honey production, woodlots and seasonal pasturing of sheep and cattle. Also on the farm is the community wastewater treatment plant, converting all of the village’s effluent to high-grade recycled water, which is used to irrigate the orchards and common land. Along with the rainwater harvesting in all village homes (backed-up by mains water from a single village connection), this on-site treatment of sewage means villagers are free of SA Water accounts.
The first settlers of the village established an ethos of joining in planting and maintaining the common land. Today volunteer efforts continue to make the village not only sustainable and productive, but also beautiful. The mounds, verges and gardens are dense with vegetation, fruit is abundant, the ponds are home to frogs, and the birds, which had mostly deserted this land before the village was established, have returned in great numbers. Participation in caring for the land is one element of the social glue that bonds this strong and resilient community. There is also a commitment to caring for each other. Villagers cook meals for those who are unwell, while the ‘yarning group’ makes blankets for newborn babies. There are regular social gatherings and events, movies at the amphitheatre, art and craft workshops, shared meals at the ‘sharing shed’ next to the community pizza oven. For younger villagers, play spaces have been created in the village and on the farm. But the village isn’t insular. Many villagers work, study or volunteer in surrounding towns and suburbs, and there are strong links with the nearby Willunga Waldorf School. Villagers exhibit at local art galleries, perform in local concerts, and regularly host markets, movie screenings and festivals for people outside the village. Indeed the villagers initiated the very popular New Year’s Eve > 33
Top and bottom left: Creative design features are everywhere. Top right: The Sharing Shed is the eco village headquarters for shared meals, workshops and community events. Centre right: Long time resident Campbell Waters does a lot of volunteer work preparing the orchards for all seasons. Bottom right: The children create their own art with found and foraged material.
sandcastle event on Port Willunga beach. As a demonstration site for sustainable living, permaculture and energy efficiency, the village also welcomes the public to open days, tours, seminars and workshops. In many ways it sounds, and is, idyllic but living in the eco-village does have challenges. ‘The village is not for everyone,’ says one of the pioneers. ‘It requires a strong commitment to the ethos of environment and community. As the village grows and we are increasingly challenged by the influences of encroaching suburbia, it is important that we maintain the founders’ vision and not allow the village to become merely a comfortable lifestyle enclave.’ Despite the challenges however, the overall consensus of life in the eco village is positive. At a recent village gathering I overhear someone say; ‘on a good day the village is fantastic, on a not-so-good day it’s still better than anywhere else’. And I have to agree. 34
Aldinga Arts Eco Village is located at 173 Port Road, Aldinga, 5173. There will be an OPEN DAY on Sunday, November 5 from 10am - 4pm with walks, talks and self-guided tours of energy efficient houses, permaculture gardens, art studios, a tiny house, farm, shared gardens, recycling, composting, community waste water treatment plant and more. Refreshments available all day. Refer to Aldinga Arts Eco Village website or Facebook page for details.
THREE RECEPTION CLASSES COMING TO TATACHILLA IN 2018. Three times the opportunity. Enrol now for 2018 and beyond. 211 Tatachilla Road, McLaren Vale |
tatachilla.sa.edu.au
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The Illustrator with a magic touch Story by Winnie Pelz. Illustrations by Alice Lindstrom.
Did you complete the Pharoah’s Quest? Did you make the Golden Snail come to life? Did you return the Jewel Fish to Jackal and Ibis? For my daughter, these experiences were magical. She was part of a whole generation of Australian children who grew up with Animalia, the extraordinary illustrated alphabet by Graeme Base. It took the world of children’s books by storm and gave me an adult insight into the power books hold to sow the seeds of imagination in a young child’s mind. Children’s book illustration is a highly specialised art form and the very best illustrators occupy a special echelon in the world of design. It’s a competitive business and success doesn’t come easily, but local artist Alice Lindstrom is making her mark. 36
Making a mark is something the thirty-three year old has always been good at. She was raised by parents who were passionate about literature and believed in nurturing creative activities in their children. Alice grew up with no television set in the house, but with reams of paper, scissors and boxes full of pencils and textas to compensate. When the paper ran out, Alice was allowed, and possibly even encouraged, to draw on the walls of the family’s prerenovated house. Years later, when cleaning out the shed, a trove of little books Alice had made as a child was discovered. More recently, she and her mother, published poet Helen Lindstrom, collaborated to create The Circus Book, which is currently awaiting a publisher. What Alice enjoys most about working with children’s stories is the challenge of bringing the words to life visually. ‘Sometimes creating a piece of art is very daunting, but if you have a story it gives you
Previous page: Detail from ‘Grass Trees’. This page top left: ‘Under the Moon’. Top right: ‘The Bathers’. Bottom left: ‘The Red Flowers’, all paper collage. Bottom right: Artist, Alice Lindstrom.
When I think of South Australia, the places that make it special are in the Fleurieu region; Port Willunga and Yankalilla, where we used to holiday with friends. And Janet’s house surrounded by hills and horses. a structure,’ she says. ‘It gives you an interplay of words, shapes, colours and meanings, which makes you ask: ‘How do I show that in images?’’ Alice describes herself as a ‘flexible illustrator’. As-well-as working on children’s books, she addresses a wide range of subjects, such as the ‘House on the Hill’, inspired by the home of Kangarilla artist Janet Ayliffe. At the time, Alice was working as a studio assistant to Janet and, while housesitting the printmaker’s beautiful property, she developed imagery and themes to which she returns in her current work. ‘I was inspired by the vast rolling hills, the vivid colours and the abundant birdlife of the area,’ she says. ‘I miss Kangarilla a lot. When I think of South Australia, the places that make it special are in the Fleurieu region; Port Willunga and Yankalilla, where we used to holiday with friends. And Janet’s house surrounded by hills and horses.’
Alice and her partner have recently relocated to Melbourne and, despite her homesickness, the move is paying off with a recent influx of work. ‘Red Flowers’ was commissioned by a South Australian woman, who wanted to capture the intense colours of the native flowers in her garden. Much of Alice’s work uses a collage technique that gives it an unusual depth and strength of colour. She paints and over-paints paper, much as she did when she was a child, exploring what she could do with paper, scissors and coloured pencils. As a result her backgrounds and shapes have a wonderfully textured and rich quality, achieved with layers of painted papers. Alice acknowledges that the highly decorative and colourful quality of the work could make it easy to overlook what is her real passion – a deep connection to nature and the natural world. >
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Above: ‘A Home in the Hills’, paper collage.
She is about to start work on a book with Little Hare Publications, which tells a wildlife story of a fox and a bird. Alice was also employed to contribute illustrations for a podcast ‘Look Up and Listen’, which encouraged listeners to get out into nature. Living in a Melbourne townhouse has brought into sharp perspective the fact that so many children now grow up in highly urbanised environments with little or no contact with the natural or wild world. It makes her even more grateful for her connection to the Fleurieu region and Willunga, where she returns frequently to be with family. 38
‘I feel re-inspired when I return. It fills up the well again,’ she says with more than a hint of longing. ‘My partner and I do talk about how it would be nice to have some land, and one day that may happen – to have a house on a hill with chickens running around’. In the meantime, the ‘dream career’ of illustrating wonderful books for children, that can weave the magic of imagination, provides her with creative sustenance and direction. Through Alice’s delicate touch and creative flair, the house on the hill and the chickens will come to life in words and pictures for others to enjoy.
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39
BOOKS & WORDS
Spring Book Reviews by Mark Laurie.
of an owl, that we see trees and animals not as our means of production or to our ends. Rather, to her mind, they are symbiotic sources of life that aid us on our path to learn more about who we are and who we might be. These are truly dangerous thoughts.
Anything is Possible by Elizabeth Strout Published by Penguin Viking ISBN 9780241287972 $29.99
Understory: A Life with Trees by Inga Simpson
Published by Hachette Australia ISBN 9780733635960 $32.99 A memoir from the forest by one of Australia’s pre-eminent nature writers, and author of the acclaimed Mr Wigg, combining painterly observation, a deep curiosity for natural history, and a talent for deftlypaced storytelling. Inga Simpson’s life, both personally and professionally as a writer, is revealed amidst the trees of the southern Queensland hinterland where she lives. The author is immersed in her surroundings and over time, the trees fashion her life as much as she, a modern-day dryad, fashions them. Trees and animals are lovingly described, emerging as individual lifeforms, with personalities of their own. Simpson’s writing gets under your skin, and this is a deeply subversive book. Disarming us with the beauty and passivity of the forest and its inhabitants and the quietness of the life she leads in its midst. Simpson would have it that we all be touched by the wing 40
Anything is Possible is a series of linked and intimate portraits of ordinary people. They are defined by their families, their pasts and their actions, their failings, kindnesses, pettiness and generosities laid bare. Unflinching and honest, yet empathetic and moving, the reader is drawn inexorably down into these small lives to dwell in their humanity. The writing appears effortless, and there is considerable skill evident in the sparse beauty of the language and imagery it employs. A complete absence of visible stylistic devices ensures that we are never diverted from the characters and the stories they tell, which remain with us long after having closed the book. The people, small towns and farming communities of the American Midwest have always drawn writers of a certain kind. The collective myths and wild fantasies of the Frontier kept moving further west, towards the mountains and sea, leaving a space within which to explore the quieter realities of those who settled rather than searched. Elizabeth Strout joins a notable list of authors such as Sinclair Lewis, Willa Cather and Sherwood Anderson, who have gone before her. On reading this book, and before considering that she has already produced five acclaimed books and won the Pulitzer Prize, it is clear that she does so as an equal.
The Last Man in Europe (A Novel) by Dennis Glover Published by Black Inc. ISBN 9781863959803 $24.99 Dennis Glover imagines the last fifteen years of George Orwell’s life, grounding and describing the writing of his final and most notable novel, 1984, and connecting this masterpiece with the man, his politics, relationships and the significant events of his life. With a ‘talent for bleakness’ engaged endlessly in an uncertain search for truth and posterity, Orwell is portrayed as a man whose work both defines and decimates him. Belying its title, Orwell’s 1984 was a book for its time, for our time, and perhaps for all time. Its warnings against unfettered ideology and the dangers of political purity, whether emanating from the right or from the left, are a clarion call sounding through the generations. Meta data, ‘fake news’ and the invocation of a malevolent Islamic ‘other’ bear witness to Orwell’s perception and prescience.
life. However, juxtaposed with this lurks a tangible menace. Hidden behind the familiar patterns is a tale of survival, amidst lapsed humanity. Overlaid with a well-constructed plot, balancing powerful description and zones of uncertainty which engages the reader’s imagination, this is a story about how formative years cast long shadows. It is also talks resonantly about what friendship is and may become. A strong sense of ‘Australianness’ permeates this novel and there is much to recognise and appreciate in its portrait of contemporary lives, lived in the regional spaces of our timeworn land.
Glover’s portrait is as wonderfully conceived as it is written, drawing from his academic grounding in history and a journalistic career in the politics of the left. This is an absorbing account with the wit and characters to fascinate, and the cohesiveness and credibility to be true. Its highest achievement though is to make Orwell, the man, rise out from his work and urge it upon us again.
Wimmera by Mark Brandi
Published by Hachette Australia ISBN 9780733638459 $29.99 Even before publication, this debut novel has attracted critical interest and acclaim. Set in the Wimmera region, where Victoria’s far west borders with South Australia, it is a crime and coming-of-age story in the spirit of Craig Silvey’s deservedly popular Jasper Jones. Told in three parts, it traces two friends, Ben and Fab, as they transition from youth to adulthood in a small rural town. Their experiences draw from our preconceptions of small town life, both stereotyped and romanticised, as they follow familiar day-to-day patterns at school, over long, hot summers and enter adult
Taboo
by Kim Scott Published by HarperCollins ISBN 9781925483741 $32.99 The new novel by Kim Scott, who has twice won the Miles Franklin Literary award, deserves no less attention than those which have gone before it. A young woman, fictionally drawn from Scott’s own Noongar people from the south west of Western Australia, is the central character in a story set in the present day, but continuing from
a deep, dark past. It is a narrative which, sadly, is not confined to these people or this place, but continues to be played out over our country and all over the colonised world. Acts of ‘settlement’ or dispossession were frequently accompanied, occasioned or followed by acts of brutality. Such brutality was justified by a belief in the superiority of their perpetrators, involved the triumph of base self-interest, and yielded both immediate and lasting consequences. An historical massacre of the Noongar people has led to its site being cast as ‘taboo’, avoided by them for generations. An elderly local farmer, whose own ancestor was responsible for the killings and owns the land on which they took place, seeks to honour his wife’s dying wishes and salve his own conscience by bringing the Noongar back. Their return brings all of the consequences, complexities and continuities of the past to the surface as they struggle to both confront history and attempt to forge a different future, a future infused with the glimmerings of community and belonging, and with tendrils of reconnection. In poetic language, infused with suggestion and meaning, a novel of great beauty emerges from contests between brutality and despair, love and hope. 41
Petra de Mooy introduces
Primordia Labs Michael Taylor is smart and determined. While undertaking his PHD in Microbial Ecology at Flinders University, Michael became interested in research and ended up studying fungi and mushrooms. ‘We lack people that know much about fungi in Australia,’ he says. Michael, who grew up on a vineyard property in McLaren Vale, informs me that there are many fungi in Australia that have not even been named yet. Michael was looking into ways in which fungi can break down contaminants in soil and was experimenting with how they can break down plastic (which apparently was going quite well), but he was not getting the funding required to continue this research. All the while he started growing edible mushrooms in his shed. He grew them on coffee grounds and paper and the operation was expanding at a rapid rate. So much so, that his fiancé encouraged him to begin a commercial output. While lecturing at Flinders on all things fungi and studying a Certificate Four in Small Business Management, he serendipitously heard about the Willunga Farmers Market’s Scholarship, an initiative supported by the Adelaide and Mount Lofty Ranges Natural Resources Management Board. The board and managers saw in Michael and his mushrooms an opportunity for a really unique
offering for the discerning foodies who attend the market each week, and so he was awarded the funds. Michael is thrilled and has been building up his home ‘grow op’ into something that will hopefully soon be producing about one-hundred kilograms of gourmet mushrooms a week. He is also working on a sustainable business model and hopes to eventually use passive geothermal and solar energy to power the cooling systems required to maintain the even temperatures required for growing his mushrooms. The reason Michael has chosen coffee grounds to grow mushrooms is that they are high in nitrogen and they’re a waste stream you can’t do much with. ‘Everything needs nitrogen and carbon to grow,’ he says. The Primordia gourmet mushroom stall will be in full swing this Spring. Michael will be selling two varieties of Oyster Mushrooms, plus Shiitake and King Browns. Michael is also interested in working with chefs to grow mushrooms that are too delicate to ship, or that are unusual and impossible to get from other sources, due to their delicate nature. One such variety is Lion’s Mane, which is extremely rare, with intricate cascading spines. Here at FLM we love people who invent or reinvent themselves. People who think outside the square and start businesses because they just love what they do. Primordia is the essence of this kind entrepreneurship and ingenuity.
Every Saturday 8am ‘til 12:30pm
Meet the grower, TASTE THE REGION Follow us: @willungafarmersmarket Located at Willunga Town Square, Willunga www.willungafarmersmarket.com.au 42
GREENHILLS VICTOR HARBOR
43
Seagull droppings – art with a splash The Illustrator with a magic touch and a dash! Story by Winnie Pelz. Illustrations by Alice Lindstrom.
Story by Winnie Pelz. Photography by Heidi Linehan.
Previous page: Detail from one of Andrew’s rustic cabinets. Above: The Munn home is full of indigenous artefacts from around the globe, found objects from the beach and complemented by Andrew’s rustic furniture and seascape artworks.
When you google ‘seagull droppings’ you’re bombarded with warnings about the health hazards of seagulls pooping on beaches and spreading Enterococcus bacteria that does dire things to unwitting people wading in the shallows. In the US, they engage teams of dogs to chase away the seagulls and keep the beaches clean. Then, presumably, someone has to pick up the dog droppings! The humour in this would appeal greatly to Andrew and Maggi Munn, the owners of Seagull Droppings, the iconic gallery in Normanville. They share a great love of life, a robust sense of humour and a refreshingly unpretentious attitude about the world of art. The fact that some of Andrew’s painted images from the gallery co-
inhabit Google sites along with pictures of splattered footpaths and seagull excrement, would be seen as hilarious rather than offensive. Indeed, the name Seagull Droppings was born out of Andrew’s self-deprecating humour when, back in the late 1990s, he made a wooden Christmas tree decorated with ‘snow’. He decided that it looked less like snow and more like a seagull had been sitting on the tree and named it accordingly. Despite its name, or perhaps because of it, Seagull Droppings, is always full of visitors. It’s now in its third incarnation, on the road between Normanville and Carrickalinga, and is a place that is immediately welcoming. There’s a courtyard entrance, sculptures made from recycled timber and metal, an old boat festooned with ropes and fishing tackle, and huge crusty-glazed garden jars. Inside is an extraordinary collection of paintings and furniture made from wonderfully textured wood – recycled doors and floors, driftwood and old timbers with stories etched on their battered surfaces. > 45
Top left: The outdoor living space is also full of found objects, collectibles and Andrew’s eclectic furniture and sculptures. Top right: Andrew’s seascapes, sculptures and cabinets all work well together.
‘It’s not only the timbers that have stories; Andrew and Maggi’s lives are as rich in experiences and adventures as any wooden mast tossed onto a windswept beach.’ It’s not only the timbers that have stories; Andrew and Maggi’s lives are as rich in experiences and adventures as any wooden mast tossed onto a windswept beach. Andrew says he was ‘born an artist’. He painted and drew as a youngster, tearing blank pages out of books and covering them with his colourful doodlings. Thankfully, he had a most supportive father – a Congregational Church Minister – who encouraged what other parents may have regarded as a destructive activity. Andrew says he ‘was hopeless at school’. ‘I was in the ‘dumb’ class’ he states with his self-deprecating grin. And so he left school as soon as he could and became a window dresser at John Martin’s department store in Adelaide. For the generations who have grown up after ‘Johnnie’s’ closed down, the social importance of John Martin’s needs to be described. It occupied a prime position on North Terrace, opposite the Art Gallery and South Australian Museum. It was an institution in its own 46
right: a grand department store with a wonderful gallery in the top floor auditorium, and it created the legendary Christmas Pageant. For a kid from ‘the dumb class’ to become a window dresser in Johnnie’s during the 1960s was quite an achievement. Andrew must have shown considerable talent, even at that early stage. He also demonstrated precocious entrepreneurial flair. Scrap yards and junk shops provided him with collectable treasures: copper kettles, old clocks and other bric-a-brac soon filled his bedroom, forcing his brother out of the shared space. By the time he was nineteen-years old, Andrew had enough to fill a shop, which is just what he did, opening Andrew Munn Antiques on Norwood Parade. Other shops followed on Magill Road and the east end of Rundle Street, and not content with antiques and old wares, he ventured into the daring world of male fashion. Adelaide in the 1970s went through an unconventionally experimental phase and Andrew recalls wearing
Top left: Every area of the home has texture, colour and charm. Top right: Even a collection of string from the beach is made into an interesting orderly artwork. Bottom right: Andrew in his studio.
‘My paintings are simple and direct – I have no pretentions. If they can add to people’s enjoyment and make them happy, then I am happy too.’ fifty-four inch circumference bell-bottomed pants, riding a pennyfarthing bicycle around the streets of Norwood for movie shoots, and selling silver-lamé space-suits and see-through white lace pants with zips up the back for men! By the late 1970s, after studying sculpture at the SA School of Art, his sculptural skills and love for colourful decoration evolved into a series of carved and painted puppets and clowns, which became collectors’ items. This idea further developed into carved and painted fish and coastal themes, which remain a strong inspiration in his current work. ‘I’ve always loved the sea,’ he tells me, and his fearless love of swimming has led to some hair-raising adventures. No ordinary beachcombing for this chap! When Andrew began collecting driftwood from the local beaches to make his furniture, he discovered a couple of coves on the southern coast that were inaccessible by land, but which had great rocks that the pounding
surf would throw driftwood onto. ‘I’d get a mate with a boat to drop me off with a blow-up mattress,’ he recalls. ‘I used to love swimming in, dragging the timbers off the rocks onto the mattress and then they’d pull me back onto the boat with the timbers in tow.’ Today he bemoans the fact that there is little timber that gets washed up and his supply of interesting ‘distressed’ and textured wood is harder to come by. When Andrew’s not making furniture and wonderful artefacts like candlesticks, he’s painting the sea and the beaches that he loves so much. His work is fresh and light-hearted, capturing the sense of summer and carefree holidays and it is enormously popular. Maggi Munn is ‘front-of-house’ and she contributes to the great sense of welcome visitors receive. ‘I’m his worst critic’ Maggi says laughingly, which actually means she’s his best critic. ‘We fight about the merchandising, but I can put things together that I know will look great in people’s houses,’ she tells me. > 47
Top: Maggi Munn is ‘front of house’ and along with Bella the dog they contribute to the great sense of welcome when you arrive at Seagull Droppings. Bottom left: The Munn home has a casual seaside style with interesting objects at every turn. Bottom right: Andrew’s sideboards are made using found timbers and are carefully crafted to be functional as well as artistic.
‘What I love most is when young people come in and buy their first painting. A young girl about seven-years old came in and told Andrew how much she loved his painting in her room and another young couple came in some months ago and said: ‘We have an Andrew Munn gallery at home’. That makes us so proud.’ 48
But Andrew shrugs off the accolades. ‘I call myself a decor artist, not an artist,’ he says. ‘My paintings are simple and direct – I have no pretentions. If they can add to people’s enjoyment and make them happy, then I am happy too.’
Alexandrina Council A selection of upcoming events in the Alexandrina region: The Journey, Lindy Downing exhibition at Signal Point Gallery Goolwa from 8 September to 5 November Post Industrial Icons, Colin Moore exhibition at South Coast Regional Arts Centre Goolwa from 9 September to 15 October Goolwa Concert Band* at Centenary Hall Goolwa on 24 September Strathalbyn Show* at Strathalbyn Oval on 1 and 2 October Port Elliot Show* at Port Elliot Showgrounds on 7 and 8 October The Peter Allen Songbook* at Centenary Hall Goolwa on 7 October Drawing on Country exhibition at South Coast Regional Arts Centre Goolwa from 18 October to 19 November
Basie to Bublé Band of the South Australian Police* at Centenary Hall Goolwa on 28 October Youth Showcase Extravaganza* at Centenary Hall Goolwa on 3 November Cittaslow Goolwa Smoke Off Festival* at Goolwa RSL lawns, Goolwa Wharf Precinct on 5 November Hand Picked Festival* at Langhorne Creek on 11 November The Great Duck Race at Soldier’s Memorial Gardens, Strathalbyn on 12 November Grapest 5k Run* at Langhorne Creek on 18 November Adolescent – Michael Griffiths. Don’t Grow Up, It’s a Trap!* at Centenary * tickets/ booking required Hall Goolwa on 25 November
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 2017. View a copy online for more events in the region at www.alexandrina.sa.gov.au
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Call of the wild
Photographer Heidi Linehan captures the rare beauty of the Kangaroo Island Wilderness Trail.
Previous page: Heidi takes it all in. Above left: Interesting structures along the way give hikers the best vantage point for photos. Above right: The campsites are well appointed with raised platforms for securing tents. Bottom: High upon the trail on a clear day – the views leave you breathless.
Why would a busy mum and business owner who’s about to move house, decide to spend five days hiking alone through the Kangaroo Island wilderness and in winter no less? Photographer Heidi Linehan said she did it for the love of adventure and excitement. But in doing so, she found true peace and a new sense of contentment. The Kangaroo Island Wilderness Trail has only been open for nine months but it’s fast becoming one of the great walks of the world. The sixty-one kilometre, five day trek weaves its way through spectacular vegetation and coastline all the way to the rugged shores of the Southern Ocean. Heidi says the beauty of the Eucalyptus woodlands, deserted beaches and the rocky clifftops was incomparable. ‘On the clifftops I wanted to keep looking out to sea, but had to watch my feet with all the rocky outcrops.’
The trail starts in Flinders Chase National Park and finishes in Kelly Hill Conservation Park. Both parks are located at the far western end of Kangaroo Island, about a one-and-a-half hour drive from the ferry terminal in Penneshaw or just over an hour’s drive from Kingscote. Both drives offer stunning views of both coastal and inland landscapes. Heidi says that on the whole, it’s an easy hike, well signposted and with few ascents or descents. Hikers should expect to manage between three-and-a-half to six-and-a-half hours a day, not including time for side trips. Heidi is an active thirty-seven year old, who’s hiked regularly for years. She challenged herself by doing the trail independently, but there are also opportunities do it as part of a small group tour. Heidi is first and foremost a photographer, and made many stops along the way to capture the region’s unspoiled beauty. With its dense bushland, soaring cliffs, sandy white beaches and pristine rivers and lagoons, the Kangaroo Island Wilderness Trail takes walkers through some of the island’s most iconic natural and historic attractions. At Hanson Bay, Heidi was so overcome by the idyllic > 51
Above left and right: Sheltered picnic areas and wooden walkways add comfort and ease for hikers.
scenery, she stopped and meditated for an hour, before watching one brave man take a dip in the icy water. At the end of a long day of walking, Heidi was able to relax in the relative luxury of well designed campsites along the way. There are four dedicated overnight camping areas along the trail (Cup Gum, Hakea, Banksia and Tea Tree). Each campground has twentyfour tent platforms, with plenty of privacy, well-lit toilets, water, architecturally designed shelters for food preparation and basic camp furniture. ‘I’m used to campsites with just a rainwater tank with a tap so I actually found it quite luxurious,’ laughs Heidi. ‘There was even a fire-pit at one of the campgrounds, but unfortunately I couldn’t use it because of the rain’. For walkers who are not so keen on camping, there is also the option to stay in accommodation off the trail and to be dropped-off and picked-up from individual sections each day. The rain and the temperature was a challenge for Heidi. The best time to walk the trail is between March and November, but every season 52
offers something special. For Heidi, who is someone who feels the cold, doing the trail in the middle of winter was tough. ‘I was so cold I was just curling my hands around my mug of tea trying to get warm,’ she says. The first night was particularly chilly. ‘I started wishing for daylight to come well before the birds started singing … well before.’ But the next day the sun came out and slowly, slowly Heidi’s body adjusted to the cold and her mind relaxed into the solitude. ‘When I was walking under the forest canopy I’d have these ‘aha moments’ of clarity and tears would creep into the corners of my eyes,’ she says. ‘Along the clifftops I was in complete awe and I’d comment out loud to myself about how beautiful it was.’ The Kangaroo Island Wilderness Trail is an ideal location to see native animals as they are meant to be seen – in the wild. For some of the animals that live on the island, it is their last stronghold. As well as many Kangaroo Island kangaroos, walkers might come across the Kangaroo Island echidna, Tammar wallaby, Rosenberg’s goanna,
Top left: Detour anyone? Top right: Rugged coastal scenery softened by native grasses, sand and water. Bottom left and right: The long and winding trail eventually leads to the finish line, clearly marked by a lovely metal exit. Well done Heidi!
brush-tailed possum, western pygmy possum, southern brown bandicoot, koala, seven species of microbat, six species of frog, Kangaroo Island tiger snake and pygmy copperhead snake. Depending on the time of year, sightings of long-nosed fur seals, bottlenose dolphins and migrating whales in the water are also not uncommon. There is also plenty of history along the trail, with prehistoric megafauna fossils and ancient Aboriginal campsites just some of the significant locations hikers encounter. As the trail heads towards the iconic Cape du Couedic Lighthouse, walkers will follow the footsteps of the handful of shipwreck survivors who fought against seemingly insurmountable odds and lived to tell the tale. Heidi was travelling on her own, but she wasn’t alone. Two other hikers were walking behind her and each evening they’d meet at the next campsite. She says she never once felt unsafe on the trail, despite the occasional Tiger Snake slithering across the track.
On the second to last day, Heidi says she had a breakthrough moment. ‘I was walking through forest near the Southern Ocean Lodge and I found myself almost in a trance,’ she says. ‘I was walking without fully realising where I was. As the wind was whipping over the treetops, I began visualising rolling waves of colourful music and then I just started to cry. I realised that I was living a week that I had always dreamed about; travelling, experiencing new things and taking photos. I felt weak and strong all at once.’ Heidi says at the end of the five days, she did feel rejuvenated. ‘Being a mum, running my own business and prepping for a house move I’d hardly had any time to sit down and relax in the lead up to the hike, so I was a bit worried about how exhausted I’d feel afterwards,’ she says. ‘I didn’t feel tired at all though, I actually felt really refreshed. I didn’t expect to have such a good time, but I loved it,’ she says. So would Heidi walk the Kangaroo Island Wilderness Trail alone again? In a heartbeat, she says. 53
Spring Wellness
FLEURIEU YOGA Fleurieu Yoga provides weekly yoga classes and monthly restorative sessions in a brand new beautiful boutique yoga studio in Aldinga. Enjoyable, accessible and inspiring yoga for people of all abilities and ages. Cultivate greater health and ease for your body, peace and wellbeing for your mind and ultimately, greater connection to your true self.
NICKY SCHULZE KINESIOLOGY What if there was something more you could be doing with your life? What if it was possible to wake up everyday feeling purposeful and full of joy? What if there was a way you could free yourself from past hurts and pain so you can feel peace. It is possible. Using Kinesiology, Forensic Healing, Reiki and NLP, we work together to help you reach your fullest potential.
MARIE’S TRANSFORMING SOUL HEALING Offering a huge range of gemstones, jewellery, gifts, Oracle Cards, books and more. Marie also offers Reiki and Shamanic Crystal Healing, Ear Candling, Angel Card and Intuitive Readings, Akashic Record Readings and massage. Numerous workshops including Reiki and Crystal Awakening, Goddess Group, Meditation Groups, Oneness and Sound Attunement evenings.
Shop 1, 2 Old Coach Road, Aldinga T: 0467 486 365 fleurieuyoga.com
T: 0411 793 276 nicky.schulze@bigpond.com
Now based at Sankofa Wellness Centre T: 0432 083 033 1A Old Coach Road, Aldinga
SALT YOGA Salt Yoga is no ordinary yoga studio. Owner Claire Smith believes you don’t have to be flexible, young or fit to do yoga, you just need to get on your mat (or on one of hers)! The Christies Beach studio offers Vinyasa, Hatha, Ashtanga, Dru, Yin, prenatal and restorative yoga. Salt Yoga is a safe, inspiring and empowering place for everyone. Book via the website.
BOWEN WELLNESS Do you suffer from chronic aches and pains? Bowen therapy may help relieve illness other treatments have failed to resolve. This gentle treatment is clinically proven to address a wide variety of physical ailments without forceful manipulation. It releases muscles to initiate a healing ‘reset’ response from the body. Suzanne is committed to achieving results and provides a thorough assessment and tailored treatment plan. Located at Inman Valley, Aldinga and Woodcroft.
WILLUNGA BEAUTE & WELLNESS Providing ‘Treatments Guidance and Support on your journey to obtaining Wellness in Skin, Body and Mind’ is our passion! Our holistic approach to Skin and Spa therapies has led us to many successful treatments and outcomes for our clients’ needs. Come and enjoy our relaxed and nurturing environment, where we offer a broad selection of treatments and high quality products for the face, skin and body. Full treatment menu online.
41A Beach Road, Christies Beach T: 0430 329 989 saltyoga.com.au 54
T: 0414 932 252
T: 8556 2734 www.willungabeaute.com.au
/discoverwillunga /willunga_sa
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1. Pizza Kneads Licensed wood oven pizzeria | dine-in, takeaway & delivery
8. The Old Bush Inn Gastro pub | local wines
15. Arts Collective @ 20 High Street Art gallery | gifts by local artists
2. Russell’s Pizza Wood-oven pizza | dine-in | takeaway | BYO
9. Terre Cafe & Bar Licenced Cafe | all day breakfast | lunch | events
16. Cherie-Em Botanical body | bath | perfume
3. Minko Wines Cellar door | providore
10. Willunga Glass Studio & Off The Slate Gallery Glass studio | gallery
17. The Willunga General Store Friendly | fresh | convenience
4. Three Monkeys Fine Foods Café | providore | breakfast | lunch
11. Spock Sisters Clothing boutique | hair salon
18. Whatever at Willunga Vintage wares | clothing | vinyl
5. Hither & Yon Cellar door | private functions
12. Four Winds Chocolate Artisan chocolate | patisserie
19. The Green Room Café | breakfast | lunch
6. The 1839 Bistro | wine bar | accommodation
13. The Golden Fleece Cafe Café | breakfast | lunch
20. I Am Tall Poppy Gifts | homewares | fashion | baby
7. Willunga Gallery Art gallery | gifts | cellar door
14. The Jewellery Room Jewellery | designs | commissions
21. Willunga Beaute Beauty treatments | massage
Above: Minko Wines Cellar Door is in a character-filled historic building that serves as their cellar door and a providore for many of the fine local products on offer from regional producers.
Jo Pike embarks on her very own
Choose your own Willunga adventure Photography by Angela Lisman.
When my partner Paul and I chose to build a new home in Willunga recently, we knew we liked the feel of the town but couldn’t necessarily put a finger on why. So when I was given the brief to ‘discover Willunga’ in light of the imminent completion of Council’s mainstreet upgrade project, it seemed timely. Being on a fast-track discovery of my new community, I opted for a ‘choose my own adventure’ strategy, knowing that taking one fork in the road meant leaving other enticing treasures still shimmering in the distance, awaiting discovery. As I zigzagged my way up High Street, it didn’t take long to unearth a common thread. I began to notice a spirit of collaboration among the various enterprises, many of whom share spaces and support
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each other, making the most of the lovely heritage buildings or operating as co-ops. My feeling is confirmed when I meet artist Lucas Robins, who won the Onkaparinga Council tender to sculpt six artworks, shortly to be installed along High Street. A Willunga local for many years, Lucas observes that while the ‘café culture’ has bubbled up relatively recently, and the residents who pre-date it might not be so much a part of it, the one thing they do have in common is a spirit of community and cooperation. ‘It’s a community that has always looked out for one another,’ he tells me from his Aldinga studio, where the artworks are currently under construction. ‘We always knew it was a safe place for our kids. The newcomers have that same sensibility.’ Not comfortable with a historical brief that risked not properly acknowledging the first inhabitants, Lucas chose to depict wildlife indigenous to Willunga. He believes the depictions, created from natural materials, speak more broadly to everyone – locals and visitors alike. He says they’re a fitting representation of the nurturing nature of the Willunga community.
Above left: Whatever at Willunga is a treasure trove of vintage, retro and bygone era ephemera. Top right: The newly refurbished High Street Cellars under the Willunga Gallery is a cosy find. Bottom right: Pizza Kneads: Get all of your pizza needs at this gorgeous little business in the market precinct. Gourmet takeaway pizza as well as pizza sauce and dough etc. for the DIYer, with a full breakfast menu available during the Saturday Markets.
The new streetscape will refresh the northern end with seating and eating areas, so if you’re just passing through and don’t need fresh fruit and veg, there’s plenty of space to hang out and enjoy the atmosphere. This notion of connection and community surfaced again during my chat with stonemason Christian Frenzel. Christian is a master craftsman, who has been in Willunga since March, painstakingly crafting the retaining walls, garden beds, footpath banding and drains from local slate. Growing up in Germany, Christian is a Traditional Cathedral Mason, a highly regarded title earned through extensive travel, learning his craft carving the elaborate finials and tracery found in cathedrals all over the world. When I ask him what his favourite aspect of Willunga is, he unhesitatingly responds: ‘the people’. ‘I can say that quite openly because of my job as a cathedral mason and travelling to most parts of the world,’ he tells me as we sit at an outdoor table at 3 Monkeys Fine Foods, with the ubiquitous slate flagstones beneath our feet. ‘This is one of the most welcoming communities I’ve ever come across. People don’t know me but they bring me cups of coffee and stop for a chat – because it’s such a nice community, I want to do the very best job I can.’
Using the renowned Willunga slate from the Quarry Road quarry has its challenges, because it delaminates. ‘Sometimes you grab one piece and all of a sudden you have five, but that’s the characteristic of it and we use it because it’s beautiful ― a variety of colours and fossilisations,’ he says. ‘It’s very lovely.’ The work is challenging and time consuming, but Christian applauds the care that has been taken to incorporate local materials into the project. The final part of Christian’s work will be to install the custom-made brass plaques etched with historical references into the stone-banding on the footpaths. I follow the slate trail to the Old Courthouse and Slate Museum at the top of High Street where, aside from the generosity of the volunteers and the wealth of local information, the grounds are picture-book lovely with a little bridge over a creek fed by a natural spring. The Tour Down Under international cycling event aside, Saturday is undoubtedly the busiest day in Willunga. It’s market day and High Street is bustling. If you need to park off the main street, then stop and smell the roses. The Willunga Walks app is easy to use >
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Top left: Gavin Collings and Christina Repetti are the current publicans at the historic Old Bush Inn. Gavin serves up a cold brew at the character filled bar. Bottom left: Traditional Cathedral Mason Christian Frenzel has recently immigrated to the area from Germany. He’s been working hard on the High Street Upgrade. Above right: The rustic interiors of Terre Café with owner Bec making a coffee.
and not only follows the High Street landmarks, but takes you into the back streets, where the tinkling water and birdsong of the creeks and culverts happily follow the same trail as the many of the heritage buildings. The Willunga Farmers Market isn’t sitting on its hands basking in the glory of being South Australia’s first such market. Instead it regularly introduces new elements like Keep Cups to reduce coffee cup waste and the growers’ workshops. These are a great way to meet one of the more than eighty seasoned produce stall holders, hailing mostly from nearby. The new streetscape will refresh the northern end with seating and eating areas, so if you’re just passing through and don’t need fresh fruit and veg, there’s plenty of space to hang out and enjoy the atmosphere. And Saturday is the day to take advantage of the charity shoe-shine, conducted by the Willunga Circle of Friends next to The Green Room organic café. But there’s plenty for visitors on other days of the week as well. Tracey and Ellie, who operate Whatever at Willunga (a treasure trove of vintage, retro and bygone era ephemera), happily recommend their favourite Willunga haunts. Tracey, who commutes to Adelaide for work several times a week, describes her shop as ‘my happy place’ 58
and says that Willunga has a concentration of ‘people who are good at things’. It doesn’t take long to find confirmation in the eateries, providores and other merchants who stock their wares. These cottage industries operate in the background of the main street precinct. One key business not to be overlooked is Thistle Be Good, which specialises in handmade grain products and has long been part of the Willunga food culture. At Tracey’s suggestion we venture to her favourite gift haven, the Arts Collective @ High Street, a cooperative venture with a welcoming garden that’s worth a glance if you’ve no time to stop. There we find Cherie, whose day it is to hold the fort. She tells us the philosophy of the collective requires that everything is made locally. Inside you’ll find jewellery, paintings, ceramics, prints, sculpture and fabric, as-well-as Cherie’s range of handmade botanical bath and body products. Of the many suggestions Cherie rattles off for my trail, the one I hadn’t yet visited was I am Tall Poppy where Corina’s gifts, homewares, books and fashion reflect a zest for the good life ― products that she believes help people blossom like tall poppies. On one Saturday morning, with only half an hour up our sleeves, we have breakfast at Golden Fleece café and fly into Four Winds
Above left: Don’t be afraid to ask Bec at Terre for a tour of the wonderful features of the building which now houses her café. Above right: Wine, Tapas and Bistro-style dining at The 1839 is a great addition to Willunga’s culinary offerings.
Chocolates. This artisan chocolate shop is tucked communally into a corner of Spock Sisters (whose stylish fashions deserve a proper look and remain on the to-do list). Four Winds Chocolates is only open for a few hours each Saturday and its wares (both the chocolates and donuts) are both legendary. I’m told the name Golden Fleece comes from the fact the precinct it shares with Spock Sisters was once a Shell service station, but the retro décor demanded a retro fuel brand. One day I’ll check if that’s true. Another of Lucas’ artworks is here, a whale. At first it appears an odd choice, but Lucas’ explanation of the community’s affinity with, and closeness to, the sea makes sense. Willunga sits up on the hill looking out to the coast and the coastal culture is strong.
I began to notice a spirit of collaboration among the various enterprises, many of whom share spaces and support each other, making the most of the lovely heritage buildings or operating as co-ops.
Willunga’s heritage buildings have given rise to an emergence of small wine bars and cellar doors in the most delightful of spaces – 1839 in the old Primitive Methodist Church has recently added a wine bar to its café remit. Hither and Yon (which shares the original butcher’s shop with the Three Monkeys) hosts live music Porch Sessions in winter, and the Willunga Gallery, (already home to fine arts and a lovely exhibition space, where owner Irene runs art workshops) has extended its cellar door operation to a wine bar in the gorgeous >
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Above left: The landscape design in front of the Arts Collective exudes charm and the shop is full of creative enterprise from local artisans. Above right: Interesting use of local slate can be seen around the homes in the back streets of Willunga.
cellar for after-work drinks on Fridays. Minko Wines shares the former Primitive Methodist Manse with Russell’s Pizza and I believe it’s the tiniest cellar door around; it’s certainly cosy and a fun place to be when Andy Clappis arrives with his celebrated bread on Saturday mornings. (I hear Andy’s Sunday lunch at My Place at the top of Old Willunga Hill Rd is like having lunch with the family.) Don’t be afraid to ask Bec at Terre for a tour of the wonderful features of the building which now houses her café but back in 1886 was Atkinsons’ Bakery. Each month the work of a local artists appears on the lovely stone walls. In the farmers’ market precinct, French Restaurant Le Mistral and Pizza Kneads (wood oven pizza) occupy the 1850s Willunga Store. The word ‘shenanigans’ must appear rarely in an organisation’s constitution, but appear it does in that of Cinemallunga. Their bimonthly screenings in the Willunga Show Hall are usually of iconic favourites, but the film itself hardly matters – it’s a chance to dress up, take part in themed activities, dance, eat, drink and be merry and true to its aims, it has also spawned the aptly-named Faux Klore films available online. 60
Christina, owner of the newly revamped Grocery Store, The 1839 and the Old Bush Inn (‘the top pub’), is current President of the Willunga Business and Tourism Association and introduces me to the ‘Discover Willunga’ magazine, available at local outlets. It will keep you abreast of the current goings on, including all the forks in the road I haven’t yet taken. It’s no surprise to learn that they are also developing a ‘Welcome to Willunga Kit’ for new residents like us. The kit will come with a personal ambassador to help newcomers make the connections they need to become part of the community. So if it’s a while since you’ve ventured into Willunga, now is a good time to rediscover this beautiful town. If not for its picture-book landscape and heritage buildings and the wonderful produce and curiosities you’ll find therein, then for the welcoming and generous townsfolk you’ll meet along the way. My explorations of Willunga have hardly begun, but now I know for certain that we’re going to enjoy living here. The Spring into Willunga Street Party will be held on Octpber 21 from 10 untill 5.
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Willunga Gallery signage 03June2014.pdf
Art Gallery · Gifts · Cellar Door Open 5 days Thursday to Monday 11-4 29 High Street Willunga South Australia
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Terre Cafe & Bar is about great food, friendly staff and having a good time! A crackling wood fire, a library of books, free Wi-Fi and board games keep you entertained while enjoying our delicious All Day Breakfast and Lunch Menu. Open Wednesday to Sunday. 9am-4pm. 44 High Street, Willunga. Ph 08 8556 2612
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8a Hill St Willunga Trading: Thursday 5 ~ 9pm Friday 5 ~ 9pm Saturday ( farmers market coffee & breakfast ) 8am ~12pm and 5 ~ 9pm Sunday 12pm ~ 9pm. Licenced pizzeria, dine in, take away & deliveries 6pm ~ 9pm.
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Spring/Summer – Open Wednesday to Sunday for lunch 12-2 and dinner 6-8. Plus for breakfast on Saturday and Sunday from 7.30am to 9.30am. 30 Cadell Street, Goolwa Ph: 8555 1155 Email: info@motelgoolwa.com.au
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Nina Keath speaks with Tom Hajdu about why he’s thrilled to be
Swapping Los Angeles for Silver Sands Photography by Heidi Linehan.
Previous page: Tom Hajdu at Sellicks Beach. Above: Gig City.
I am going to make a somewhat scandalous admission for someone writing for this magazine. When I first returned to the Fleurieu from Melbourne, I wasn’t particularly overjoyed. On a holiday fuelled high, our family made the snap decision to swap our inner-city Melbourne home for acreage, sea views and grandparents. However, once the excitement wore off, I struggled to adjust, believing that there was little new to discover about the region I had grown up in. To my chagrin and ultimate delight, I found an antidote to my homecoming malaise through a string of out-oftowners who saw the Fleurieu through a fresh set of eyes. It turns out that my inability to appreciate hometown opportunities is a common error in perception. Immigrants tend to see opportunities to which long-term residents are blind. For example, despite comprising just thirteen per cent of the population, immigrant founders started over fifty per cent of all Silicon Valley start-ups between 1995 and 2005. In fact, it was an immigrant who introduced me to the proposition that Adelaide could become the Silicon Valley of Australia. If being an immigrant is a predictor for entrepreneurialism, then Tom Hajdu fits the template. The son of Hungarian immigrants to Canada; he emigrated to America to attend Princeton University, before cofounding groundbreaking music production company tomandandy and strategic innovation incubator Disrupter. Emigrating a second time, to Australia in 2015, Tom Hadju is a passionate advocate for his new home. I first meet Tom at an event where everyone is dressed in their party best. Tom, on the other hand, is wearing shorts, a well-loved denim jacket and thongs. He casually informs me he is about to visit the White House as part of an initiative that ‘will make you really glad
you invested in your property when you did!’ Thinking he is joking, I laugh, to which he responds by trying to bet me forty cents. If I hadn’t stuck to my anti-gambling instincts, I’d now be forty cents poorer. I visit Tom, his wife Paige and their beloved dog Roisin at their Silver Sands home to learn more. Their move to South Australia was based upon years of scouring the globe. ‘After September 11, when George Bush said: ‘they hate us for our freedom,’ I decided I had to leave,’ Tom explains. ‘I spent years doing a global economic analysis and determined that Australia had some of the best long-term economic prospects. Australia does over sixty per cent of its export trade with China, India and Japan. Australia has one of the lowest debt to GDP ratios among the G20 countries. Australia is essentially an Asian country because of its geographic location, and Asia is having the fastest economic growth in the history of the world.’ So, Tom applied for a Distinguished Talent Visa and made a reconnaissance trip up the East Coast in ‘an old hippy rock van.’ He returned the following year and gave no less than twenty talks on Strategic Innovation across Australia. ‘I’d give a talk and then we’d jump in the car and start driving,’ he says. ‘We were scouting out where we could live.’ When I venture that Silver Sands isn’t the obvious choice, Tom regards me with genuine disbelief. ‘We visited lots of Australia and we fell-in-love with this area. I mean, look at this basin.’ He gestures expansively. We are seated under a canopy of ancient Pink Gums bordering the Aldinga Scrub and looking eastward across vineyards towards the Mount Lofty Ranges. I look, but Tom isn’t satisfied. ‘Look back this way. Look how gorgeous this is. This is the Willunga Basin! It’s an archetype!’ He’s almost singing. Roisin, the dog, dances animatedly between us. ‘This area is the obvious choice for lots of reasons,’ continues Tom. ‘Firstly, (Adelaide) was the only city settled by people seeking freedom, which is similar to America. It’s one of the six Mediterranean climates in the world. There’s the new hospital, the three universities, the well-educated population, and >
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the food is amazing. But the thing we were really blown away by was the kindness and character of the South Australian people. We’re really proud to be a part of this community.’ Tom doesn’t completely discount my hesitation though. ‘The good news about Adelaide is there’s no bad press about Adelaide,’ he says. ‘The bad news is there’s no press about Adelaide.’ But Tom has been working on a venture he says will put the global spotlight on Adelaide and South Australia. So, what is this mysterious endeavor? The short answer is: Tom is working to position Adelaide as a global start-up hub. The longer answer requires some back-story ... After Tom chose South Australia as his home, the State Government approached him with the idea of putting together an international conference on innovation. However, once Tom had settled, he decided the conference would have to wait. ‘We needed more innovation,’ he says. ‘You have to walk your talk.’ South Australia may not have had the innovation, but a good start had been made. In 2006, 190 kilometers of optical-fiber was laid, connecting the three universities, SA Government and defense department. Known as SABRENet, the initiative creates ultra-high-speed-internet hubs to foster education and research. ‘It was totally serendipitous,’ says Tom. ‘They already had the infrastructure in place. So, I said, ‘Can you expand your charter to include innovation?’... And they did.’ Tom’s next step was to contact his American counterparts to see if Adelaide could partner with America’s US Ignite Smart Gigabit Communities Program, which is a growing network of American cities investing in ultra-high-speed-internet-technologies. In September 2016, he accompanied South Australian Minister for Innovation, Kyam Maher, to America to sign an MOU for Adelaide to be the first city outside of the US to join the program. Locally known as Gig City (www.gigcity.com. au), the project allows businesses, government and research institutes in ‘innovation precincts’ to use internet technologies offering speeds up to one hundred times faster than the national average and at least ten times the download speed of the NBN. The trip to America served as a useful fact-finding mission and did indeed include a visit to the White House. The transformative power of ultra-high-speed-internet was demonstrated in one of the cities they visited – Chattanooga. Traditionally reliant on manufacturing, by the early 2000s the river was polluted, the city had lost its manufacturing base and the economy was in shambles. In 2010, the state-owned electricity company took a gamble and became the first city in America to install fibre-optic cable. The gamble paid off handsomely, generating an estimated $1billion in economic benefit and approximately three thousand jobs up to 2015, attracting global companies such as Amazon and Volkswagen. Once described as the dirtiest city in America with zero capital investment, Chattanooga gained global attention for transforming into a dynamic start-up hub. Impressive for a city of under two- hundred-thousand people. Adelaide’s sister-city, Austin, followed suit and was recently ranked by the Kauffman Foundation as one of the most entrepreneurial cities in the world. Tom is convinced we can engage in some healthy sibling-rivalry. ‘We could join Austin in the innovation race,’ he tells me. ‘We have the enabling infrastructure, new connections to the other Gig Cities in America, and our time-zones connect to Asia.
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But we have to be smart. Government, industry and community have to hang together.’ Early signs are promising. The old Mitsubishi factory at Tonsley has been converted into an advanced-manufacturing and innovation hub with ultra-high-speed-internet. The number of people currently employed at the site exceeds the eight hundred employees who were employed under Mitsubishi, and that number is growing. Tech companies such as Microsoft and CISCO are investing in Adelaide. The State Budget has committed eighty million dollars to innovation, including a state-backed venture-capital fund. On top of this, the Federal government recently picked South Australia as home to an eighty nine billion dollar shipbuilding industry to upgrade the Australian Navy. I am feeling mildly remorseful for my curmudgeonly attitude but Tom is unrelenting. ‘Gig City breaks the tyranny of distance and could attract entrepreneurs and international investors who will have the unique opportunity to invest in bandwidth; heavy businesses in one of the most livable cities in the world,’ he enthuses. ‘Or they could live on the Fleurieu like us, less than an hour from the city, a couple of minutes’ walk to the beach and surrounded by wildlife. This is a magical part of the world, but it’s only just being discovered.’ Tom may well be right. In March this year, sustained global attention was turned towards South Australia, after billionaire entrepreneur Elon Musk tweeted he would help solve the State’s energy challenges by providing the world’s largest lithium ion battery in one hundred days or it’s free. South Australia took him up on the offer and, ever since, Adelaide and South Australia have been getting a lot of press. While the likes of Elon Musk aren’t yet settling on the Fleurieu, they’re certainly investing and they’re also visiting. Musk will return to Adelaide later this year for the International Astronautical Congress to detail his vision for a revised Mars mission. The Open State festival of innovation, collaboration, ideas and enterprise will also host an impressive group of international and local speakers; as will the Hybrid World festival focused on the digital economy and technologies. Tom recently signed a contract with the State Government to become the State’s first Chief Innovator. ‘Now, we’re walking the talk and we can start to celebrate innovation here,’ he says. ‘If you wrote a Disney movie, you couldn’t script this; receptive government at all levels, everyone motivated to do things quickly. All the pieces just fit. We have seized our opportunity to be on the world stage and we’re in the game now.’ Tom breaks off to throw his head back rapturously. ‘Look at that bird. Don’t you just love the birds?’ His reverie is broken when he spies a family of kangaroos in the adjoining paddock. Leaping up with startling agility, he bellows dramatically in the direction of a small vineyard where Paige is wrestling an irrigation system. ‘Where’s Roisin?’, he yells. ‘The Roos are about!’ Roisin, it turns out, is busily sniffing the breeze and leaps jubilantly into his lap. Tom settles back into his chair and looks around satisfied. ‘Honestly,’ he asks, ‘what would be the compelling reasons to not be here?’
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Boutique and unique Story by Annabel Bowles.
We have no shortage of beautiful things in McLaren Vale, and Kimberley McMurtrie’s intricate illustrations are among the best of them.
After asking Kimberley why she brands her name as ‘mc·mur·trie’, she tells me: ‘Funnily enough, many people don’t know how to pronounce it. So I’ve separated it into syllables as a playful grab at that, but also to make people pause and concentrate on the word, as I hope they do with my art.’
The twenty-four year old has drawn for as long as she can remember, but it was only a year ago that mc·mur·trie illustrations was born. While studying a Bachelor of Design (Visual Communication) at university, she created small commission pieces for friends among her assignments.
Mispronunciation of the McMurtrie name isn’t a common problem on the Fleurieu. Locals are quick to associate it with McMurtrie Mile, an iconic wine trail that runs along McMurtrie Road. The renowned road was in fact named after Kimberley’s family, who bought four–hundred acres of prime farmland in 1878. The house Kimberley lives in today was built on that very property by her great grandfather John McMurtrie. Kimberley believes her artistic flair comes from her father, Peter McMurtrie, who was a sign writer in his earlier days.
But Kimberley’s passion became something more than a hobby when RAW, an independent arts organisation, discovered her art and invited her to contribute to their 2016 Adelaide exhibition. From then on, Kimberley’s illustrations have bloomed into an exciting business venture. Kimberley draws inspiration from the abundance of flora and fauna in her surrounding landscape; the McLaren Vale region. Animals and flowers are often the main subject of her pieces, and her signature style is to contrast shades of grey with vivid colour. Her latest masterpiece, Floral Release, is an elaborate bouquet featuring local protea flowers, orchids, eucalyptus and olive leaves, and a single grey rose. Her illustrations are hand–drawn and coloured with graphite and Prismacolor pencils, which she describes as oily pencils with soft but saturated colour. She sells gift cards and framed prints of her work in a variety of sizes, and if you’re lucky enough, you may come across a rare original before someone else does. 68
Kimberley hasn’t yet marketed much of her art in the Fleurieu, as she wants it to attract attention without the familiarity of her name. And indeed it has. Floral Release won third place at the Blackwood Rotary Club Art Show earlier this year, beating around 450 other artists. She has also exhibited at many markets including Etsy Made Local, Gifted at Bowden, and Finders Keepers in Melbourne. Alongside illustrating, Kimberley works as a graphic designer four-days-a-week at KeyInvest, a financial and retirement service company. She has just introduced a large print of her Floral Release illustration into the Fleurieu Arthouse at Hardys Tintara Winery in McLaren Vale. A wider range of art can be purchased at Aster & Ivy in Tanunda and Clare’s Bloomers in Meadows, or through her online store: mcmurtrieillustrations.com.
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General Builder and Supervisor Project Manager
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S C A R PA N T O N I SERIOUS REGIONAL WINES MADE BY
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Above: The creative and bright interiors of the new Aldinga Library.
The heart of a community There are some towns and suburbs where the lifeblood of community pulses through the roads and the main street has an almost palpable heart-beat. The City of Onkaparinga calls the creation of this sense-of-community, placemaking. This inspiring philosophy has prompted the rejuvenation the Willunga and Aldinga’s town centres and generated a strong push to bring art into the everyday lives of residents. At its core, placemaking is about strengthening the connection between people and the places they share. It inspires people to collectively reimagine and reinvent public spaces as the heart of every community. Fleurieu Arthouse at McLaren Vale is one such initiative, supporting local artists to create and sell their work. ‘The idea is that artists can set up their practice on site, and sell from the same location as a shop front,’ says Mayor Lorraine Rosenberg. ‘This is about realising the economic potential of arts in our community, for the benefit of the artists themselves and the region as a whole.’ Local artists and business owners Anna Small and Warren Pickering will manage the Arthouse for the next three years. 70
There are other more transient artistic endeavours taking shape in the region. The intriguingly named Series of Unexpected Events will explore themes of surprise, wonder and play across the suburbs and towns. Nicknamed SUE, the events will be held between October 14 and 31 at twenty locations around the City of Onkaparinga. The project gathers together a group of artists, whose work involves performance and installation. Individually and together they will explore and celebrate the diversity of culture, community, geography, history and land in the area. SUE ultimately involves the creation of ten new works by eleven established local and national Australian artists, including Carli Angel, Valerie Berry, David Cross, Alison Currie, Nadia Cusimano, James Dodd, Ruby Dolman, Sara Morawetz, Tobiah Booth-Remmers, Henry Jock Walker and Meg Wilson. As part of the placemaking strategy, the City of Onkaparinga is also bringing creativity into areas that have not previously been considered artistic. It’s hoping to foster creative responses to climate change in the region by embedding artists in the Council’s Sustainability Team. Each year the Council offers eight artist-in-residence occupancies at its Sauerbier House artspace at Port Noarlunga. Two of them will spend twelve months collaborating with Council’s senior strategic planners, engineers, community relations staff, natural resource managers, and biodiversity specialists, who are working to prepare for climate change.
Top and bottom left: The development of Aldinga’s District Centre has given the town a community heart that supports social interaction and can also serve as a space to host events. Above right: The recently refurbished Sauerbier House artspace at Port Noarlunga.
The artists will also be given a unique insight into technical data which is being used to plan for climate change, such as urban heat mapping, flood mapping, 3D coastal modelling, tree canopy mapping and more. Council says the way the data is currently mapped is surprisingly beautiful in its own right and staff are excited about sharing it with the artists, exchanging ideas and seeing how the artists respond. All the residencies will conclude with an exhibition at Sauerbier House, on the banks of the Onkaparinga River or Ngangkiparingga. Expressions of Interest are open until October 27 and the residencies are programmed to begin in July 2018. Perhaps the biggest focus of the placemaking philosophy however is creating ‘active, diverse, destinations’, where townships and centres are hubs for gathering, shopping and entertainment. With this vision in mind, the Council has spent more than five and a half million dollars transforming the Aldinga District Centre. The development includes a new main street Central Way and town square, a larger modern library with a customer service centre and an expanded Aldinga Studio 20 Youth Centre. ‘The development has given Aldinga an active community heart that better supports social interaction and economic development,’ says Mayor Rosenberg. ‘The centrally located town square is a flexible civic space that provides opportunities for the community and visitors to play, relax, be entertained and share new experiences.’
It is in the new town square that the focus on placemaking and public art is clearly evident, creating a destination that encourages people to stay and spend time. The area is already being well used, with a dramatic increase in the number of visitors to the new library and council customer service space. The new Central Way is also home to a market on the fourth Sunday of each month, run by the Aldinga Bay Business and Tourism Association. A large-scale revitalisation of the Willunga main street precinct is also currently underway. The project addresses renewal and maintenance issues, reduces traffic speeds, improves connections for pedestrians at intersections and key locations across High Street and Main Road and encourages High Street as a destination. It will also increase opportunities for alfresco dining and socialising and will enhance and promote historical features through storytelling and interpretation. The official opening of the revitalised Willunga main street precinct will be held on October 21 with a street party in the town’s High Street named Spring into Willunga. The community event will be a collaboration between the City of Onkaparinga, Willunga Businesses and Tourism Association, Willunga Markets and High Street Traders. Deadline for expressions of interest for the Sauerbier House artist in residence program is 27 October, 2017. The Series of Unexpected Events (SUE) will appear out of nowhere between October 14 and 31. Keep your eyes peeled.
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Above: Rojina McDonald Park preparing for her cookbook launch. Photo courtesy of Ellen Heather.
Faces and food of the Fleurieu When Rojina McDonald Park returned home to the Fleurieu after a sojourn in France, she had a vision to further establish the Fleurieu as a leading Australian agritourism destination, through a regional cookbook. She created the concept of Faces and Food of the Fleurieu, which would showcase local producers, culinary artisans, businesses, and products through luscious photos and delicious recipes. After escaping a career in retail to chase her foodie dreams, Rojina began a cupcake business in 2012 and completed a patisserie scholarship at London’s Le Cordon Bleu in 2013. During her time abroad, Rojina realised the value of the Fleurieu’s fine ingredients and quality produce. Four-years-on and Rojina’s back on home ground, raising a healthy family, and continues to feel driven to share the warmth and nourishment of the Fleurieu through a culinary publication. ‘This unique region deserves to be recognised for its beauty and the richness of its land, sea, people and produce,’ says Rojina. ‘I want to see it sustained for future generations and to invite foodies all over the world to share in our bounty.’ Rojina says her Faces and Food of the Fleurieu project will support local business and drive tourism by promoting regional products 72
through the stories of local farmers, fishermen, producers, and chefs. Each identity will be thoughtfully showcased, along with their signature recipes and cooking tips. Some of the people featured include Karena Armstrong from the Salopian Inn, Ulli from Bd Farm Paris Creek, Ian Shaw from Ellis Butchers, Gregory and Ali from Soul Vine Café at Port Elliot, Juliet Michel from The Australasian at Goolwa, Simon Burr at the Olfactory Inn at Strathalbyn and the famous Willunga Farmers Market, just to name a few. A tantalising tapestry of flavour, the hardcover cookbook is set to be published and distributed Australia-wide from mid 2018. With an estimated retail value of $39.99, the book is designed as a keepsake for purchasers and is unrivalled in its genre. So far this project has been privately funded by Rojina. Photography and design processes are well underway and the project is now seeking local support of twenty-thousand-dollars to cover the inaugural print run. Rojina is launching the project via a crowdfunding platform in October to raise the much needed funds. Donors can choose to pre-order a copy of the book, buy a ticket to the launch party, or simply make a financial contribution. Follow Rojina’s social media sites to stay in the know about this exciting piece of gastronomic history. For more details ‘Like’ and ‘Follow’: https://www.facebook.com/rojinamcdonaldpark/ https://www.instagram.com/facesandfoodofthefleurieu/
Cellar Door Open 11am – 4pm (closed Tue & Wed)
Ph: 8323 8288 182 Olivers Road, McLaren Vale. www.zerellawines.com.au South Seas Books & Trading is an independent bookshop in Port Elliot. The shop is a welcoming space where people can browse the shelves for the latest books at their leisure, meet friends for a coffee or shop for a unique gift. As well as books we also have stationary, presents for children, ceramics, art and other appealing gifts. We have a wide selection of literature and good reading for all ages as well as a range of eclectic art and design books. Monday to Saturday 10.00am to 5.00pm Sundays and public holidays 11.00am to 4.00pm Closed Tuesdays 53 North Terrace Port Elliot P 8554 2301.
SMILING SAMOYED BREWERY Thursday 12 noon - 4pm Friday, Saturday and Sunday 11am - 6pm and Public Holidays 12noon - 4pm Open every day during school holidays (except Christmas Day and Good Friday) Live music every Sunday 1pm - 4pm Hansen Street, Myponga. Telephone 8558 6166 bookings@smilingsamoyed.com.au www.smilingsamoyed.com.au Craft Beer • Delicious Food · Friendly Atmosphere · Fabulous Functions
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Pilates (equipment and mat classes) Back and neck pain Post-operative rehabilitation Headaches and dizziness Osteoarthritis Sporting Injuries in children and adults Muscle and joint pain and injuries Chronic pain Work place injuries Massage Therapy and Podiatry 39 North Tce Pt Elliot SA 5212 Tel: (08) 8554 2530 www.ptelliotphysio.com.au
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FOOD & WINE
Above: Fabian Lehmann, chef at Maxwell Wines’ cellar door restaurant.
From Europe with love
Ellie Jones meets Maxwell Wines’ acclaimed chef Fabian Lehmann Photographs by Heidi Linehan.
Maxwell Wines’ acclaimed chef Fabian Lehmann is a man who believes in following his heart. It was his heart — indeed meeting his now fiancé — that brought him all the way from Europe to Australia. And once he landed, Fabian fell in love all over again … with the vast, brown land he now calls home. I meet the German-born chef at the picturesque Maxwell Restaurant, at the McLaren Vale cellar door. He’s worked there as Head Chef for about eighteen months and is clearly as besotted with it as he was on the day he began. The sun is shining over the vineyards and Fabian is eager to show me what is very likely the thing he loves most about the Maxwell estate; an underground cave carved out of limestone known as the Lime Cave. Inside the one-hundred-year-old cave grows an abundance of mushrooms; currently King Browns, Yellow Oysters and Shiitakes, that the restaurant harvests in five kilogram loads each week. The mushrooms are the star ingredient in one of Fabian’s signature dishes and are a staple on the restaurant’s menu. The Lime Cave mushrooms are one of many small details that make dining at the restaurant such a unique experience. Recently, the Olivers Road establishment has undergone an impressive renovation, led by father and son partnership Mark and Jeremy Maxwell. Fabian’s passion for the restaurant is obvious; when he starts to talk about food and his profession, a smile slowly spreads across his face. ‘As a chef, you need people to trust you,’ Fabian tells me. ‘You want 74
people to eat what you create. The last year of my apprenticeship in a Michelin Star kitchen (in a German hotel) shaped me the most. You learn how to be very precise. Basically you learn how to respect food. Everything you do, do it perfectly. Take your time.’ Fabian’s pursuit of perfection was further instilled during his decade-long career in fine dining restaurants across Europe, including Michelin Star restaurant ‘Oro’ by Terje Ness. He has also worked in Oslo, Frankfurt, and Qualia on Hamilton Island. He says the quality of produce in Australia, and especially on the Fleurieu Peninsula, is second to none. ‘I get inspired just from daily life, but especially from this area,’ says Fabian. ‘I find it stunning and I discover new things everyday. The beetroot here is totally different from the beetroot back at home. Dill back there doesn’t taste like dill here. And I’m discovering all these new fish species, like Kingfish, which to me is very interesting.’ Fabian is so committed to using seasonal produce, he’ll change the menu up to three times a season to ensure local flavours are celebrated. ‘I want people to sit down, relax and let us take care of them. Enjoy wine, enjoy food,’ he says. ‘We pair (wine and food) very well together. It takes a lot of time and planning but I just really like to make someone’s day. We are a special occasion restaurant and it’s nice when people choose you. They have a reason to celebrate and you’re part of it.’ As we leave the cool depths of the cave and walk back up to the restaurant, I ask Fabian about his aspirations. He’s a modest man and won’t give much away about his past successes or future dreams. He is however, happy to expand on his passion for local produce. ‘We have started a veggie garden and have plans to start raising chickens too,’ he tells me. ‘You have to find your feet slowly, step by step.’
Venison Tartare with Tarragon Mayonnaise and Cured Egg Yolk Serves 4 Cured egg yolks: 150g sugar 50g smoked paprika powder
Tarragon mayonnaise: 2 egg yolks 50 ml vinegar 100g mustard 300ml tarragon oil pinch of salt
4 egg yolks Mix salt, sugar and paprika. Separate yolk from egg whites and place the yolks in a shallow bowl. Cover yolks with salt, sugar and paprika, mix and store in fridge for three days. Rinse the cured yolks, and dehydrate in oven on 65 degrees until dry, approx overnight.
Blend vinegar, mustard and yolks until smooth. Slowly add oil while whisking to emulsify. Season to taste. Venison tartare: 500g venison finely diced 1 shallot finely diced chives chopped finely salt flakes Gently combine the venison and shallots, adding salt and chives to taste. Serve as pictured and garnish by finely grating the cured egg yolks over the top along with fresh tarragon, chervil, baby radish and dill. 75
FOOD & WINE
Grenache
Before the 1960s Grenache was the most widely planted grape in Australia, mainly for use in fortified wines and blends. In McLaren Vale, it has recently reclaimed its place as one of the great varieties and is used to make a range of wines from perfumed, lifted styles to plush and opulent ones full of power and structure. The combination of ancient soils and hundred-plus-year-old vines makes the McLaren Vale region’s Grenache some of the best in the world.
CHAPEL HILL
LA CURIO WINES
GEDDES WINES
KAY BROTHERS
OLIVER’S TARANGA
Chapel Hill 2014 Bush Vine Grenache
La Curio 2012 Reserve Grenache
Geddes 2015 Seldom Inn Grenache
Kay Brothers 2016 Basket Pressed Grenache
Oliver’s Taranga 2015 Grenache
In every glass of this old bush
La Curio was established in
Life without Grenache is
A soft, elegant wine that pairs
Grenache was one of the
vine Grenache you can taste
2003 by Adam Hooper, with
boring. To understand wine
beautifully with food, our
first varieties planted on
the history of the McLaren
a company focus of crafting a
you must drink it. I want every
Grenache is rapidly becoming
the Taranga Vineyard in the
Vale region. These low-
range of boutique wines from
wine to taste amazing. As a
a firm favourite among our
1840s and is still much loved
yielding vines result in small
the Vale. The 2012 Reserve
winemaker being salubrious
supporters. Planted on the
today. Old bush vines create
berries with thick skins, which
Grenache features two, one-
is an occupational hazard.
eastern facing slope below
a magical-mixture of red
deliver bright fruit flavours and
hundred-year-old plus bush
Wine should provoke thought
the winery, our Grenache
fruits, spice and earthiness.
a rustic savoury texture. Our
vine blocks. This Grenache
and if you don’t try new things
enjoys a sunny aspect,
This wine is light on its feet,
Grenache is hand-harvested,
is a product of small-batch
you will become boring, static
often tempered by a cooling
but with plenty of flavour and
open-fermented with gentle
fermentation, with the
and repetitive. The skill of
afternoon breeze. Fermented
structure. At long-last, the
plunging, basket-pressed,
inclusion of thirty per cent
wine making can be taught
in the original opentop
region is seeing a resurgence
and clarified naturally. It
whole-bunch component,
but the addition of character
fermenters, the Grenache
in Grenache, and there has
spends nineteen months in a
before basket-pressing and
is something you either have
spends a short time in large
never been a better time
hundred-percent French oak.
grooming in French oak for
or you don’t. Be aware of who
oak barrels. The result is an
to enjoy it. Drink Grenache
It is full-bodied with aromas of
twenty eight months. La
actually makes your wine.
elegant, juicy Grenache with a
with wood oven pizza, a
geddeswines.com.au
bright sweet/savoury palate.
charcuterie plate, and
kaybrothersamerywines.com
your friends.
raspberry, black cherry and spice. In a word: delicious. chapelhillwine.com.au
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Curio wines are available at ‘The Confessional’ cellar door in McLaren Vale. theconfessional.com.au
www.oliverstaranga.com
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Drink in the fabulous views Smell the salty air Eat our local fare Enjoy casual seaside dining
Red Poles Restaurant / Cellar Door / Art Gallery / B&B Delight all of your senses ... We are the cellar door for Brick Kiln wines and Vale Ale craft beer. Live acoustic music every Sunday 12.30-3.30pm. Open Wed-Sun 9-5. 190 McMurtrie Rd McLaren Vale. Ph : 08 8323 8994 / 0417 814 695 redpoles@redpoles.com.au/www.redpoles.com.au
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Above: Head of Junior School John Dow helping the children connect with nature.
The changing nature of play Story by Nina Keath. Photography by Deb Saunders. I am standing in one of Tatachilla Lutheran College’s newest ‘classrooms’. The space is light-filled and airy, the temperature perfect and the setting designed to accommodate the varied needs of the junior school students. Those with learning difficulties and anxiety seem to do particularly well here. The subjects covered include all the STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths) foundations, as well as softer skills like collaboration and lateral thinking. Only one year since its inception, the new classroom is having a demonstrably positive effect on learning outcomes and student behaviour, which is not bad for a space that cost the school barely a dollar. I’m talking about the winter creek at the far edge of the school grounds, nestled under a cluster of shady trees perfect for climbing. Previously considered an occupational health and safety hazard and out-of-bounds, a change in thinking and culture saw the abandoned space opened up and embraced to become what is now a prized and hugely popular learning space. Head of the Junior School, John Dow, explains they allowed students into the space in the middle of last year to enable them 78
to connect with nature and to play in an independent, self-directed and collaborative manner. ‘To me this is the heart of the school,’ he says. ‘When the children are down here, it’s like they have a bubble of imagination around them and I’m careful not to interrupt their play and pop it.’ Nature Play and STEM Play are the latest ‘buzz words’ in education, due to mounting evidence about their importance for healthy emotional and intellectual development. However, the changing nature of modern life has limited the capacity of an increasing number of children to engage in such play. John is a passionate advocate, but does concede that Nature Play and Stem Play are now a ‘thing’. ‘It used to just be called play,’ he says. As simple and obvious as the idea of play for children may seem, a prevailing risk management culture in schools has resulted in many losing or restricting the slightly wild spaces that would offer their students such valuable self-directed learning. As part of the school’s shift back to a nature-based play approach, Tatachillla senior school students studying towards a TAFE certificate in construction, built the younger students a ‘ruin’ and a ‘mud
Above left: Materials for play are kept in the ‘Bee Hotel’ Top right: Interesting student creations are interspersed in the landscape. Bottom right: When the children explore the nature play areas, they have a ‘bubble of imagination’ around them. They employ skills like teamwork, problem solving, strategy and compromise in their learning.
‘Our view of the child really impacts the way that we treat them and the opportunities we give them. If you see them as being capable, you’ll give them more opportunities.’
kitchen’, which have become hives of industrious activity during play time. Mud parmigiana and mud muffins were the most popular items on the menu the week I visited! The school has also provided an impressive pile of sticks and small logs; building materials for an ever-growing shanty town amongst the pine trees. Not content with sticks alone, the children have shown great entrepreneurship by mining limestone from the creek and engaging in complex marketing and bartering arrangements to trade sticks for stones … so far without any broken bones!
The introduction of sticks, stones and mud into the children’s play was not without some initial nervousness on the part of the school, but those fears have been allayed after seeing how well the children are able to follow rules and work as a group. ‘I strongly believe in the capacity of children to direct their learning and to be self-determined in leadership and in having a voice’, says John. ‘Our view of the child really impacts the way that we treat them and the opportunities we give them. If you see them as being capable, you’ll give them more opportunities.’
This focussed and intensive play has provided opportunities for developing skills such as teamwork, problem solving, strategy and compromise, as well as informal maths involving counting, estimation and measurement. Building also brings in the design and engineering skills required to assess balance, strength and load bearing capacity. ‘We’re talking about six year olds,’ says John. ‘So, it’s maths, physics and engineering at a really early stage.’ But the evidence shows this early play-based work is vitally important for later development. And the children love it.
Sometimes these opportunities do need to be managed. On my tour of the creek, we come across a child-built dam that has employed such effective engineering techniques that the dam has filled, overflowed and flooded into the neighbouring property. ‘There’s a bit of STEM happening there whether we like it or not,’ laughs John ruefully. ‘We might have to have a chat with them about the consequences of their design and technology decisions!’ This brings John to a central tenet of his teaching philosophy; that learning should always be undertaken with a higher purpose in mind. ‘Learning is not for its own sake,’ he says. > 79
Above: Opening the creek has offered a great opportunity for the children to get creative and learn through play.
‘We want our students to ask, ‘I’ve learnt this so what can I do with it and how can I serve society with the knowledge that I have gathered?’ In this spirit, the school has embraced the growing body of research around the importance of nature play and connection to the environment to inform a master planning process that is currently underway. The goal is that as new buildings and school initiatives arise, and old buildings are renovated, they will be optimised to be more responsive to the environment. First up will be a new reception learning centre, designed to accommodate an expansion from two reception classes to three, scheduled to open in 2018. ‘The new centre will be oriented to capture all the lovely northern light and views,’ explains John. ‘It will have wide doors opening onto the environment and sheltered outdoor spaces. So, if a child needs a bit of a break from the classroom, you can open the doors and supervise them outside. And you know, isn’t that what we love? The alfresco lifestyle! Children can work and learn at a desk, but they can also do it sitting outside in the sunshine.’ Or, it would seem, sitting half way up a tree or on a muddy bank by a winter creek.
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Only one year since its inception, the new classroom is having a demonstrably positive effect on learning outcomes and student behaviour, which is not bad for a space that cost the school barely a dollar.
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PENINSULA PEOPLE
TRAILBLAZERS: Corrina Wright meets
The generous gardener Photograph by Deb Saunders.
Walking into Di Bickford’s Bickleigh Vale Farm in McLaren Vale feels like entering a secret garden. The property is enveloped by every of shade of green and growth abounds wherever the eye falls. Creeping fingers of a vine are slowly occupying a wall of the old dairy and the air is filled by the fresh scents of soil, vegetation and flowers. There are few straight lines on the property. A fence of old fallen logs refuses to adhere to any strict boundary and the shedding has a similar air of non-compliance; it’s created from tree trunks clad in corrugated iron. There’s an odd shaped window here, a curling verandah there, and a collection of pot plants tucked into a corner. Think The Secret Garden crossed with The Shire from J. R. R. Tolkein’s epic Lord of the Rings trilogy. I certainly feel grounded here … and very close to Mother Earth. Di Bickford came to gardening later in life, following in the footsteps of her mother, who had a small dairy and country garden nursery from the late 1960s. In her earlier years, Di was ‘bitten hard by the horse bug’, spending twenty-two years in Nairne managing thoroughbred stud ‘Piney Ridge’. During this time, Di wanted to move towards self-sufficiency and she planted a vegetable garden and began collecting seeds. Di then spent time working in palliative care, where the ideology of growing her own food organically began taking solid root. The strong relationship between organics, nutrition, health and wellbeing, specifically sparked Di’s interest and began to infiltrate her lifestyle. By this stage, Di was growing a lot of her own food organically and in the year 2000, she made the move back to Bickleigh Vale Farm. Di was at a bit of a crossroads, not sure what would be her next career move. Around the same time Di’s friend Zannie Flanagan was conceiving what was to become the Willunga Farmers Market. This gave Di the confidence to begin growing seedlings to sell to market customers, and so, six months after the market began in 2001, Bickleigh Vale Farm became a permanent stall holder. Di hasn’t looked back. ‘I believe I owe the Willunga market such a debt of gratitude, as I would have never taken on the big seedling producers without the opportunity to have a stall there,’ she says. ‘It really gave me my new start.’
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As a small seedling producer, Di was able to differentiate her offerings and provide seedlings for lesser known vegetables. ‘When I first started producing kale seedlings no-one knew what they were or how to use kale,’ she says. ‘How that has changed, because kale is now one of my most requested vegetables!’ The Adelaide Farmers’ Market was the next outlet for Di’s seedlings, and she had to double production to keep up with demand. Given the constant turnover of seedlings and their short life span, Di’s week days were spent preparing for the weekend markets. Soon she needed more assistance on the farm. ‘We are all like Di’s little seedlings,’ muses young grower Kate Washington, who honed her craft working at Bickleigh Vale under Di’s tutelage and mentorship. Keitha Young, the co-ordinator of the Seed Freedom Food Festival, agrees. ‘One of Di’s greatest gifts is what she has done for many of us young growers,’ she says. ‘Di has given us a place to learn, her time, her contagious passion and the privilege to work with the earth.’ Di noticed there was a growing interest in organic farming, but that a network of support and information transfer was lacking. Di wanted to fill this education gap. She was instrumental in bringing icons of the national and international small-scale intensive organic farm community to the region, to conduct workshops. Knowing the ‘huge value in just being able to talk to someone doing the same thing’, Di instigated the formation of a network of young growers in the region. These gatherings of local growers became a hotbed of ideas and discussion, of hands-on learning and mentoring, of trials, challenges and solutions, all wrapped up with a shared meal. Kate Washington was the 2015 recipient of the Willunga Farmers Market Young Farmers Scholarship, and she credits Di for giving her confidence to set up her own farm. So much so, that she set up VIVE Farm right around the corner from Di on Sand Road in McLaren Vale. Kate was well aware that she had little to no experience in growing food, but her passion for organic farming was blooming, and in Di she found a kindred spirit and mentor. When I ask Di about her mentoring role, she is humble. ‘I really draw from their enthusiasm and keenness,’ she says.‘They have so much energy and passion, it’s infectious!’ ‘We say that Bickleigh Vale Farm is a magic portal and Di is at the centre of it,’ Keitha tells me. ‘I will be forever grateful for the many opportunities, connections and gateways knowing her has opened up for me.’ Legendary Salopian Inn chef Karena Armstrong agrees. ‘Di’s support of our kitchen garden has been key and she is incredibly generous with her time, knowledge and resources. Di is the embodiment of community.’
Above: Di Bickford at her Bickleigh Vale Farm. 83
Going loco
Story by Petra de Mooy. Photography by Angela Lisman.
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Previous page: Delicious cocktails and mocktails on offer at Loco. Above: The meats are marinated, smoked and braised for twelve hours to infuse a unique and delicious flavour into the food.
Kirsten and Simon Pitman’s move to the Southern Fleurieu was a bit of an accident. At the time, Simon was an area manager for Coca Cola and was given the option to relocate. There were a few areas to choose from, but the couple decided Victor Harbor was the best, because of its proximity to Adelaide, where they had been living and where Kirsten worked. Within a short time, they grew attached to the seaside lifestyle and decided to make their move to Victor Harbor a permanent one. That was almost two decades ago and today Kirsten and Simon have reinvented themselves as a strong and creative duo in the Southern Fleurieu’s food scene. Their newest venture, a colourful Mexican family-friendly restaurant called Loco in Victor Habor’s busy Ocean Street, is proving a hit with locals and tourists alike. The centrepiece of the upstairs, lightfilled room is the bar, made from recycled timber. Surrounding it are colourful decorations and quirky signage festooning the walls. The aroma of smoked meats and salsa music creates an authentic Latin atmosphere.
The couple has owned the property since 2013, when it was a run down Chinese restaurant, in desperate need of some TLC. They gutted the interior and transformed it into a modern tapas and cocktail bar called HarBar. With a fantastic chef and menu, the locals loved it, but Kirsten and Simon saw that the high end focus on cocktails did not embrace their family friendly and food focused ethos. Kirsten and Simon, who met at high school, had bought their first restaurant Nino Solari’s Pizzeria soon after their move to the Fleurieu. Simon had met the much-loved Nino through his work with Coca Cola and when the opportunity to buy the renowned establishment came up, the couple took the plunge. Simon had previous hospitality experience, but with their first weekend of trading starting on Good Friday, they found themselves in the deep end. ‘We had no idea what we were getting ourselves into and at the end of that weekend we were in shock, but we have learned and evolved a lot along the way,’ says Kirsten. Seventeen years on, Nino’s is still going strong and what the couple love about it is the restaurant’s place in the hearts of almost everyone who enjoyed sun-filled family holidays in the region. They wanted their latest venture to offer the same warmth and hospitality. ‘I was standing in the restaurant one morning thinking about what the next stage of this evolution would be,’ says Kirsten. She looked at the eclectic interior and colourful window frames and the idea of Mexican popped into her head. >
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FOOD & WINE
‘We wanted to create something that would surprise and challenge people, but still keep our focus on what visitors and locals want – really good food in a happy relaxed environment,’
Above left: Generous portions and fresh delicious ingredients are a winning combo. Top right: Kirsten and Simon Pitman. Bottom right: Cook Chelsea Robb (grey sweater) and friends enjoying the fruits of her labour in the colourful surrounds of Loco.
It wasn’t hard to transform the space and within a short time, a few design changes were made, a new menu was developed and a designated play zone for the kids created. With Simon controlling two busy kitchens, the couple has also employed young and enthusiastic cook Chelsea Robb. Chelsea had worked at a few local restaurants starting off with desserts and working her way up through the ranks in the kitchen, learning from some good chefs and developing a real passion for cooking. She has a head full of great ideas and is bursting to show her talent in the kitchen. Mexican is a new challenge for her and she has researched and developed her skills to embrace high quality, fresh and exciting food. Chelsea is excited to be working with new ingredients and improving her skills under Simon’s watchful eye. ‘What I love about Loco is that everything is fresh and made from scratch, using lots of local ingredients,’ she says. ‘It is all about the flavour.’ 86
The meats are marinated, smoked and braised for twelve hours, to infuse a unique and delicious flavour into the food. Chelsea also makes the ice creams from scratch and incorporates regular specials and desserts. ‘We wanted to create something that would surprise and challenge people, but still keep our focus on what visitors and locals want – really good food in a happy relaxed environment,’ says Kirsten. The feedback has been amazing and indeed the restaurant is often booked out with multiple repeat visits from the same customers. And the word is getting out, with Adelaide and interstate visitors coming on the weekends and booking ahead to ensure a seat. The food is fresh, healthy and delicious and is sophisticated enough for the adult palate, but is still winning over the kids who are free to go a little ‘Loco’ in the playroom, leaving the family to enjoy a great night out without the stress.
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A stepping stone
to reconciliation Story by Stephanie Johnson. Photography by Angela Lisman.
Previous page: On the day these photos were taken, we were spoiled by the true beauty mother nature can deliver with a rainbow. Above: The Culture Shack.
L50K is a magical parcel of land, reconciling two very different parts of the region’s story ... and creating an entirely new chapter of hope and discovery. I first discover Lot 50 Kanyanyapilla (as it’s formally known) when my walking group takes a tour, after one of our regular Friday morning walks. Owner, artist and cultural geographer Gavin Malone greets us at Lorrie’s Hut, the entry to his property. The lightly-built shed and verandah is the setting for annual open days, open evenings and private gatherings. Donated by a family member in Canberra, it’s the first in a series of lightly-treading architectural expressions conceived by Gavin to create focal points and flexible-functionspaces in the landscape. It quickly becomes clear to me that L50K is both a place and a project. In 1993, an archaeological survey of the forty-acre site, (half of a colonial eighty-acre section), revealed Aboriginal campsite artefacts over most of the property. This lead to a heritage listing, which saved the ancient dune system from mining. Today, pre-and post-settlement artefacts are being collected and housed in another
recycled construction; The Culture Shack, which also displays contemporary artworks. Gavin picks out scrapers and spearheads made from both stone and glass, and tells us that research being conducted by archaeologist Keryn Walshe will likely confirm L50K to be the richest post-contact artefact site in Adelaide. It is a truly beautiful piece of land. The gently undulating ground slopes upwards from the creek and reed swamp, to a sandy hilltop. Here the Sandhill Shelter, a cantilever shelter built of native pine with copper detailing, offers expansive views with the familiar backdrop of the Willunga ranges. Back down the slope, tree logs delineate the Dendro Theatre, a natural amphitheatre with a reed bed as backcloth. Gavin envisages summer outdoor performances will be held there, and he’s working on improving the quality of the grass underfoot. Nearby, the timber Swamp Deck, another import from Canberra, works a a viewing platform on the edge of the reed swamp and looks out towards the Maslin Creek valley. Lot 50 Kanyanyapilla is not just to be enjoyed during daylight hours. There is a renovated wooden-floored trailer, which serves as a portable sleeping deck, so visitors can engage with the night sky, observe moon cycles and sleep outdoors. The land has probably been used in such a way for thousands of years. ‘To manage the land you need to first of all understand its history’, declares Gavin. >
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PENINSULA PEOPLE
Top: Dendro Theatre backdrop, Bottom left: Pepper Tree Corner, Bottom right: Cultural Geographer Gavin Malone.
He tells us the ancient campground was likely occupied by Kaurna people for up to seven-thousand years. In recent years, it was abandoned and, when Gavin acquired the property in 2015, it was a mess of neglected pasture and weeds. With the help of relevant authorities and an expert peer group, Gavin prepared a land management plan. Early maps, paintings and written records informed the process, and the plan adopts a bicultural approach to management that recognises the practises and traditions of both Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal people. An informal community support group assists with implementing the plan, including weeding and the planting of 3500 seedlings. Gavin shares his property with the Kaurna family clan he recognises as the senior custodians of the region. Members of the Williams clan, including elder Georgina Williams, and her son Karl Telfer, enjoy full access to L50K and advise on cultural matters. They have been involved in tree plantings, cultural education
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camps, research, performance and simple relaxation. Under Karl’s guidance, and with the help of family and friends, a traditional wodli shelter was constructed. I meet Georgina Williams at a lunch hosted by Gavin and his partner Susan Schuller, at their new house in the Aldinga Arts Eco Village. The gathering typifies the L50K project. Among the guests is Lisa Harms, a visual artist who works with Georgina on cultural regeneration projects. Another guest is Chester Schultz, who is meticulously documenting and referencing the linguistic and historical records of Kaurna names in an area that stretches from Gawler to the Fleurieu. Chester’s wife Liz also joins us. Chester explains the origins of the Kaurna name for Lot 50. Kanyanyapilla is not a new name, but rather the name recorded during the initial surveying of the Willunga basin in 1839 by Louis Piesse, surveyor’s assistant. Missionary and linguist Clamor Schürmann also recorded the name when he camped there on
Top left: Lorrie’s Hut. Top right: Polly the horse was inherited by Gavin when he bought the land. Bottom left: Sandhill Shelter. Bottom right: Remnants.
a journey to Encounter Bay with Kaurna man Wauwitpinna, and Protector of Aborigines Matthew Moorhouse. According to Chester, Kanyanyapilla has different possible meanings depending on how it is deciphered linguistically. He says it can mean ‘place of many camp ovens,’ ‘two crowds or heaps,’ ‘two lots of rocks,’ and ‘a multitude of eagles’. Gavin confirms it was indeed a well-used camping place with numerous camp ovens, and that wedge tail eagles were common in the area. ‘Three were observed above Kanyanyapilla in November 2015,’ he says, pointing out how Kaurna place names help to connect the fragments of culture, history and landscape. Many names have been misinterpreted, and those mistakes have been perpetuated over time, adds Chester, whose work aims to set the record straight. Georgina has spent a lifetime trying to recover and renew the ancestor’s story of spirit lore in the language and in the landscape. She learned about what remained of the ‘old culture’ with elders on the mission at Point Pearce on the Yorke Peninsula where she
grew up. She tells of the dispossessed Kaurna people who were moved there in 1894, when the Poonindie Mission near Port Lincoln closed. Later, when studying at the Aboriginal Community College at Brougham Place in the early 1970s, she began to realise that the material was there to revive the sleeping Kaurna language of her father’s ancestors, and how important that would be for rebuilding the cultural and linguistic identity of Kaurna people. Georgina describes how she ‘chose’ Gavin when seeking out a male artist to help with the Tjirbruki Gateway. It was 1996, and Gavin’s handwritten application spoke to her, triggering their unique journey of reconciliation. A lifetime agitating for Kaurna spiritual and cultural renewal has seen Georgina evolve from ‘an angry wildfella’ to ‘a mellowed wildfella,’ laughs Gavin. Together they are making sure that the place-cum-project that is L50K changes our collective imagination of both ‘the long’ Aboriginal history and the continuing shared ‘short’ history of the Fleurieu region.
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An unlikely band of bro’wers Story and photographs by Neil Charter.
Above: The GOLFS heading out for a morning row.
While most self-respecting humans are enjoying their warm beds and fluffy doonas, a clandestine group of Goolwa gentlemen is braving near freezing temperatures at an ungodly hour. But the camaraderie that sparks when these men come together, creates a warmth that thaws the chilliest of hearts. They’re known, impolitely, as the Goolwa Ol’ Farts (GOLFS) and more politely as The Goolwa Scullers and I’ve been invited to join them on a morning training run. Whilst a weekend warrior of Goolwa myself and a keen paddler of another species, this is a foray into the unknown for me. There are currently eight members of this band of bro’wers, with a combined age of 620 years. They row anything from single to quad sculls and pairs. And they’re certainly not amateurs. As-wellas restoring and maintaining eighteen superb, sleek, sculling craft, they hold many impressive awards, including gold medals at past Australian, State and Masters Games. Within their ranks are former ocean swimmers, Masters Games triathletes, noted school and State level rowing coaches of enviable achievement, retired businessmen, a Vietnam Veteran and even a captain of the Kangaroo Island Ferry. At ninety years of age, Frank Skuce is the oldest ‘Ol’ Fart’. He is the aforementioned ferry captain and unquestionably the most
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mischievous of the group. Frank was also the one that bailed furiously as the lovingly restored ‘Miss Kay’ sank in the 2009 Goolwa Wooden Boat Festival, while cries of ‘dive, dive, dive’ rang from the nose of the boat and ‘bail Frank, bail, bail…’ from amidships. Frank continued to frantically bail, even when the other crewmembers casually stepped out onto a sandbank. As we sit around a dusty old table, surrounded by rowing paraphernalia, story after story unravels, with much chuckling and laughter. I realise this is just a naughty bunch of schoolboys, who are now well and truly grown up, but are still telling tales for their own amusement. The GOLFS have created what many men seek today; a sense of balance and happiness in their lives. Their clubrooms are their ‘mancave’, a place where they can be themselves and relish the company of likeminded friends. The comfort these men take from each other, despite their frequent spars, tells of a fondness and a bond that is as watertight as the hulls of their craft. At fifty-four years old I am some eleven years from qualifying for entry and even then, there is no guarantee I’ll be welcomed. I am informed very seriously, but with wry smiles, that entry to this rather exclusive brotherhood involves ‘undergoing a comprehensive investigation into one’s suitability’.
Top left: Barry Pearse. Bottom left: Frank Skuce. Top right: Michael Jenkins Maurice Elkin and David England. Bottom right: Beyond their craft, what holds this group of men together is the camaraderie, collective knowledge, skills and commitment to rowing and each other.
‘Brownie’ otherwise known as Ian Brown is the newest and youngest member. He’s an articulate man, who retired to Goolwa after running a retail business in the city. When I ask Brownie how he became a GOLF, he tells me that one morning he saw what he thought was ‘a lone, forlorn and sad character’ rowing past his house. Walking to the end of his riverside jetty, he called out to the focused rower and so began a friendship with GOLFS member Michael Jenkins. I’m still curious to know what drew Brownie to rowing and he explains it simply; ‘I sat in an office all my life. Now I just love being out there.’ One of the more senior GOLFS members Maurice Elkin is ill when I visit the clubhouse and I can sense the group feels incomplete without his presence. Rowing sculls is a unique sport in that you can work alone, or as a team, depending on your inclination. But I realise that beyond their craft, what holds this group of men together is the camaraderie, collective knowledge, skills and commitment to rowing and each other. It’s obvious that despite all the banter and frivolity, there’s a serious side to the group. A cornerstone that drives each member is their desire to improve, despite their ever increasing years.
Bob Russell (aka Sprout) is a man the group considers the task force behind its training. When he talks the GOLFS listen. Their manner immediately changes to one of intent as Bob explains the need to relax, focus on timing and the person in front of them, feel the rhythm, connect with the water and feel the craft pull away on the glide. He describes the importance of the ‘catch’, the ‘drive’ and the ‘finish’ of the blades’ stroke and that by closing their eyes they can feel the boat balance. The collective quiet that follows gives me a glimpse into their world and I feel their focus. These men live for that sweet spot, the perfect draw of an oar that once tasted, only drives them to feel it more. It’s a rare pleasure to meet such a likeable group of fit and amusing men. They share a precious love of which anyone would be envious. Michael Jenkins sums up simply what drives these men to cast off their warm quilts and enter the icy cold each morning. ‘It keeps us alive,’ he says. But it’s also so much more. The GOLFS are experts in understanding the power of friendship, trust in a fellow human being, the pleasure of health and a thirst for life. And we should all learn from them.
Many of the GOLFS have a lifetime affiliation with sculling. Eighty-two year old Barry Pearce’s love affair with the sport began more than six decades ago, with the Port Adelaide Rowing Club. Following close behind him is Bryan O’Donnell who began rowing with Christian Brothers College in 1958. 93
Justine Muncaster and Tom Trenerry married on the 14th of January 2017, at Justine’s parents’ property, Aldinga Bay Bungalows. Photography by Deb Saunders.
Fleurieu Weddings
Justine Muncaster doesn’t let obstacles get in her way. When she and fiancé Tom Trenerry were planning their wedding reception, they wanted it to be close to home, outdoors, near the beach and to have onsite accommodation. Justine’s parents’ property, Aldinga Bay Bungalows, was a good fit, except for one thing ... there was no lawn.
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So Justine decided to plant one on the property. And not one to think small, Justine planted an expansive seven-hundred-square metre lawn, and a garden bed. ‘It was a massive job,’ she says. ‘Thankfully the whole family got on board and helped out.’ The rest of the wedding planning was smooth sailing. Justine and Tom set their wedding date for January 14 to coincide with the ten year anniversary of the start of their relationship. They were highschool sweethearts and when Tom organised a romantic weekend away in Mount Gambier, Justine had a feeling he might propose. ‘It was about time,’ she says with a laugh. It was on a trip to the renowned Umpherston sinkhole that Tom got down one knee and asked; ‘Will you be my wife?’ ‘I was so excited I started to cry,’ says Justine. ‘I was bursting with excitement and I couldn’t wait to
get home to tell the family, so we left a day early, only to find that the whole family was in on the surprise.’ Justine found her dream dress at Made with Love Bridal, which had recently opened a boutique in Adelaide, and the couple decided to hold the ceremony at the ‘Old Church at Sellicks’. ‘We often drove past it and always loved the church,’ says Justine. ‘Neither Tom or I really thought of ourselves as religious, but we met Father Tom and instantly connected with him.’ Justine and Tom’s attention to detail was evident throughout the wedding. They hired furniture from Vintage Scene Hire and decorated the altar with flowers from Inbloom Floral Art. Even the couple’s dog Ralphy was included in the ceremony as the official ring bearer. Photographer Deb Saunders captured the occasion and took advantage of the beautiful Fleurieu Peninsula scenery.
The reception was infused with personal style and unique details. Rustic furniture and vintage lounges created a warm, relaxed atmosphere. Festoon Lights from Bulb Lighting helped set the mood, along with music from the acoustic duo ‘The Pinups’. Guests enjoyed wood oven pizza and ice cream served from an ice cream cart. Even the youngest guests were well catered for, with activity packs, including an ‘I spy game’ using disposable cameras. ‘The children mainly enjoyed running around and dancing to the music though,’ says Justine. The only thing that went wrong on the day was running out of beer. A quick ‘bottle-o’ run saved the day. The festivities continued the following morning with a family breakfast barbecue, which fuelled everyone to help with the big clean up!
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Designed with LOVE
Six local businesses that will help you plan the wedding of your dreams.
CHEF TODD STEELE Chef Steele can cater almost any event, large or small, at any location. Whether you’re getting married at a beautiful winery, or a secluded beach, he provides a ‘gourmet food experience’. His motto is ‘Good Food, Good Times, Anywhere.’ Todd will listen to your request and customise your catering to suit the event style and budget. Email: todd@chefsteele.net.au www.chefsteele.net.au Telephone: 0415 730 760
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BARN1890 Barn1890 is nestled in the vines between the stunning coastline of Silver Sands and the rolling foothills of Willunga. romance, history, and heritage all come together at Barn1890 and Sea & Vines Cottage. A truly unique and exclusive bespoke experience for your next event. Email: info@barn1890.com Telephone: 0408 804 088
SERAFINO McLAREN VALE Winner of SA Best Reception Centre in 2016 ABIA Awards, our reputation for providing the perfect venue and professional approach to your reception is your guarantee of satisfaction. Our experienced wedding coordinator, Gabrielle Harris (winner of best Function Coordinator in South Australia 2015) offers support in planning every aspect of your day to ensure it is perfect in every way. Kangarilla Road, McLaren Vale www.serafinowines.com.au Telephone: (08) 8323 8911
DUDLEY WINES Your perfect island wedding awaits; the stunning cliff-top view makes Dudley Wines a unique backdrop for your special day. Our spacious deck and lawn areas provide a beautiful vista for your ceremony. Accompanied by our award winning KI wines, your celebration will be complete. The venue can seat up to 180 guests, depending on the event style.
DEB SAUNDERS PHOTOGRAPHY Deb Saunders Photography is a small, boutique studio, where a hands-on, can-do approach is embraced for every photographic shoot. From your wedding day or event, family photos or a small product shoot, and anything in between, you can be sure that Deb will handle everything herself, and give personalised care to your precious memories and photographs.
SHE SEWS She Sews specialises in made to measure bridal and evening wear. Megan offers noobligation quotes on creating an individual dress or outfit that fits perfectly and reflects your style. She Sews offers an extensive range of lace, silk, wool and satin fabrics. If you’ve purchased an ‘off the rack’ gown, a made to measure alteration service is also available for bridesmaids, mother of the bride and men’s suits.
info@dudleywines.com Telephone: 08 8553 1333
www.debsaundersphotography.com.au hello@debsaundersphotography.com.au Telephone: 0414 447 536
195b Main Road McLaren Vale SA 5171 megansew@bigpond.com Telephone: 0417 106 540 97
SOCIAL PAGES
Being Social: Fleurieu Arthouse Unmasked FLM attended the grand opening of the Fleurieu Arthouse on July 30. This new multi-use space includes a gorgeous gallery, shop and artist studios. Well done to the team of creative individuals who have brought this to life.
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Being Social: FLM Five by the Fire at Barn1890 Our fifth anniversary celebration in June was held within the cosy surrounds of Barn1890. It was a fantastic night with food by Chef Steele, styling by Little Love Events and music by Syndicat. We could not have asked for more.
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01: Melissa Puust and Belinda Berry 02: Vicki Reynolds, Kate Gardner and Jaynie Langford 03: Anna Small and Warren Pickering 04: Tom and Emily Hilder 05: Robin and Stephen Anthony 06: Acoustic ensemble for the event: A little bit jazzy 07: Perscia Maung and Jason Porter 08: Annabel Bowles, Poppy Fitzpatrick and Ellie Jones 09: Mark Kress, Trudy McKechnie, Miranda Lang, Graham Richards, Sande Bruce and Graham Lang 10: Heidi Linehan and Ellie Jones 11: Nina Keath and Julie Preiss 12: Perscia Maung and Heidi Linehan.
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SOCIAL PAGES
Being Social: The hunt for Mrs Oliver at Madame Hanoi Media and VIPs were treated to a glamorous night of food and bubbles at Madame Hanoi on May 25. The event marked the release of Oliver’s Taranga’s new bubbles and was aptly named ‘The hunt for Mrs. Oliver’. Guests dressed in floral and the food, wine and music flowed.
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Being Social: Jane and Alan’s farewell at Leonards Mill FLM was invited to bid farewell restaurateurs Jane Mitchell and Alan Greig on July 16. Having created a one-of-a-kind destination dining experience at the historic Leonards Mill, their contribution to the region has been inspiring. Thanks Jane and Alan! All the best with your future endeavours.
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01: Perscia Maung and Corrina Wright 02: Max Mason, Becky Hirst and Dan Procter 03: Emma Hack and model 04: Ali Laslett, Nathan Gogoll and Daniel Cameron 05: Brioni Oliver and Chris Johnson 06: Crystal Jagger and Callum Hann 07: Rachel McMillan with daughter Alexandra and Annette Stone 08: Nush Borowicz, Joy Robert and Sally Mason 09: Jeff and Mary Goodieson 10: Miriam Cobby, David Bell and Stephanie Chapman 11: Iain Calvert and Hayley Pembert Calvert (the new owners of Leonards Mill) 12: Gabrielle Duykers and Jane Mitchell.
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SOCIAL PAGES
Being Social: Tatachilla Year 12 Formal at Serafino July 30 marked a milestone for year 12 students as their formal was hosted for the very first time at favourite local venue ÂSerafino. The night was spectacular, thoroughly enjoyed by both staff and students.
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Being Social: Sea & Vines Wirra Wirra Family Day FLM joined the upbeat crowds of Sea & Vines at Wirra Wirra on June 12. Good weather, food, wine and live music made for a great day out for the whole family on the beautiful grounds of Wirra Wirra.
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01: Fynn Mashford, Zoe Mashford and Leanne Williamson 02: Kirra Pearl, Eden Doddridge and Alix Kuijpers 03: Melissa Richards and Katie Roberts 04: Rachel Overstreet, Sandy Lee and Melanie Hall 05: Ryan McCurrach, James Bagshaw, Hasthika Yapa and Jared Edwards 06: Todd Martin and Braden McKenzie 07: Alysha McNicol and Carol Harrison 08: Natalie Sansovini, Mel Michael and Natasia Capaldo 09: Jason Leonardis, George Capaldo and Clint Leonardis 10: Nicole Brown, Dale Martin and Nathan Martin 11: Reyes Beard and Joe Prater 12: Ian, Olivia and Gina Smith.
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NEW 2 Day Food, Wine and Natural Wonders Tour K AN G ARO O I S L A N D
Spoil your senses! On this brand new tour visit local boutique industries, sample their amazing food and wine and see some of the natural attractions Kangaroo Island is so famous for. Highlights include: • Return coach and ferry travel to Kangaroo Island • Morning tea, tour and tastings at Island Pure Sheep Dairy • Gin tasting at Kangaroo Island Spirits and wine tasting at Bay of Shoals Wines • Two-course lunch at the Zone Restaurant, Kingscote • Tour and honey tastings at Island Beehive • Sunset drinks at Remarkable Rocks • Flinders Chase National Park including Remarkable Rocks and Admirals Arch • Guided underground cave tour at Kelly Hill Caves • Two-course lunch at The Marron Cafe at Andermel • Birds of Prey In-flight Display at Raptor Domain • Two-course dinner at Sunset Food and Wine • Overnight accommodation at the Kangaroo Island Wilderness Retreat, including two-course dinner and continental breakfast
From $677 per person* ex Cape Jervis From $725 per person*, ex Adelaide
*Conditions apply. Prices are per person, twin share and valid to 31/03/18. See website for details. Minimum of 8 passengers per tour required to operate. Tours depart Monday, Wednesday and Fridays and commence from September, 2017. ABN 69 007 122 367.
Call 13 13 01 or visit sealink.com.au
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