Fleurieu Living Magazine Summer 2023-24

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

When every detail matters ...

Build your dream home – in your dream location | southcoastconstructions.com.au 37 Victoria Street, Victor Harbor, South Australia 5211 Telephone: 08 8552 4444 Email: admin@scconstruct.com.au

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SUMMER 2023-24

We design and build award winning homes.

www.fleurieuliving.com.au

Make sure you choose the right builder.

AU $9.95 SUMMER 2023-24

Garden Party at Martin House Watermayne: Entertainer’s dream Indigenous artists: Weaving connections Wright family: Forever home Sunshine human: Chloe Grayling Small but mighty: Wren House Art · Design · Food · Wine · Fashion · Photography · People · Destinations

22/11/2023 8:50 am

Let there be light.

But not too much.

CURTAINS & BLINDS

We believe in being yourself.

We celebrate your differences.

We embrace change.

We, like you, are one of a kind.

Call in to our concept store in Victor Harbor now!

Betta Quality Curtains & Blinds 78 Ocean Street, Victor Harbor SA 5211 · T: (08) 8552 3696 · W: bettacurtainsblinds.com.au

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Let us design and make your space.

We invite you to visit our newest showroom display.

SA’s Kitchen Designer of the year 2016, 2017, 2019, 2020 and 2021. spacecraftjoinery.com.au

22/11/2023 8:50 am

It’s a Fleurieu Summer-time ... and the living is easy

VISIT US THIS HOLIDAY SEASON

Sarah Homes are #1 for holiday homes and homes that make you feel like you’re on holiday. It’s easy to see why!

They’re designed to include generous living areas and expansive decking. A brilliant space for entertaining or just relaxing.

Wide opening sliding doors and full-length windows deliver wonderful views and let you retreat to sunlit comfort.

We have a great selection of 1 and 2 storey home designs, now available with the option of fully integrated solar power.

Visit a Sarah Homes display today and discover just how easy it is to enjoy The Fleurieu’s easy lifestyle.

Our display homes are located at Victor Harbor, Old Noarlunga, Mile End, Pooraka and now open at Murray Bridge. Open across the holidays, see our website for details.

BLD 175837 Imagery for illustration purposes only.

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STAFF & CONTRIBUTORS

Key Personnel Petra de Mooy Petra started her career as a furniture designer/maker, but always had aspirations to write so … why not start a magazine?

Making the connections we’ve made and getting to know this region in-depth has been a gift.

PUBLISHER Fleurieu Living Magazine is published four times a year by Fleurieu Living Pty Ltd. ISSN 2200-4033

Jason Porter Jason has worked as a graphic designer, creative director and more recently photographer for thirty-five years.

When not in the office, he can usually be found tweaking the crossover filters on his ridiculously over-the-top audio system.

GRAPHIC DESIGNER AND CREATIVE DIRECTOR Jason Porter jason@fleurieuliving.com.au

Hollie Connery After over a decade at sea and traversing some of the world’s wildest places, Hollie has landed back home on the Fleurieu.

With a diverse repertoire of experience, Hollie comes to her role at FLM with a deep connection to land, community and culture.

Heather Millar Heather Millar is an editor and life story writer. She has also recently become a farmer. Kind of. She and husband Adam Rickard are the proud new owners of Tanamera Christmas Tree Farm in McLaren Flat. Ho ho ho.

Kate O’Donoghue When not engaged in presenting the world with Play Pouch, the innovative toy storage bag and mat she co-designed, Kate enthusiastically embraces the vibrant culture of the Fleurieu. She is a without a doubt a valued addition to our team.

Other contributing writers, photographers and stylists: Erica Byers, Cathryn Charnock, Hollie Connery, Poppy Fitzpatrick, Janey Fowler, Sam Healy, Zoë Kassiotis, Mark Laurie, Kate Le Gallez, Sam Marchetti, Jodi Nash, Kate O’Donoghue, Nick Stock, Tess Twigden and Charlotte Walsh.

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Publisher Information

PUBLISHING EDITOR AND MANAGING DIRECTOR Petra de Mooy petra@fleurieuliving.com.au

EDITOR Heather Millar ADVERTISING SALES Hollie Connery hollie@fleurieuliving.com.au Kate O’Donoghue kate.o@feurieuliving.com.au PRINTER Newstyle Print DISTRIBUTION Wrapaway 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.

Adventure & Wellness Tours Half, full and multi-day experiences Private tours earthadventure.com.au

Discover the wonders of Rapid Bay and its hidden Sea Caves! adventurekayak.com.au

Nature & Wildlife Biking & walking tours Snorkeling experiences Private tours

puresa.com.au Image Credit: heidi who photos

Looking for adventure?

We've got it!

adventurehubsa.com.au

ACKNOWLEDGES

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

SILVER PARTNERS

BRONZE PARTNERS

drina region: Mount Compass on 8 April (Bookings 03 9005 7750) Aquafest on Barrage Road, Goolwa on 8 and 9 April *Goolwa Art and Photographic Exhibition at Signal Point Gallery, Goolwa from 9 to 23 April *The Amazing Magic Mike - Kids Magic Workshops at Centenary Hall, Goolwa on 17 April South Australian Wooden Boat Festival at the Goolwa Wharf Precinct on 22 and 23 April *Cole - starring Michael Griffiths at Centenary Hall, Goolwa on 26 April

Silent Disco 4 Kids Party at Strathalbyn Library Community Centre on 27 April *Sista Girl, at Centenary Hall, Goolwa on 5 May Our Mob 2015, Aboriginal arts at Signal Point Gallery, Goolwa from 5 May to 11 June Good Things Small Packages, at South Coast Regional Art Centre, Goolwa from 5 May to 18 June *Goodbye Yellow Brick Road - The Elton John Tribute Show at Centenary Hall, Goolwa on 20 May * tickets/ booking required

talexandrina.com or call Council’s Visitor Information Centre on 1300 466 592. Alexandrina Council program in 2017. View a copy online for more events in the region, www.alexandrina.sa.gov.au

Take A Break

OUR SPONSORS

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From the publishing editor We are actually legit excited about this Summer issue. It is FULL of colour, design and art as well as premium food, wine and spirits. We have collaborated with some of the region’s brightest and brought you the goods, for sure. I hope you love it as much as we do.

While parts of the world are in unthinkable turmoil, the Fleurieu thrives and is just getting bigger and better. Our gratitude for living in such a supportive community is real. Our revisit of the Tastes of McLaren Vale is evidence, as we count a dozen new venues opening with each location proving tasteful, thoughtful and on-point. This region really is the best keep secret of the world – but the world is coming knocking, so buckle up.

We at FLM wish everyone the best of the season. Here’s a few words from some of the team about what they love about this issue and what they love about summer here on the Fleurieu.

‘I loved watching collaborations come to life in this issue. Magic always happens when people gather to offer context to a shared experience. The Garden Party feature was a real moment of “I wonder if these people got together, what could be created out of that?” We ignited the collaboration, but the collective enthusiasm grew into something much bigger. It was a genuine celebration of our region, its incredible produce, and the people that choose to invest in their craft here, so we can all enjoy it. At home with my family, summer means we throw all structure out the window and play on the beach until the last light is lapped up and live on sandy chips and salty dips. The beds are full of shells and everyone grows extra freckles. I wouldn’t have it any other way.’

Hollie Connery

‘There was a real intensity to our end of summer production and this issue we worked really hard to hammer home the “Shop Local” message and like Hollie has said, the collaborations were fulfilling even beyond what can be seen or revealed in these pages.

Gratitude is maxed out. Over summer I have found a quiet walk on Port Willunga Beach and a dip followed by a cooling beverage at the Star of Greece Kiosk is the best way to holiday at home which we do almost every year. Why would we leave during summer? It’s the best time to appreciate our enviable lifestyle.’

Petra de Mooy ‘For this issue, a highlight for me was engaging with the good people of the McLaren Vale wine region to make updates to the Tastes of McLaren Vale map. Not only do we have a plethora of exceptional wines to savour, but one could easily devote a lifetime exploring the charming cellar doors and restaurants in the Vale, filling heart and belly with delight. Livi Baker’s artistic impression of the region is so enchanting and will be a source of inspiration for outings this summer. I’m also embracing summer on the Fleurieu by choosing fun with friends and family. We relish swimming in the ocean, trekking along clifftop trails, marveling at sunsets, making summery snacks with fresh local produce, strolling through markets, and dancing to as much live music as we can.’

Kate O’Donoghue

Above left: Gus at Gull’s. Middle: The boardwalk to Port Willunga Beach. Right: The twins at Myponga Beach.

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THIS ISSUE

Contents

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VENUE FEATURE Garden party at Martin House Front cover photo by Jason Porter

ARTIST FEATURE Indigenous Australian artists: Weaving connections

FOOD, WINE & SPIRITS

ART AND DESIGN

66 Willunga Farmers Market: Evelyne Adefusi’s chicken with 40 cloves of garlic

102 Drinkability: Wine reviews by Nick Stock

74 Gelateca at Pizzateca

88 Crafted cocktails

24 Chris Small: How the light gets in

MAKE A DATE 12 Events, Art, Workshops, Places to be 28 Saddle Up for Fun at Strathalbyn Racing Club’s Summer Series 110 Adelaide Festival 8

36 Small but mighty: Wren House 58 Effortless elegance at Beresford Estate 70 James McFarlane: Finding stillness 80 What to buy, where to buy it 114 Local selections: Designer made, off-the-shelf and made to order 104 Places we love: Her Name Was Nola

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HOME FEATURE Wright family: Forever home

HOME FEATURE Chloe Grayling: Sunshine human

58 FASHION FEATURE Effortless elegance at Beresford Estate

PENINSULA PEOPLE

HEALTH & WELLBEING

BEING SOCIAL

10 Take one: Janey Fowler

118 Shopping local for the feel goods

78 My style: Elle Brown of Gorgeous Soles

119 Out and About: Thanks for shopping local

BOOKS & WORDS

120 · FLM Spring launch at Salt at the Elliot

· Handpicked Festival

92 Sunshine human: Chloe Grayling 100 Tom and Jack of Daybed Records

DESTINATIONS 84 Destination Kangaroo Island

76 Summer book reviews from South Seas Books 106 Books for makers: slow down and make something nice

RETAIL THERAPY 80 What to buy, where to buy it

BUILDING & ARCHITECTURE 16 Entertainer’s dream

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Take One

Janey Fowler: Koa Photography Janey Fowler grew up in the iconic white house on top of the bluff in Victor Harbor – picturesque surroundings that no doubt primed the young artist’s sharp eye.

Surely influenced by her GP father, who started Victor Harbor’s Norfolk House Medical Centre, Janey chose to study dietetics. But it wasn’t until the fourth year of her degree that she thought she could love it. ‘I didn’t know what I was getting into or why I was studying dietetics, but having a dad with a health background made it make sense,’ Janey says.

Her final placement was working with the Alice Springs Health Department in various communities including Willowra, Ti Tree, Nyirripi and Titjikala. From kids’ health checks to holding cooking classes using cultural foods and traditional cooking methods, Janey fell in love with her work there, but says it didn’t come without its challenges. ‘It was heartbreaking to see the state of communities out there and what kids and families are living with.’

Having ignited a spark with now-husband Graham before she set off, Janey’s plans to stay in Alice Springs lovingly unravelled when they fell very much in love after travelling some of the Northern Territory. ‘He had accepted a three-year contract as a GP in Victor, so we moved back and I set up my dietetics practice,’ she says.

Work took a backseat when Janey’s firstborn, Alice, came along.

‘Then we had Lucy and bought a little property in Victor. I found going from one to two kids, having a property and business was a lot to juggle, so that’s when I teamed up with another dietitian, Trish, and we opened Fleurieu Health and Dietetics.’

Like many of us, Janey has Covid to thank for changing the tides and inspiring new direction. ‘I realised the part of dietetics I loved was working with people, so I lost that joy of connection when it became telehealth, and there was no real draw to go back into dietetics.’

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After Janey had her youngest, she made the life-changing choice to purchase a camera. ‘From that day I don’t think I put it down,’ she laughs. ‘I loved the whole process of capturing, editing and creating a style.’

‘I’d go down to the local botanic gardens and sit in the bird hide for hours. Wildlife photography is a good way to learn because the light changes all the time and things move really quickly.’

Aside from her natural talent and self-taught skills, having the support of a tight-knit community has been key in helping Janey establish Koa Photography. ‘I took photos of my children, then for friends, and then a friend contacted me to take some business portraits and it just all went from there.’

‘Putting myself out there after being a dietitian for ten years to say hey I’m a photographer was a scary, exciting mix of emotions.’

As for her why, Janey says it’s the emotion and connection behind an image. ‘You should feel something through an image and that’s what I try to depict through my photography. I don’t really do that standard smile at the camera because I enjoy having an image that tells a story without words.’

At the time, letting go of her dietetics registration felt like giving up on her and Graham’s dream to do locum work in the Northern Territory, but Janey has found a way to be able to get back there as a photographer, proving that where there’s a will, there’s a way.

‘Leaving Alice Springs left me feeling like I didn’t follow through with something I really wanted, which was helping the Indigenous community, so a big motivation for getting back there is working for not-for-profits to help those groups through imagery.’

Having put it out to the community, Janey now has various shoots booked in and is heading back up to Alice Springs on a fly-in, flyout basis to cater to that unfinished business and expand her career by merging her passions for creative storytelling and community outreach.

DIARY DATES

Make a date FESTIVALS AND EVENTS December Friday Twilights at Chalk Hill 56 Field Street, McLaren Vale Every Friday from 1 December, 5–9pm Positioned perfectly for a spectacular Fleurieu sunset, this is a sure way to reel in the weekend with Chalk Hill Wines, Never Never Distilling and Cucina di Strada. Walk-ins and bookings welcome.

TJS Twilight Markets Rotary Park, Christies Beach Fortnightly on Friday evenings from 1 December Located at the bustling end of the Esplanade and Beach Road, Rotary Park is the perfect place to enjoy market stalls, music and food vendors.

Christies Beach Breath and Bath Crew Bottom of the ramp across from Rotary Park, Christies Beach Weekly sessions every Wednesday until 28 February, 6–8:30am A new season of free weekly community events is underway in Christies Beach. Ground your summer with breathwork, meditation, ice baths and ocean swims. Be sure to bring a bag of ice, towel, togs and warm clothes.

Bowerbird Vintage Open Day Rymill Road, Ashbourne 9 December, 10am-2pm An Open Day is hosted once a month. Find vintage treasures from near and far as well as home baked treats at this charming country shop.

Common Grounds Market Myponga Dairy Co, Myponga 10 December, 9.30am–3pm 22 December, 4.30–9pm Myponga’s newest feel good market is set to deliver the best local goods in town, with live music sets, a spiced chai lounge and locally stocked bar setting the scene for a wholesome experience amongst some of the region’s most talented artisans.

A Magical Christmas with Pina & Co Centenary Hall, 12 Cadell Street, Goolwa 15 December, 2–3.10pm With the sophisticated vocals of lead singer, Pina Del Re, accompanied by her talented musical friends, Pina & Co deliver a modern interpretation of classic and contemporary songs we have all grown to love. Tickets are $20.00.

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Willunga Farmers Market Twilight Markets Willunga High School, Willunga 23 and 30 December, 4–7.30pm A local favourite turning it on for the festive season. Come stock up on the best local produce on offer for celebrations over the Christmas break. Soak up the merry atmosphere with live music, local drops and Christmas cheer.

Dandelion Vineyards New Year’s Eve Lunch 191 Chaffeys Road, McLaren Vale 31 December, 11am or 2pm sittings Grab some wine-loving friends and join Dandelion Vineyards and their Wonder Room staff to see out 2023 with gusto amongst the breathtaking views of Firehawk Farm and Fleurieu surrounds. Tickets are $145 per person. To book, go to dandelionvineyards.com.au or call 0459 802 413.

Off the Bridge NYE Fireworks Goolwa Hindmarsh Island Bridge 31 December Find a vantage point along the Murray River or hop on a boat to enjoy the spectacular display as we farewell 2023 with a bang.

January Santos Tour Down Under 2024 Women’s Stage 3: Adelaide to Willunga Hill 14 January, 11am–2pm (approx) Men’s Stage 4: Murray Bridge to Port Elliot 19 January, 11am–2:50pm (approx) Men’s Stage 5: Christies Beach to Willunga Hill 20 January, 11am–2.30pm (approx) The Santos Tour Down Under is coming down South in 2024 and the climb is back! The City of Onkaparinga and Alexandrina Council are set to host action-packed days of racing throughout January.

Onkaparinga’s 129.3 km men’s and 93.4 km women’s stages will travel through the picturesque crowd and vine-lined roads of Maslin Beach, Aldinga/Aldinga Beach and McLaren Vale, before an exciting old-school finish at Brookman Road, Willunga Hill – where heroes are made. Langhorne Creek, Strathalbyn, Currency Creek, Goolwa and Middleton will also get a slice of the action during the men’s 136.2 km Stage 4 stint, which will finish up at The Strand, Port Elliot for the first time.

Come diving days Underwater Explorers Club of South Australia Snapper Point, Aldinga, 17 December, 8am Port Noarlunga Jetty, 20 January, 7pm (night dive), 25 February, 8am Rapid Bay Jetty, 4 February, 10am Book in a dive to see in the New Year and perhaps spot a Port Jackson Shark or Leafy Sea Dragon. Register at uecofsa.org.au

NOTE: For long-time or even sometime readers of FLM, you may notice our ‘Markets’ listing has been omitted. In an effort to create more space to focus on what’s happening seasonally in the region, we’ve opted to move the listing to our website (fleurieuliving.com.au/markets).

Strathalbyn Cup Strathalbyn Racecourse 28 January Dubbed South Australia’s most picturesque and glamorous country race meeting, the Strathalbyn Cup provides the perfect opportunity for a Sunday outing. For both the racing purists and those more interested in the action off the track – like wine, fashion and family friendly activities – the Strathalbyn Cup provides something for everybody.

Fleurieu Film Festival McLaren Vale and Fleurieu Coast Visitor Centre 796 Main Road, McLaren Vale 3 February, 6.30pm After another successful festival in 2023, this year is sure to be even better, with no theme sure to set the scene for a wildly creative evening. Enjoy a night of local food, wine and entertainment as you watch the finalists of Fleurieu Film Festival 2024 showcase their work. Priding itself on nurturing Australia’s rising and established filmmakers, the festival screens short films of 8 minutes and under, from any genre.

February

ART EXHIBITIONS

Beachside Food and Wine Festival Rotary Park, Beach Road, Christies Beach 10 February, 4–9pm This popular beachside festival is returning in 2024 with live tunes, cooking demonstrations to inspire your summer entertaining menu and a selection of local wine, beer and spirits sure to complement ocean views – we’ve certainly got it good.

Summertime an’ the Livin’ is Easy Red Poles, McLaren Vale Until 28 January Featuring artists Nikki Wieland, Amy McPhee, Jamuna Stevens, Lucy Timbrell, Georgina England, Lyndy Danby, Asta Van Trigt, Julie Frahm, Gail Kellett, Angie Harrison and Debby HaskardStrauss, this exhibition celebrates all things summer.

Chilli Fest Willunga Willunga Recreation Park 17–18 February All things hot ’n’ spicy in Willunga. Chilli plants and produce, chilli foods and cooking demonstrations, plus chilli-related merchandise.

‘Chill Out’ with live music, local beer, wine and sangria, plus enjoy a little local colour with our Artisan Market. Chilli Fest Willunga is hosted by the Willunga Recreation Park as a fundraiser for this community-owned and managed facility.

Bee-Stung Lips: Barbara Hanrahan Works on Paper 1960–1991 Signal Point, Laurie Lane, Goolwa 1 December –11 February This eclectic exhibition exemplifies Hanrahan’s mastery and innovation across the print medium including woodcuts, linocuts, screenprints, lithographs, etchings and drypoint, and connects sexuality and desire with dreaming and spirituality. >

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Images From My Backyard – Port Elliot – by Richard John Coral Street Art Space 8 December – 31 January Richard John’s exhibition ‘My Backyard’ reflects his love of things that are local to this region: the beach, the tracks, the holiday makers and the dog walkers. Richard is inspired by his surroundings and nostalgic memories growing up at the beach, of simpler times and a world less complicated. Free opening event on Friday 8 December, 5.30–7.30pm. Book at: victorharbor-events.bookable.net.au

Harbingers: Care or Catastrophe Signal Point, Laurie Lane, Goolwa 17 February, 10am–4pm Care or Catastrophe brings together five diverse artists – Chris De Rosa (Port Elliot), Lara Tilbrook (Kangaroo Island), Ellen Trevorrow (Meningie/Coorong), Clancy Warner (Sellicks Beach), Laura Wills (Adelaide) – whose works draw necessary attention to our interconnectedness with the natural world.

Surf Art Christmas Market Arts Centre, Port Noarlunga 16 December, 10am–4pm Surfs up at the Porties Surf Art Christmas Market where local artists will display their ocean-inspired works in a range of mediums including paintings, prints, jewellery and homewares – the perfect place to come do your gift shopping.

Rolling at Red Poles – Linocut printmaking workshop Red Poles, McLaren Vale 3–4 February, 10am–3pm This two day workshop with artist Gail Kellett caters to new and experienced printmakers alike, offering the opportunity to take home a series of your very own hand-painted prints. $250 per person, including all materials, bubbles, morning tea and a light lunch. Email redpoles@redpoles.com.au to book.

Two Friends, Two Dimensions Fleurieu Arthouse, McLaren Vale 16 December, 2–4pm Created by longtime friends, Jojo Spook and Terry Johnson, whose collaboration has birthed an exhibition of paintings and sculptures coined as a ‘whimsical and joyful’ celebration of our natural world.

WORKSHOPS

Weaving for Wellness Yankalilla Library, Main South Road Yankalilla Every second Thursday from 7 December, 1–3pm Discover the relaxing process of weaving over a cuppa and a chat with fellow dream weavers. Bookings are not required.

Rotary Art Show Warland Reserve, Victor Harbor 13–20 January, open daily from 9.30am–8.30pm Australia’s largest outdoor art exhibition is set to break records with its 45th Art Show in 2024. One to look forward to.

Get Crafty at Noarlunga Library Level 5, Noarlunga Library 13 December, 10am–12pm A good excuse for a crafternoon. Whether it be drawing, crocheting or scrapbooking, this is a good opportunity to craft some handmade Christmas gifts. For ages 15+, no bookings required.

Powerful Women with feature artists Mariana Mezic and Tamara Jasmine Coral Street Art Space 2 February – 30 March Celebrating International Women’s Day, join us for the Opening Event on Saturday 10 February and go to coralstreetartspace.com to find details about the 8-week public program that will run parallel to the exhibition, including workshops such as weaving, macrame, women’s circles, nature journalling, sourdough, botanical hand dying, clay earrings, talks and more.

Wilderness Escape Outdoor Adventure – School holiday programs Various locations.

18 December, 23–26 January Say goodbye to boredom and hello to thrilling adventures this school holidays with an exciting line-up of activities like kayaking, surfing, rock-climbing, mountain biking and more.

Time to step into the great outdoors and make unforgettable memories, gain new skills and have a blast during fully supervised half- and full-day activities. With transport included and knowledgeable outdoor educators guiding the way, get ready to embark on an epic journey of discovery and endless fun. Visit wildernessescape.com.au Feel Good Food: Wholefood Baking –​​The Green Gourmet Willunga 25 February, 11am–3pm Calling all bakers. Andrea from The Green Gourmet is sharing her clever tricks to reduce sugar, weave in local, seasonal fruits and vegetables, and rediscover flavour in your favourite goodies. This feel-good, interactive workshop will feature a mix of demonstration and hands-on cooking, as well as a lunch of baked yummies to enjoy with tea, coffee, or a glass of local, natural wine. Tickets are $149. Book at thegreengourmet.com.au/workshops

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Dandelion Vineyards’ Wonder Room Our home in McLaren Vale, South Australia

Experience an unparalleled immersion in Dandelion Vineyards wine at the Wonder Room. Located atop the ancient ridge of Firehawk Farm, Dandelion Vineyards’ Wonder Room showcases panoramic views of our Firehawk Farm vineyards, McLaren Vale, the Gulf St Vincent, and the Willunga Escarpment.

Soak in the scenery as you enjoy unique wine-tasting experiences that represent decades of winemaking knowledge – blending the fruit of our vineyards with the finest traditions of artisan winemaking. The fully tutored tasting experiences include complimentary morsels inspired by seasonal, local produce and curated by our renowned chef.

Join us for a tasting experience and discover our exceptional wines at the Wonder Room. It’s more than just a cellar door...

Dandelion Vineyards Wonder Room | 191 Chaffeys Road, McLaren Vale, South Australia 5171 | Ph 0459 802 413 wonderroom@dandelionvineyards.com.au | www.dandelionvineyards.com.au | Open 7 Days, 10am - 5pm

@dandelionvineyards

Entertainer’s dream Story by Petra de Mooy. Photography by Jason Porter.

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Page left: The clean lines of the Watermayne modern farmhouse style warmed by an expansive stone wall by our favourite mason, Billy Goat Brick & Stone.

Above: The main living area is light-filled by expansive windows and loft ceilings, making for a great indoor / outdoor living space for this family of four.

Sitting at the dining table in the hilltop home of Steven and Amy Albrechtsen of Watermayne, we are afforded one of the best views of the house. A large and lengthy picture window frames a panorama of treetops and the sky. We look up to see a hawk fluttering and diving out of sight.

In 2015, Steven and Amy were living at Hallett Cove with their two young sons, Jake and Oscar, in Steven’s first owner–builder home.

The couple had cultivated quite a few shared dreams. One was to eventually retire and have a hobby farm on the Fleurieu. Both had grown up in southern Adelaide so their connection to sea and vines

has never been far away. When Steven’s brother Matt and wife Kelly bought a block at McLaren Flat, their thoughts around their initial time frame changed. ‘We were having bonfires up there and we were sitting around one night watching the sunset and I said to Steven, “How good is this now … and why are we waiting, because what a great lifestyle for these kids to grow up in,”’ Amy shares.

Plans were amended and accelerated and their plan to build the ideal home for the four of them became a reality.

‘We haven’t looked back, have we?’ says Steven, looking at Amy. The whole family love the area with their connection to the community through the footy club and schools. Steven and Amy love that their boys are having a really authentic upbringing – riding bikes, being out and about, and fishing at the local pond.

‘We got really lucky,’ says Amy. The couple registered with all of > 17

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Page left and above: The living area with large wool rug, sleek low cabinetry and large picture windows ooze style. Designer pillows, throws and vase from Living

by Design. Artwork ‘Port Willunga’ by local artist Brian O’Malley. Bottom: The outdoor table adjacent to the well-appointed outdoor kitchen. Bring on summer!

the local real estate agents and found their property before it went to market and happily it is just a stone’s throw from Matt and Kelly’s and the boys’ cousins. Their neighbour, who they bought from, had subdivided the block as part of a retirement plan. Timing and luck combined for Amy and Steven to seize this opportunity and they have happily found a friend in the neighbour.

The six-acre property was empty apart from a shed on the lower paddock of the sloping block. An empty clearing at the high point became the ideal blank canvas to position their dream home.

After selling the house at Hallett Cove, they began design and planning, while renting at nearby Moana. While they were planning

and beginning to build, they’d park a camper on the property on weekends. One day Amy said, ‘Why don’t we get a better camper and make the shed more inhabitable?’ Which they did by concreting the floor, putting up a few walls and installing some plumbing, then they moved right on in.

Roughing it was a bit of an adventure and the boys, much younger at the time, probably thought it was pretty cool. Being on-site meant less travel time and more scope to work on the building in their spare time. Under their bespoke building company, Watermayne, the couple worked with their relied-upon designer, draughtsperson and trades to help them see their vision come to life. The home they have built > 19

Top: The pared back style of the kitchen made exceptionally functional by the large walk-in pantry. Above and page right: A large master en-suite carries the simplicity and minimalist style to create continuity throughout. The free-standing bath with views of the countryside awaits.

is a template for their clients who are attracted to their modern farmhouse design.

Just prior to their project they had completed a similar design for Steven’s brother Matt and that gave them the opportunity to really hone in on the details of their layout and planning. Steven says, ‘We really wanted to build something here that is worthy of the block.’

Now, five years on, the wood accents have grayed off complementing the cement sheet siding. The home sits comfortably in the landscape and feels right for the setting.

The modern farmhouse style is characterised by a 30-degree pitched roofline and no eaves, giving a distinct profile. All made

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smart and contemporary by lightweight cladding, lots of glass, open-plan living and a very functional layout. The large L-shape is built around the concept of two pavilions with a central living area.

The boys are in one wing with their own bathroom and rumpus room, while the master bedroom wing has a large ensuite featuring a freestanding bath with views. Space planning was well conceived with a walk-around closet (open on both ends), floor to ceiling builtin robes, a cosy corner for reading, a study nook and views from every space.

Steven was also keen to share some of the hidden features of the home. To successfully execute the nearly seven-metre picture window in the main living area, a complex steel structure was >

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Top left: The master bedroom complete with cosy reading corner. Painting by Louise Vadasz – available at the Fleurieu Arthouse. Top right: The breezeway links the two pavilions. Bottom: The entire layout of the interior and exterior have an air of the entertainer’s dream come true. Pinch me – is it real?

fabricated to carry the load allowing for a seamless look out to the impressive vista. ‘There is a lot of work that goes into making things look clean and simple,’ says Steven. The stacker doors leading to the outdoor area are recessed so that there is no step up or down, and the interior and exterior are at the same level creating continuity and ease of movement from space to space. Everything was customised to ensure the best outcome.

Watermayne specialises in ‘high performance’ homes, with green credentials like good orientation, harvesting the sun and rainwater, and thermal bridging (the floor has polystyrene slabs underneath so the cold of the ground does not transfer through). The house is also sealed so that it is airtight via double glazing and there’s extra 22

insulation for winter cold snaps. It also has good cross ventilation for those hot days when you can open up the doors and windows and purge the home of any heat build-up. ‘We hardly use the air conditioning and I think people are thinking about all of this more and more,’ says Steve.

The home is high performance in more ways than one. The shared spaces are also designed for maximum functionality. Cars pull in around the back and shopping is brought through the mud room/ laundry straight into the kitchen and open-plan living area. An adjacent walk-in pantry has floor to ceiling shelving and a second fridge and, as such, is an entertainer’s dream.

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How the light gets in Story by Zoë Kassiotis.

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Page left: Red Dirt Blue Sky. Above: Red Rocks Red Dirt – Oil on canvas.

The idea of art as therapy – a moving meditation or grounding practice – is something most can understand in theory, but some creatives truly bring the notion to life.

Upon admiring her kaleidoscopic works, you could easily assume Chris Small has a life-long love affair with the canvas, but the blossoming Adelaide artist was walking long before she ever held a paintbrush.

Some time after realising she could draw in high school, Chris took her art to North Adelaide’s Stanley Street School of Art on a whim.

‘I literally waved my hand around and it landed on painting, so I just chose that,’ Chris laughs. She does admit, though, she’s often felt the weight of imposter syndrome as a painter who didn’t finish art school. But qualification or not, it’s clear she has the soul of an artist.

Chris was 21 when she had her first child, but it was after her second child that she experienced severe domestic violence – an experience that shaped her ongoing journey working in community development across youth work, domestic violence, child protection and homelessness.

Inspiring proof that you don’t necessarily need a degree to ‘do the thing’, Chris says she looks back now and can see that painting was a big part of coping during those dark years.

It wasn’t until around 2015 when Chris returned from working in the APY Lands that she decided to bury herself in the canvas and commit to painting at least one day a week. ‘That quickly turned into the whole weekend and then to dropping days of work to now paint three days a week,’ she explains.

‘You would not believe some of the things I was seeing in my jobs and then I was painting on the weekend thinking, where on earth is all this colour coming from?’ Chris explains as she thanks art for rewiring her brain, ‘It’s like gardening, it grounds me,’ she says.

Chris’s art is largely inspired by her late brother, who sadly passed recently. ‘When I was very young my parents were teaching in Alice Springs and adopted a three-week old Indigenous boy,’ she shared.

‘Because we were so close in age we did everything together when we were little, which meant I grew up with his way of seeing the world and the environment,’ Chris reminisced.

Though influenced by Aboriginal art, Chris makes a conscious effort to pull back if she paints in a way that may be interpreted as Indigenous so as not to appropriate First Nations culture.

Similarly, Chris paints a bird’s-eye representation of what she sees in the environment with a crucial message: the planet will teach us everything if we just stop and listen.

‘For me, it’s about moments when I’m walking along the beach and I stop to look at something that has caught my eye, which is what I want people to do when they look at my work because > 25

Top left: Spring. Bottom left: Dance with Me – Oil on canvas. Right: Chris Small at the Fleurieu Arthouse.

often there’s a lot that you won’t see until you make time to stop and look closely,’ she says, citing the rocks on Sellicks Beach and her local Semaphore walks as an endless sea of inspiration.

Chris has a unique approach to art where she replicates what she sees on the earth by painting in layers before scratching back with tools like sticks, nails or her hands to reveal a scintillating earthscape.

The effect of Chris’s work is often changed by the tool, sometimes the entire layer scratches off, while others blend and create something entirely new – a fitting metaphor for never knowing what comes next in life. ‘If you don’t like it, you can just paint over and start again!’ Chris exclaims.

Just like humans, the earth is made up of layers – a thread that ties Chris to the natural world through her art. ‘I look at my arm now and I’m 55, so I’m getting brown spots all over from the sun, which feels telling of the life I’ve led – it’s all interconnected,’ she reflects.

Some artists may find it difficult to pinpoint their greatest muse, but for Chris it’s unequivocal: the Australian light. ‘I think my work is like an experience of what it feels like when you’re at the beach and the 26

sun comes down and you just bathe in that light,’ she professes.

‘I think I’ll probably spend my life trying to capture light, but I really want to show what it feels like to walk along the beach, rather than what it looks like,’ Chris continues.

With titles like Remember to Look Down, Chris’s pieces are an ode to being in the moment. As for the future, Chris has her sights on full-time artistry, highlighting more workshops as a way to blend her creativity and passion for community development.

‘In the workshops we process ideas of being able to let go of something you love and being able to find something else. It’s about letting go and coming back to something that is different, but still beautiful, and it’s a good practice in being brave,’ she says.

Looking at Chris’s work I see the hardship and trauma still sitting there underneath, but what shines through is the choice to create something beautiful out of the mess.

‘I’m just trying to be brave like I tell people to be,’ she says.

Chris’s work is available at the Fleurieu Arthouse, McLaren Vale.

For workshops go to chrissmallart.com.

Saddle Up for Fun:

Strathalbyn Racing Club’s Summer Series promises family-friendly thrills As the sun graces the picturesque landscapes of Strathalbyn, there’s an air of excitement and anticipation that can only mean one thing – the Strathalbyn Racing Club’s Summer Series is back.

With a simple formula of combining thrilling horseracing with free family-friendly entertainment, the series provides an affordable day out.

A day at the races for everyone The Strathalbyn Racing Club has curated a series that caters to racing enthusiasts and families alike. From seasoned punters to firsttime racegoers, everyone is invited to experience the heart-pounding excitement of thoroughbred racing against the backdrop of the stunning Fleurieu Peninsula.

The Summer Series attracts the ‘cabin crazy’ holiday makers on the Fleurieu as well as locals with relatives visiting during the festive season.

Family-focused entertainment Beyond the track, the Fleurieu Community Bendigo Bank Summer Series offers an array of family-friendly activities to keep all ages entertained. From the petting zoo, A Sprinkle of Magic (face painting and crafts), the giant sand pit for the little ones and lawn games, the club is committed to creating an atmosphere where families can come together in a relaxed atmosphere trackside.

Delicious delights No day at the races is complete without delectable treats, and the Strathalbyn Racing Club takes this to heart. Indulge in a variety

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of culinary delights, from gourmet food trucks to traditional raceday fare. The Summer Series promises a feast for the taste buds, ensuring that even the pickiest eaters leave satisfied.

Race-goers are also spoilt for choice with wines from friends down the road: Bremerton, Bleasdale, Gipsie Jack and Lake Breeze, all from the Langhorne Creek Wine Region.

Exclusive VIP experience For those looking to elevate their race-day experience, the Summer Series offers VIP packages including premium seating, access to exclusive areas and the chance to witness the races up close.

It’s an opportunity to enjoy the races in style while creating lasting memories with friends and family. The North East Auto Wholesale Strathalbyn Cup in late January is the feature race day of the Summer Series, attracting a crowd of up to 2000 people, with numerous packages available including marquees and premium picnic tables. You won’t want to miss Fashions on the Field, a popular event on the day for fashionistas both young and old.

Community spirit The Strathalbyn Racing Club is more than just a venue, it’s a community hub. The Summer Series fosters a sense of togetherness, bringing locals and visitors together to celebrate the spirit of racing and the beauty of Strathalbyn.

This summer, the Strathalbyn Racing Club beckons you to be a part of an unforgettable experience. Whether you’re a racing aficionado or a family seeking a day of wholesome entertainment, the Summer Series promises to deliver thrills, laughter, and memories that will last a lifetime. Saddle up, pack a picnic, and join us for a day of racing magic at the Strathalbyn Racing Club’s Summer Series – where the track meets family fun! countryracingsa.com.au/racing-club/strathalbyn/events

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Weaving connections Words by Hollie Connery. Photography by Jason Porter on location at Tregarthen Studio, McLaren Vale. Styling by Petra de Mooy.

Above: The handmade artwork by Kokatha woman, Micky Barlow – complemented by artefacts belonging to her grandfather. Baskets by Cathryn Charnock and books from Free Range Books along with two small white vases by Indigo Clay.

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Art has a transformative power, it holds stories and history. It communicates our human experience, as vast and varied as this may be. It has the ability to heal. A basket is not just a basket; it is a weaving together of the past and the present, and a vessel of promise to hold the future safely.

Top: Baskets by Cathryn Charnock (left) and Wiinya Creations (right). Bottom left: Pendants also from Wiinya. Middle right: Micky Barlow’s handpainted bowls and Cathryn’s basket. Bottom: Pot by Indigo Clay, serving tray by Micky and wooden music sticks from her grandfather.

Our region is abundantly fortunate to have many talented First Nations artists. It is here in these creative forms that an opportunity to express, maintain and assert ancient cultural traditions is carried.

To appreciate and observe these age-old practices in motion is to honour the expression of identity, relationship to Country and the spirituality of our First Nations people.

Micky Barlow Micky Barlow is a Kokatha woman, a contemporary artist and a basket weaver, among her many talents. A wide range of her own art is on display in her gallery and shop in McLaren Vale. A talented all-rounder Micky uses traditional dot work in her paintings, incorporating symbols and colours understood and passed down from her grandmother and mother. A recent body of her work ‘Bush Tucker Series’ seeks to educate her audience about the important

medicinal properties and practical uses of local native flora. Her works include acrylics on canvas, wood burning (‘Punu’ work) on timber, and basket weaving using raffia, natural fibres and grasses.

Wiinya Creations Elisabeth is an intuitive Indigenous artist, born on Wiradjuri country and residing and working here on Kaurna land. Playfully experimenting with various mediums, Elisabeth has honed her craft in painting, weaving and making pendants. Her acrylic on canvas paintings are bright and playful. ‘My painting connects me with my culture, my ancestors. It grounds me in my present and co-creates my reality. To me, it really is a powerful and spiritual process.’

Elisabeth now offers workshops teaching the foundations of weaving with the purpose of knowledge-sharing and the creation of intentional community around this practice. > 31

Above: Baskets, pendants and paintings by Elisabeth at Wiinya Creations. Elisabeth’s work is complemented by books from Free Range Books and ceramic pots from the Boho Collective and Fleurieu Ceramics available at the Fleurieu Arthouse.

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Top left: Detail of pot. Right: Detail of Wiinya’s baskets, Bottom left: Detail of necklaces by Kylie O’Laughlin. Right: Detail of pots by Lyn Lovegrove Niemz.

Page 34: Cedric Varcoe’s paintings and baskets and Better World Arts products are complemented by ceramic art by Lyn Lovegrove Niemz and textiles from Better World Arts – available at Coral Street Art Space. Books on art and design are from Free Range Books, Fleurieu Arthouse.

Lyn Lovegrove Niemz Lyn Lovegrove Niemz is a proud Ngarrindjeri woman with strong links to her family and culture. She has worked in the community service and education sector with organisations such as Aboriginal Family Supprt Services and Centacare, where she worked in Aboriginal suicide prevention, homelessness prevention and foster care. Lyn values the importance of traditional art and culture in schools, and has honed her skills in painting, pottery, silk painting and traditional weaving over the last ten years, featuring in numerous exhibitions. She attests that her drive is ‘coming from a strong line of strong Ngarrindjeri women’.

Cedric Varcoe Cedric’s father is Naranga, from the Point Pearce mission on Yorke Peninsula and his mother’s country is Ngarrindjeri on the southern end of the Murray River and Coorong. Cedric comes from a family of painters and storytellers and began painting when he was very young. He grew up listening to the stories of the Ngarrindjeri country — with the history and culture of his grandfather and other family Elders passed to him. Winning multiple awards and exhibiting since 1997, Cedric has deepened his professional development by studying archival documents and speaking to Elders to learn more about his Ngarrindjeri, as well as his Narangga, learning cultural stories and sacred sites.

Better World Arts Better World Arts is a cross-cultural project, collaborating and dealing in fine art, fine craft and ethical trade. A catalyst for developing innovative projects, Better World Arts works with First Nations Australian artists to provide original artwork, reworked by traditional artisans from remote regions in Kashmir, Peru, West Bengal, Uttar Pradesh and with Tibetan refugees living in Nepal. The collaboration offers a beautiful symphony of textiles ‘uniting the oldest living culture on earth with the finest handmade traditions of the Silk Road and beyond’. Better World Arts develops these relationships and collaborations in order to ‘distribute generous royalties to artists and support economic sustainability for communities in developing regions’. Some of the local artists represented by Better World Arts are Damien and Yilpi Marks, Kylie O’Laughlin, Cedric Varcoe and Julie Woods.

Note: The artwork by Lyn Lovegrove Niemz, Cedric Varcoe and Better World Arts is available at the Coral Street Art Space, Victor Harbor.

The First Nations artworks are complemented by books from Free Range Books and non-Indigenous ceramic and fibre art – available at the Fleurieu Arthouse, McLaren Vale.

The Studio at Tregarthen is a multi-use space available for events.

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Above: Cedric Varcoe’s paintings and baskets are complemented by ceramic art by Lyn Lovegrove Niemz and products from Better World Arts.

Books on art and design from Free Range Books, Fleurieu Arthouse.

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WINNER

HOME OF THE YEAR OVER $2M

Small but mighty Story by Kate Le Gallez. Photography by Jason Porter.

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Page left: On a steep block at Victor Harbor sits the beautifully-designed 45 square-metre tiny home – Wren House. Above: The compact kitchen made by local kitchen manufacturer – Hastings Design, Victor Harbor, is compact, stylish and functional.

The ability to see potential requires a certain optimism – an ability to see past faults, flaws and challenges and imagine a future state. For seven years, the block that’s now home to Wren House sat empty, its potential hidden by an aggressive slope and the tired, stressed trees clinging on for dear life.

‘We fell in love with the view and the tranquillity of the place,’ says Irina Deslandes, who together with her husband Jack Deslandes and brother-in-law Jesse Deslandes could see the site’s promise.

‘There’s so many birds and wildlife here,’ she continues, ‘so we just pretty much decided: we need to do something that does this bit

of land justice.’ The result is Wren House, a tiny dwelling designed to be as light and fleet-footed in its impact on the earth as its feathered namesake.

While a dwelling’s size is often dictated by site constraints, it was always the trio’s intention to build small and maximise the natural setting. It’s a personal and professional passion for architect Irina, whose business Deslandes Design is focused on tiny houses, sustainable design and creative use of space. Wren House undoubtedly ticks all three. On a sloping 900-square-metre site, Irina’s diminutive design takes up just 45 of those squares, and counts among its many eco-credentials a worm farm septic system and reliance on passive design for temperature control.

‘I knew I needed to design something that was going to be in harmony with the site and not just clear everything and make a big monstrosity,’ she explains. She started with a waffle pod slab, > 37

This page: The interior furnishings and detailing are modern, functional, cosy and cool.

which sits on, rather than in, the ground, and by working with the natural contours of the site, they limited the earthworks required.

from the harsh summer heat via louvres angled to work with the changing position of the sun over the seasons.

The house, built by Dellatorre Construction, was then constructed of structurally insulated panels, which sandwich a foam-core centre between plywood panels critical to the passive design. ‘They’re very thermally efficient because they break the thermal bridging that happens with traditional timber or steel frame construction,’ explains Irina.

Together with double-glazed, low-e windows (which further reduce heat transfer), and the ability to manage airflow, the house remains comfortable year-round. This is especially important for the loft bedroom which boasts the best views, but in a less efficient home could easily become a hotspot. ‘We can open the skylights to sort of purge any heat as well. We can just open the entire house up just so it can really breathe,’ says Irina.

While the house includes a small combustion heater (for cosiness) and small air conditioner (for those forty-degree days), its passive design means these measures are more nice, rather than need, to have. The house is built to be warmed by the winter sun and shaded 38

The ability to breathe is an apt descriptor for the house, not only as a physical phenomenon but a mental one too. The undeniably small footprint of the house feels expansive beyond its meagre

Top left and bottom left: The designer bathroom – expertly crafted by Hastings Design, leads to the outdoor bath with a view. Top right: The loft / bedroom offers therapeutic treetop views.

square-metreage, with generous spaces to relax and take in the natural setting.

The elevated view, both from the lower-level living area and the queen-sized bed in the loft, is maximised via large windows that draw the eye out while also letting in abundant natural light. The loft sits over the kitchen, allowing the rest of the room to open up via a double-height void. ‘You just don’t feel like you’re necessarily enclosed, even though there are walls protecting us,’ says Irina. ‘We knew it was going to be small, but it actually surprised me with how little I could get it to be and fit everything that we needed.’

And you really couldn’t ask for much more. The house includes a full kitchen and bathroom, plus a small second bedroom with a bunk

bed. There’s no TV on show, but you can lower the blinds and flick on the projector if you wish. Upstairs, the bedroom features built-in storage and a desk.

While the interior fit out and furnishings walk a soft, muted line from eucalyptus greens through to terracottas against the warmth of plywood cladding, the kitchen introduces bolder lines echoing the dark exterior. ‘I wanted to put a little bit of drama into the space, not just hide everything away in cupboards,’ says Irina. The owners worked with Hastings Designer Kitchens in Victor Harbor to turn Irina’s kitchen concept into reality. ‘They’ve done just a tremendous job, just the level of detailing that they’ve gone to to perfect >

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Top left: The kitchen bench is symmetrically positioned and framed by large windows that open to a splendid outdoor seating area. Right: Owners Jack and Irina Deslandes. Bottom: The building exterior with strong angles in black – offers great design and planning both inside and out by Deslandes Design.

every little aspect of the joinery. It’s been a dream to work with them,’ she says.

The owners have worked with other local businesses to elevate the experience of Wren House for guests who come to stay, including Fleurieu Hampers who provide welcome baskets. Jack – who handles the marketing and logistics for Wren House – speaks highly of their local cleaner and linen service who are essential to the project’s success. And of course their neighbours, who have welcomed the little house into this quiet corner of Victor.

The thought and care so evident in the interior of Wren House – both aesthetically and functionally – is repeated outside, continuing that long exhalation and building further connection to the site. A huge bath sits on the deck, shielded by a privacy screen from the neighbours but otherwise open to the world. The deck then follows around the side of the house, leading straight into the bathroom – ‘It makes for an easy nudie run back to the shower,’ laughs Irina.

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The flipside of the building’s small footprint is the challenge presented by landscaping. This became Jesse’s project, and rather than installing retaining walls and manufacturing flat areas, they constructed swales to reduce run-off and start rejuvenating the bedraggled site. Much of the backyard is now planted with natives, interspersed with hardy succulents, with a path wandering through to reach a deck at the top of the site.

At this height, the sea is just visible, a reminder that this quiet haven is just minutes from a bustling seaside town. Almost as inconspicuous is the tiny Wren House below, tucked in among the now-thriving trees. Unassuming in form, Irina hopes the design speaks loudly in other ways. ‘I myself am a strong proponent of trying to get people into smaller dwellings and to think about how much space you really need,’ she says. ‘So this is an opportunity to really showcase that and say, look, try this. You might be surprised how spacious it feels, even though it’s only 45 square metres.’

Available for stays … just google Wren House.

Garden party On location at Martin House, Port Willunga. Photography by Koa Photography.

Styling by team FLM and Tess Twigden.

Flowers by the Rusty Rose Flower Farm.

Tableware and accessories from Kookery, Willunga.

Handmade plates, bowls and cups by Nicole is Nicole Ceramics.

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Above: Bespoke and handmade – all. Platter perfect with an array of products from Port Willunga Fine Foods. Bowls from Boho Collective available at the Fleurieu Arthouse. Bottom left: Trish and her daughter preparing the entrees. Bottom right: A regular visitor to Martin House.

Long warm nights ahead have us thinking about outdoor entertaining, celebrating the year that was with the people we love. The Fleurieu Peninsula is home to an abundance of local producers, artisans, foodies and winemakers. We gathered a stellar bunch for this dreamy collaboration, a tribute to the hardworking talent that endlessly strives to create community and culture around supporting local.

Every artisan involved in this shoot had a world-class offering to bring to the table, a proud moment for us in bringing it together.

Think about how local you can make your next dinner party to celebrate our region’s reputation for choice produce and the people that help get it to your table.

Martin House A stunning beachside home, Martin House offers close proximity to the sea and the sounds of Port Willunga beach while being one of the best architecturally designed homes we have had the pleasure of working in. The light-filled space is full of art and designer items to inspire. Perfect for a quiet retreat, or bring family or friends and enjoy the entertaining area just as we did. The host and owner Alex has not overlooked a single detail when ensuring her guests can come

to love and enjoy the many spaces both indoors and out that have been cleverly designed into this property.

Port Willunga Fine Foods Featuring diverse and unique flavour profiles, owner Trish plays with bold ingredients to add moments of surprise to any platter. Elevate your culinary experience by adding some desert lime, wattleseed and Davidson plum to your next grazing board. Or play around with dried pears and crunchy almonds with your next cheese platter. From golden toffee and luxurious chocolate to zesty pickles, to sweet preserves and grape wine conserves, pick up a few products and watch your summer snacks come to life. Order now at portwillungafinefoods.com.au to savour South Australia’s flavours. >

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This page: Cool Hither & Yon white wines served in this fresh setting. Tablecloth from Her Name Was Nola and florals by Felicity at the Rusty Rose Flower Farm.

Page right: Top left: Delicious and refreshing Gather Kombucha. Middle: Award-winning Paris Creek Farms Bio-dynamic cheese are creamy, dreamy and perfect for an afternoon grazing platter. Bottom: Designer Alex McCarthy, has made Martin House B&B an entertainer’s dream. Top right: Alex and Summa enjoying some of Summa’s deliciously sweet and lemony Limon limoncello. Bottom: Limon – a perfect summer drink.

Hither & Yon The innovative and community-oriented team at Hither & Yon ensure there is always a delicious pour at any local event. As ‘alternative futurists’, the award-winning Hither & Yon are invested in increasing microbial and microflora soil diversity through regenerative agriculture. So, in essence, they are providing a delicious approachable wine to our region and supporting local community initiatives, all while improving the quality of soil across the region.

Plus they have the best artwork on their labels, not to mention a dynamic and friendly team – what’s not to love!

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Gather Kombucha Gather Kombucha use slightly more modern techniques to enhance this ancient beverage with complex roots, producing a traditionally brewed kombucha that’s fresh and raw with a lightly sparkling and deliciously wild flavour. Infused with cold-pressed botanical ingredients, the range of exciting flavours can, and should be, enjoyed over ice as the warmer weather hits (you could even add a splash of gin). Look for their bottles in any of the great cafes and restaurants across our region. >

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This page: Rich and smooth – award-winning Coriole wines complemented by Pizzateca pizzas (recently awarded best pizza thanks to South Australia’s delicious 100 list for 2023). Page right top left: We love the artist designed labels and the wine at Hither & Yon. Bottom: Tony Mitolo serving up his award-winning pizza. Top right: A wide selection of Australia’s most highly awarded gins available at Never Never Distilling. Pictured is the newly released Beeswax & Olive Gin. Bottom: Nicole of Nicole is Nicole Ceramics helps set the table with her handmade ceramic bowls and plates.

Pizzateca Popular family-run business Pizzateca just simply understands that the cornerstone to any great product is to carefully nurture and curate the finest ingredients. Throw in generations of culinary expertise and the latest generation of entrepreneurs and trail blazers, Pizzateca brings their love of good food and wine shared with friends and family to the Fleurieu Peninsula and we are lucky to have them.

Coriole Vineyards Growing and producing some of the region’s most popular varieties, it would be amiss to not have Coriole at the table for this celebration.

Established in 1984, the Lloyd family have been major players and contributors to the McLaren Vale wine region and are a crowd 46

favourite, not only for their delicious wines but for their widely celebrated cellar door and restaurant. Head winemaker Duncan came along to decant a beautiful bottle of Sangiovese for all to enjoy, and that we did!

Never Never Distillery ‘Okay, but have you tried the Oyster Gin?’ – was a phrase thrown around a handful of times during this shoot. Never Never need little introduction, winning multiple awards and becoming a household name across the state. Never Never is in itself a gin institution with a range of unique varieties to quench anybody’s thirst and satisfy a broad range of preferences. Available at their beautifully styled Chalk Hill, McLaren Vale location and all good quality retailers. A staple at any garden party. >

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Top left and right: We had the pleasure of Dom from Dawn Patrol serving us some pour-over coffee. Middle and top right: Served with delicious Tiramisu and danishes from Home Grain Bakery. Bottom left: The dessert table procured from Home Grain Bakery was over the top! We loved it. Right: Served with a fresh and light Coriole Prosecco ... divine.

Dawn Patrol Coffee Originally based in Kangarilla and operating out of their garden shed, Dawn Patrol has now moved into an expanded ‘cellar door’ style location in McLaren Vale where you can taste and experience a vast range of roasts and blends. Owner Dom has a trademark enthusiasm and passion that can get you as excited and interested in coffee as he is. With a range of blends in beautiful packaging, drop into Main Road, McLaren Vale to pick up the perfect gift and taste some Dawn Patrol coffee for yourself.

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Home Grain Bakery Nothing is more typically local to this region than picking up a loaf of ciabatta from Home Grain Bakery on your way home, on your way to work, or on a Sunday morning. Not only do they keep us coming back for their onsite baked goods made from only the finest local ingredients, but they are a hub of activity and a central meeting place for the community. With an ever-evolving menu and some incredibly high-class pastries, everyone loves Home Grain Bakery, and we do too.

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Forever home Story by Kate LeGallez. Photography by Jason Porter.

Above: The extension with Marj and Mikey enjoying the sunset on the new deck. Inside and outside are connected via large sliding glass doors.

The night before I visit Corrina and Dan Wright’s home just outside McLaren Vale, a thunderstorm was unleashed suddenly and spectacularly over the Fleurieu. It’s an obvious point of small talk when Corrina, winemaker at Oliver’s Taranga, welcomes me inside their newly renovated home. It also offers a simple example of how life has changed for the Wright family since the extension was completed.

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Until Christmas 2022, Corrina, Dan, their son Koen (13) and Corrina’s daughter Miah (21) had lived in the same old homestead Corrina’s mother had grown up in. Built in 1910, it was (and still is) a classic four-room cottage with a hallway running down the middle set among the vineyards. A small lean-to kitchen and bathroom were added sometime in the 1940s or 50s, built into the wraparound verandah.

example, we couldn’t have even seen any of that if we were in the other house,’ she continues. ‘That’s been the major difference for me. Just being able to see outside has been amazing.’ Another obvious characteristic of older buildings is the way they partition life in a way that doesn’t suit the way we want to live life today – the small size and unsociable position of the old kitchen was a particular bugbear.

The undeniable charm of older houses is found in the flourishes that belie what we often think of as a simpler, more utilitarian approach to homebuilding. Aesthetic features like sky-high ceilings, ornate mouldings and cornices, and rich, jarrah floorboards were once de rigeur. But also: no natural light.

Corrina had a lot of time to think about these shortcomings, and how she might change things. A long, long time – she and Dan moved into the house around 2005. Time can be a good thing as well, and it’s something that Corrina and the wider Oliver family are conscious of: the current generation of Olivers are the sixth to have lived and worked on the family’s land. Honouring the existing cottage was important, the question was how to bring it with them into the twenty-first century. >

‘It’s very cocooning. But you can’t see outside pretty much at all,’ says Corrina. And you would barely hear, let alone see a thunderstorm through the thick, brick walls. ‘Last night was a good

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Page left: The outdoor area seamlessly transitions into the open plan living area. Above: The beautifully crafted and styled SpaceCraft kitchen features rich bluegreen tiles, warm timbers and sleek lighting. Bottom left: An object found during excavations is now a decorative item.

Corrina and Dan worked with Tylen Spilsbury of Spilsbury Designer Homes in Victor Harbor and local builder Dean Wyly to design the extension, having worked with them before on the Oliver’s Taranga cellar door and Swell Taphouse. In the end, the cottage remains structurally unchanged, with the four rooms now used as bedrooms and a casual living room. However, the exterior has had quite the glow up. Alongside a new, dark-hued roof, Dan gently revealed the cottage’s brick facade, using a pressure cleaner to wash away the ‘shitty spray-on concrete stuff’ that was applied god knows when.

The original red bricks are now twinned with a feature recycled-redbrick wall on the new kitchen/living/dining space in the addition, built by stonemason Carl Mills, which projects out to equal the alignment of the cottage.

In between the old and the new is a hallway, creating a u-shaped home, bookended by red brick and married together by dark, steel cladding that mirrors the cottage’s new roof. In the void created by the u-shape, Dan has his outdoor kitchen shaded by retractable blinds and perfectly positioned to take in the views of the vineyard.

Entering the house from this outdoor zone, you step straight into the new living space. Lofted ceilings create a vast space made cosy by the rustic red brick feature wall and choice of rich colours and textures in the soft furnishings. Here, most strikingly in contrast to the cottage, the high ceilings allow in abundant light, while the windows offer various perspectives on their vineyards.

Corrina credits the refined finish of this room to their builder, Dean.

He structured the ceiling so it could have decorative ceiling joists if > 53

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Page left: The living area features artwork by local artist Brian O’Malley, florals by Harvest Studio. Middle right: Corriina is now revelling in the wide-open space and colour. This page top and bottom left: The master bathroom and the guest bathroom are beautifully appointed. Bottom right: The walk-through pantry by SpaceCraft Kitchens is like a second kitchen – storage aplenty.

they wanted (ultimately they decided against), and built the sliding door entryway so that it didn’t need a pillar in the corner. ‘There was a post there originally, but Dean’s like, ‘it would be pretty amazing if you just were able to open it all up’,’ says Corrina. ‘So they structurally organised to have all of that happen.’

The new kitchen banishes any memory of tight spaces and closeted cooking. The matte black cabinetry, designed by SpaceCraft Joinery, is accented by jarrah elements which connect back to the floorboards in the cottage. ‘I know it’s not trendy to have dark wood at the moment, but bad luck, I wanted to do that,’ says Corrina. SpaceCraft designer and owner Nathan Wundersitz says the richness of the redwood ‘provides a great contrast to the dark

accents and concrete floor, providing the space with real mood and colour pop.’

Standout colour is also provided by the jewel-like green Italian tiles on the splashback, while underfoot the polished concrete floor by Enhanced Polished Concrete (sitting on a slab poured by another Oliver family enterprise – Oliver Concrete Construction) is seeded with pieces of blue and green glass. Hidden behind the kitchen is – for want of a better word – a butler’s pantry in a gorgeous soft green. It’s truly like a second kitchen – ‘one you can only dream of,’ says Nathan.

Naturally drawn to colour, Corrina worked with Marcus Syvertsen of Little Road Studio on the interior design. ‘He helped me control my > 55

Top left: The master bedroom in pale blue is serene. Middle left: A collection of surf art finds. Top right: Any place you hang your hat is a home. Bottom: The marriage of old and new connected by red brick and and nice new roof.

colour, because otherwise I’d get crazy,’ she says. ‘Marcus just gives you a bit of confidence.’

Marcus worked on a colour palette predominated by blues and greens, led by Corrina and Dan’s art collection and their love of the coast. ‘She didn’t want it to be a showhome, she wanted it to be a reflection of their relaxed and laid-back lifestyle,’ says Marcus.

There was only one rule – no grey. ‘I just think it’s a sad colour. And I just see too many houses just full of grey. I’m like, why? I don’t understand it,’ Corrina says.

The hallway that leads from the living area across to the cottage is clad with fluted wall panels, which seamlessly and ingeniously (thanks again Dean) hide doorways to both the master bedroom and a powder room. The casual coastal influences come to the fore 56

in the master bedroom, which is painted a soft blue, including on the ceiling. The ensuite turbocharges the blue palette: the floor tiles repeat a circular blue pattern before meeting blue wall tiles in the double shower and alongside the bath, which offers a private view to the rear of the house. (There’s also a ‘poo with a view’ i.e. a toilet overlooking the backyard – a must-have on Corrina’s renovation wish list). ‘It’s very playful, it’s very Corrina,’ says Marcus. ‘She’s very open to fresh ideas and a mix of materials.’

It’s clear that the careful thought of a lot of different people has been expended to make this home what it is: a forever home fit for today that honours the family home that has served generations. ‘This is family land and my kids are the fourth generation to live here – just in this house, let alone the seventh generation to live on the property,’ says Corrina. ‘So we’re not going anywhere.’

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Effortless elegance Photography and styling Jodi Nash. Hair by Charlotte Walsh from Half Cut, McLaren Vale.

Makeup by Erica Byers. On location at Beresford Estate.

Leaf motif two piece in a silk/cotton blend paired with silver sandals.

Available at Gorgeous Soles, McLaren Vale.

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Engage in the modern beauty of Beresford Estate. Sip wine in the Tasting Pavilion overlooking the vineyards and Beresford House. Stay in one of the Grand Reserve Suites. Celebrate in style on the hilltop at Vale Taphouse.

Our fashion selections encompass daytime casual and move into effortless evening elegance. Summer is relaxed confidence and gorgeous fabrics.

Find your style at these fantastic local retailers.

Destination wrap dress with striped raffia bag.

Available at Gorgeous Soles, McLaren Vale.

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Striped midi-dress in white and blue paired with a blue suede heel.

Available at Miss Gladys on Sea, Aldinga.

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Linen hoodie and white shorts paired with a macrame slide.

Available at Miss Gladys on Sea, Aldinga. White bucket hat from Gypsy Life, Moana.

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Blue jeans with classic white tank paired with an ombre shawl and slip-on sandals.

Available at Gypsy Life, Moana.

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Strapless denim dress with sterling silver earrings.

Available at Gypsy Life, Moana. Canvas runners from Gorgeous Soles, McLaren Vale.

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Jewel-toned linen maxi-dress paired with emerald green sandals.

Available at Gorgeous Soles, McLaren Vale. Wide brim hat from Miss Gladys on Sea, Aldinga.

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Above: Evelyne Adefusi during one of her cooking demonstrations at the Willunga Farmers Market.

Market fresh: Evelyne Adefusi’s chicken with 40 cloves of garlic Evelyne’s cooking style is simple, fresh, local and seasonal, driven by the motto: ‘If it grows together, it goes together.’

There are few better places to source such produce than at the Willunga Farmers Market and Evelyne has accumulated strong relationships within the market community. In addition to her weekly groceries, some staples include Feather & Peck eggs and yellow-top Fleurieu Milk.

For over twenty years, the market has been cultivating direct connections between producers and consumers, unlike the oftendetached experience of shopping in a supermarket. It fosters community, the sharing of recipes and supporting of local farming families, as well as environmental perks like reduced food miles, a greater understanding of seasonality and a deeper connection to local land.

Growing up in Belgium until she was five, Evelyne’s early years were filled with European food and diverse dishes shared by friends from

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many different cultures. A love of food has continued to flourish in her life on the Fleurieu – her hospitality career evolving at iconic local institutions like the Victory Hotel, Star of Greece, Harry’s Deli and Salopian Inn. Evelyne now works as a home economics teacher and dreams of sharing her knowledge and passion with the next generation. ‘I feel there is a real disconnect with our food; people no longer understand the seasons and today’s busy lifestyle, the availability of cheap produce, increased access to convenience foods, ready-made meals and fast food mean there are a whole generation who have not learnt how to cook,’ she says.

Good food has always been an expression of love in Evelyne’s family, with tricks shared between generations of women who would cook, test and write recipes intuitively. This recipe for chicken with forty cloves of garlic is a classic peasant dish, originating from southern France. Using simple ingredients, it can be prepared in under 15 minutes in one pot and popped in the oven. Forty cloves of garlic may sound excessive – but don’t fear. When roasted, the garlic will develop a creamy texture and sweet flavour. The aroma as it cooks is amazing.

Head to the market and grab a pasture-raised chicken from Tom and Verity at Nomad Farms, supporting their ethos of regeneration – ecological, social and economic. Some of the area’s finest extra virgin olive oil is available from Mel at Peninsula Providore, sourced from

Above: Evelyne’s chicken with 40 cloves of garlic. Tableware available at Kookery, Willunga.

their olive groves on the Fleurieu. Collect your rosemary, thyme and parsley from Jill at Herbivorous, who has been trading at the market since it opened in 2002. Pop some celery, carrot and onion in your basket on the way past Sarina and her husband Frank at Virgara’s Garden, another of the market’s original vendors. Sabella Wines pinot grigio is the perfect drop for this dish; grab some from the Petrucci family who’ve produced grapes in McLaren Vale since 1976. Last, but certainly not least, be sure to grab some handmade long ferment sourdough bread to soak up all of the goodness in this dish at Basket Range Bakery from Felicity and Phil.

Evelyne’s recipe is also included in the Willunga Farmers Market Journal, filled with market history, producer profiles and delicious seasonal recipes. The journal is available to purchase at the market’s Information Stall, every Saturday morning 8am–12 noon.

Chicken with 40 cloves of garlic Celery, 2 stalks, including leaves Rosemary, 2 sprigs, plus extra to garnish Thyme, 4 sprigs, plus extra to garnish Flat leaf parsley, 4 sprigs, plus extra to garnish Whole chicken, 1.6kg Garlic, 40 cloves, unpeeled Olive oil, 2 tablespoons Carrot, 1 roughly chopped Onion, 1 small, cut into 4 wedges White wine, 250ml Baguette, 1 cut into slices

Method Preheat the oven to 200°C. Put a chopped celery stalk and 2 sprigs each of the rosemary, thyme, and parsley into the chicken cavity. Add 6 garlic cloves. Tie the legs together and tuck the wing tips under.

Brush the chicken liberally with the oil and season well. Scatter about 10 more garlic cloves in a large saucepan. Put the remaining sprigs of herb, chopped celery, carrot, and onion in the saucepan.

Put the chicken in the saucepan. Scatter the remaining garlic cloves around the chicken, then add the remaining oil and the wine. Cover and bake for 1 hour and 20 minutes, or until the chicken is tender and the juices run clear when the thigh is pierced with a skewer.

To serve, carefully lift the chicken out of the saucepan.

Drain the juices into a small saucepan. Remove the garlic cloves from the drained mixture and set aside. Spoon off the fat from the juices and boil for 2–3 minutes to reduce and thicken a little.

Cut the chicken into serving portions, pour over a little of the juices and scatter with the garlic. Toast the baguette slices, then spread with the soft flesh squeezed from the garlic. Garnish the chicken with herb sprigs and serve with the baguette slices.

RETAIL THERAPY

What to buy, where to buy it Artisan, bespoke and handmade. Fill your home with the love imbued within these products. All handcrafted and designer made. The below recommendations are a mere scratch on the surface of what is on offer at these retailers.

Hand-printed pillows and handmade ceramic platter and bowls available at Fossick Made and Found, Goolwa. Plant, handmade ceramic pot and cups available at Charlie & Jack, Victor Harbor.

Japanese chef knives with Australian wood handles by Koi Knives available at Fleurieu Arthouse.

Original print and earrings available at Willunga Gallery, Willunga.

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A RECEPTION TO YEAR 12 CATHOLIC SCHOOL IN THE MARIST TRADITION

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LOCAL Touch, GLOBAL Reach

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Finding stillness Story by Petra de Mooy.

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Page left: The Pride of 1850, oil on board 55 cm x 45 cm. Above: Seeds of Time, oil on board 27 cm x 35 cm.

Oil painter James McFarlane’s artworks radiate lustre, light and depth. His layering of colour shows his careful consideration and painstaking application of both his skill and patience — and rewards the viewer with something that catches your eye and draws you into a deep, still richness and depth.

James’s young life was imbued with art, design, craft and an acknowledgement of the values inherent in both intellectual pursuits and artistic considerations. His father’s family were builders and town planners and, in his spare time, his father painted watercolours.

James’s mother was a historian, specialising in the history of early South Australia’s settlement, and her father (James’s maternal grandfather) worked in the unique and dying art of decorative glazing.

James says that as a young man he doubted his own patience to undertake the training required to pursue an artistic career. He decided instead to pursue a career in hotel management.

He was employed at Government House, North Terrace, where examples of the finer things in life — elegant furnishings, crystal chandeliers, and grand rooms filled with art and textiles — were his work environment and where excellence in service and attention to detail were the unwavering expectation of his sophisticated clientele at the House’s ‘ladies clubs’.

Here he started work as a steward — meticulously setting tables, polishing silver and steeping himself in the tradition and care required to exceed his customer’s high expectations.

Appreciating the collections of art that decorated the walls of the grand old rooms, and the art that came to the rooms of the house to be exhibited, James (in part owing to his height) added to his meticulous table service and began to also assist with hanging and installing these works of art for exhibitions. Under the art committee’s direction, James went on to help curate, as well as install, and says that he ‘was constantly being exposed to excellent paintings of all genres — unpacking them, repacking them and hanging them. Being up close and handling the work was such a thrill.

‘A highlight was an exhibition of Nora Heysen’s work. A call-out was made and over two dozen privately owned works came forward.’

The exhibition encompassed all Heysen’s stylistic periods, from her drawings as a young girl to some of her last paintings.

‘It was overwhelming to see them side by side,’ he remembers. ‘I felt that I had witnessed something that was never likely to be repeated.

To see the evolution of those brush strokes from [her as a] child to [the peak of her] career and beyond – it was a defining moment in my decision to pursue art.’

Although James had earlier turned away from formal training in art he had continued to draw and sketch and was now inspired to invest himself further. He rented a studio where he read and studied, and began to teach himself to paint.

In 2014 James, and his partner Dale, moved to Tasmania and undertook the large-scale renovation of a historic property.

Earlier, while still in Adelaide, James had attended a lecture by the renowned artist Tony Smibert who, as the world expert on English Romantic painter William Turner, had deciphered the great painter’s techniques. James found Tony was teaching in Tasmania and enrolled in a master class. > 71

Above left: Silent Cries displayed with still life objects. Top right: Standing Tall, oil on board, 30cm x 35 cm. Bottom right: James at work.

‘That program was like a university degree,’ he says. James began to explore and develop the revelation of light, shadow and depth – all hallmarks of Turner’s paintings – in his own work.

The couple now live in the Clare Valley. They rent a historic property and have also bought a block in the old township of Auburn. [More building projects to come I suspect.]

James says that the process of creating these luminous paintings is painstaking. ‘I do a full grisaille,’ he says. He begins by drawing the focal objects in pencil and then staining and adding texture to the background, which fills in the pores of the canvas. He then paints the objects in black and white to make a monochrome image (i.e., a grisaille). This becomes the ‘map’ and forms the structure for his colour glazing process.

James has found an enviable balance between making art and working. In 2016 he had met Ron Langman and Sonya Hender while helping to establish the Thunderbird Bar and Restaurant next to the Strand Gallery in Port Elliot. Sonya has greatly encouraged James, and last year he completed his first solo show at the Strand Gallery titled ‘Act One: A brush with James’.

The colours are quite transparent — and require layering — each coat of paint adding richness and depth. Working with oils takes time and a lot of the patience James once doubted he had. As he must wait for the layers to dry he may have three pieces on the go at any time. After the meticulous application of many layers, the painting is varnished — helping to create and preserve its luminous quality.

James loves the old-world feel of theses works and admires the old masters. He says that he has adapted his own techniques, however, to suit himself. He likes to work on a smaller scale so that the objects appear not much larger than they would in real life. He carefully composes each image — the objects purposefully positioned and rendered — and then framing is well considered to complement the work. There is a peaceful quality to the finished pieces and a feeling of stillness that emanates from the paintings, making one feel that all will be right in the world.

Along with his art practice, James and Dale continue to buy and lovingly restore historic properties. He jokes that ‘they planned [each] to be our forever home.’ But the restless creativity they share has brought them back from Tasmania, initially to the Fleurieu, and then to the small South Australian township of Burra (where they renovated a miner’s hall).

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The show was a near sell-out and James is now working towards a group exhibition with established artists Don Rankin, Tricia Ross and Sue Boettcher. The exhibition, to be called ‘Still, time’, will be shown next year during Adelaide’s Fringe Festival.

James appreciates the careful and meticulous attention to detail often shown in aspects of a bygone era. His partner Dale’s Great-Aunt Vera impressed him from the beginning. ‘She had excellent taste in a number of things, from art and fashion to the objects she would decorate her home with,’ he says.

‘She was very much the lady; she had style, grace and an excellent sense of humour. She was her own creation and presented to the world only her best qualities. When decorating she would often remark, “A room must have one star in it, the rest is trimming.” This is a principle I apply to my compositions today. She was right. I am still surprised when a work is signed off, varnished and framed. The paintings that sing are the unexpected ones; they are not the brightest and busiest, they are balanced and have a quality about them that is hard to express in words.’ ** Thunderbird Restaurant is being reimagined, so watch that space.

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Above: Andrea Calabrese and his lovingly made gelato at Gelateca, McLaren Vale. Sweet dreams are made of this.

A scoop of Italian summer Story by Sam Marchetti.

The well-known pastel-pink and green motifs of Pizzateca, McLaren Vale’s home to traditional southern Italian food, now extend next door to father Vito and son Tony Mitolo’s new food venture with their business partner, Tim Anderson – Gelateca.

As well as making their own pizza, olive oil, bread, honey and wine, you’ll now find Italian-style ice cream available in the relaxed, party atmosphere of their al fresco venue and garden.

On a warm summer’s night, Andrea Calabrese’s nostalgia for Vieste, his hometown in the southern Italian region of Puglia, is captured by the soft pink hues that reflect from the Fleurieu Peninsula’s coastal cliffs and the scents from both the multiple olives groves and the blue-green ocean waters. And just as the Fleurieu region gifts Andrea with familiar landscapes and sensory memories, this talented gelato maestro is bringing the sweetest treat of all to his new home.

Andrea started serving gelato to customers at tables when he was fifteen, practising how to scoop gelato at night. ‘Once I started making gelato, it became my life’s passion,’ reveals Andrea, who was introduced to Tony via a member of the Pizzateca team also from Vieste. Bringing that passion to McLaren Vale has been a two-year process explains Tony. ‘We have taken the time to develop not only the infrastructure for making gelato but most importantly a relationship with Andrea; to create an understanding and trust 74

between us. Andrea has so much experience and luckily, we didn’t have to ‘sell’ the Fleurieu to him; he loves it here. And I think Dad’s Sunday night dinners might also have something to do with him staying with us.’

Fanatical about traditional flavours, Andrea’s favourite is hazelnut but he is also being persuaded by the ingredients found locally. For Andrea it is all about the quality of a product, and while he waits to experiment with the summer harvest of Fleurieu fruits, Fleurieu Milk Company’s tasty, premium milk is a firm favourite already.

Gelateca offers twelve flavours ‘and some specials depending on what Mother Nature will offer us,’ shares Andrea. Peering into a tub of 100% ground pistachios from Bronte in Sicily, Tony explains excitedly, ‘Nothing compares to these pistachios. The terroir of where they are grown creates such a deep and earthy flavour, and the richness of colour is amazing.’ The surprise for Andrea and Tony has been how their Oztalia Chilli Honey has already become such a popular choice when used to spice up their gelato.

Tony’s eighteen-month-old daughter tried gelato for the first time as Gelateca opened its doors. ‘She loved it!’ beams Tony. ‘I remember when I was a kid returning home from visiting friends in Adelaide, and we would stop off at Glynde for a tub of gelato, ready for a family night on the couch with the Sunday night movie. Gelato is something we have always wanted to add to our pizza experience and now with many people visiting McLaren Vale from Adelaide each weekend, we can help them make family memories when they take a tub of our gelato home with them.’

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BOOKS & WORDS

Summer book reviews

by Mark Laurie of South Seas Books, Port Elliot.

what transpires is a tale of merciless connivance – what novelist Don DeLillo describes as ‘an inside game, cold, sure and undistracted’. An elaborate conspiracy to separate the Osage from their wealth and its source is ably enabled by government’s machinery of law and power, underpinning settler colonialism to this day.

J Edgar Hoover’s ambition in the FBI’s earliest days, combined with the quiet, principled determination of a former Texas Ranger and supplemented much later by the writer’s primary sources, lay this vast criminal operation, this ‘Indian Business’, before history’s merciless judgment. Here is a story in the great and dismal tradition of Peter Matthiessen’s In the Spirit Of Crazy Horse, and Dee Brown’s Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee. At a deeper level though, and in the shadow of our own Voice referendum, it tells of a certain type of humans’ nature and the wilful blindness that allows it to prosper.

Killers of the Flower Moon

by David Grann Published by Simon & Schuster ISBN 9781398513341 $24.99 That unholiest of trinities – oil, money and murder – are reprised in this painstakingly investigated and riveting account by an award-winning journalist and author, recently released as a film. Oklahoma in the 1920s sees the Osage Indian nation as the wealthiest in the world by some measures, benefitting from the oil headleases held in the rocky, unpromising wasteland they had been displaced to, having been forced from their own lands. The great writer of America’s Midwest, Willa Cather, described such places as ‘outside man’s jurisdiction’, as without shred or vestige of humanity.

And so it goes…

The discovery of oil brings the barons, along with all manner of drifters, chancers and grifters, keen to play their hand and grab a share at the frontier by whatever means. A play on the greed at the nowdying heart of the American Dream, 76

George: A Magpie Memoir

by Frieda Hughes Published by Profile Books ISBN 9781800814790 $34.99 This memoir of the author’s two-year experience housing an orphaned magpie in semi-rural Wales is both charming and fascinating, appealing to the animal lover and citizen scientist in so many of us.

Drawing from Clare Kipps’ best-selling Sold For a Farthing, a war-time account of life in England with a tiny sparrow, now long out of print, the book contains acute observations of George’s development, abilities and distinctive character. Enhanced with the author’s sketches, we learn of the astonishing intelligence and capacity for learning of these birds, characteristics shared with their Australian counterparts even though they are unrelated. This capacity, combined with being dextrous, creative and mischievous, a natural thief and hoarder, provides the author and those around her, including her three dogs, with plenty of challenges and considerable delight.

Interwoven with George’s story are glimpses of the author’s own, one which has suffered far more than its share of trials and tragedy, even accounting for her parents, Sylvia Plath and Ted Hughes. Despite this, she appears to have emerged surprisingly optimistic and resolute, a successful writer, painter and designer. It seems that her engagement with the natural world, and with its birds and animals in particular, has been at the heart of her resilience. It is axiomatic that having pets and engaging with animals in a non-exploitive way provides a singular opportunity for selfless love and wonder.

It is clear that the space that George is allowed, or more accurately takes, in Hughes’ days and life affect her profoundly and shape the many years after he has taken to the air to which he was born.

Recently translated into English for the first time, the lightness of its language and gentle meandering of its narrative course soften our collective memory of this failed political state, the ruthlessness of its regime scarred into Western thoughts by the likes of John Le Carré and Anna Funder’s more recent Stasiland. It is deeply heartening to know that silliness, humanity and even forgiveness may spring from such memories; that yearning and hope may serve to keep sadness at bay as we confront the promise of the United States dissolving before our eyes in a Trumpian, proto-fascist welter.

The Short End of the Sonnenallee

by Thomas Brussig Published by 4th Estate, an imprint of Harper Collins ISBN 9780008559328 $24.99 It’s no mean feat to turn Stasi-controlled East Berlin into a comic theatre but this classic novel, written at the end of the twentieth century and set in the early 1980s at the height of the Cold War, manages it with apparent ease. In such a controlled, repressive setting, the author has his teenage protagonists play out their time-honoured predilection for romance and rebellion in immediately recognisable ways, their aspirations and endeavours punctuated with the foolishness and poor decision-making which, as adolescents, we all reserve for ourselves. Mischa, ‘staggeringly beautiful’ Miriam, Mario, the Existentialist and their friends all live at the short end of the boulevard of the sun, a street truncated by the Wall which is central to their daily lives and which provides for much of the absurdity within the book.

reflection, and with love. But it is much more as the author confronts himself, exploring layers of connection with time, events, place and people which provide the points of inflection and meaning constituting his life. Naturally, it eschews the approach habitually employed by politicians, business leaders and sports stars, reordering and reimagining facts, detail, and history to advantage posterity. ‘The past,’ he says ironically, ‘is always most clearly seen by those who never saw it.’ Question 7, we learn is a Chekhov parody, an unanswerable riddle only a fool would seek to solve.

In this version of history, we are presented with a life made possible by an affair between H.G. Wells and Rebecca West, development of the atomic bomb, Japanese wartime labour camps and the horrors of Hiroshima. Mysterious, never reducible to linear sequencing or codification, and never ever truly self-directed or controlled.

A youthful near-death experience in a rapid on the Franklin River is both metaphor and turning point, yielding a realisation that the world was always moving and he must move with it to survive.

This work dwells in memory and exposes soul. It feels like an ending somehow, a closing of the circle contextualising and linking Richard Flanagan’s latest works with his earliest. We must hope, fervently, that it is not.

Question 7

by Richard Flanagan Published by Knopf, an imprint of Penguin Random House ISBN 9781761343452 $35.00 Perhaps our greatest current writer finally turns to memoir, exploring the ‘why’ of his life within a book he describes as ‘a love note to my parents and my island home’.

It is certainly that, providing portraits of all three glowing with acute observation and 77

My style Elle Brown Owner Gorgeous Soles, McLaren Vale

SHOP Elle’s wardrobe is of course filled with many stylish pieces from Gorgeous Soles, but she also loves finding unique vintage clothing (and furniture) at Whatever at Willunga. Nearby, Kookery is another go-to for a great cook book.

RELAX Elle enjoys walking (and talking) with a group of women to switch off. ‘We completed the 35km Coastrek (Parsons Beach to Port Elliot) in September, raising over $4,000 for the Heart Foundation and we had some amazing conversations. Having had a heart attack in late 2022, this was a really important thing for me to achieve’.

EAT & DRINK ‘We like to share the love between Kicco and Sam I Am for coffee. Lunch could be de Rose Kitchen, or Taste Banh Mi, and Pik-a-Pie has the best pastie! If I don’t feel like cooking midweek, dinner is the Vale Pub, or Salopian or The Little Rickshaw for something special,’ Elle says.

Bottom left and right: Style, shoes and all the accessories available at Gorgeous Soles.

Elle grew up on a farm on the Yorke Peninsula, where her love of fashion blossomed as soon as she could sew under the tutelage of her dressmaker mum. ‘My first full-time job was with George Gross & Harry Who and while working there I completed a garment production course,’ she says. Elle left fashion life to follow her husband to the Pilbara in WA, before journeying onto Alice Springs where she settled for 10 years, starting a family and her first retail career in footwear.

It was 2002 when Elle and her husband returned to South Australia with their two young boys, so that she could further her retail career as a district manager for the Colorado Group, overseeing stores throughout Australia. ‘This is where I met Sarah, my right hand gal at Gorgeous Soles.

We loved working together then, and still do!’

That year proved to be pivotal for Elle and her family, who made a move to the Fleurieu and ‘felt right at home. We love the region for

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not only embracing the local community, but all those who travel through,’ she says.

After a decade in retail, Elle decided to take a break and run their transport business office, but it wasn’t long before she gave in to the strong pull of her retail gene and dreams of a shop in the Vale. Fast forward to 2016 and Gorgeous Soles was becoming a reality.

With brands like Maud Dainty, Morrison, Pol, Ruby Yaya and Zoe Kratzmann, Gorgeous Soles makes a point of representing brands that are mostly Australian in origin (around 95%). ‘We love fashion that has longevity, that is easy and not overcomplicated, but that stands out.’ But as much as Elle loves fashion and retail, she says it’s ‘really about customer connection’.

Elle describes her personal style as mostly relaxed – think denim bottoms and a great top, though sometimes a stylish pair of heels will make an appearance. As for what Summer has in store, Elle says it’s ‘all about matching pant suits, great shirt dresses, wide leg pants, denim skirts and lots of prints’.

Above: The dumplings at Salopian Inn are always a crowd pleaser!

I LOVE ‘I love spending time with my hubby and family.

We love to get away in our caravan, and the Yorke Peninsula is our favourite quick getaway.’

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RETAIL THERAPY

What to buy, where to buy it We are pretty stoked with all of the shop local content in this issue and with this buyer’s guide we are aiming to take some of the decision making out of your gift buying this season. Whether for him, for her or simply a gift for you because after all, you deserve it! The below recommendations are a mere scratch on the surface of what is on offer at these retailers.

For him, for her or for you.

Whether indoors or out – a treat for yourself or a great gift to give.

Garden fork, plant stake, books, salad set, food storage set and platter knives from Kookery, Willunga. Sweet treats, platter packs, cocktail toppers and more at Port Willunga Fine Foods. Skincare products and candles from Charlie & Jack, Victor Harbor. Designer printed tea towels from Fossick Made and Found, Goolwa.

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Find products in store at Any3Pieces, Willunga. Charlie & Jack, Victor Harbor. Dais At Home, McLaren Vale. Elliot & Me, Port Elliot. Fleurieu Arthouse, McLaren Vale. Fossick – Made and Found, Goolwa.

Kookery, Willunga. Morocco by Mish, Aldinga. South Seas Trading, Port Elliot and Willunga Gallery, Willunga. Find stockists and products for Port WIllunga Fine Foods online at portwillungafinefoods.com.au

Gift giving is made easy with these rustic, handmade and off-the-shelf finds.

Leather bag, necklaces, earrings, key holder and beaded leather slippers from Morocco by Mish, Aldinga. Wooden frame, candle holders, linen textiles, wood bowl, wicker placemat and ceramic tableware from Any3Pieces, Willunga.

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RETAIL THERAPY

What to buy, where to buy it Unique finds and awesome summer style – we are spoiled for choice with these retailers.

Pillow, picnic blanket, turkish towel, wool felt hats from Dais at Home, McLaren Vale. Artist books and retro caravan birdhouse from Willunga Gallery, Willunga. Hat, necklace, earrings, keyholder and sandals from Elliot & Me, Port Elliot.

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South Seas Books

South Seas Trading

53 North Terrace, Port Elliot P: 8554 2301 www.southseasbooks.com.au

56 North Terrace, Port Elliot P: 8554 3540

is an independent bookshop on the Fleurieu’s south coast.

South Seas will ignite your imagination.

offers a selection of vintage art and design pieces · clothing · jewellery · giftware and books in an evolving Arcadian haven.

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Destination Kangaroo Island Discover it’s world-class produce, products and landscapes.

Words by Hollie Connery.

There’s something extra exciting and adventurous about jumping on the ferry and heading across the Backstairs Passage to explore Kangaroo Island.

The pristine environment is home to some of the most picturesque coastlines.

Iconic favourites like Admirals Arch and Remarkable Rocks offer a stunning spectacle as well as a breath of fresh air, and the wildlife at Seal Bay will leave you in awe.

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The water is crystal clear and the air, clean. On your travels, be sure to take the time to stop and sample the world-class produce and products that come from this slice of paradise. Knowing that only the finest ingredients grown in a naturally pure environment are in your products enhances the experience of dropping off the mainland and sinking into the beauty that Kangaroo Island has to offer.

OrganiQ Kangaroo Island OrganiQ Kangaroo Island is a natural beauty company owned by sixth-generation islander Sally Paech. Island girl and now new mum, Sally created the products to reflect her childhood growing up on the pristine coastline and wild bushland the island is known for. Sustainability is paramount, and it’s important to Sally that the products are almost pure enough to eat, ensuring there is limited impact on the environment. With a new baby onboard, it became even more important to create products that are not just effective but safe to be around newborns and little ones. Every product uses local ingredients such as wild honey, Emu Bay lavender, Emu Ridge

Page left: The Oyster Farm Shop at American River – never fresher. Photo by Josie Withers. This page top left: A sublime drop at Dudley Wines. Bottom left: Springs Road cellar door with moody sky. Photo by Dean Wiles. Top right: Cape du Couedic Lighthouse. Photo by Gab Rivera. Bottom right: OrganiQ products use local ingredients to make pure, natural and sustainable products.

eucalyptus oil and olive oil to make luxury products that are now taking the world by storm.

Dudley Wines A must-see when visiting Kangaroo Island. Family owned and operated by fifth generation islanders, Dudley Wines is proudly 100% Kangaroo Island grown and produced. Next time you are on Kangaroo Island be sure to drop in and enjoy the picturesque clifftop cellar door that overlooks mainland Australia. Located just 12 km from Penneshaw, it is a perfect first stop when visiting the island.

Sample their broad range of locally made wines and relax with a gourmet pizza and a beautiful view to start your holiday right.

CABN CABN at Cape St Albans, on the eastern tip of Kangaroo Island and only 25 minutes drive from Penneshaw, is the ultimate nature escape for the rejuvenation we all need at this time of the year. The five CABN X have been strategically set down a slope that runs to

the white sandy beach, a sheltered cove for swimming, snorkeling and beach fishing. The solar-powered cabins have all the features of a luxury hotel suite with private saunas, outdoor bathtubs and full-size indoor bathrooms. Unlike hotels, there are no shared walls with neighbours, and sunsets on the deck offer the opportunity to unwind after a day spent in nature, a glass of wine in hand, spotting kangaroos that give the island its name. And if stargazing from the deck after the sunset has left you wanting more, open the sky light as you tuck yourself into your A.H. Beard bed and gaze through the window above.

Springs Road Wines The Springs Road vineyard was established in 1994 on a small sheep property off Springs Road, about 7 km west of Kingscote.

In 2016 Joch Bosworth and Louise Hemsley-Smith from McLaren Vale’s organic Battle of Bosworth wines bought the vineyards, opening a cellar door and releasing their first KI wines under the Springs Road label at the end of 2018. All wines are hand-made > 85

Top left: An outdoor bath with a view at CABN Kangaroo Island. Bottom left: Remarkable Rocks – truly stunning to see up close. Photo by Isaac Forman.

Top right: KI – a paradise for our marsupial friends. Photo at Middle River by Ben Goode. Bottom: Harvest at Stoke Wine.

and estate grown. This is a must-visit cellar door in the north of Kangaroo Island, so plan for a scenic road trip as a part of your visit.

Stoke Wine Balanced between natural and conventional, Stoke Wine takes a considered and minimal intervention approach to winemaking.

Growing their grapes on a 12-acre vineyard, they are a family-run business farming regeneratively and are not joking around when they say, ‘It’s bloody hard work!’ The Stoke family have a simple ethos: ‘Get the farming part right, and good wine will follow.’ A favourite here in the FLM office, we all think they’ve got it right. Be sure to pick up a bottle when you visit Kangaroo Island.

Kangaroo Island Source Kangaroo Island Source offers a range of gourmet products manufactured on Kangaroo Island. All ingredients are hand selected and supplied by local producers on the Island. Owner and chef Kate Sumner produces her product from her farm kitchen overlooking Penneshaw. With its sweeping rural and sea views, the stunning 86

purpose-built KIS Kitchen also plays host to seasonal long-table dinners and regular cooking classes, both of which proudly showcase Kangaroo Island’s finest locally grown and harvested produce. Be sure to keep an eye out at local retailers for Kangaroo Island Source products during your visit The Oyster Farm Shop To truly immerse yourself in an experience of Kangaroo Island, you need to taste the world-class produce that such a pristine environment offers. The Oyster Farm Shop provides the perfect opportunity; with freshly shucked oysters plucked straight from the sea, you can taste and experience where they are grown. With an ethos in sustainable aquaculture, the Oyster Farm Shop offers daily land-based farm tours, the opportunity to shuck your own oysters with their new shucking experience, and of course, you can always pick up a tray of fresh oysters to take with you and enjoy at sunset.

Located in American River, it is a must-stop destination for foodies touring the Island.

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FOOD & WINE

Crafted cocktails

Shot on location at the Silver Sands Beach Club. Photography by Jason Porter.

As refreshingly fun to make as they are to drink, these summer-leaning cocktails designed by Nick Stock and Lachlan George of Silver Sands Beach Club are crafted using a selection of the best locally distilled spirits and liqueurs.

PLUTO SPIRITS Founded by three friends in just 2021, Pluto Spirits picked up the award for best new distillery at the 2023 Tasting Australia Spirit Awards. This new addition to the South Australian distilling scene offers a range of organic spirits including gin, vodka and rum.

Their gin leads with strong juniper and builds depth into this refreshing summer– long drink.

HENRY FISHER Lachlan Rochfort established Henry Fisher in 2020 in Encounter Bay. Their range comprises gins, a vodka, an award-winning single cask whisky and this seductively smooth creation called Spiced Raja. Think spiced rum with a glossy, smooth texture, enriched by butterscotch and vanilla; it will be popular on a festive table. We tapped some maritime inspiration for this one.

Cucumber Collins 30ml Pluto Gin 30ml lemon juice 15ml cucumber juice 15ml simple syrup Soda water to top Coat the inside of a collins glass with cucumber ribbons and fill with ice. Combine all ingredients in a cocktail shaker, add ice and shake. Strain into the garnished collins glass, then top with soda.

Sellicks Sailor 45ml Spiced Raja 30ml dark rum 15ml fresh lime juice Dried pineapple and orange to garnish Combine all ingredients in a cocktail shaker, add ice and shake well until chilled. Strain into a rocks glass and garnish with dried or fresh fruit. Be creative with the garnish, this is a fun drink!

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ST. AGNES DISTILLERY The Angove family established this distillery in 1925 and have built a rich tradition in distilling and winemaking. They’ve driven their brandy-making heritage to new heights of modern appreciation, winning multiple awards, and this Bartender’s Cut Brandy is a staple of the beach club back bar. It has the boldness, balance and quality to serve neat and performs well in a broad range of cocktails. Here’s our twist on a classic.

Vintage Sidecar 60ml St. Agnes Bartenders Cut Brandy 20ml Grand Marnier (or Cointreau) 20ml fresh lemon juice Prepare a coupe or cocktail glass with a sugar rim. Combine all ingredients in a cocktail shaker, add ice and shake well until chilled. Strain into glass – lemon garnish (peel, zest or dried) optional.

They feature a selection of classic and innovative spirits and high-quality ingredients to give your summer entertaining a colourful edge. Classically inspired cocktails never go out of season but are equally delicious given a fun, original twist.

FLEURIEU DISTILLERY Gareth and Angela Andrews have made a big impact on the quality and high regard for local whisky in South Australia. Their multiaward-winning range is matured in their strongly maritime location at Goolwa, literally over the water’s edge of this traditional river port town. The quality of this ‘Tapestry’ bottling is so impressive we just had to stick to a classic Old Fashioned out of respect for this fine single malt whisky.

Fleurieu Old Fashioned 60ml Fleurieu Distillery Tapestry Single Malt Whisky 2-3 dashes of bitters (we use Peychaud’s) Sugar cube (or 10ml simple syrup) Orange peel or liqueur cherry to garnish Muddle sugar cube In a rocks glass with bitters and a small splash of warm water until dissolved or if using simple syrup just swirl it with the bitters. Add whisky and a large cube of ice and stir well. The large ice cube is key here. Garnish simply with orange peel or add a liqueured cherry. We added ripe mulberries.

CORIOLE The Silver Sands Spritz is one of our most popular summer drinks at the beach club and here we feature a delicious local prosecco from Coriole. This crisp, bright fizz adds sheer refreshment to the drink and marries so well with the Aperol. Coriole is one of our favourite family-owned wineries, delivering consistently great quality to keep your good times rolling all summer long.

Silver Sands Spritz 60ml Coriole Prosecco 60ml Aperol 60ml soda water Build these ingredients over ice in a generous-sized round glass (wine glasses work well) and stir. You can dial the soda up or down to suit your taste or to match the rising mercury when the summer heat kicks in. Garnish with fresh or dried orange.

SPIRITO SANTO This award-winning project by locals John and Grace Retsas is producing cool, updated versions of traditional Italian spirits and liqueurs. Their amaro-like ‘Siropo’ recently picked up a trophy at the 2023 Tasting Australia Spirit Awards. We’ve chosen the ‘Climax’ Limoncello for this upbeat long glass refresher that is all about elevating the humble, punchy and intense lemon to the highest of heights.

Long Hard Lemonade 60ml Spirito Santo ‘Climax’ Limoncello 30ml vodka 15ml fresh lemon juice Lemonade to top Build limoncello, vodka and lemon juice over ice in a collins or tall glass and stir well.

Top with lemonade and garnish with lemon or your favourite citrus to add colour. For a more funky, more sour version you can substitute kombucha for the lemonade.

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Chloe Grayling;

Sunshine human Story by Poppy Fitzpatrick. Photography by Jason Porter.

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Page left: The entrance to Chloe and Pat’s home is fittingly cheerful and colourful. Above: The living area resplendent with books, plants and pockets of colour.

Pillows from Her Name Was Nola, Old Noarlunga.

One doesn’t expect to encounter two giant Highland cows at the foothills of the Fleurieu, but as one enters Chloe Grayling’s driveway and the fluffy beasts come bounding up the dusty paddock, they feel like old friends. They have become regular fixtures on my phone screen as I scroll through social media – me and some 985,000 of Chloe’s dedicated followers on Tik Tok and 136,000 on Instagram.

There’s a sense of familiarity to Chloe’s Fleurieu acreage and 140-year-old house, which she and husband Pat moved into in mid2020. I already know the bright orange Kombi van, affectionately named Delilah by Chloe. I know the mustard-coloured nook that leads into her candle-making studio, the glossy stovetop under the rustic brick arch in the kitchen, and the books in the shelf of the living room arranged into a rainbow. As Chloe and her two beloved kelpies welcome me in, the house I have seen countless renovation videos of online truly feels like a home – and I can’t help but wonder how much of that is Chloe’s presence within it.

Chloe’s warm persona has seen her amass an impressively large online community, known by her fan base as lovechloejane, which she began building way back in 2015. Chloe has been at the forefront of a modern wave of online personalities building careers as ‘influencers’ – a term she somewhat rejects, finding ‘content creator’ a more comfortable fit.

‘I’m quite genuinely not trying to influence anyone,’ she says humbly.

‘I try to create as though just my grandparents are going to watch it, and if other people like it, brilliant; if they don’t, fine.’

Beyond Chloe’s obvious charm – and delightful curls – is a deeply intelligent, intuitive and hard-working human that she still finds some people are surprised by when they meet her in person.

‘Maybe I’m just lucky, but everyone I know who’s successful in this space is so switched on and savvy,’ she says. ‘It might look slightly different to the way people expect, but they are so smart and really know how to capture an audience.’

Building and maintaining her online following has been no easy feat; years of careful strategising, trial and error, tertiary study, mistakes, triumphs and genuine vulnerability are hidden behind the screen.

Her ability to spin many plates simultaneously has allowed her to wear many hats – which has been both a blessing and a curse. > 93

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Page left: The dining area looking towards the kitchen – full of curios, collectables and vintage finds. This page top: A salon style art wall complemented by some of Chloe’s vintage finds (and wait, what ... some weights that our stylist did not pick up. Just keeping it real folks!) Throw and pillow from Her Name Was Nola. Bottom: We call them ‘moments’. This moment brought to you by the drinks cabinet – lovingly styled with cute glassware.

Finding a balance between novelty, hard work and total burnout has been made easier by an ADHD diagnosis – her journey through which she has shared online. Equipped with a better understanding of how she functions, Chloe’s found a way to channel her bursts of creativity into her broad interests, while building a team around her that supports her style of work. When momentum on one thing begins to wane, she can move onto the next, while someone else ensures her progress doesn’t fall away.

‘I’m so lucky to have amazing people around me that swoop in and keep things going,’ Chloe says, suddenly interrupted by a bang on the kitchen window.

Among Chloe’s ever-expanding ‘chosen family’ are two chaotic goat kids, which Chloe has begun referring to as ‘The Terrorists’. They stare intently at her from outside as she heats some milk for them, while she tells me about her candle business Chloe Jane Candle Co., the ongoing renovations in her Fleurieu home, managing her Adelaide Hills Airbnb Juniper Grove, maintaining her online presence and, if that weren’t enough, her newest venture – a podcast.

‘It was born from a really good friend I made last year,’ Chloe says, ‘which I think as an adult can be really rare – to find those kinds of friends that make us feel warm and light, like the sun has shined on us.’ > 95

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Page left and this page top: The large bathroom with plants and accents of matte brass. Above left: A cosy corner in Chloe’s studio. Middle right and bottom: Chloe’s wardrobe, like her bookshelf, is arranged in a rainbow of colours.

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Above left: Chloe Grayling and Patrick Murray. Husband and wife – and all round adorable couple. Top right: Elwood, one of the couple’s Highland cows. Steer clear of those horns ... apparently they forget they are there. Bottom right: Chloe with their newly acquired baby Nigerian Dwarf goat.

Aptly named The Sunshine Project, Chloe aims to bring that friendship into people’s pockets via audio, for those who might not have that person in their lives. Twice a week, Chloe chats about anything from love, grief, money and her own ‘juicy’ stories from her line of work – embodying the kind of friend she loves, ‘with whom spilling things is easy’. But beyond being simple ‘sunny fluff’, for some people it’s a voice they genuinely need.

She pulls a freshly baked rosemary and garlic focaccia from the oven and places a fresh caprese sandwich in front of me – the bread still steaming – as Pat quietly shuffles in the door and places a kiss on her forehead. The dreamy life Chloe presents online isn’t all that far from the truth – but nor are the vulnerable moments she shares.

of life experiences, both joyous and painful, acts as its own form of healing for Chloe and cultivates supportive communities both on and offline.

Beyond her online persona, Chloe is also a well-known local among the Fleurieu; some may recognise her from her hospitality days at The Barn in McLaren Vale, The Ripple and Swirl in Christie’s Beach or Willunga’s Pizza Kneads. As a junior employee working with her at the time, I quietly admired Chloe’s collection of loyal regulars – who I’m sure were coming in part for an interaction with her, rather than just pizza alone. It’s unsurprising that her magnetism has gone on to transcend thousands of phone screens across the world.

Since the early days of lovechloejane, Chloe has sought to create an online community that promotes authenticity. What began with body positivity and unfiltered images of her ‘imperfections’ has since moved on to candid discussions around topics sometimes considered taboo, including her recent and deeply affecting experience of miscarriage. While walking the line between being honest with her followers and maintaining personal boundaries isn’t always easy, Chloe has often found it having real-world impacts.

Although Chloe has been embedded in the Fleurieu community since moving to McLaren Vale with her family from Beachport when she was eight, there seems to be another layer of intangible energy that has anchored her here. While she and Pat were paying off their first house in Christies Beach, Chloe experienced a dreamlike vision of their future home. This triggered a years-long search for a place that, to Chloe, felt very real. After countless phone calls, walkthroughs and let-downs, there was an instant sense of familiarity in the house they now call home.

To her surprise this particular display of vulnerability saw her approached by several women in-person – some of them her close friends’ parents – expressing deep gratitude for giving a voice to the grief they had also experienced. Sharing the whole spectrum

Chloe has built a life and home that functions like its own vibrant ecosystem; her genuine positivity, honesty and kindness are like a type of sunshine that feeds her loved ones and illuminates every space she occupies. What a pleasure it is to be in her orbit.

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Above: Jack Stokes and Tom Redden at the club.

Nice Day to Go to the Club Story by Poppy Fitzpatrick. Photograph by Heidi Lewis.

Watching a Port Noarlunga football team train on a quiet weeknight, it’s hard to imagine the well-kept oval hosting 1500 moshing bodies at a music festival. In March 2023, Tom Redden and Jack Stokes of Daybed Records assembled a different kind of team on the grass, bringing home a massive win for a beloved footy club and revitalising the Fleurieu’s sleepy live music history.

Tom and Jack crossed paths during high school, navigating similar circles in Adelaide’s vibrant live music scene, albeit in different bands. Music is still an anchor in their friendship today, defining the dynamic ‘good-cop, bad-cop’ partnership that constitutes their side hustle, Daybed Records. As their tagline reads, Daybed Records is a one-stop-shop for ‘music, the arts or anything worth doing’ – a playful ‘half-arsed excuse for a job’. The Daybed umbrella encompasses numerous creative ventures, including their backyard recording studio, The Luv Shack; a music-centric podcast called The Daybed Dribble; and their largest undertaking, organising music festivals.

It was for an episode of The Daybed Dribble that Tom and Jack connected with Ryan ‘Fitzy’ Fitzgerald, a former Porties player renowned for his AFL career and subsequent media ventures.

Growing up on the Mid Coast, Fitzy’s roots run deep in local footy and the vibrant ’90s live music scene. His enduring connection to his origins with junior footy team the Cockle Divers led him to intervene when funding issues abruptly halted the historic club’s redevelopment in 2022. Recognising an opportunity to unite his passion for music and footy, Fitzy enlisted Tom and Jack to bring his vision to life.

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After hosting Shine Festival at Adelaide Uni Bar in late 2022 and winning an SA Music Award for Best Small Music Festival, Tom and Jack – in collaboration with fellow Adelaide label P.A.K. Records – held a successful 550-capacity event at the footy club. They also donated $800 from ticket sales to First Nations charity Pay the Rent.

Their philanthropic mindset, extensive live music network, and growing skill set aligned perfectly with Fitzy’s fundraising vision.

On 18 March 2023, Tom and Jack hosted the Nice Day To Go To The Club Festival, a sell-out event on the Port Noarlunga football oval. The festival featured a diverse lineup, including interstate acts like Press Club and Cosmic Psychos, alongside Adelaide’s Bad// Dreems and nostalgic local favourites The Bearded Clams. Among the impressive list were also some newer additions including local high school group The 745 and surf punk trio Stellar – the first two bands to be officially signed to Daybed Records.

The day evolved into a genuine community affair, featuring enthusiastic volunteers, locals of all ages, and a seamless blend of sports enthusiasts and artists. Fleurieu filmmaker Mark Tipple created a film, Nice Day To Go To The Club – The Documentary, which premiered at a packed Port Noarlunga Arts Centre. One scene in particular captured the essence of the day – showing a security guard on all fours, serving as a stepping stone for a band member to climb onto the stage.

The event generated $60,000 for the Porties sport complex.

Standing humbly beside the gleaming club rooms, Tom and Jack embody a blend of laid-back energy and enthusiastic ambition.

Tom, the ‘hustler,’ and Jack, the ‘creative visionary,’ form a hardworking duo.

‘Stokesy has a good artistic perspective on things, so I’ll hustle and bring things in, but he’ll always make sure whatever we do is what’s best for the artist and the Daybed brand,’ Tom says.

Daybed Records is gearing up to play another festival round on the Porties oval in February 2024. Judging by the success of this year’s ‘practice match,’ it seems 2024 will be another smash hit.

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FOOD & WINE

Drinkability Wine reviews by Nick Stock

Cooler recent vintages like 2022 and 2023 are a boon for summertime drinking as they have given us wines with enhanced freshness, brightly tangy fruits and fresh aromas.

The natural seasonal influence on the current crop of whites and reds (and rosé) gives us ideal styles

Ministry of Clouds On the back of successful joint sales careers in the South Australian wine trade, Bernice Ong and Julian Forward launched this label with an eye to producing wines that are pitched at a high quality mark.

Theses are bottles you’ll find on the best restaurant wine lists around the country and reflect a thoughtful, contemporary take on regionally authentic styles.

Ministry of Clouds Grenache Carignan McLaren Vale 2022 A blend of two grape varieties that have been fermented together to deliver a supple, mid-weight and versatile red style. Really attractive blueberry and raspberry fruits throughout with a lick of spice and some wild herbs on offer too. The smooth fruit flesh is a highlight.

Drink now.

Ministry of Clouds Grenache McLaren Vale 2022 Super detailed, this is an amalgam of many different parcels that were then blended together to deliver a wine with alluring aromatics and a plush and fleshy palate. The floral notes run to fruit aromas and flavours that span from blood orange to red berries and darker fruits.

Impressive. Drink or hold.

Hither & Yon Richard and Malcolm Laesk may have handed back their Bushing Monarch crowns and robes at the recent McLaren Vale wine show, but the awards and accolades continue to flow in their direction. The

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vermentino featured here is a distinctively complex style that just topped its class at the Australian Alternative Varieties Wine Show and is on by the glass at Silver Sands Beach Club, so come have a glass.

Hither & Yon Vermentino McLaren Vale 2023 A fresh delivery of lemon peel and wild herbal aromas, this is a crisp and bright white that has such vibrant refreshing style to it. A little skin contact has added a light amber hue and lots of interest. Subtle grassy tones and sea-spray freshness – ideal summer drinking.

Drink now.

Hither & Yon Aglianico Rosé McLaren Vale 2023 A crisp pink wine with aromas of crushed flowers, ruby grapefruit and little summer berries making a delicious impression straight up.

The palate adds a neat pomegranate edge to the mix. Destined to disappear as fast as you can open it. Drink now.

Lloyd Brothers This label is doing great things in the Vale with a reinvigorated approach to their winemaking repertoire thanks to chief winemaker Gonzalo Sanchez and general manager Sam Temme. The Picpoul featured here collected a trophy at the McLaren Vale wine show and is a refreshing, crisp and really drinkable summer white. Their reds are also nicely tuned and this juicy blend called ‘Nouveau’ is perfectly tailored to the summer season.

to accompany what is set to be a warm summer season. Winemakers continue to join the dots between their work and our lifestyle, bringing ever more enjoyment in the glass.

Here’s to a delicious summer!

Lloyd Brothers McLaren Vale Nouveau 2023 A fresh field blend that incorporates a little shiraz (18%) into grenache and captures them both in full fruitful flight. There’s a spicy edge to the nose with blackberry and raspberry fruits carrying so fresh and vivid in the mouth. Bright red berry finish. Drink now. Screw cap.

Lloyd Brothers Picpoul McLaren Vale 2023 Picpoul is a white grape the French famously enjoy with freshly shucked oysters. It is elegant yet unwaveringly refreshing and delivers a crisp, lively sensation that makes it very more-ish. It is so well suited to McLaren Vale and this edition picked up a trophy so will disappear fast. Drink now.

Brash Higgins Brad Hickey has an eye on the leading edge of taste and his wines enjoy a strong international following. These wines are modern, distinctive and textural with a technique-driven edge that brings interest and complexity without compromising freshness. In short, they’re highly drinkable and deserve to feature on your summer dining table.

Brash Higgins Chenin Blanc McLaren Vale CHN 2022 Really captivating textural complexity in this white, also hitting a fresh, energetic style. These fresh white chenin blanc flavour bombs get a little skin contact before the juice ferments and ages in barrel for a year. The result is packed with fresh apple, chamomile and lemon blossom. Drink now.

Brash Higgins Riesling Semillon McLaren Vale R/SM 2022 Grown in the sandy soils of Blewitt Springs, this is a 70/30 split between the two varieties which were co-fermented in barrel. The nose has a lemon biscuit edge and a fresh lime and lemon citrus core. There’s citrus, pear and peach flavours with smooth, gently creamy appeal. Drink now.

Brash Higgins Nero d’Avola Cabernet McLaren Vale Ripple 2023 Nero d’Avola bunches are submersed in cabernet juice and ferment as one to make this supple, lighter red that has plenty of black currant, plum and liquorice aromas and flavours on offer with a juicy mouthfeel. Tangy resolve, it will take a light chill for summer conditions. Drink now.

Brash Higgins Cabernet Franc McLaren Vale FRNC 2022 This is a very bright, lively and vivid red that sets the nose alight with raspberry and red plum fruits as well as red florals and gentle leafy tinges. It’s beautiful. The palate has such supple, papery tannins that fold around the bright, fresh red fruit flavours softly. Your BBQ friend.

Drink now.

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ART & DESIGN

Places we love Her Name Was Nola Words by Hollie Connery.

Above: Her Name Was Nola owner Sarah May. NOLA’S WORKSHOP Want to learn to make something you see on the shelf? Nola’s Workshop is a space for events and skill sharing, for collaborations and community.

The program offers a range of classes with local creatives so you can learn to make your very own unique version to take home. Be inspired and immersed in a creative environment with workshops including local grazing platters to make a day of it! Become the artist, with offerings in ceramics, watercolor painting, botanical artistry, leadlighting and more. Follow @nolasworkshop to find updates on workshops and classes.

WHAT WE LOVE There is a colour for every palette, the table settings are endless and you cannot help but feel like you want to throw a garden party or redecorate your room ASAP.

Top left: Her Name Was Nola at Old Noarlunga is chock full of great finds including homewares, handmade pottery, designer jewellery, books, art and the list goes on.

Nestled in a beautiful 1840s stone cottage on the charming main strip of Old Noarlunga, a bright and bold breath of fresh air has moved to town. Her Name Was Nola is a retail store, gallery and workshop space dedicated to supporting all that is bright and wonderful in Australian art and design. An institution in the bustling creative hub of cafes and designer stores of Croydon, Her Name Was Nola has extended a limb down the coast to the Fleurieu Peninsula to open a second store in Old Noarlunga. Owner Sarah May fell in love with Old Noarlunga’s charm and country-town feel when she discovered the turn-off only a

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few years ago while looking for a coffee stop on a drive down south. She brings with her an opportunity for locals to shop popular and hard-to-find Australian brands that would otherwise require a commute to the city to find.

With a retail store like this, there is no need to jump on the Expressway to tackle city traffic and parking when you can find Australian owned and made labels such as Kip&Co and Sage and Clare just to name a few.

The space is bright and crammed full of inspiring pieces to make your home a happy and creative haven.

Above: Coffe cups in all manner of colours.

LOOK OUT FOR VIntage finds, books, local ceramic art, games, jewellery, artwork and a delightful environment to browse and feel inspired.

WHERE TO FIND Follow @hernamewasnola and @nolasworkshop for updates, or head to the store!

Located at 48 Patapinda Road, Old Noarlunga.

With an ever-changing and evolving range of stock, it’s always worth stopping by for a look.

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Books for makers

Fancy a ‘crafternoon’ or taking up a new hobby? Want to make a gift for someone special or participate in a mindfulness activity?

Slow down and make something nice.

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8am - 12noon | Willunga High School Real food, direct from the farmers & producers of the Fleurieu

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Adelaide Festival 1–17 March 2024

With over 40 years’ experience in the international arts world, including roles at the Holland, Manchester and Vienna Festivals, and overseeing the cultural program for the London Olympics, it’s only fitting Ruth Mackenzie is the Adelaide Festival’s new Artistic Director for 2024–26.

Taking place from 1–17 March, Ruth’s first program is both a snapshot of the world’s best artists and an open invitation to Adelaide’s citizens and communities.

‘People often ask what the job of an artistic director is: I believe it is both to support the artists involved, and to listen and learn from our audiences,’ says Ruth.

‘Listening to audience members talking about the shows is one of the most important and enjoyable parts of my job – if you see me around, please feel free to share your thoughts on this year and even what you’d like to see in future.’

Here are some of Ruth’s top picks from the 2024 program: Baleen Moondjan 28 Feb–2 March, Glenelg Beach Stephen Page has chosen sunset at Glenelg Beach as the location for the festival opening and world premiere of Baleen Moondjan.

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This work is inspired by a story from Stephen’s grandmother, from the Ngugi/Nunukul/Moondjan people of Minjerribah (Stradbroke Island).

Set amongst giant whale bones, it depicts a proud Elder, a curious granddaughter and the day a baleen whale visits – a celebration of First Nations stories and culture, and the human connection to earth, sky and sea.

Guuranda 29 Feb–3 March, Her Majesty’s Theatre Guuranda also has its world premiere on opening weekend, based on stories from the Narungga people of Yorke Peninsula.

Adelaide Festival has commissioned Narungga/Kaurna theatre-maker Jacob Boehme to develop this piece with a collective of First Nations artists (including visual artist Kylie O’Loughlin, songwoman Sonya Rankine and songman Warren Milera), Narungga Elders and nonIndigenous artists.

Guuranda weaves together theatre, song, puppetry, dance and visual art to share ancient stories that are vital, violent, delightful and dangerous.

The Nightingale and other Fables 1–6 March, Festival Theatre Iconic Canadian artist Robert Lepage returns to Adelaide with his most joyous masterwork.

Inspired by a Hans Christian Andersen fairytale, Igor Stravinsky’s rarely performed first opera is blended with Russian fables and musical influences from Asia, Europe and early jazz from America.

Page left: Scene from Baleen Moondjan. Photo by Daniel Boyd. This page left: Luke Currie Richardson. Photo by TJ Garvie. Top right: Jordan O’Davis, Jada Narkle and Luke Currie Richardson. Photo by TJ Garvie. Bottom right: Adelaide Festival’s new artistic director, Ruth Mackenzie. Photo by Claudio Raschella.

Using acrobatic shadow play, Taiwanese hand puppets and Vietnamese water puppetry, the performance is supported by a superb cast of singers from around the world, plus the State Opera South Australia Chorus and Adelaide Symphony Orchestra.

The Threepenny Opera 6–10 March, Her Majesty’s Theatre Director Barrie Kosky is among the world’s best, so The Threepenny Opera needs no introduction, but did you know that Brecht and Weill wrote it specifically for the Berliner Ensemble to perform when it premiered in 1928?

Set amongst the poverty, crime and corruption of London, the same ensemble is coming to Adelaide in 2024, demonstrating its timeless power in a biting mix of sex, sin, love, betrayal and anticapitalist politics.

Angélique Kidjo with Maatakitj 12 March, Festival Theatre Climate change is a key thread in many of this year’s works, and it’s also the inspiration for singer Angélique Kidjo’s newest album, Mother Nature, in her 40th year of live performance.

Her music is a delightful mix of the West African traditions of her Benin childhood with American R&B, funk and modal jazz, alongside influences from Europe and Latin America. She’s supported by brilliant Perth-based Noongar song-maker Maatakitj.

Jungle Book reimagined 15–16 March, Festival Theatre Akram Khan, another Adelaide Festival favourite, has reinterpreted Rudyard Kipling’s much-loved story through the eyes of a young climate refugee – a now-female Mowgli – who finds herself in a deserted modern city, where wild animals claim the streets as their own.

Speaking to audiences of all ages, Jungle Book reimagined reminds us of the need to respect our natural world, in a powerful piece of passion and activism.

Floods of Fire 16–17 March, The University of Adelaide and Festival Theatre The final weekend celebrates South Australian creatives and connects cultural stories of creation to our natural world.

On Saturday in a fun-filled free event, Floods of Fire will take over the University of Adelaide. Meander campus to see composers and communities create new music, stories and art in response to extreme weather events.

On Sunday, Adelaide Symphony Orchestra will perform the world premiere of Floods of Fire in the Festival Theatre (ticketed), followed by award-winning electronic music duo Electric Fields with their own Floods of Fire commissioned song.

All tickets and more information at www.adelaidefestival.com.au

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Simply Beautiful Books.

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ART & DESIGN

Local selections More from the best in custom-made and off-the-shelf products and services from our local manufacturers and retailers. If your interiors or exteriors are needing a lift … here’s a bit of what’s in store.

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03 01. BQ Curtains and Blinds Plantation shutters and stone walls combine to make a beautiful sheltered entryway. Check out BQ Curtains and Blinds at Victor Harbor for all your window covering needs – indoor and outdoor ranges including plantations shutters, curtains, blinds and awnings, and much more.

02. Adelaide Outdoor Kitchens This outdoor kitchen features a light-grey, polished-concrete benchtop, with an integrated concrete ice chest. The solid blackwood doors and drawer fronts and panels are complemented with a cool, stainless-steel firewood store. Custom design and appliance supply by Adelaide Outdoor Kitchens, Seaford.

05 04. Living by Design A large selection of Marimekko products are available in store at Victor Harbor and Port Elliot.

05. Dais at Home Dais at Home is a new lifestyle boutique located in McLaren Vale.

It features a range of one-off pieces and quality furniture, including tables, ottomans, dining and lounge chairs. The boutique also stocks quality items for mums and bubs, organic skincare, homewares, hats, sunglasses, beach products and giftware.

Pictured here is a super-comfortable, tiger orange chair in a durable weave.

03. Any3Pieces Any3Pieces in Willunga brings a collection of eclectic and unique furniture and homewares to the Fleurieu. This vintage Indian console with hand-carved panels – stunning with your precious homewares and perfect for an entry way.

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Discover the fine mix of food, wine, art and cocktails!

Willunga Gallery signage 03June2014.pdf

29 High Street, Willunga Open 7 days 10-3 · 0433 033 455 Shop online willungagallery.com.au

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Restaurant / Cocktail Bar / Art Gallery / Live Music Open Wed – Sun 9am to 5pm Live music every Sunday from 12.30 190 McMurtrie Road, McLaren Vale 8323 8994 / 0417814695 redpoles@redpoles.com.au | www.redpoles.com.au

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Willunga Gallery signage 03June2014.pdf

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Drawing inspiration from ancient remedies & elixirs , we have crafted a collection of holy spirits & liqueurs each with their own unforgettable flavour.

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Brian O’Malley Original and print artwork available at the Fleurieu Arthouse, McLaren Vale.

Or contact Brian on 0424112120.

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Head to HENRYFISHER.com.au to check out their award winning range.

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SUBSCRIBE TO FLEURIEU LIVING MAGAZINE In lieu of our printed subscription insert, scan this QR code to quickly take you to the iSubscribe website where you can subscribe to receive either our printed magazine or a digital download.

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Above: Local artisan winemaker and generally good human, Nick Dugmore.

The joy of local Words by Sam Healy.

We are living in an era dominated by automation and mass production, where efficiency often takes precedence over personal connection and quality.

However, in the cool shadows of this seemingly unstoppable, automated tyrant, a very real transition to local, artisanal goods and purposeful living is transforming the way we engage with our community and ourselves.

As a reader, you undoubtedly know better than anyone that the Fleurieu Peninsula boasts a diverse range of artisans and entrepreneurs, who have chosen to put their hearts and souls into crafting unique, high-quality products. As the world of work evolves, increasingly driven by artificial intelligence, technology and automation, the importance of these local products cannot be overstated. They represent the stronghold of craftsmanship, personal touch and an unwavering commitment to excellence.

Amidst the cost-of-living crisis and unprecedented burnout rates, there is a compelling trend occurring in this changing landscape of work. As industrial and manual labour gives way to automation and artificial intelligence, work is becoming less about the quantity of output and more about the value added. This transformation has resulted in a countertrend from mass production to niche and uniqueness. Research suggests a shift towards valuing quality over quantity, sparking a renewed interest in artisanal, locally crafted products.

Nick Dugmore, the visionary behind STOKE Wines, exemplifies the local artisan and purpose-driven work. Diagnosed with cancer, he made the difficult decision to publicly share this news and the extraordinary challenges this placed on his family and work. The response was simply overwhelming. Orders poured in, providing 118

huge financial relief. A volunteer team camped out for three nights to finish pruning. Friends helped bottle, took over management and set up a Go Fund Me Page. A company donated the organic chemicals needed for the entire spray season and a local cafe continues to donate food every Wednesday. Nick’s story serves as a powerful reminder that when work is authentically connected to community and driven by honesty, it can transform lives and trigger purpose.

This article is not just about recognising the transformation taking place within our community; it’s also a call to action. We want our readers to be inspired to support their local businesses, to seek out products made with passion, and to embrace a life of purpose. The joy of purposeful living lies in our ability to contribute meaningfully to our community, not just through grand gestures, but also, and perhaps most importantly, through the everyday choices we make.

This can help ease the challenges that the cost-of-living crisis triggers in us. Perhaps we simply buy our apples locally, grab our morning coffee from a family-owned business, refill our shampoo from the local health store, or decide a portion of the presents we give throughout the year will come from Fleurieu artists.

By choosing to buy local products in small sustainable ways, you are not only investing in quality and craftsmanship but also in the livelihoods of your neighbours. Your support has a ripple effect that sustains local businesses, creates jobs, and strengthens the bonds of your community. Within that is the knowledge that you’re nurturing the artisans, artists, and entrepreneurs who bring character to your community. It’s about savouring that unique bottle of wine, tasting the flavours of freshly harvested produce, or adorning your home with handcrafted treasures. Local products are not just items; they are stories, experiences and connections.

As summer helps to clear the shadows and renew our energy, let’s explicitly choose where it will flow. Let this article be your call to action, your invitation to discover the joy of supporting local products and living with purpose. In this way, we can collectively make our community and ourselves richer in every sense of the word.

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Out & About: We travelled across the Peninsula and visited some of our favourite retailers to put a face to the name and say: Thanks for shopping local!

01. Clair Harvey at Elliot & Me, Port Elliot. 02. Grace Martin at Yore, Myponga. 03. Holly Buckton at Hither & Yon, Willunga. 04. Janene Lyttle at Any3Pieces, Willunga. 05. Katrina Weber at Fossick Made and Found, Goolwa. 06. Kristy Robertshaw at Charlie & Jack, Victor Harbor. 07. Matt Fenwick at Shingleback Wines, McLaren Vale. 08. Rhiannon Stevens at South Seas Trading, Port Elliot. 09. Sally Badnall at Kookery, Willunga. 10. Sally Thomson at the Bloke Shop, McLaren Vale. 11. Shara Murphy at Aura by Shara, Myponga. 12. Tammy Norman at I am Tall Poppy, Willunga.

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Handpicked Festival at Lake Breeze Wines The much-loved and highly anticipated Handpicked Festival returned this November and again, did not disappoint. Over 7000 people made the journey to Langhorne Creek to dance among the gumtrees and sleep under the stars. With headlining acts Ziggy Albert, The Temper Trap, Ball Park Music and Lime Cordiale, the vibe was high. Warm weather graced the crowd, everyone was happy, and the wine and cocktails were flowing.

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FLM Spring issue launch: Salt at the Elliot In early September we gathered a great selection of local business owners and good people to celebrate the launch of our Spring issue. The newish venue at Salt brings additional modern styling to the offerings of Hotel Elliot. Photographs by Janey Fowler.

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01. A sprawling crowd enjoys the spacious setting and natural amphitheater of gum trees that provided excellent shade cover against the afternoon sun. 02. Major Sumner AM (aka Uncle Moogy) performs a stirring greeting to country with a symphony of magpies.

03. Happy festival goers spread out on a picnic rug to enjoy the music in comfort. 04. With a family friendly ethos, kids were dotted amongst the crowd getting into the action. 05. A cheers to summer, friends and good times. 06. Ziggy Alberts performing his set. 07. Tom and Annamieke Wilds. 08. Diana Brandt and Petra de Mooy. 09. Poppy Fitzpatrick and Zoe Kassiotis. 10. Sally Moran. 11. Sam and Amelia Egan.

12. Sophie Richards.

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Let there be light.

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Garden Party at Martin House Watermayne: Entertainer’s dream Indigenous artists: Weaving connections Wright family: Forever home Sunshine human: Chloe Grayling Small but mighty: Wren House Art · Design · Food · Wine · Fashion · Photography · People · Destinations

22/11/2023 8:50 am