Fleurieu Living Magazine Winter 2019

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

FLEURIEU LIVING MAGAZINE

Whether you opt for a sea change or a tree change, you can certainly rely on our

WINTER 2019

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Modern coastal luxe at Port Elliot From Ports to Piers: Jetties of the Fleurieu & Kangaroo Island Wirra Wirra 50/125: The two lives of Wirra Wirra Fashion in the forest Young Guns of Wine: McLaren Vale 30 years of Willunga Waldorf School Art · Design · Food · Wine · Fashion · Photography · People · Destinations

Sales, holiday rentals & permanent property management Independent – Premium Service & Local Knowledge – Community Support & Charity – Strong Fleurieu Portfolio

TH ERE’S N EVER BE EN A BETTER TI M E TO GO TO KANGAROO ISLAN D!

Celebrate our 30th Birt hday with 30% off passeng er fares and 3 nights accomm odation for the price of 2!

*On sale to 30/9/19. Limited seats on selected sailings. 3 nights for the price of 2 at selected accommodation properties. See website for further information, terms and conditions.

Call 13 13 01 or visit sealink.com.au

The Glasshouse Luxury Holiday Rental at Middleton Point

www.screalty.com.au | Victor Harbor 8552 3744 | Goolwa 8555 2533 | Normanville 8558 2900 | Mt Compass 8556 8318

Why winter is a cool time to plan for endless Fleurieu holidays.

Winter is a special time to visit the Fleurieu with more time to enjoy its natural beauty and relaxed lifestyle. You’ll also share the experience with fewer people.

The same can be said about our display villages. Take your time to contemplate how our contemporary designs with expansive windows make the most of wonderful views, while open plan living areas and generous decking provide the perfect space for entertaining and relaxing.

When you visit the Fleurieu this winter, spend some time at one of our display villages and discover how easy it is to enjoy Fleurieu holidays, year after year.

Please see our website for more details. Pictures for illustrative purposes only. BLD 175837 SHO498

STAFF & CONTRIBUTORS

Key Personnel Petra de Mooy Issue 30 and seven years in print are rapidly approaching. I feel a party is in order.

Jason Porter Jason has worked as a graphic designer and creative director both locally and overseas for over thirty years.

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

Kate Le Gallez Kate started her working life as a lawyer and consultant, before turning to a lifelong love of writing. She confesses to suffering a mild podcast addiction, which results in her overuse of the phrase ‘I was listening to a podcast … ’ as a conversation starter.

Holly Wyatt A self-described ‘city-escapee,’ Holly moved to the Fleurieu chasing wide-open spaces and the spoils of semi-rural life. Those spoils include a good coffee in the morning, a glass of wine in the evening and a bountiful supply of inspiration for her art, music and work.

Lulu Our company mascot Lulu started appearing in way too many of our Instagram posts – so now she has her own profile (sad, we know) where you can follow her charmed life. Search for ‘miss_majestica’ if you’re so inclined.

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Featured Contributors Winnie Pelz With both her sun and moon in Aquarius and Saturn in opposition, Winnie needs no other excuses in life. After a forty-year career that could be described as varied – or perhaps a potpourri of – teaching, journalism, and management, she has chosen to become a starving artist, gardener and freelance writer. Her heart is in the hills and the Fleurieu Peninsula, where she watches sunsets with her nineteen-yearold highland cow, her donkey and her dog.

Mark Laurie Mark and his wife Sarah opened South Seas Books & Trading in Port Elliot in 2009, soon after having returned from living in Papua New Guinea’s islands in the Western Pacific.

Mark is the book reviewer and head gardener at South Seas. Occasionally, he’s also allowed to step into the role of bookseller, under close supervision. Aside from reading and reviewing as many books as possible, he consults to the public and private sectors in New Guinea following completion of postgraduate studies in Canberra. Mark lives and surfs occasionally, while maintaining an active interest in community organisations and initiatives in the southern Fleurieu.

Publisher Information Annabel Bowles Annabel is an introvert with far too much to say and a hunger to make sense of the world through words. She’s a journalism and international relations student and a 2015 Tatachilla graduate, who lives on her family’s farm in Mount Compass. When she’s not nutting out assignments or editing her university’s student magazine, Annabel is probably exploring an unfamiliar place, backpack in tow. Despite an insatiable itch to see more and do more, the Fleurieu coastline will always draw her home. She has a passion for printed publications that delve into stories on humans, politics and the environment.

Other contributing writers and photographers Mel Amos, Summer Boag, Jake Dean, Aise Dillon, Robert Geh, Gill Gordon-Smith, Nina Keath, Heidi Lewis, Angela Lisman, Ynys Onsman, Marcus Syvertsen and Caydi Young.

PUBLISHER Fleurieu Living Magazine is published four times a year by Fleurieu Living Pty Ltd. ISSN 2200-4033 PUBLISHING EDITOR AND MANAGING DIRECTOR Petra de Mooy petra@fleurieuliving.com.au EDITOR Kate Le Gallez ADVERTISING SALES Holly Wyatt holly@fleurieuliving.com.au GRAPHIC DESIGNER AND CREATIVE DIRECTOR Jason Porter jason@fleurieuliving.com.au PRINTER Graphic Print Group DISTRIBUTION Integrated Publication Solutions SUBSCRIPTIONS Print: isubscribe.com.au Digital: zinio.com ALL ENQUIRIES Petra de Mooy petra@fleurieuliving.com.au POSTAL ADDRESS PO Box 111, Aldinga, South Australia 5173.

ONLINE fleurieuliving.com.au facebook.com/FleurieuLivingMagazine instagram.com/fleurieulivingmagazine/ COPYRIGHT All content copyright Fleurieu Living Magazine Pty Ltd unless otherwise stated.

While Fleurieu Living Magazine takes every care to ensure the accuracy of information in this publication, the publisher accepts no liability for errors in editorial or advertising copy. The views of the contributors are not necessarily endorsed by Fleurieu Living Magazine.

Printed on paper from well managed forests and controlled sources using environmentally friendly vegetable-based inks.

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THIS ISSUE

Contents

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46

FEATURED HOME Modern coastal luxe at Port Elliot.

UNFOLDING STORIES Thirty years of Willunga Waldorf School.

FRONT COVER PHOTO:

by Robert Geh

FOOD & WINE

FESTIVALS & EVENTS

34 Uncorked: Wine Reviews by the award

winning Gill Gordon-Smith IWE

12 Diary dates: Stay abreast of all

that’s happening and get out into

the action this winter

66 What I bought at the market 86 Tempranillo

58 SALA event feature: Check out

these Fleurieu-based SALA events

82 Cosy winter fare: Food & wine matching

by the Fleurieu Kitchen.

76 She is Me Festival:

Fleurieu Arthouse

74 Billy Dohnt does 68 That’s the spirit! Distilleries of the

Fleurieu and Kangaroo Island 78 Young Guns of McLaren Vale

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FEATURE From ports to pictures: Jetties of the Fleurieu Peninsula and Kangaroo Island

FEATURED ARTIST Brooke Walker

FEATURE The two lives of Wirra Wirra: 50/125 Anniversary

BOOKS & WORDS

PENINSULA PEOPLE

BEING SOCIAL

32 Great winter reads by Mark Laurie of

South Seas Books, Port Elliot

24 Brayden Mann:

Just the man for the job

ART & DESIGN

HEART OF THE COMMUNITY

62 Brooke Walker:

A voice for the voiceless

42 Jane Riggs: Paying it forward

FASHION

WEDDINGS

50 Fashion in the forest

94 Tash Martinsen and John Walters –

24 March 2019 at Kuitpo Hall

98 FLM sees who was out and about at:

· South Australian Wooden Boat Festival Launch at Signal Point

· Willunga Waldorf School Autumn Fair

· FLM autumn launch at Swell Brewery and Taphouse

· McLaren Vale Vintage & Classic

· Y Business networking Under the Stars at Doc Adams

· Kuitpo Collective at Fox Gordon

40 Chris Lemar of Adopt a Spot

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ACKNOWLEDGES

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

BRONZE PARTNERS

il (Bookings 03 9005 7750) ad, Goolwa on 8 and 9 April ographic Exhibition at wa from 9 to 23 April Mike - Kids Magic y Hall, Goolwa on 17 April den Boat Festival at the n 22 and 23 April el Griffiths at Centenary

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

ll Council’s Visitor Information Centre on 1300 466 592. Alexandrina Council a copy online for more events in the region, www.alexandrina.sa.gov.au

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Brand culture As a thank you to our advertising partners, we would like to showcase these amazing enterprises via a short introduction to their respective businesses. Each issue will offer some insight into three of our partners.

Investigator College Dedicated to more than just education, Investigator College wants all students and staff to feel welcomed, valued and supported to reach their full potential. With a focus on the community and a reverence for the environment, the wellbeing of their students’ future is at the forefront of everything the school does.

Through fostering an inclusive school community and valuing trust and honesty, the school empowers students to understand their individual talents and unique natures. By encouraging the individual to identify a personalised vision of excellence, each student can strive towards their own definition of success.

‘We want our community, our students and our staff to strive; to take the opportunities; to be more and do more; and to continuously uplift themselves and those around them.’

Investigator College sponsors a number of community events and associations. It recognises the value in both financially supporting local organisations, and seamlessly integrating the school and its values within those communities.

South Coast Constructions For over thirty years South Coast Constructions have been known for the superior quality of their work and their close attention to detail. The team of staff and trusted long-term contractors revel in the challenges of complicated projects and specialised heritage restorations that other builders may not so willingly undertake.

‘Our in-house design team have created some award-winning dream homes on tiny building envelopes and seemingly impossible slopes.’

Mindful of their environmental footprint, South Coast Constructions enjoy working with clients who share the same desire to create an energy efficient and environmentally conscious home. Two of the company’s display homes are a part of the Beyond development at Hayborough, a sensitively-designed residential development with a focus on sustainability and high energy efficiency.

South Coast Constructions are not just about building homes. The lifestyle desires of its clients remain at the forefront of all construction processes. These desires are met through excellent customer service, from the moment the client walks in the door through to the building’s completion.

‘We believe a home isn’t just bricks and mortar, but an opportunity to create spaces to enhance the wellbeing of our clients.’

South Coast Constructions have contributed to the rich tapestry of their local community for over three decades, through sponsoring local sporting organisations and employing local contractors.

Coastal Habitat Furniture Located in Victor Harbor, Coastal Habitat Furniture is a family-owned furniture and homewares business dedicated to inspiring customers with style, comfort and service. With core values of honesty, integrity and reliability, owners Henry and Deidre Nieuwenhuis, along with their skilled sales assistants and delivery staff, pride themselves on offering good service. The team aims to delight not just satisfy, based on product knowledge and taking the time to understand their customers’ needs.

They offer a wide collection of lounge, dining, bedroom and office furniture selected not just for style but also reliability, featuring well-known brands including IMG and La-Z-Boy. The business also supports local and interstate furniture manufacturers including Lanfranco, Adriatic and Beilby’s along with ever-changing decor and homeware.

‘Our awesome customer service team are totally focused on exceeding customer expectations, from the first greeting to delivery of their furniture.’

Local organisations such as the Encounter Bay, Victor Harbor and Port Elliot bowling clubs, as well as the South Coast Choral and Arts Society, are just some of the beneficiaries of Coastal Habitat Furniture’s generous community support. Through contributing to the homes and communities of local people, this furniture business is bound into the fabric of the Fleurieu.

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Fly the Fleurieu

This photo was taken at Horseshoe Bay, Port Elliot

fly-the-fleurieu.com

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Welcome to FLM From the FLM team

From our readers

In this issue of FLM we have a few editorials on people paying it forward: Going above the call of duty to make a change to our environment and our communities.

In this issue of FLM we created a feature on the Jetties of the Fleurieu and Kangaroo Island. Included in that feature was an old postcard taken after a big storm at Port Willunga that wiped out much of the structure: On it was a letter from ‘Uncle Hedley’ sent back to the UK. It said: ‘Dear Gordon, I am sending you this postcard to show you how the rough weather has broken our jetty up, but I think we will have a new one built soon. It will be built nearer to Mr Martin’s place. The Government are drawing up plans for the new one and getting prices for it. We are having a lot of rain this winter. We have plenty of feed now in the paddocks and the crops are looking well, with love to all from your Uncle Hedley.’

Posted August 1st, 1915.

We on the Fleurieu are doing a lot to make changes at a grass roots level – little by little, daily, weekly and monthly.

There are some very notable bright spots – and here in the pages of FLM we endeavour to champion these volunteer groups, individuals and philanthropists.

I have never lived in a place where so many people consciously, and with conscience, love where they live. So we hope you love this issue and the light it shines on just a few of these people.

On a personal note I would like to highlight just one event in July: From Nina Keath of grassroots organisation Ideas on the Fleurieu: ‘Ideas on the Fleurieu is a community-led think tank, bringing people together from across the Fleurieu Peninsula to voice their vision and ideas for our beautiful region. We’re doing this via a series of events throughout 2018 and 2019 where we shine a light on the thinkers, creators, makers and dreamers of the Fleurieu. It’s all about connecting good ideas with good people. On Sunday 28 July, we will be partnering with Investigator College, the Fleurieu Leader’s Youth Program, and many other local businesses, schools and groups to deliver a Youth Forum.’

Some of the highlights from the program include: Young entrepreneurs – A lively panel discussion with young local entrepreneurs about ‘choosing to live and do business on the Fleurieu. Panellists include: Benjamin Hewett from Yeo Haus and Rosie Beach from Beaches Port Elliot.

Elder and younger speed date session – Young and old are matched up to share wisdom and ideas across the ages. Each duo have two minutes for the younger participant to share their future vision (personally and for the Fleurieu) and for the elder participant to listen and offer guidance.

On page 40 we have written a feature on the Adopt a Spot scheme and Chris LeMar from this volunteer-based group made this plea that we wanted to share: ‘Hi Petra, Thanks for the phone call today. I wonder if you could acknowledge and thank all our volunteers for making the scheme such a success on behalf of myself and Carlee Lynch [his co-founder]. We really do need more volunteers throughout the Fleurieu, so fingers crossed a few come forward. Thank you so much. Chris.’

Chris wants to see people enjoying our coastline and living a coastal life that is healthy and rubbish free. Get on the Facebook page and volunteer! It is a really great initiative.

Film screening – Climate Change and the Community: An awardwinning documentary made by local teenagers about local people taking action on climate change. Includes Q&A session with the filmmakers. Be there!

Team FLM.

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MARKETS & EVENTS

Winter Diary Dates LOCAL MARKETS:

COUNTRY MARKETS:

Willunga Farmers’ Market 8am – 12.30pm Willunga Town Square every Saturday come rain, hail or shine, with fresh produce from more than eighty farmers and artisan food makers. Become a member for discounts on all goods, and enjoy the nourishing community atmosphere every week.

Kangaroo Island Farmers’ Markets 9am – 1pm Skip breakfast and enjoy Kangaroo Island’s top produce and a great village atmosphere by the beach at Penneshaw Town Oval on the first Sunday of every month. For discounted market ferry fares, visit sealink.com.au.

Willunga Quarry Market 9am – 1pm Browse an eclectic mix of wares ranging from secondhand tools to plants and crafts on the second Saturday of every month, adjacent to the Willunga Oval.

Meadows Country Market 9am – 3pm A true country market with seventy stalls selling local produce, crafts, collectables, plants and bric-a-brac at Meadows Memorial Hall on the second Sunday of each month.

Willunga Artisans and Handmade Market 9am – 1pm An inspiring curated market showcasing local art and handmade goods in the Willunga Show Hall on the second Saturday of each month. It’s a great place to buy a unique, handmade gift.

Myponga Markets 9.30am – 4pm The old Myponga Cheese Factory welcomes you every Saturday, Sunday and most public holidays to browse a variety of stalls selling art, books, fine china and glass, toys, local leatherwork, coins, records and fossils. There are also waffles and gelato for those with a sweet tooth.

Goolwa Wharf Market 9am – 3pm The Goolwa Wharf Market is held on the first and third Sunday of every month, with around eighty stalls including bric-a-brac, collectables, fresh local produce, plants, books both new and old, hand-crafted goods and delicious food and coffee.

Port Elliot Market 9am – 2pm A typical country market with plenty of fresh local produce, plants, bric-a-brac, books, fishing gear, and even a $2 stall. Located at Lakala Reserve on the first and third Saturday of each month.

Victor Harbor Farmers’ Market 8am – 12.30pm Every Saturday morning at Grosvenor Gardens you can choose from thirty plus stalls, with locally caught seafood, organic vegetables, seasonal fruit, local honey, mushrooms, fresh flowers, Fleurieu wines and much more.

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Strathalbyn Markets 8am – 2pm A quaint, country-style market with bric-a-brac, local produce and condiments, craft, plants, jewellery and much more in historic Strathalbyn. A trash and treasure stall is also now available for anyone who wants to have a garage sale away from home. Located at Lions Park on the third Sunday of every month.

Yankalilla Craft and Produce Market 9am – 1pm Held in the Agricultural Hall every third Saturday of the month, this lesser known market is a surprising little gem offering homemade jams and preserves, delicious sweet treats, locally grown fruit and vegetables, as well as craftwork, trinkets and unique gifts.

Below: Don’t miss ‘Ideas on the Fleurieu – Youth’ at the Investigator College EcoCentre in Currency Creek on 28 July!

FESTIVALS AND EVENTS:

JULY

JUNE

Kids Community Market Fleurieu Coast Visitor Centre, Yankalilla 23 July, 10am – 1pm Support the next generation of leaders at this market which encourages school age children to grow their skills, creativity and imagination in the marketplace. Be inspired across more than twenty stalls as young entrepreneurs materialise their skills, creativity and imagination in front of your eyes.

McLaren Vale Sea and Vines Festival Various venues across the region 8 – 10 June Delight in discovering something new at the perennially popular Sea and Vines Festival. With something for everyone, you can soak up one food and wine experience after another over a single day or the whole weekend. Choose from luxe degustation dinners, tastings with the best winemakers and chefs, winery tour adventures, live music, food trucks and fun family activities. seaandvines.com.au Alpha Box and Porch 8 June, 12 – 5pm Pull up a pouf and share a bottle of wine while enjoying the sweet atmosphere created by the Porch Sessions team. Music from Milan Ring (NSW), Didier Kumalo (SA) and Jordan Ruru (SA). Food by Sunny’s Pizza and Soi 38 Thai as well as an AB&D cheese stall. www.eventbrite.com.au The Vale Market McLaren Vale and Fleurieu Visitor Information Centre 10 June, 10am – 3pm Enjoy the best locally made food, wine, art, craft and handmade souvenirs. Put your feet up and enjoy live entertainment from buskers and local acts while a free bouncy castle absorbs the kids for a while.

Good Things, Small Packages South Coast Regional Arts Centre, Goolwa June 21 – July 21 Defying the demands to work on a large scale, this exhibition asks local artists to distil their practice and scale down. Good Things, Small Packages provides an exciting showcase of the breadth of artists working across the Southern Fleurieu region with a few special guests.

Artists are Cheryl Anne Brown, Cedric Varcoe, Chris De Rosa, Barbary O’Brien, Michael Bryant, Eva Jager, Margie Hooper, Kerry Youde, Linda Forrester, Gerry Wedd, Penelope Hillam, Annabelle Collett, Margi Nolan, Samuel Mulcahy, Peter McLachlan and Silvio Apponyi.

While you’re there check out the Signal Point Art Gallery for an ongoing exhibition by glass artist Clare Belfrage.

She Is Me Festival Fleurieu Art House 6 July, 3 – 10pm Bring your bestie along to this inspiring festival celebrating today’s women with the book launch and exhibition of Libby Tozer’s new publication Through Her Eyes. The exhibition will celebrate over 100 brave Fleurieu women, and features Hardys Wines, book signings and leading South Australian female singers.

Tickets are available through Eventbrite for $49 each, or $111 including a copy of the book Through Her Eyes. For more information visit sheismemovement.com Little Nepal Fox Gordon and Kuitpo Forest 27 July, 10am sharp at Kuitpo Forest Forestry SA cottage, 495 Brookman Road, Kuitpo Winter, walking and wine. A guided hike through Kuitpo forest, followed by a warming Nepalese lunch by the fire at Fox Gordon cellar door. Tickets strictly limited. www.trybooking.com/book/event?eid=492197 Willunga Almond Blossom Festival 27 – 28 July Celebrate the 50th anniversary of this beautiful festival with an entertainment-packed family weekend, including wall climbing, face painting, market stalls, live music, pony and camel rides, and many free activities at the Willunga Oval and town halls. Don’t miss the opening night fireworks spectacular too!

Ideas on the Fleurieu – Youth Investigator College EcoCentre, Currency Creek Campus, Claughton Rd, Currency Creek 28 July Come and share your vision for the Fleurieu and hear from other young people (ages 12 to 25) about how they’re making a difference.

Check out www.ideasonthefleurieu.com for details. >

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MARKETS & EVENTS

FESTIVALS AND EVENTS cont: AUGUST

UPCOMING SEPTEMBER

SALA Festival Various venues across SA 1 – 31 August The SALA Festival is the largest and most innovative communitybased, visual arts festival in Australia. Thousands of artists exhibit in hundreds of venues throughout metropolitan and regional South Australia, and you can immerse yourself in their talent at a range of Fleurieu events.

Fleurieu Coast Festival of Nature 14 – 22 September The second Festival of Nature on the western Fleurieu is growing into an impressive nine-day program jam-packed with activities to celebrate nature and sustainable living on the coast. Be inspired with guided bushwalks, pop-up workshops, yoga in the park, a sustainable living expo, and much more. Celebrate ‘being the change you wish to see in the world’ with delicious local food, wine and boutique beers. www.yankalilla.sa.gov.au

Check the website for details and page 58 for details of all the Fleurieu-based events. www.salafestival.com Langhorne Creek Cellar Treasures Weekend 11 – 12 August Langhorne Creek’s winemakers will hunt through their cellars to give you a special tasting of their rare and museum wines, as well as current vintages. A number of unique events will be held across Langhorne Creek, at wineries including Bleasdale, Bremerton, Lake Breeze, and Kim Bolton. For more details visit www.langhornecreek.com Strathalbyn Antique Fair and Treasure Market 17 – 18 August This event showcases a wide variety of stall holders and their treasures. Find antiques, glassware, furniture, textiles, ceramics, toys and more at the Town Hall and other venues across the weekend. With a giant treasure market at the Showgrounds Oval on Sunday, there’s all sorts of odd bargains to be found!

‘Duality’ – Solo exhibition by Brooke Walker Fleurieu Arthouse, McLaren Vale Opens 31 August, 2 – 4pm Duality is an exhibition of oil paintings, drawings and sculpture.

These new works discuss the delicately nuanced and interconnected relationship between humanity, horses and the unearthed parallels to the artists own reality.

Festival of Wirra Wirra 31 August, 11 – 4.30pm Join the celebrations for Wirra Wirra Winery’s 125/50 anniversaries featuring a ‘rockstar lineup’ of wineries and food trucks, live music from Feisty Filomena and Sooki La La, and catapulting like only Wirra Wirra knows how. The cellars built by R.G and R.T. Trott have hosted some of Australia’s best winemaking talent and they will be joining the festival for an amazing tasting.

Adults $30pp Children under 18 free of charge.

Tickets limited. www.wirrawirra.com/events/festival-of-wirra-wirra/

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Below: Anna Horne’s ‘Red Work Sculpture’ in cast concrete is just one of the pieces you’ll see at this year’s SALA Festival throughout August.

Custom Home Design

Phone: 7080 0476 www.designtechstudio.com.au

STUDIO

Modern coastal luxe Story by Petra de Mooy. Photography by Robert Geh. Styling by Marcus Syvertsen.

Page left: The home has been designed to maximise views and makes impressive use of the small block on which it sits. Above: The stone fireplace upstairs is the focal point of the ‘entertainer’s delight.’

Sitting in the light-filled modern surrounds of their newly built Port Elliot holiday home, Brenton and Sass Honor are happy and brimming with pride. Not only have they finally fulfilled their long-held dream of owning ‘a place of their own’ on the Fleurieu, but that place has surpassed even their wildest expectations.

Brenton and Sass have history and connection here on the south coast. Members of Brenton’s extended family have lived in Victor Harbor for as long as he can remember and when Sass was a

teenager her family bought a holiday home on the golf course at Goolwa. Sass’ family loved the location so much they eventually built another two houses, one around the corner and, years later, another on the highly sought after foreshore at ‘dump beach’ in Hayborough.

So when Sass and Brenton met in their early twenties, the south coast was already an important part of their lives. As a couple, and later a family of four, they created many more special memories at Sass’ family holiday homes ‘down south.’ They feel lucky that their daughters, Maddi and Sharni, were able to spend down time in the region while they were growing up. And, in fact, the couple would have bought a place of their own sooner but the timing was never quite right. ‘You have to have time to use it,’ says Brenton, and with two busy girls with sport and performing arts commitments in ‘town,’ the dream house had to wait. > 17

Page left: Sass and Brenton Honor are looking forward to many years of relaxation and entertaining in their newly-built Port Elliot holiday home.

Above: The upstairs is light-filled with windows facing north, east and west.

A few years ago – with the kids now grown up – Sass and Brenton began to look at property on the Fleurieu. Their interest was piqued by a large parcel of land in Port Elliot, with views over Horseshoe Bay and a reserve. ‘We had actually looked at this block before there were even any houses here,’ says Brenton. The original owner wanted to sell the large property as a single block, but over time it became obvious that it was too big for one dwelling so it was parcelled off and sold as five smaller plots.

I love this place and it’s very easy to imagine that future unfolding here. The house is sparse in the best possible way. Everything has a purpose and a place that has been carefully thought out in both the layout and the furnishings. It’s comfortable and spacious despite the tight (326 square metre) block. And while it feels like a straightforward plan, packing all of the home’s living, entertainment, bedrooms, bathrooms and privacy features into such a deceptively simple layout required innovative planning and thinking.

That original block had been home to a guest house known as Ulymah. Where we sit today would once have been part of Ulymah’s yard. Now, five houses, including the Honors’, overlook Port Elliot’s iconic bay while also enjoying close proximity to the town’s amenities.

An ideal location by all accounts, but the challenge for Sass and Brenton was to build within the heritage restrictions of the street while still creating a comfortable place that would accommodate the couple as they one day welcome grandkids (hopefully – no pressure girls) and retire.

The Honors engaged Travis Dunning from DesignTech Architects to come up with a design that would not only meet their personal needs, but would also conform to the historical conservation guidelines and would be approved by the council – effectively creating three levels of design specifications. ‘We spent hours with him coming up with a design that would work,’ says Brenton. Travis’ design incorporated all the couple’s needs for day-to-day living downstairs, while the upstairs became ‘an entertainers delight.’ It was all about ‘prioritising where you put the space,’ says Travis. ‘You obviously want the space where you spend time during the day as opposed to having grand scale bathrooms or bedrooms.’ > 19

This page top: The feature stone fireplace in the living area is complemented with the warm yellow lounge seating and wood accents. Bottom left: The Honors’ Weimaraner is happy to spend time out in the comfortable sheltered courtyard. Bottom right: Original artwork in the dining area by Chris Small is from the Fleurieu Arthouse.

‘The feature stone fireplace and courtyard wall on the north face are striking and create texture and warmth.’

‘He didn’t have an easy job,’ says Brenton. Working through the clients’ requirements, a budget, the heritage conservation guidelines while still maintaining that casual beach house feel was challenging.

‘They put their trust in me and the outcome is really good,’ says Travis. ‘We had about twenty-five variations to the plans so we developed a really close relationship and Travis was as excited as us about the design,’ says Brenton.

The home has been sensitively handled to blend with the character of the town. Though very modern inside, externally it’s compatible with the town’s buildings from 1870 –1890. To conform with the local vernacular, the exterior design incorporates a corrugated iron hip-roof and limestone which they sourced locally from Ashbourne. The feature 20

stone fireplace and courtyard wall on the north face are striking and create texture and warmth. Horizontal weatherboard panelling and a single-pitched skillion verandah all tie in together and add character and charm.

Travis worked hard on the orientation of the living areas and windows to maximise the amazing views while also retaining a six-star energy rating. The sheltered courtyard captures winter sun and remains shaded in the summer.

With all stamps of approval finally in place, the couple set upon finding a local builder. They wanted to support local business and ended up hiring South Coast Constructions. ‘They are reputable and understand the coastal conditions so that was a real draw card,’ says Brenton.

This page top and bottom left: The kitchens and bathrooms by Innovative Kitchens are modern and have been detailed and finished like furniture. Bottom right: The spare bedroom has pops of colour, including from the bamboo screen outside of the window which also offers privacy.

‘The cohesive relationships between owners, advisors and builder shine through: this house is perfect.’

‘One thing we really liked is that they really wanted to build our house and they wanted us to have a good experience, which we did,’ says Brenton. ‘And their attention to detail was great,’ adds Sass.

and white cabinetry and countertops, Brenton and Sass engaged local experts Innovative Kitchens to create this look for their own domestic space.

Building supervisor Matt Wilson from South Coast Constructions said, ‘On a personal level it was one of the best jobs I have worked on.’ The Honors developed a great working relationship with all of the trades and appreciated their integrity, work ethic and craftsmanship.

The cohesive relationships between owners, advisors and builder shine through: this house is perfect. The kitchens and bathrooms are modern and, though not grand in scale, they have been detailed and finished like furniture. Inspired by a colour combination in a commercial kitchen which married warm wood elements with black

The result is sharp, yet serene. Wooden floors and the wood in the cabinetry are uniform in colour, creating a nice flow from space to space. Innovative Kitchens recommended black anti-fingerprint laminate for the cabinetry which is a relatively new product. ‘The other thing we are really happy with is the pantry,’ says Brenton. ‘All of the appliances are in there and the noise from the kettle and microwave don’t disturb the living area because we can just close the door.’ >

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Above: The master bedroom with a black feature wall and black accents – very stylish!

Upstairs the open-plan entertaining area offers a central kitchenette, open fireplace and generous seating areas with 180 degree views to the coast. ‘When we first got up to the second floor we were blown away to find we could see all the way to Victor,’ says Brenton. Northfacing wrap-around windows make the layout feel expansive. The Honors wanted this space to be self-sufficient. ‘We didn’t want to keep walking up and down to get things so we’re really happy with that,’ says Sass. ‘It’s just beautiful up there.’

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‘Last week was the first week we had the fireplace going upstairs and it was just great,’ Sass continues. ‘I think that space will be used a lot.’ Certainly, they look forward to sharing their entertainer’s delight with lots of friends and family, because, as Brenton says, ‘That’s what it’s all about.’

Above: At just twenty years of age, university student Brayden Mann serves as an elected member of the Victor Harbor Council.

Just the man for the job Story by Ynys Onsman.

It’s an overcast day in Victor Harbor, but that doesn’t stop the locals from taking advantage of what it has to offer.

The skate park echoes with the smack of wheels on cement. Mothers chase toddlers eager to scale playground equipment. A group of men with hipster top-knots are shooting hoops. A fierce game of lawn bowls is tempered by the relaxed laughs of grey-haired players.

Tourists stroll toward Granite Island.

A neatly dressed young man walks into the Anchorage Cafe, offering friendly greetings to staff and patrons alike. His name is Brayden Mann, and the Victor Harbor on show this morning is the place he grew up in, the place he knows and loves. And, at just twenty years of age, it’s also the place he now represents as an elected member of the Victor Harbor council.

So what inspires a twenty year old to stand for council? Especially one who is also completing a double degree in law and international relations at Flinders University, working two jobs, building a photography business, playing multiple sports, and volunteering countless hours for his local church?

First and foremost, Brayden tells me, it was the opportunity to serve his community, many of whom he also serves at the local news agency owned by his family. Brayden believes Victor is primed to be a progressive, family-friendly town, with capacity to accommodate the seasonal fluctuations and generational differences.

‘This is my time to represent the area as it grows, particularly for young people. It’s a great opportunity to learn, meet more people and get to know the town better,’ he explains.

When he decided to run for council, he was shocked to receive 1206 first preference votes – more than double the quota required to be elected. With his easy eye contact and assured manner, it’s easy to understand why so many locals believe in him.

Brayden has taken every chance to develop his leadership skills, including during his school years at Investigator College where he was college captain.

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‘Some schools are all about getting a high ATAR [Australian Tertiary Admission] score, but Investigator also teaches you about how to survive work or university with resilience, and gives you that ability to pick yourself up again when things get tough,’ he says.

At university, Brayden volunteers with the Flinders Law Students’ Association. He worked with the university’s student co-ordinator to overhaul the first year law student competitions, leading to a 300 percent increase in sign-ups, and the opportunity to present at a conference attended by representatives from forty countries.

While his educational achievements and community work are impressive, his commitment to Victor and the region resonates just as strongly. He spent an idyllic childhood surfing, fishing, and hanging out at the family shack on the Coorong. He loves sharing what’s on offer when friends visit from out of town, even if they think they’re travelling to the other side of the world.

‘People from Adelaide get worried they have to plan for a serious weekend trip just to come down here. I keep telling them to relax, it’s only an hour’s drive away,’ he laughs.

So far his time on council has been a positive experience, but not without its challenges.

‘I’m getting used to the fact that you can’t please everyone, and you just have to do what you think is best based on all the information you have. If you can do that, you know you’re coming from an ok place,’ he says.

While it’s common for councillors to aim for a career in politics, and law students to aim for a corporate job in the city, Brayden would prefer to work in Victor and enjoy time with his tight-knit family, close friends, and long-term girlfriend.

‘I love driving home from uni and seeing the coastline and the bluff, it’s just so relaxing and I feel very lucky every time,’ he says.

Brayden does occasionally slow down, chilling out on the couch to binge watch The Office on Netflix. But with council budgets to deliberate, university exams to study for, weddings to photograph, umpteen committees to chair and his 21st birthday to celebrate, it’s clear he won’t be sitting still for long.

Currency Creek · Goolwa · Victor Harbor Early Learning – Year 12 investigator.sa.edu.au · Enrol now on 8555 7511

Providing the opportunity for you to be

YOUR BEST SELF 25

From ports to pictures Story by Annabel Bowles.

Page left: The jetty poles of Port Willunga have become fixed in the minds of South Australians as an icon of the south. This page top: At low tide the reef at Port Noarlunga is a great place to snorkel. Bottom: Normanville Jetty. Photographs by Jason Porter.

Through ever-changing trade, transport and tides, jetties stand as physical and historical pillars in the landscape. Though initially built to aid in the crucial transfer of goods between land and sea, the Fleurieu’s jetties are now mostly used for recreation. Travel the coastline today and you’ll encounter disintegrating ruins, worn wooden platforms and rebuilt structures that are now cherished landmarks of Fleurieu life, past and present.

Abounding with colourful coral and marine life, the Port Noarlunga reef is a diver’s dream, but it wasn’t always so idyllic. During the late 1800s, seafarers were at the mercy of changing winds and tides as they squeezed through a gap in the reef’s southern end searching out Port Noarlunga’s original jetty, built in 1855.

Originally situated thirty metres south of the current structure, the jetty was connected to a wharf at the Onkaparinga River mouth via a tramway tunnelled through the sand dunes. Horse-drawn railcars trod the rails carrying mainly wheat and flour from ship to shore.

In the early 1900s, severe weather hit the coast and damaged the jetty, which was eventually demolished. The new jetty opened in 1921 as a recreational causeway to the reef, but another storm hit some sixty years later and washed away fifteen metres of the platform’s end. Today the jetty just tickles the natural breakwater at low tide. > 27

Top: Second Valley from up high. Photo by Richard Kozuszko courtesy of the South Australian Tourism Commission. Bottom left: The remains of Port Willunga jetty showing only the part still attached to the roadway. Circa 1915. Bottom right: Second Valley jetty circa 1904.

There’s something magical about the crumbling ruins of the Port Willunga jetty, which silently echo their past role in accessing one of the state’s biggest and busiest ports. The jetty has been left to erode since 1915, after the Willunga railway took over slate exports and local grain trade slowed. All that’s left of the once 186-metrelong jetty are a few stoic piles. The ruins lie in front of cascading cliffs and square-shaped caves, which were originally cut into the sandstone to store fishing boats. The piles continue to dissolve into the bay, as if nature has adopted them as its own.

Slip into the hills and you’ll find some of the Fleurieu’s lessfrequented seaside towns, though their port histories are just as rich. Few know of Myponga Beach’s jetty ruins, built from the same local red gum used in its more well-known cousin in Port Willunga. Myponga Beach’s jetty was constructed in the rocky

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bay in 1859, the firm seabed providing a sturdy foundation that has ensured its longevity. Today, the tall piles stand quietly in the secluded cove, the only remnant of a bustling trading port for grain, wattle bark, livestock and spring water.

Just beyond the Norfolk pines on the Normanville foreshore, lies a humble jetty, briefly interrupting a long stretch of dune-fringed coastline. The town’s first jetty was built in 1855 to export flour, wheat and other regional produce, but its poor construction and position near Bungala River saw it destroyed by flood the next year. Another three jetties were built in different spots, but none survived the coast’s strong swells for very long. Bowing to the elements, today’s jetty was shortened to withstand the wild weather of an open shore, and now makes for good shade over swimmers paddling in the shallow water beneath.

Top: Rapid Bay. Photo by Jim Cresswell courtesy of the South Australian Tourism Commission. Bottom left: The warehouse and jetty at Horseshoe Bay circa 1890.

Bottom right: Watercolour depiction of the jetty at Port Noarlunga. Signed ‘J.H.A.’ 1855. All historical images courtesy of the State Library of South Australia.

Just fifteen minutes down the road, in an entirely different landscape, another jetty sits where Second Valley narrows at the rugged coast. Like its northern neighbour, Second Valley’s first wharf and quay were built in 1855, topped with a tramline to carry flour and wheat onto docked ships. It too was destroyed and rebuilt various times, until road transport took over ketch trade.

In its retirement, the jetty was shortened and reinforced to safely serve more recreational purposes. While the nearby cliffs steal much of the attention, the squid-ink-stained wooden platform is rarely without a fishing line strung over its railings. The jetty’s barnacled pillars blend into the vibrant reef below, and snorkelers may spot a rare leafy sea dragon here – if they aren’t shooed away by jetty-jumpers.

A stone’s throw away is Rapid Bay with its two jetties stretching into the St Vincent Gulf. When Colonel William Light landed there in 1836 he said ‘I have hardly seen a place I like better,’ and it soon became one of SA’s first settlements. The first jetty eventually gave way to a storm, but a longer one was built in 1942 to export limestone on a conveyor belt. After trade ceased in the nineties, the jetty was closed and left to deteriorate. Sticking out in all directions, the mottled wooden pillars and rusted beams have become an artificial reef, another favourite haunt of the leafy sea dragon. In 2009 a new concrete jetty was built alongside the ruin.

Although much smaller than its relic, it’s the longest jetty on the Fleurieu and a popular diving and fishing site. >

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Top: The Vivonne Bay jetty was originally 302 metres long, but was cut short during World War II amid fears of Japanese invasion. Photo by Isaac Forman courtesy of the South Australian Tourism Commission. Bottom: Horseshoe Bay. Loved by locals and holiday makers as a great place for some jetty jumping. Photograph by Jason Porter.

A latecomer to SA’s port trade, the jetty at Kangaroo Island’s Vivonne Bay was built in 1911, and hosted just six merchant vessels. Its original 302-metre length was cut in two during World War II, amid fears the jetty could be used in a Japanese invasion. The outer end was later demolished and the wooden platform protruding from the sparkling white sand was restored. It remains there today in the turquoise bay, a favourite among local crayfishers and surfers.

Murray River. However, the colonial harbor master was proven wrong when several ships were stranded and wrecked in the narrow passage between Pullen Island and Horseshoe Bay. The jetty was closed less than a decade later and plans to extend it beyond thirty metres never eventuated. While only briefly used for its original purpose, it’s now hard to imagine the sweep of Horseshoe Bay without the little t-shaped jetty poking out from the cobbled coastline.

In 1850, Captain Lipson deemed Port Elliot the safest anchorage point in the state next to Port Lincoln, and thus, a jetty and railway from Goolwa were swiftly built to export goods sent down the

Historical facts were sourced from the book The Jetties of South Australia – Past and Present by Neville Collins and the State Library of South Australia.

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Visit Historic

OXENBERRY FARM - Est. 1840

• Cellar door boutique regional wine production • Unique Grapple Ciders • Daily Café

• Barista coffee • Event facilities • On farm accommodation

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Scarpantoni Estate wines are classically ‘McLaren Vale’ in style, particularly the reds - being generous, mouth-filling, full of ripe fruit flavours and regional characteristics. Our range of wines covers a wide spectrum, from crisp, dry sauvignon blancs, chardonnay and rosé, to full bodied shiraz, cabernet sauvignon and fortified wines. Over the past five decades the wines have amassed an enviable collection of hundreds of wine show awards, including ‘The Jimmy Watson Memorial Trophy’. The Great Australian Shiraz Challenge, Winestate Shiraz of the year award and The Great Australian Red award.

Visit our cellar door and winery, experience the fascinating range of varietals and wine styles that we produce exclusively on site.

Tel:(08) 8383 0186, Scarpantoni Dr, McLaren Flat SA 5171, www.scarpantoniwines.com

BOOKS & WORDS

Winter book reviews

by Mark Laurie of South Seas Books, Port Elliot He too ‘glitters with mischief…and the rebellion against boredom that makes the old so anarchic.’ However, these traits have come to be overlaid by a new selfawareness of physical decline, along with a sort of melancholy fatalism borne of a lifetime of too much seeing and knowing.

The author’s time spent reporting from the Mexican borderlands and a background writing travelogues equips him to draw out all the grittiness and indifference to life of California’s deserts and Mexico’s borderlands. His skill as a novelist allows us to ponder anew the uncertainties and vagaries of human nature from the liminal, dreamlike plots Chandler bequeathed to the ages.

Only to Sleep

to a pinprick point of space and time. The lives it reveals, in all of their claustrophobic hopes and disappointments, echo down the generations for those of us whose histories intersect with Australia’s post-war urban sprawl. Never out of print, this littleknown classic eulogises the end of steam locomotives and those who harnessed them as they made way for diesel and a new age. Its central characters are caught in the metaphor, seemingly confined to a single track, feeling powerless to divert the dictated narrative of their lives.

Steven Carroll was nominated for the Miles Franklin literary prize for each of the books in the loosely-connected ‘Glenroy trilogy,’ of which this is the first. He was to eventually succeed with the last. This is a memorable and finely drawn portrait of people thrown together at the edge of the city, that uneasy border where suburbs are gouged from established farmland. Hovering between entrapment and flight, they are poised for a moment before they hurtle towards a future only partly of their own making.

by Lawrence Osborne

Warlight

Published by Hogarth (an imprint of Vintage) ISBN 9781781090572 $27.99 Raymond Chandler’s legacy is precious and so it’s natural that invitations to write a Philip Marlowe novel should be rare.

Burdened by the possibility of hair-trigger critique and a weighty responsibility to both past and present, Lawrence Osborne’s reincarnation of Chandler’s most famous character vindicates the honour bestowed upon him.

It is 1988 and Marlowe is in his early seventies, slowly running down in Baja ‘after a low near-decade of sloth and decay and Ronald Reagan.’

Recommended for an investigation by sceptical insurers into a suspicious drowning and the movements of a much younger, and now much wealthier wife, Marlowe makes a break from retirement, as ever ‘pulled along by the mystery’ and his own morbid curiosities. His wit and wits remain intact, as do his laser sharp observational and descriptive talents.

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by Michael Ondaatje Published by Jonathan Cape (Penguin Random House) ISBN 9781787330726 $19.99

The Art of the Engine Driver

by Steven Carroll Published by HarperCollins ISBN 978073228898 $22.99 Set in what the author describes as a ‘jittery frontier suburb’ of Melbourne in the late fifties, this novel takes a microscope

Growing up in London during the 1940s, Nathaniel and his sister Rachel have seemingly been abandoned by their parents and consigned to the care of a shifting, charismatic collection of adults centred around those they name ‘The Moth’ and ‘The Darter.’ The disorder of war and its immediate aftermath, with its disruption of the established hierarchies of age and class, provides a unique space for discovery and self-invention, for breaking free. And so Nathaniel does, with formal schooling occupying an ever diminishing role in his education at the liminal fringes of society, legality and certainty.

A dozen years later in rural Suffolk, Nathaniel attempts to rediscover his mother and comprehend his past. The act of drawing her from the half-light, from the warlight of vestigial memory, redefines

his history, those he associated with and ultimately his own morality and identity.

With luminous character portraits and an eclectic combination of sources, Warlight lives up to its Man Booker shortlisting and reaffirms Michael Ondaatje as one of the pre-eminent literary figures of our age. He has again delivered great depths from a flowing lightness of language and tone.

country’s natural, environmental, social and cultural history.

Widely read and possessing acute powers of observation and expression, Deakin’s unique and personal travelogue transports us with an exciting new perspective, a world reframed with his delight. Camping in an elderly Citroen station wagon, covered with a parachute for privacy, while swimming with eels which have spawned in the Sargasso Sea before riding the Gulf Stream to England’s fens, is some distance from Thomas Cook’s Brighton Pier of the nineteenth century or a week in Bali arranged through Flight Centre now.

There is much to fascinate and discover in this book, particularly the joy of ‘leaning into the water and feeling its even gentleness lifting you as you steal through the surface.’

Waterlog

by Roger Deakin Published by Vintage Books ISBN 9781784700065 $22.99 This account of a unique and peculiar journey in Britain, undertaken and written by Deakin at the end of the twentieth century, has rapidly became a much-referenced celebration of wild swimming, nature and English eccentricity.

Inspired by a critically acclaimed short story and film of the sixties, The Swimmer, the author set out to swim from the moat surrounding his home to the sea, through the rivers, streams, lakes, ponds and canals of the British Isles. His account of doing so, of engaging in such ‘a solitary, fugitive affair,’ immerses him and the reader deep into the

Preservation

by Jock Serong Published by Text Publishing ISBN 9781925773125 $29.99 Jack Serong weaves his novel around the little remembered wreck of the Sydney Cove in 1797 on Preservation Island in Bass Strait, and the subsequent epic journey on foot by a party of survivors from Victoria’s remote

south coast to Sydney’s infant colony. In reimagining the journey from its origins in Calcutta, the author describes men in extremity, weathering assaults from weather and climate, from indigenous warriors and from the inhospitable terrain of the unfamiliar Australian coastline and bush. However, the real danger emanates from within the group and its members, from its own ‘heart of darkness’ and all of the uncertainties and fears ignorance and prejudice are able to summon.

A profound malevolence is contained within the civilising force from the north. Aside from a shape-shifting central character of murderous intent, it is contained in the illicit rum being transported to fuel the corruption of the NSW Rum Corps, and in the degraded society of the Sydney settlement spilling its polluting influence inexorably outwards. Most profoundly though, it lies within the attitudes of those at the unordained vanguard of the colonial scheme seeking free land, subjugation and quick profits.

The taut storyline and flowing narrative make Jock Serong’s fourth novel skim along effortlessly, even as we are confronted with uncomfortable truths about the nature of British colonisation, Australia’s early settlement, and the monstrous fiction that was terra nullius.

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FOOD & WINE

Uncorked Wine reviews by Gill Gordon-Smith IWE

Finding nero The flagship Sicilian grape, nero d’Avola, now has its roots firmly planted in the Fleurieu and is well suited to our warmer, maritime climate, especially in the McLaren Vale region. The Italian tradition of calling black grapes ‘nero’ and Avola (a seaside town in Sicily) combine to give us the name nero d’Avola. Like many of the Mediterranean varieties brought to our shores, the vine handles the hot temperatures well and maintains its acidity, while also tolerating salinity. As with most things Italian, it has fit right into our region, producing delicious, juicy, food-friendly wines with lively acidity and lovely cherry and black plum flavours. This edition we look at four small producers who are working with this variety to create very drinkable and approachable styles of nero.

Hither & Yon 2018 Nero d’Avola After six vintages and numerous awards for this variety, the viticulturist brothers Malcolm and Richard Leask are firmly focused on nero and know how to make it right. Bright and lively, ruby-toned with lifted aromas of black cherry, mulberry and black plums with a savoury, dried herb and spiced edge. It’s a fresh and supple mouthful of dark cherries and blackberries, with loads of fleshy plum fruit, texture, and personality. I’d be drinking this with eggplant parmigiana, handfuls of gnocco fritto (fried puffed bread and prosciutto delights) as well as tomato-based pasta dishes.

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Vigna Bottin 2017 Nero d’Avola Paolo and Maria Bottin showcase their Italian heritage with this lovely and deeply coloured wine that is slightly shy on the nose but opens quickly to show dark cherries, plums and hints of spice and savouriness. Full of sweet red and black fruits with a rustic bramble character. Dark chocolate covered cherry ripe flavours follow on the palate. It’s a more robust style of nero that would go well with smoked ribs, red-sauced lasagne and Italian meatballs.

Monterra 2017 Fleurieu Nero d’Avola This fresh and very pretty version of nero is a vibrant ruby colour with lifted aromas of spiced cherry, ripe wild strawberries and baked warm berry pie. Slippery and supple in the mouth with lashings of raspberry, blueberry, mulberry and savoury dried herbs, it’s a very satisfying and balanced wine. I’d chill this for a few minutes, find a sunny spot, invite some friends and serve with platters of salumi and hard cheeses – easy and delicious drinking.

Precious Little Wine 2016 Nero d’Avola The work of friends Adam Smith and Marty O’Flaherty, this wine offers ripe, concentrated, dried plums and cherries, lifted notes of five spice, and has lots of texture and spice on the palate. With deeper bass notes of black fruits, dark cherries, ripe red cherries and plum skin pulpiness, it’s round and mouth-filling with a balsamic note to finish. Very food friendly (I was not surprised to see Marty was trained as a chef) and would be fantastic with glazed meats like porchetta, roasted root vegetables, beetroot and roast beef with a jus made from the glistening pan juices.

For 25 years, Bennett Design Architect has been creating beautifully tailored, sustainable, award winning solutions. By drawing inspiration from nature, we pride ourselves on designs and material selections which coexist harmoniously with the surrounding land. Using this method, we work closely with our public and private clients to produce designs for a range of applications including wineries, homes and everything in between.

Bennett Design Architect Pty Ltd · 107 Main Road McLaren Vale SA 5171 · (08) 8323 7737 · contact@bennettdesign.com.au

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The two lives of Wirra Wirra Story by Jake Dean.

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Page left: Greg Trott – the visionary and eccentric who put Wirra Wirra on the map, releasing the first Church Block and championing the protection of the region.

Above: Wirra Wirra Ironstone Cellars – a photo of the site today. The original walls are buried in the cellars.

This year marks two anniversaries for Wirra Wirra. It’s 125 years since the McLaren Vale winery was founded by Robert Strangways Wigley, and fifty years since its resurrection by Greg Trott.

While they never met, these two men, separated by time, built a shared legacy through determination, mischief and cricket.

This year, that legacy will be celebrated with the release of a rare new wine, a book and a series of events, including the Festival of Wirra Wirra. Pie cart parking will be available, and visitors are advised to watch out for flying watermelons – clues that they do things a little differently at Wirra Wirra.

But to understand such peculiarities, we need to go back to the beginning, when a mischievous young cricketer ‘borrowed’ an Adelaide pie cart and took it for a joyride down King William Street in the 1890s. ‘Robert Strangways Wigley was a South Australian cricketer, although not a very good one, and he came from fairly noble English stock living in Adelaide,’ explains Wirra Wirra CEO,

Andrew Kay. ‘He was a bit of a character, and he pulled some stunts that led to his family saying, it’d be good if you moved away from Adelaide and started a new life somewhere else.’

Following the pie cart incident, Wigley found himself banished to McLaren Vale in 1894, where he bought 240 acres with his brother and decided he’d start growing grapes and making wine. ‘He didn’t have any experience, other than drinking some smart French wine at the dining table with his parents,’ Andrew says.

‘So, he set about trying to recreate that style of wine. Soon he became this really well-known character in McLaren Vale, and he had this estate called Wirra Wirra – one of the most beautiful in the region. He started making wine and exporting back to England, and he became far better known for that than for anything he did back in Adelaide.’

When Wigley died a bachelor in 1926, the winery was left to a caretaker named Jack Sparrow (yes, like the pirate), but it fell into disrepair, seemingly destined for ruins. ‘Fast-track to 1969 and there’s this equally eccentric character called Greg Trott, who’d tried worm farming, chicken farming, olive growing… all with spectacular degrees of failure,’ laughs Andrew. ‘He started making wine for the co-op in McLaren Vale and thought maybe he had a future in that. When he realised he lived near the ruins of the > 37

Above: Vignerons of McLaren Vale circa 1900. Top left to right: Alexander C. Johnston (Pirramimma), Herbert Kay, Frederick W. Kay (Kay Brothers); C. Burgar, F. Shipster.

Front row: W. Begenal, Robert Strangways Wigley (Wirra Wirra), Robert Russell (Katunga, neighbour of Johnston), C. Burgoyne (head of Burgoyne’s of London wine merchants), Cyril Pridmore (The Wattles, later Penfold’s Southern Vales Winery).

‘Trott put Wirra Wirra on the map, not just through Church Block, but through being this visionary guy [who] was passionate about McLaren Vale and protecting the region.’ old Wirra Wirra winery, he and his cousin Roger convinced a few people – in classic Trott style, he could convince anyone to do anything – to help him rebuild.’

It was more a resurrection than a simple rebuild. Only a single pair of crumbling walls and the tracks where fermenters used to run were salvageable (they’re still there today.) Trott rebuilt everything else using local ironstone and recycled timber from Port Adelaide wool sheds. But more than rebuilding a winery, he built a reputation, which began with the 1972 release of what would become an Australian favourite and the brand’s signature wine, Church Block, named after the Bethany Church across the road from their historic cellars.

‘Trott put Wirra Wirra on the map, not just through Church Block, but through being this visionary guy [who] was passionate about McLaren Vale and protecting the region,’ explains Andrew. ‘He was a greenie when that stuff wasn’t on the radar, but he was also into developing young winemakers, and Wirra Wirra was this nursery for people who went on to do great things elsewhere.’

Trott’s other legacies include co-establishing the Fleurieu Art Prize – once the world’s richest landscape painting prize; helping establish the McLaren Vale Bushing Festival; and helping McLaren Vale become one of Australia’s most sustainable wine regions through planning around water management, land conservation and chemical use.

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Like Wigley, Trott’s eccentricities were legendary. One story involves the rental car of an interstate couple who visited the cellar door one late Friday afternoon. ‘His car was playing up, so he said, ‘look, can I borrow your car for a sec, I need to whip into town’,’ Andrew says. They only discovered ‘town’ meant Adelaide, not McLaren Vale, when they tracked him down by phone a few hours later. Trott smoothed it over, and upon his return invited them for dinner at his place where they stayed the night. ‘He was just a guy who loved people,’ Andrew says. ‘He charmed them and they were forgiving.’

Trott’s love of cricket, too, echoed Wigley’s. When Trott was about seventy and building his new house, he painted creases on the floorboards in the corridor and stumps on the front and back doors so he could play hallway cricket games after a big day.

Another classic tale about Trott – who was known for turning his phone off and going missing – saw him disappear for days. ‘Staff put an ad in the paper with a picture of Trott as a joke, saying: Have you seen this man?’ says Andrew. ‘It turned out his little trip to the shops had kept going, and he was in the UK staying with a friend, watching the cricket.’

And so, we come to the watermelons. ‘On that trip, he stayed at the estate of an eccentric English lord, and this guy had a medieval trebuchet [French catapult],’ says Andrew. ‘He was setting fire to baby grand pianos in the middle of the night and hurling them across the sky. Trott came home inspired and

Above left: The WIrra Wirra flagship wines are named in honour of Wirra founder Robert Strangways Wigley and the renowned Angelus Bell that sits proudly atop the Wirra Cellars. Top right: Current CEO Andrew Kay loves sharing his fond memories of Greg Trott and the Wirra story. Bottom left: Woodhenge was the brainchild of Greg Trott who never approached life in half measures. Bottom right: The trebuchet was built in 2010 and is occasionally used to hurl watermelons into the neighboring paddock.

‘That left-of-centre thinking continues at Wirra Wirra and we tend to attract people that view life differently.’ had plans to build one.’ Trott passed away in 2005 having never realised the dream, but five years later, Andrew – who became CEO in 2007 – commissioned one to be built and also named a new wine, The Catapult, in Trott’s honour. ‘We hurl watermelons into the paddock next door with it, and people absolutely love it,’ Andrew says.

Despite never meeting, Wigley and Trott are inextricably linked by their stories, traits and quirks. Andrew says their legacies endure.

‘They didn’t follow the mainstream...and they weren’t fussed what other people thought,’ Andrew says. ‘That left-of-centre thinking continues at Wirra Wirra and we tend to attract people that view life differently. It’s that taking on of big ideas and having vision about trying things that other people would say, god, that’s never gonna happen. With Wigley and Trott, it was almost like that was a good reason to do those things.’

Fun is also at the heart of Wirra Wirra, with a slate installation inscribed with Trott’s philosophy on life greeting staff as they come to work each day. ‘His sayings about concentrating on making the best wines you possibly can, focusing on quality, but it should always be fun,’ Andrew says. ‘If you look at the culture, we’ve always attracted people that work hard and play hard, and they tend not to leave once they get here. I think that really is the Trott legacy – wanting to do great things but having fun and not taking yourself too seriously.’

Catapults aside, Andrew’s tenure has seen Wirra Wirra acquire its first winery outside of McLaren Vale, purchasing Ashton Hills in the Adelaide Hills, and sharpen its focus on wine tourism by remodelling its cellar door, building a café (Harry’s Deli), and working increasingly with inbound tourism operators.

Construction on its McLaren Vale resort, which Andrew says will be the first integrated five-star winery resort in the state, will hopefully start later this year. If Wirra Wirra’s history is anything to go by, it’s safe to expect the unexpected when it comes to its exciting next chapter.

Celebrate 50/125 years of Wirra Wirra Saturday 8 June Sea and Vines Red Letter Lunch Tuesday 30 July 2019 Biennial Bell Ringers Dinner (Adelaide) Saturday 31 August Festival of Wirra Wirra wirrawirra.com/events

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Adopt a spot For this issue of FLM, we asked Tatachilla Lutheran College senior students to seek out an individual who is going above the call of duty to contribute to the region – and to write a story about them. This article was written by student Caydi Young.

There’s no doubt that Chris Lemar has a deep connection to the ocean – saltwater seems to run through his veins. He grew up as a barefoot ‘grom’ in the seventies and spent his youth hooning along the mid-coast esplanade (aka ‘the mid’). As an adult, Chris moved around, travelling interstate and encountering some of Australia’s most pristine slices of paradise – many littered with only native shrubs and natural beauty.

The surf and community along the mid-coast eventually lured him back. Perhaps there was something in the water, or perhaps time spent away from his old haunts allowed him to, as he puts it, look at this place with a different set of eyes. Over the ensuing years he saw that his treasured coastline needed help and after a bit of time and a few conversations with his friend, Carlee Lynch, the two co-founded the Adopt A Spot Scheme in 2017.

The goal of the program is to minimise the waste entering the ocean through mobilising volunteers to regularly collect and remove rubbish.

Volunteers to the scheme unofficially ‘adopt’ their favourite spot along our beaches, rivers and creeks and it becomes their job to look after that spot through regular clean-ups. Powered by the philosophy that every little bit counts, the scheme is having a huge impact on the health of our coast. In 2018, Chris and his team of over one hundred volunteers collected 110,000 cigarette butts that had been discarded on the ground. They also accumulated close to three tonnes of littered waste which was collected from sixty-six locations, covering seven council regions.

As we take a seat at Chris’ coffee table, there’s a distinct nose of salt in the air. The shore is literally metres away from his doorstep. At age 59, Chris wears a thick, resilient skin that’s seen many years out in the sun. You’ll often see Chris during the winter months checking the surf in a pair of shorts. Not only is he passionate about where he lives; the coast is his way of life.

The Adopt a Spot Scheme all started with collecting and recording rubbish from car parks along the mid. It was evident from these collections that cigarette butts were a major problem. Chris made and positioned simple plastic tubs along the Esplanade for people to throw their butts into, instead of dropping them on the ground. These tubs have since been turned into permanent fixtures and can be found along the coastline from Sellicks Beach to Glenelg North.

Chris shares with me some of the things he has uncovered and learned while doing these regular cleans. Chief among them, how just a single act of careless rubbish disposal has ramifications for years to come. Take a Mellow Yellow drink bottle cap, found floating in the creek mouth. ‘That was replaced by Lift in 1995, so that bottle cap has been floating its way down after every rain event getting closer and closer to the ocean until we finally pulled it out,’ says Chris. An old Arnott’s chip packet found on Australia Day 2018 with a use-by date of 1982 shows – quite literally – how deep the problem goes. ‘That’s what’s laying under the sand,’ he explains. ‘When you get a big storm, 40

Above: Adopt a Spot’s Chris Lemar. (To Adopt a Spot of your own, go to their Facebook page and send them a message!)

whatever is under the sand gets washed up and put out into the ocean and washes back again.’

I reach out to Chris ‘Radar’ Bowen, a close friend of Chris’ for over twenty years. They both represent the archetypal mid-coast local with a lifetime of shared stories, good laughs and many waves. ‘Most people will complain and whinge that something needs to be done.

Not Chris. He rolls his sleeves up and gets on with the job,’ says Radar. ‘Chris is altruistic, he truly cares for others.’

Chris may seem like he sets an unattainable standard as an ambassador for the community and caretaker of our coast, but in reality he’s no different from you and me. He’s a local bloke who loves where he lives. He thrives off seeing people enjoy our coastline and living a coastal life that is healthy and rubbish free.

So on behalf of the mid, Chris, we thank you for your dedication and support of the community and your hard work in keeping our coastline litter free. We need more people like you.

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Above: Jane Riggs with ‘Sunday’ the kangaroo at her Victor Harbor property.

The Pantry Project Story by Nina Keath. Photograph by Angela Lisman.

Victor Harbor’s Jane Riggs has mastered the art of ‘paying it forward.’ And with her new initiative, The Pantry Project, she’s encouraging the wider community to get in on the goodwill.

It started with Jane’s home-based business, The Meal Hub, which grew from a simple but ingenious idea. As a busy mum to four children, Jane was already spending time cooking meals for her family, so why not simply cook more and offer it to other local families to purchase as a ready-made meal?

The business was an immediate success and as it grew, Jane noticed that customers would often buy an extra meal or two for friends and family in need. Jane was already involved in distributing excess bread from local bakeries to people who were in need and while the bread was gratefully received, Jane was conscious that bread alone is only part of a balanced diet. She also knew the need was great, with many families living below the poverty line in her community.

So, in 2018 she launched The Pantry Project, making and distributing food and grocery hampers to people in the community who, in Jane’s words, ‘need a little encouragement.’ Fully stocked with the same quality meals she sells via The Meal Hub, as well as pantry, personal and household items, the hampers are now distributed via three local schools and also to other community members on a needs basis.

Jane suspects the gap The Pantry Project fills is as much about conversation, connection and belonging as it is about food. ‘Food breaks down barriers,’ she says. ‘There’s something about sharing food and eating together that’s really powerful.’ She also sees the important role that The Pantry Project can play in providing a steady supply of much needed food and connection after the first groundswell of community support has died away when someone

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suffers a tragedy or illness. If someone can’t use everything in the hamper, she encourages them to pass these items on to someone else. And so, the gift keeps giving.

Jane’s strategy for The Pantry Project is simple: ‘to go where there’s energy and enthusiasm.’ And it seems there’s plenty of that going around. In March, she received a $1000 grant from the Awesome Foundation Fleurieu, which she used to consolidate her supplies of pantry and household staples. Her Meal Hub customers regularly leave pantry donations to contribute to the hampers, and local businesses and supermarkets have also chipped in – one such recent donation involved an extraordinarily large one-off supply of cucumbers.

While donations of all shapes and sizes are appreciated, Jane was particularly touched by the generosity of three local boys. The boys diligently saved their pocket money and then carefully selected and purchased the items they believed to be essential for any hamper, lolly bananas being key among them!

Jane’s children have got in on the act too, selling handcrafted keyrings and other items with part proceeds going to The Pantry Project. ‘We’ve got so much, and our kids don’t need more,’ Jane says. ‘This is a lovely way to instil the power of generosity and an outward focus beyond the self. A massive bonus is that my kids get to see that supporting each other is so important, and now they love packing and delivering food and groceries to people as much as I do.’

Jane will be doing what she does best at the upcoming Ideas on the Fleurieu youth event to be held at the Investigator College Eco-Sustainability Trade Skills Centre in Currency Creek in July.

She encourages young participants to bring along a contribution for a ‘sharing table’ and to get involved in making a hamper for someone they know who could use some encouragement.

‘I think our community has so much to offer,’ Jane smiles.

‘And I love making a difference in people’s lives just by offering a little kindness.’

Experience our art, culture and open spaces...

Visit Alexandrina

Good Things, Small Packages at South Coast Regional Arts Centre, Goolwa from 21 June to 21 July Honesty UNSOLVED – Matt Tarrant* at Centenary Hall, Goolwa on 22 June Island to Inland Contemporary Art from Kangaroo Island at Signal Point Gallery, Goolwa Wharf Precinct from 19 July to 1 September

Gems of Jazz* at Centenary Hall, Goolwa on 6 July Adelaide Symphony Orchestra* at Centenary Hall, Goolwa on 27 July Adelaide Guitar Festival’s Resonance Program* at Goolwa Library on 28 July What Privilege – The Colony Exhibition at South Coast Regional Arts Centre, Goolwa from 1 August to 1 September

Photo courtesy of South Australian Tourism Commission

In My Case – Two day workshop* at Strathalbyn Library and Community Centre on 3 and 10 August The Magnolia Tree* at Centenary Hall, Goolwa on 10 August The Beggars Sing The Seekers – Golden Jubilee Celebration* at Centenary Hall, Goolwa on 21 August * tickets/booking required

Photo courtesy of South Australian Tourism Commission

For bookings and enquiries please visit www.visitalexandrina.com or call Council’s Visitor Information Centre on 1300 466 592.

Alexandrina Council continues the ‘Just Add Water’ arts and culture program in 2019. View a copy online for more events in the region at www.alexandrina.sa.gov.au/jaw

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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Fleurieu boutiques Wander through these local independent boutiques for carefully curated lifestyle pieces including furniture, books, homewares and fashion.

ELLIOT & ME Port Elliot Known for its carefully curated style and now under new ownership, Elliot & Me is a mustvisit destination on the southern Fleurieu for women’s fashion and accessories.

With brands like ELK, Nancybird and Kompanero, the friendly and experienced team will have you leaving with a new look and a smile on your face.

Instagram: @elliotandmeboutique

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GEORGEOUS SOLES McLaren Vale This hidden gem offers unique and beautiful women’s footwear and clothing you may not find anywhere else. Elle’s vision is to make Gorgeous Soles the place every woman can come to and feel good about themselves, whether they’re buying, browsing or simply chatting. The team take pride in looking after and getting to know their customers as well as creating an enjoyable space for some retail therapy. gorgeoussoles.com.au

LIVING BY DESIGN Port Elliot and Victor Harbor A modern take on classic ranges for your home, with a neutral palette to suit all lifestyles whether coastal, rural or city dwelling. Transform your living space with exclusively sourced furniture ranges, handwoven rugs, kitchen items and cushions.

The stores also stock a contemporary and feminine fashion collection. Explore some of the Australia’s best designers alongside unique offerings from overseas, including famed Finnish design house Marimekko. livingbydesign.net.au

THE SOUND OF WHITE Port Noarlunga Stocking gorgeous luxe-boho wares, The Sound of White boutique at Port Noarlunga offers a quirky mix of local and overseas designer products and accessories.

Labels include Arnhem, Kivari, House of Skye and many more. With new styles arriving every week, the friendly team are always up for a chat and a laugh as they assist with styling and gift vouchers in a welcoming atmosphere. soundofwhite.com.au

SOUTH SEAS TRADING Port Elliot Situated in a mid-century building in Port Elliot, South Seas Trading offers a different and diverse collection of design-oriented articles. Vintage pieces, homewares, textiles and gardening items sit alongside works by prominent South Australian makers.

A curated range of women’s and men’s clothing and footwear complements the large collection of books on design, art, gardening and cooking which speak to South Seas’ original book shop across the road. southseasbooks.com.au

ROLLO Port Elliot Fresh and airy, Rollo is a high-end hub for the self and the space you live in, offering a unique combination of hairstyling, massage and coastal-luxe wares. Bernadette brings twenty years of experience to her exclusive Kevin Murphy Salon, while her curated lifestyle collection features designer brands including ENKI eyewear, Cinquante jewellery, Coco & Shy swimwear, Polkaco hats, Little Road Home and Jasmine and Will sleepwear.

Instagram @rollofactory9 45

Unfolding stories:

Thirty years of Willunga Waldorf School Story by Kate Le Gallez.

Above: Class 2 teacher and students share the future wishes for Willunga Waldorf School.

Stories are at the heart of Waldorf education. Learning happens through stories, rather than alongside them.

Through story, abstract concepts are brought to life, fuelled by each student’s imagination.

In 2019, two significant stories are converging at the Willunga Waldorf School: Willunga Waldorf’s thirtieth birthday in March and the centennial anniversary of the first Waldorf school opened in Stuttgart, Germany in September 1919. These two parallel milestones offer an opportunity for the local Waldorf community to reflect on and connect with their own history, as well as their place in the wider Willunga community and in the global Waldorf movement.

The Waldorf approach to education was developed by Austrian scientist and philosopher, Rudolf Steiner. The curriculum, which emphasises imagination, creativity and the arts alongside mainstream academics, aims to enable the gradual unfolding of children as they develop the qualities of thinking, feeling and willing.

Or, as it’s often put, it’s about educating the head, the heart and the hands, by bringing the right experiences at the right time in a 46

student’s development. Ultimately, the school aims to help every student develop in their own way and to go out into the world with purpose, meaning and direction.

It was these aspects of the Steiner philosophy that first interested Katrina Kytka, who I meet on a golden autumn day on Willunga Waldorf’s verdant grounds. Katrina is now in her third and final year as head of school. But thirty years ago, she was connected to the school in a different capacity, as a parent to one of the children in the first kindergarten class in 1989.

That first class began with the humble lighting of a candle at the Bethany Hall on Strout Road (now home to winery Samson Tall).

On that first day on 15 March 1989, eight children and one teacher, Marita Huxoll, sat together, lit a candle and told a story to begin their first kindergarten class.

‘When she lit that first candle, she told us how she pictured a flourishing K to 12 school,’ Katrina tells me. ‘So that’s why we say March 15 is our actual birthday. Even though there was quite a lot of work that went into preparing that space.’ Twenty years later, the first class twelve would graduate, vindicating Marita’s vision.

Above left: The kindergarten is all soft curves – the building and grounds are designed to feel gentle and nurturing. Photo by Robert Geh. Above right: Students enjoy an afternoon of fun celebrating the 30th Birthday.

However, the seeds that would eventually bloom into a fully-fledged Willunga Waldorf school were planted well before that candle was lit. Indeed, it was a long germination. It began with a group of likeminded parents, including Marita Huxoll, who began bussing their children from Willunga to the Mount Barker Waldorf School in the early eighties, a practice that continued for many years.

The bus group was in full swing when Katrina’s own children were reaching school age a few years later. With a new generation of local parents interested in Waldorf education, the next chapter in the Willunga Waldorf story was about to begin, starting with a sign in the Willunga health food shop inviting locals to hear a Waldorf speaker. ‘Myself and a few others got together and we decided it was too far to send children up to Mount Barker and we should start our own school,’ recalls Katrina. The bus group too recognised that their current arrangements were unsustainable and the momentum behind a local Waldorf school grew.

A long search for a kindergarten space eventually found the dilapidated Bethany Hall. The parents quickly went to work transforming the hall into a Waldorf kindergarten, a burst of industry that would be repeated several times as new spaces were needed in years to come. Katrina shows me a photo of three women, arms

white with dust, patching and sanding walls. She identifies her younger self alongside Sally French-Kennedy and Miriam Germein.

Katrina, together with Tony French-Kennedy, also approached Marita to teach at the school.

The Bethany Hall kindergarten ran part time that first year and full time the next. It hosted the first autumn fair which would become the school’s signature event. But it wasn’t long before more space was needed. The school would eventually be given access to a small reserve on Jay Drive – its current home – by the council, but they would hop from a lounge-room to a hall in Hope Forest in the meantime.

The move to Jay Drive was perhaps the first step toward the school’s integration into the wider Willunga community. Some objection was raised at a public meeting, but Mayor Bob Bishop supported the move. ‘I don’t remember his exact words,’ says Katrina, ‘but he said something like ‘I remember a family in Bethlehem all those years ago who couldn’t find a home’ and all those hearts melted and there was just no more opposition.’

The school continued to expand, quickly outgrowing the small reserve. Serendipitously, an old almond block became available next door to the reserve and later, when space was needed for > 47

Top: Andy Bragg and Jeremy (Jerry) Keyte were instrumental in designing the school. ‘What they did was understand the nature of the curriculum that was being delivered in the classroom and then design on the basis of that.’ says Katrina Kytka, head of school. Top and bottom right photos by Robert Geh.

the high school, another adjoining block was available. ‘It was this quite amazing unfolding of connected pieces of land,’ recalls Katrina.

Any visitor to the school today can see that it’s very different to the straight lines and order that usually define a school. Wandering the grounds almost feels like an adventure, moving between gardens along curved paths. It’s the embodiment of the Steiner philosophy which privileges connection to nature and beauty. ‘Life’s getting increasingly mechanised and technological and I think more than ever, even at a really simple level, to stay connected with nature is to affirm our humanness,’ says Katrina. ‘We want [the students] to have a palpable experience of that so they don’t feel isolated or powerless later on in life.’

Andy Bragg and Jeremy (Jerry) Keyte were instrumental in designing the school. ‘What they did was understand the nature of the curriculum that was being delivered in the classroom and then design on the basis of that,’ explains Katrina. Consequently, class one evokes a fairy tale house, class three is a miniature farmhouse, while class four resembles a Norse longhouse. The kindergarten rooms that we’re standing in front of are all soft curves; they’re gentle buildings that draw you in. ‘This one’s meant to be nurturing, surrounding, protective, a bit like an extension of home,’ says Katrina.

The school has now cemented its place in the community and draws people into the district. At its March birthday celebration, the school 48

recognised the role that those early families played in establishing the school, recognising that what they did wasn’t just for their children but will serve generations to come. That legacy continues to grow with a new two-storey senior learning centre currently under construction.

The Waldorf 100 celebration is also about recognising connection.

As one of the over 1100 Waldorf schools in sixty-five countries, the Willunga school is taking part in a postcard exchange. Each postcard is individually designed by a student to share something about its place of origin. Since April 2017, the students have been working on the cards, slowly fulfilling their part in the exchange by sending one card to every other Waldorf school in the world. In September, Willunga students will join with other Australian Waldorf students at a youth conference focusing on social renewal.

These dual milestones and Katrina’s impending retirement inevitably suggest the coming of a new chapter for the Willunga Waldorf School. I ask Katrina to reflect on the school’s unfolding over thirty years. She instinctively speaks of individual student moments, but some weeks later contacts me again. ‘Witnessing new Steiner school initiatives lately,’ she writes, ‘made me feel truly proud that together we have indeed achieved our founding teacher’s vision of a flourishing K to 12 school. From our position of strength, we are now able to help and inspire others who are beginning with just eight families committed to Waldorf education.’

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Fashion in We love winter for getting rugged up – warm woollens, fluffy scarves and a good beanie. Explore our inland and coastal wonders this winter – it is really the most wonderful time of the year. Photography by Angela Lisman. All clothing and homewares from Vicinity Colonnades.

This spread styled by Jay Jays Girls & Guys Clothing.

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the forest

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Alicia’s clothing is styled by Beaches Apparel with a Seam Blazer Bag from Strandbags.

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Ocean, James and Alicia – styled by Beaches Apparel brands including O’Neill, Roxy, Rip Curl and Volcom.

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Lucy and Raina – styled by Cotton On with bags from Strandbags.

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Ocean – styled by Beaches Apparel clothing with a Weave Buckle Blazer Bag from Strandbags.

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Images from left to right: ’Untitled’ by Anna Gore, ‘For Des’ by Ron Langman, ‘Pelican’ by Kay Walker, ‘I came across shadows 2’ by John Lacey, The studio facilities at Fleurieu Arthouse.

SALA Events of the Fleurieu August 2019 / Fleurieu Highlights

Aannaa Artist: Anna Gore and Anna Horne Dates: 10 August – 1 September Where: South Seas Trading, 56 North Terrace Port Elliot Through painting, sculpture and installation, Adelaide-based artists Anna Gore and Anna Horne offer discreet but interconnected approaches to materiality, process and experience.

Coastal Imaginings Artists: Group exhibition Dates: 4 – 31 August Where: Fleurieu Arthouse, 202 Main Road McLaren Vale Abstract studies based on the coastal region of Port Willunga.

Innocence, joy, intense colours and simple shapes provide an imaginative interpretation of this unique area.

Drawing on Country Victor Harbor Artists: Group exhibition Dates: 24 August – 29 September Where: Coral Street Art Space, 10 Coral Street Victor Harbor A diverse group of novice, amateur and professional artists from Victor Harbor spent a day together exploring and responding to Granite Island. This exhibition is the result of that exploration.

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Drawing on Country Yankalilla Artists: Group exhibition Dates: 4 – 30 August Where: District Council of Yankalilla Civic Centre, 1 Charles Street Yankalilla A group of professional, amateur and novice artists from the local area met for a day at Myponga Reservoir. This exhibition shares the results of that day. f/64 in the digital age Artist: Ron Langman Dates: 1 – 31 August Artist talk: 4 June at 2pm Where: The Strand Gallery, 41 The Strand Port Elliot Group f/64 was a collective of landscape photographers formed by American photographer, Ansel Adams and friends in the thirties. The term f/64 implied large format cameras and a disciplined approach to photography. Ron Langman pays homage to this group in an exhibition of monochrome landscapes.

Fierce/Fragile Artist: Group exhibition Dates: 4 – 28 August Ceramic Love Market: 17 August at 11:00am (free) Artist talk: 10 August at 2pm Where: Fleurieu Arthouse, 202 Main Road McLaren Vale ‘The aim of art is to represent not the outward appearance of things, but their inward significance’. Aristotle.

This August, the Fleurieu Peninsula will be home to a host South Australian Living Artists (SALA) Festival events. SALA aims to promote and celebrate the many talented visual artists in South Australia, across a variety of mediums including painting, photography, sculpture, textiles, ceramics, digital media and more. Both established and emerging artists will be exhibiting their works during the annual festival. So wrap up, venture out into the wintry weather and be inspired at one (or more!) of these unique venues on the Fleurieu.

Inked Artists: Bittondi Printmakers Association Inc. Dates: 2 August – 2 September Where: Arts Centre, 22 Gawler Street Port Noarlunga An exhibition of past and present members of the Bittondi Printmakers Association Inc. to celebrate its tenth anniversary.

Based at Aberfoyle Park High School, the association offers a membership-based printmaking studio, workshops, print club and regular open studio events.

Island to Inland Contemporary Art from Kangaroo Island Artists: Group exhibition Dates: 19 July – 1 September Opening event: 19 July at 5pm Where: Signal Point Gallery, 5 Laurie Lane Goolwa The artists have created new works on the theme of isolation and the environment.

Living Art Through Time Artists: Group exhibition Dates: 3 – 22 August Where: Coral Street Art Space, 10 Coral Street Victor Harbor The City of Victor Harbor recently re-purposed the Old Library building in Coral Street as an Arts Space. This group exhibition draws together the works of well-known local artists to celebrate the opening of this new creative space.

Municipal Belongingness Artist: Melissa Little Dates: Fridays from 3 – 30 August Where: Sauerbier House, 21 Wearing Street Port Noarlunga Employing photography and digital manipulation, Little seeks to represent the wide spectrum of social and environmental variation that exists within the Onkaparinga region.

My Interpretations – From Figurative to Expression Artist: John Lacey Dates: 1 – 31 August Opening Event: 4 August from 1 – 5pm Artist in Session: 19 August at 2pm Where: Green Tank Gallery, 41 Woodcone Road Mount Compass An exciting exploration of landscape, from studies to finished oils.

A collection of works both simplified and obvious interpretations of landscape using contrasts of form, colour, light and tone.

Route B37, Strathalbyn to Currency Creek: Liminal Alexandrina Road Artists: Mary Anne Santin and Monica Prichard Dates: 1 – 31 August Where: Alexandrina Road, various locations Ruins and places along Alexandrina Road, between Strathalbyn and Currency Creek, will be reimagined to capture the lives once lived along this much travelled road. Recycled orchard netting will create ghost-like memories of times past and lighting installations will illuminate the sites. > 59

Top left: ‘The Cube Paddock’ 2018 by Lesley Redgate. Top right: ‘Port Noarlunga Transposed’ by Melissa Little. Bottom left: Print by Gail Kellett. Bottom right: ‘Winter Quinces’ by Mon Bowring.

The Farm and the Island Artist: Gail Kellett Dates: 1 – 31 August Where: Penny’s Hill Winery, 281 Main Road McLaren Vale A collection of hand-painted lino cuts based on two new series of work. Please come along and meet the artist, enjoy a glass and watch her at work.

The Stream Within Artists: Group exhibition Dates: 20 July – 8 September Where: Red Poles, 190 McMurtrie Road McLaren Vale Different Indigenous language groups, both young and Elders, respond to the concept that water is life and a connection between all of us and an infinite source of inner peace Open Studio Weekend Artists: Various Dates: 17 – 18 August Where: Various studios throughout SA The Open Studios Weekend highlights the many wonderful working 60

studios in South Australia. Participating venues range from shared warehouse spaces, garages, sheds in the backyard, and home studios. The Open Studios program is an invitation to the public to meet our state’s living artists and see them at work. Many studios are open throughout the whole month, so make sure you check the program for individual studio listings.

Open Studios Highlight Artists: Mon Bowring, Sally Deans, Brenda Holden, Jane Hylton Dates: 17 – 18 August Where: South Coast Regional Art Centre, Goolwa Terrace Goolwa Drop in and visit Mon, Sally, Brenda and Jane in their studios housed in the converted Old Goolwa Police Station.

Visually Speaking Artist: Michael Bryant Dates: 3 August – 14 September Where: Sauerbier House, 21 Wearing Street Port Noarlunga Using collage, Bryant capitalises on disordered placement to redefine reality and create an unconventional visual language.

INSPIRED LIVING

The Strand Gallery is warm and cosy for winter with a log fire in the restaurant. Perfect for chasing away the winter blues. Works by John Lacey, Simone Lyon, Alison Mitchell, Tom O’Callaghan, Jane Price and Merrilyn Stock feature in the winter collection. During the month of August, the primary exhibition will be photography by Ron Langman, a series of images which pay homage to Ansel Adams and the Californian photographers known as Group f/64.

Open Weekends 10am - 4pm At other times by appointment please call 0419 501 648 41 The Strand, Port Elliot

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Brooke Walker: A voice for the voiceless Story by Winnie Pelz

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Page left: Treasured Soul – K.I. Kangaroo. This page: Frank and Betty in Aldwych. Both paintings: oil on aluminium panel.

People have cried looking at Brooke Walker’s paintings. Even viewing them on a small laptop screen, they are deeply moving and it’s not hard to understand that seeing them in the flesh could bring one to tears.

Her exquisite mastery of technique is awe inspiring but it’s her ability to give a voice to the voiceless that sounds the deepest chords. Although most of her work depicts animals and birds, and may appear to refer to endangered species, to call Brooke a ‘wildlife artist’ falls far short of expressing the emotional depth and conceptual complexity of her work.

For Brooke, there’s no hierarchy in the animal world. Humans may have asserted themselves at the top of the pyramid, but in Brooke’s eyes, they have no intrinsic right to be there. Other species have the same value as humans and our history of using and abusing animals

for transport, amusement and mass food production has led to an uncomfortable dissociation between animals and humankind.

Acutely aware that this is a subject that triggers strong personal, ideological and moral responses, Brooke chooses to convey her views through beautiful images that carry powerful emotional messages. ‘Storytelling is a theme that runs through my work,’ she says. ‘I get my message across through the viewer’s personal connection - I try to find the empathy and emotion that will stir people to think about animals and wildlife.’ Above all, her goal is to create thought-provoking images that will encourage people to consider human attitudes and perhaps change their views towards non-human animals.

Brooke’s creative spirit was encouraged from a young age by her mother and her early memories are of clutching a bunch of crayons and drawing all over herself while still wearing nappies. Years later, that early artistic urge led her to pursue a degree in visual communication at UniSA. After graduating in 2009, Brooke > 63

Above left: The Blink Moment. Top right: Great Barrier Reef. Bottom right: Brooke Walker with self portrait: Blinkered. Photograph by Jason Porter. All paintings are oil on aluminium panel.

worked as a graphic designer for six years until she one day decided that working on a computer for eight hours a day was not for her.

Instead, she made the courageous decision to establish her own studio, Brooke Walker Fine Art, and commit to full-time drawing and painting.

Equipped with the broad set of skills she acquired while working in the highly pressured and competitive world of commercial graphic design, Brooke was able to launch into her new direction with a practical attitude and experience in marketing, design and promotion. Her finely executed charcoal drawings are produced as multiple prints and she supports her work by offering classes in this challenging medium. At the same time, she acknowledges her own teachers who have been mentors and provide continuing inspiration in her own development: Robin Eley of the Art Academy South Australia and American painter David Kassan.

In 2015, she held an exhibition of superbly drawn images of endangered species, entitled PERICLITATUS. Recognition of her exceptional talent followed rapidly, with a series of prizes and awards over the following three years, including the ‘Hidden World’ category prize in the prestigious David Shepherd Wildlife Artist of the Year awards in London in 2017.

Over the past couple of years, Brooke’s work has transitioned from illustration and realistic drawing in charcoal on paper to oil painting on aluminium composite panel - a surface that enables extremely fine detail. With this transition she has begun a series of large oil paintings of primates sitting in poignant isolation in London Tube stations and of bird images in surreal city environments. They are images that are difficult to describe; they need to be experienced to feel their full power.

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More recently, Brooke’s artistic sensibility has turned to horses and their relationship with humans. Horses have been part of her own life since infancy, alongside the chickens, cats, dogs and turtles that shared her family’s ten acre property in McLaren Vale. Her sister now has a ‘paddock of ex-racehorses’ which she retrains as riding horses.

Brooke muses on the fact that ‘horses are the one animal that humans use completely - originally for meat, then we learnt to tame them and train them for agriculture, for transport, for the military, for leisure, for racing and for status.’ How this body of work will develop remains to be seen, but the scope and richness of subject matter and symbolism is something Brooke is exploring for an exhibition later this year.

In examining these themes, Brooke takes inspiration from the extraordinary artist and storyteller Shaun Tan. In Tales from the Inner City, which explores the urban co-existence of animals and humans, one of Tan’s lines in particular made an indelible impression on Brooke: ‘the greatest curse of any animal is to be worth money to men.’ It’s this observation that forms the conceptual base of her new body of work.

Her art brings together these external influences and her own strong intuition. ‘Everything I do relates to my work and I need to do it every day,’ Brooke says. ‘It’s total immersion - I sketch, I write, I photoshop images and put together ideas from memory, from observation, from dreams and from research. I then have to trust that people can look beyond the beautifully painted image and can engage deeper with the message.’

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Above: Student shoppers (from left to right) Kiara Irvine, Sam Nicholson, Tom Terry and Shelby Gourlay were all given fifty dollars to spend at the Willunga Farmers Market.

What I bought at the market For those of us lucky enough to shop at the Willunga Farmers Market every Saturday, it’s easy to fall into a pleasant weekly routine. Greens from this stall, apples from next door, beetroots a couple stores down. And coffee, obviously.

To experience the markets anew, we gave four students fifty dollars to spend as they wished. The only conditions? To make something (reasonably healthy) with their haul and to try something out of their comfort zone. Here’s how they experienced the market.

Kiara Irvine Year 11, Willunga Waldorf School What did you buy? For you? As a gift?

I bought some chicken and greens to make a stir-fry, some fruit and yogurt to make a fruit salad, and some bread and cream cheese because who doesn’t love cream cheese? I also bought a lavender brownie for my sister (because I’m nice like that sometimes).

What did you learn? Who did you talk to?

I chatted to a couple of girls at the green juice stall, where I also bought a bottle of delicious freshly squeezed orange juice. They are really friendly and I love their juice!

What are you coming back for?

I’ve got to come back for that orange juice ... It really made my morning! Also the friendly atmosphere makes shopping a joy rather than a task.

Sam Nicholson Year 9, Southern Vales Christian College What did you buy? For you? As a gift?

I got many nice things: a French stick from the bakery, a pint of strawberries, alpaca sausages, a spicy zucchini sauce from Lacewood, honey from Do Bee Honey, and buffalo cheese from Kris Lloyd Artisan.

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What did you learn? Who did you talk to?

The different farmers at the market were welcoming and great to talk to. I liked talking to the alpaca farmers about the alpaca meat which is apparently much healthier than any other meat we eat, because it contains a lot less fat. It also means the meat cooks more quickly.

Overall the market was a great experience; I got to taste new things, buy some great products and be in a very vibrant place.

Tom Terry Year 9, Tatachilla Lutheran College What did you learn? What surprised you?

At the market, one of the things that I learned is why rainbow carrots are rainbow but also why most carrots are typically orange. They can be rainbow because they’re different varieties, from different seeds that cause them to turn out like this. I learnt that a long time ago, carrots were typically yellow until Holland decided to make them orange as it was their national colour. This was very surprising to learn!

What are you coming back for?

One of the things that I am coming back for is the bread and the fruit! The bread was fresh and so delicious. The fruit was sweet and fresh. I will also be coming back for the calm and relaxed energy.

Shelby Gourlay Year 12, Willunga High School What did you learn? What surprised you?

The biggest lesson I learnt was about the importance of quality fresh ingredients and how they shape a dish. I learnt about different types of pears, and the benefits of each, from the kind and patient producers from Ashbourne Valley Orchards. I also learnt about the different types of cream from different breeds of cows (e.g. crème fraiche is fattier as [the milk used] is produced by Jersey cows).

How was the atmosphere?

The markets had a friendly and welcoming vibe, showcasing a range of produce for a range of people. My biggest shock when arriving at the markets only a half hour after opening, was the swarm of people already present to get the best of the local produce. I, not being a morning person myself, was surprised to see so many people out and about so early in the morning!

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That’s the spirit Story by Jake Dean

Page left: The still at Fleurieu Distillery. Photo by Heidi Lewis. This page top: John Rochfort of Rochfort Distillery was named manager of the year at the Icons of Whisky Awards in London in March. Bottom: The colorful lineup of flavors from Settlers Spirits. Photos by Angela Lisman.

Craft spirits are booming internationally and the Fleurieu hasn’t just been swept up by the surging popularity, the region’s creative and visionary makers are setting the agenda. Quality local produce and inimitable distillery door experiences mean the region’s spirit makers are turning heads around the globe, much in the same way Australia’s wine industry did in the 1970s. Pour yourself a dram and meet seven of the Fleurieu’s world-class distilleries that are making waves – and winning international awards – despite being relative youngsters in the game Rochfort Distillery Hindmarsh Valley Rochfort Distillery is ‘Focused on producing the finest single malt in the world.’ It’s a big statement, but chatting with passionate founder John Rochfort at his picturesque gum tree-filled property, you sense anything’s possible. ‘I made Tasmanian whisky for years and love everything about it,’ says John, who honed his craft under the tutelage of legendary distiller Bill Lark. ‘But when Tasmanian distilleries are winning awards using grain from the Eyre Peninsula, South Australian barrels from McLaren Vale… you’re constantly thinking, I’ve got to go home and make it there.’ And so he did. The Rochforts started the award-winning McLaren Vale Distillery in 2015, while his latest venture – Rochfort Distillery – began operating in 2018, with its whisky lounge bar and two-hundred-seat restaurant opening earlier this year. It hasn’t taken long for the new label to make a splash. John was named distillery manager of the year at the Icons

of Whisky Awards in London in March, before winning best whisky and best small batch spirit at the Tasting Australia Spirit Awards in April. John says the Fleurieu’s Mediterranean climate, high quality ingredients and access to historic South Australian barrels make the region the perfect place to produce world-class whisky. Look out, Scotland and Tasmania.

Settlers Spirits McLaren Vale When Fleurieu Living Magazine first spoke with Settlers Spirits in 2015, the boutique gin distillery was only newly established but it was already getting noticed. Some of Australia’s top gin bars were clamouring to stock the South Australian upstart amid rave reviews, and its founders – retired McLaren Vale sailors Rowland and Shelley Short – weren’t feeling so retired. Fast-forward to today, and the pair are still flat out, but wouldn’t change a thing. What has changed are the labels (they’ve undergone a modern refresh), its distillery > 69

Above left: Angela Andrews from Fleurieu Distillery is in a class of her own as one of the only female whisky distillers in South Australia. Photo by Heidi Lewis.

Above right: The beautiful geometric shapes of the McLaren Vale Distillery stills. Photo by Emily Shepherd.

door (restyled in late 2018), new ranges (including whisky) and a mantlepiece filled with silverware. Their latest haul saw them awarded six medals in the Australian Gin Awards in February, including two gold for their Yuzu and Sloe gins. Rowland attributes the Australian gin boom, and craft drinks more generally, to the trend of people ‘drinking less, but drinking better.’ Consider, too, that Settlers – located in one of the world’s premium grape growing regions – uses a grape spirit base, and you’ve got a potent combination for success.

Awards. The gong (alongside several others they received on the night), adds to gold medals they’ve won in the Tasting Australia and Australian Distilled Spirits Awards, helping put South Australia firmly on the world whisky map. Gareth says the distillery’s location at the water’s edge alongside the Southern Ocean, helps his whiskies develop ‘expressive maple and vanilla oak overtones mixed with spicy sea-air aromas.’ The resulting smooth character is distinctly the south coast’s own.

Fleurieu Distillery Goolwa Wharf When long-time commercial brewer Gareth Andrews decided it was time to try his hand at distilling, few could’ve predicted how quickly his creations would hit the big time. Fleurieu Distillery released its first whisky, from the former Steam Exchange Brewery at the Goolwa Wharf, in November 2016. Just seventeen months later it took home the best international whisky award at the American Distilling Institute

McLaren Vale Distillery McLaren Vale McLaren Vale Distillery began in 2014, with the team quickly attracting attention for their early Bloodstone Collection – a limited series of twenty collaborations with local winemakers. At the heart of the distillery is its use of historic South Australian barrels, which impart distinct flavours on the maturing whisky. These carefully crafted products have lead them to two major gongs at the inaugural

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This page top: An award winning array of gins from Kangaroo Island Spirits. Bottom: The team at Never Never Distillery are excited to be opening a distillery in McLaren Vale this year.

Asia Pacific Whiskies and Spirits Conference in Adelaide in 2017.

‘McLaren Vale’s an ideal location for a distillery because of the abundance of rare barrels that can be emptied of fortified wines and filled immediately or re-coopered [repaired],’ says co-owner Jock Harvey. There’s also the option to send the barrels off to SA Cooperage for charring on the inside to help with the penetration of the spirit into the wood which also imparts some smokiness in the flavour. ‘This is important because the unique characters of flavour are preserved as soon as the spirit’s poured into the barrel,’ explains Jock. Visitors to the distillery door have the chance to taste the process for themselves. ‘They’ll be able to taste fortified wines that nestle in barrels and then taste the new make spirit, and perhaps some developing and mature whisky,’ says Jock. It’s a unique insight into the whisky-making process.

KI Spirits Kangaroo Island Sarah and Jon Lark are true pioneers of Australian spirits. In 2004 they established Australia’s first dedicated gin distillery in their backyard shed on Kangaroo Island, helping pave the way for the groundswell of craft distilleries to follow. KI Spirits’ creative use of local botanicals has been at the heart of its success, which sees it stocked around Australia. Its trophy cabinet is bursting with awards including most recently, the best in show award at the inaugural Australian Gin Awards in Sydney and double gold at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition. Last year it was awarded a coveted gold medal at the International Wine and Spirit Competition in London. Not ones to rest on their laurels, Sarah and Jon have recently started producing KI’s first whisky, which – if Jon’s pedigree is anything to go by (brother Bill is considered the godfather of Australian whisky) – will be another drop worth jumping on the ferry for. > 71

Above: Gin from the Martin Distillation Company – another award winning offering.

Never Never Distilling Co McLaren Vale (coming soon) If it was ever in doubt that SA spirits are having a moment, it ended when Never Never Distilling Co’s Southern Strength Gin was named the world’s best classic gin at the World Gin Awards in London in February. It’s the first time an Australian gin has won the prestigious award and it came just twenty months after the company, started by three mates in Royal Park, sold their first bottles out the back of one of the boys’ Mitsubishi Magna. Never Never’s next big chapter is now unfolding. Construction of its McLaren Vale production facility and distillery door (featuring a cocktail bar and tasting room) is underway in a joint development with Chalk Hill Wines. Get ready to crack the tonic water at the new premises in late 2019.

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Martin Distillation Company Mount Compass When David Martin was making homemade beers and wines with his dad back in Liverpool, England, he had no idea his hobby would one day become a career. But after moving to McLaren Vale with wife Jenny in 2009, the couple were inspired to give full-time drink making a go. Their first production in 2016, under the Mount Compass Spirits label, was a wheat-based vodka, and they’ve since expanded their range to add a series of award-winning gins, anise, moonshine and brandy. Most recently they won medals in the Australian Distilled Spirits and Tasting Australia Awards (2019), and two double gold medals at the China Wine and Spirits Awards (2018) for their Distilled Gin and No 8 Triple Distilled Vodka.

Premier boutique, craft gin and spirits distillers of Australia We offer an extensive range of exciting and exotic gins as well as a super premium whisky, spiced white rum, vodka and liqueurs – all made here in McLaren Vale. Settlers Spirits Distillery Door is open Friday - Monday from 11.00 - 5 p.m.

Gin masterclasses monthly · Tastings & sales · Cheese boards · Cocktail of the month · Gin chocolates · Groups welcome by appointment 197 Foggo Road McLaren Vale. Ph: 0883238777 | Email: admin@settlersspirits.com.au | settlersspirits.com.au

Serafino – more than just a winery. Stay · Relax · Indulge Serafino Wines, a family owned business since 1972, has developed a reputation as one of Australia’s most respected wineries and leading producers of Italian style red wines.

If the ‘vines by the sea’ vibe of the region hasn’t already charmed, then the incredibly scenic setting for Serafino’s cellar door, restaurant, accommodation, conferences facilities, major events and function centre surely will. serafino.com.au | 39 Kangarilla Road, McLaren Vale SA 5171 Australia Telephone +61 8 8323 8911

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Billy Dohnt does Story by Kate Le Gallez. Photography by Heidi Lewis.

If variety is the spice of life, you might describe chef Billy Dohnt’s life as being on the fiery end of the spice spectrum.

As a private chef and owner of catering business Billy Dohnt does, Billy works with corporate clients including pwc and Mercedes-Benz.

But with twenty-five years in the industry working at some of the best restaurants and wineries on the Fleurieu and in the Adelaide Hills including Petaluma Winery, d’Arrys’ Verandah and the Salopian Inn, there’s always a friend needing a favour or an opportunity knocking.

There was the time Coriole needed some help and Billy put together a team and jumped into the kitchen for three weeks. When we speak, he’s getting ready for ‘an epic six-courser’ at Samuel’s Gorge featuring, among other things, smoked venison from the Port Elliot butcher and a wild rabbit pie. Then for the last two weeks of May, he stepped in as chef for Rockford’s famed Stonewall lunches. ‘Why wouldn’t I?’ he writes in an email. ‘6.5 acres of kitchen gardens, three full-time gardeners, rabbits, ducks, pigeons and only cooking for two tables of sixteen a week. The only produce this kitchen buys is flour and a bit of protein. Yes please.’

Based in Hayborough, Billy loves showcasing local Fleurieu producers; letting the ingredients shine is part of his ‘keep it simple’ philosophy. ‘If you start with an amazing product, it makes our job a lot easier,’ he says. Which explains his association with Goolwa PipiCo, where he’s a brand ambassador. ‘Ever since I moved to the south coast I’ve been using pipis,’ he says. In fact they feature in one of his signature dishes which continues to be requested by clients, some ten years later.

In this super simple chowder, the flavour of the pipis infuse into the stock, melding with the sweet sautéed leek, salty bacon and cream in the most satisfying way.

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Goolwa pipi chowder Ingredients 1 leek, chopped 60-80g butter 2 rashes bacon, chopped 1 cob of corn, kernels removed 2 large potatoes, cut into 2cm cubes 350mL snapper stock or water 400g freshly washed Goolwa PipiCo pipis 1 cup curly parsley, chopped 1/4 cup cream Method Heat pan on the stove and melt butter. Add leek and sauté until soft.

Add chopped bacon and sauté. Add corn kernels and sauté.

Add diced potato and cook until potatoes are about 90% cooked through. Add washed pipis and cook until all the pipis have opened.

Add snapper stock or water and simmer until potatoes are tender.

Stir through the parsley and cream. Taste and adjust for seasoning and serve immediately.

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Above: A photo from Libby Tozer’s Through Her Eyes book.

She is Me Festival July 6 Fleurieu Arthouse 3pm to 10pm

Self-acceptance can be tough, no matter who you are. For mother, writer, surfer and photographer Libby Tozer, the experience of coming to acceptance has been a radical one.

Based on the Fleurieu Peninsula, Tozer finds strength by doing the gritty personal work we often shy from, with the help of mother nature and the goodness of the community. From this personal journey sprung the She Is Me Movement, a collective of women celebrating womanhood through stories and photography.

An infectious agent of change, Tozer inspired over one hundred Fleurieu women to be photographed in just their underwear. Their images have been captured in a book titled Through Her Eyes.

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Intended to be the first in a She is Me Movement series, the book explores body image and the experiences of womanhood, ‘... celebrating the journey that being a woman really is, lumps, bumps, highs, lows, heartbreak and happiness.’

Fan the embers of your heart this winter at the She Is Me Festival, celebrating the launch of the Through Her Eyes book and exhibition at the Fleurieu Arthouse in McLaren Vale. It promises to be a great evening of good food, wine and dancing with an acclaimed lineup of South Australian singer-songwriters including Loren Kate, Kylie Kain, Rachel Cearns, Meredith Riley, Jessica Luxx, Tilly Thomas, Liz Lane, Clancy Retallic and more.

All welcome. Bookings required. Visit the She Is Me Movement Facebook page for event details.

TOURISM AND LIFESTYLE PHOTOGRAPHY commissions · stock photos · workshops t. 0402 716 406 e. heidi@heidiwho.com w. heidiwho.com facebook / instagram / twitter / heidiwhophotos

Digital content creation and brand design for forward thinking businesses. jason@threefiftyseven.com

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Young Guns of McLaren Vale Story by Kate Le Gallez. Photography by Heidi Lewis.

The thing about the Young Gun of Wine awards is, you don’t have to actually be all that young to enter. A young gun isn’t defined by their date of birth (so long as it’s after 1 July 1973, you can enter) but by their approach to winemaking. The awards celebrate the innovative and the adventurous, the boundary pushers and the experimenters. They reward energy and expect excitement. In other words, young does not equal youth; it’s far more complex and interesting than that.

This year nineteen of the top fifty winemakers vying for the title of ‘young gun’ are South Australian – more than any other state. Four of those sought-after spots belong to winemakers either making in or 78

sourcing from McLaren Vale. They are Vanessa Altman from Switch Organic Wine (she’s also a top twelve finalist – for the third time), Luke Growden from Year Wines (he and partner Caleigh Hunt scored best new act in 2015), and first-timers Sam Dunlevy and Chloe Fitzgerald from Berg Herring Wines and Duncan and Peter Lloyd from Dune Wines. Meanwhile, on the other side of the table, 2018 Young Gun winner, Rob Mack from Aphelion Wine Co. is part of the judging panel.

Among this group, there’s a wine label celebrating its tenth year (Switch) and one that’s barely a year old (Berg Herring). There’s family history behind Duncan and Peter (the brothers are third generation at Coriole) while others are just starting to create a legacy. What unites these four labels is – perhaps unsurprisingly – at the heart of what young guns represents. They’re all making the wines they want to make, the way they want to make them.

I meet Vanessa, Luke, Sam and Duncan on the verandah at Fall From Grace in Aldinga. It’s an appropriate place to meet, with the cellar door-cum-tasting room run by Gill Gordon-Smith a champion of small, local producers. The verandah also makes a nice backdrop for

Page left: Four of the McLaren Vale top fifty finalists in the Young Guns of Wine Awards. Luke Growden from Year Wines, Vanessa Altman from Switch Organic Wine, Sam Dunlevy from Berg Herring Wines and Duncan Lloyd form Dune Wines. Above: Vanessa Altman from Switch Organic Wine advanced from top fifty to top twelve!

the group shot that will follow, but in the meantime we huddle around one of the outdoor tables while the wind whistles and the sun mopes behind the clouds. While it’s only the first week of May, mother nature is offering up a sneak peek of what’s to come over winter.

exposure being so new. I think we’d seen the opportunity through other people’s experience in other years,’ explains Sam. ‘It might be good to be recognised but it’s as much about benchmarking your wines against the rest of the country or regionally,’ adds Duncan.

Fortunately, the conversation is warm. All four have already worked for years in McLaren Vale or adjacent regions and maintain their ‘day jobs’ while working on building up their own labels and they relate easily. Three out of the four have just returned from the top fifty event in Melbourne (Duncan’s brother and co-founder Peter attended for Dune) and they talk easily about the challenges – as well as the fun and freedom – that these side hustles offer. It’s an insight into the slog side of the wine industry and the work it takes to stand out in a very crowded market.

As for the difference between being in the top fifty and the top twelve?

‘You spend more on airfares,’ deadpans Vanessa. But fortunately this is offset by the spike in sales that finalists typically experience.

Aside from that, Vanessa points to the honour roll of outstanding winemakers that the awards have recognised. ‘The people who get the award are authentic and genuine and I’ve looked up to every single one of them who’ve taken it home,’ she says.

‘It’s obviously good to be recognised that you’re out there, your branding’s good, the wines are interesting. To be a little bit cynical, it’s a bit of a marketing exercise as well,’ says Luke. For the newer labels it’s a chance to get some valuable exposure in the early days particularly to buyers in the trade. ‘We were just seeking some

Closer to home, it’s clear the four also share a reverence for the Vale.

While the quality and variety of fruit are obvious drawcards, there are also unique opportunities that come from working in a tight-knit community in a region that’s really come of age.

‘I think McLaren Vale has managed to really cement itself as a region that’s quite diverse; it’s not hanging its hat on one thing,’ says Duncan. ‘A lot of growers in the last thirty or forty years have been > 79

able to identify that they need to diversify in terms of varieties and have an incredible understanding of the different geographies and soils around the region.’

Luke agrees: ‘we’re a reasonably warm climate and McLaren Vale’s been really progressive in exploring a lot of the newer Italian and Spanish varietals that are more climate appropriate. And McLaren Vale and the industry at large have had a real push at becoming more sustainable whether that’s through taking up organics or biodynamics or even just being a little bit more aware of inputs and our effect on the planet. So that’s really exciting and that flows through into some really exciting new wines and wine styles.’

They also recognise how this forward-thinking approach has enabled the next generation of winemakers. Of course there’s always competition, but there’s respect too, not only among contemporaries but also between generations. Luke and Sam even source their fiano grapes from the same vineyard (‘How interesting! Where’s this block?’ chimes Vanessa).

‘Everyone’s pretty keen to help each other out and everyone respects what everyone else does and it’s cool and close,’ says Luke. ‘The growers down here are very good about that,’ adds Sam. ‘They seem to be supportive of the new movements.’

It’s not all about the new varieties though, it’s also about how established varieties are reinterpreted. ‘Another thing that young guns reflects – and we reflect in our style of winemaking – is the shift in wine style that consumers are looking for,’ says Sam. ‘It’s much lighter and fruitier. I think young guns in general probably reflect that style change…and the McLaren Vale region is very well equipped to make good quality, young, vibrant, fresh, easy-drinking reds and whites.’

And now it’s time to get the group photo before the autumn sun, which has briefly emerged from behind the clouds, goes into hiding again. For these four young guns, the awards aren’t just a mere moment in the sun, but worthy recognition of the level of talent, experience and hard work it takes to shine in the wine industry.

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Top left: Dune Wines’ Duncan Lloyd. Top right: Year Wines’ Luke Growden and above: Berg Herring’s Sam Dunlevy.

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FOOD & WINE PAIRING

Baby, it’s cold outside Story by Mel Amos. Photography by Aise Dillon. Styling by Marcus Syvertsen.

Winter. I may be on my own here, but it’s the season I feel most happy in. Frosty mornings and foggy breath, warm fires, jumpers, beanies and, best of all, my favourite soul-soothing comfort food.

Imagine you’ve been out in the cold and wet with moody skies hanging overhead. You’re tired and hungry and can’t wait to get back to the comforts of home. You walk through your front door and the most delicious smell invades your senses. That my friends, is the beef and mushroom ragu that you popped into the oven before you went out; the quintessential slow food.

1/3 cup Worcestershire sauce 4 tbs tomato paste 1 cup water 1/2 cup pouring cream Creamy semolina 1.5L milk 200g fine semolina 2 tbs grated parmesan 15g butter

I recall reading an article once about slow food where the writer described it as ‘sturdy’ food and I think it’s a wonderfully apt description. Slow food is hearty food that warms you from the inside out, offering rich and comforting flavours. It’s the most delicious way to settle into an evening in front of the fire.

Salt

Of course, one could not eat a meal like this without an equally warming glass of red to go with it (and, incidentally, in it as well).

This is where Kimbolton’s 2016 Montepulciano comes in. This drop is full of violet and red-fruit aromas, hinting of vanilla and spice with a luscious palate of cherry and raspberry. So go ahead: warm your heart and fill your belly with this perfect pairing.

Method Preheat the oven to 150C.

Beef and mushroom ragu with creamy semolina serves 6-8 | prep time 30 mins | cook time 2 hrs Ingredients Ragu 1 tbs olive oil 1 brown onion, finely chopped 4 cloves garlic, finely sliced 400g mixed mushrooms, sliced 2 tbs fresh rosemary, finely chopped 2 tbs fresh thyme leaves 1 tsp fennel seeds, crushed 1kg beef mince 1 tsp salt Cracked black pepper 1 cup red wine (yes, use the same wine you’re drinking with it) 2/3 cup milk 82

Garnish Fresh thyme Grated parmesan

Heat a heavy based, oven-proof casserole dish (with a lid), on medium heat on the stove. Add olive oil, and sauté onions and garlic until softened. Add the mushrooms and herbs and cook until the mushrooms are soft and any liquid has evaporated. Increase the heat to medium-high and add the beef mince, salt and pepper, making sure to break up the mince so there are no large chunks. Once the meat has browned, add the wine and continue cooking until the wine has reduced by half. Add the milk and reduce the heat to a simmer. Continue cooking for around eight minutes and then add the Worcestershire, tomato paste and water. Put the lid on the dish and transfer it to the oven. After 1.5 hours, remove the lid, stir in the cream and cook for a further thirty minutes with the lid off.

Now for the creamy semolina (make this only once your ragu is ready). Place the milk in a medium saucepan over high heat and bring it to almost boiling point. In a steady stream, slowly pour in the semolina while whisking and reduce the heat to low. Cook, whisking continuously, for around six minutes or until thickened. Stir through the parmesan and butter.

Spoon the semolina into bowls and top with the ragu, a scattering of fresh thyme and grated parmesan. Of course, if semolina is not your thing, this ragu is equally delicious with pasta.

Note: the ragu recipe makes a lot, so if you’re not serving a crowd, you can portion it up and freeze it for a rainy night when you don’t want to cook.

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FOOD & WINE

Dessert in a flash Story by Mel Amos. Photography by Aise Dillon. Styling by Marcus Syvertsen.

This is the perfect dessert to whip up when you’re time poor. It’s quick to prep and cook, while still managing to deliver all those delicious autumn flavours in an extremely pretty package.

How is this possible you ask? This dessert is a cake in tart’s clothing.

Cake batter takes the place of a traditional tart case which means no fussing about with hard-to-handle pastry and no blind baking required – happy days! I can’t take the credit for this genius idea though as this recipe – and in particular the faux pastry – is inspired

by Australian baking treasure, Belinda Jeffery.

Apple and hazelnut cheesecake ‘tart’ serves 10-12 | prep time 30 mins | cook time 30 mins Ingredients Pastry 125g unsalted butter, very soft 1/2 cup caster sugar 1 tsp vanilla paste Finely grated zest of 1 lemon 3 eggs, room temperature 100g plain flour 50g hazelnut meal Pinch of salt Filling 1 egg, room temperature 1/2 cup caster sugar 200g cream cheese, very soft Juice of 1/2 lemon 1 tsp vanilla paste Topping 3-4 apples, quartered and sliced 2-3mm thick 30g unsalted butter, melted 1 tbsp caster sugar 1/3 cup hazelnuts, roughly chopped

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Method Preheat your oven to 175C and thoroughly grease a 25cm loosebased tart tin (tip: when you think you have greased it enough, grease it some more).

Begin by making the ‘pastry.’ Using electric beaters or a stand mixer fitted with the flat beater, beat the butter and sugar until pale and creamy. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.

Add the vanilla and lemon zest and briefly mix. Finally, add the flour, hazelnut meal and salt and mix on low speed until just incorporated (don’t overmix).

Place the batter into the prepared tin and using the back of a dessert spoon, spread it evenly over the base and up the sides of the tin. Shape the batter so that it looks similar to how a real pastry tart shell would look – the sides should be around 1cm thick, with the middle ‘hollowed’ out to allow room for the filling. Put aside and make the filling.

Put the egg and caster sugar in a bowl and whisk together until well combined. Add the cream cheese, vanilla and lemon juice. Note: it’s important the cream cheese is very soft, so microwave it for 20 seconds before adding to the other ingredients if necessary. Whisk vigorously until smooth.

Pour the filling into the ‘tart’ shell and smooth it out evenly. Take the apple slices and starting on the outside of the tart, lay the slices one by one so that each slice overlaps the other. Continue doing this until you reach the middle. Using a pastry brush, brush the apple slices with the melted butter. Sprinkle with caster sugar and scatter over the chopped hazelnuts.

Carefully place the tart in the oven (it helps to sit it on a large baking tray) and cook for 30 minutes or until golden. The tart should still have a slight wobble to it. Remove from the oven and allow to cool for around 30 minutes before removing the outer ring. If the ring is sticking a little, use the tip of a knife between the tin and the cake to gently tease it apart. Serve at room temperature with a generous dollop of double cream.

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Tempranillo Tempranillo hails originally from Spain, most notably from the Rioja region, but is grown widely and also known by a few other names including tinto fino and tinto del pais.

With a food-friendly attitude and balanced flavours of red fruit, cedar and dried fig, it’s easy to drink and perfect to match with all sorts of foods. Try, buy and explore this delicious selection. Salud!

Samson Tall 2016 Tempranillo This is the first release of tempranillo from Samson Tall. Grapes were sourced from one of McLaren Vale’s older tempranillo vineyards in Sellicks Beach. The fruit was de-stemmed, but not crushed, open fermented and matured for 12 months in large, neutral, French oak foudres. The resulting wine is medium-full bodied, speaking of the vintage, but soft with subtle spice. A fruit-driven style, with black cherry, cola and grainy tannin. samsontall.com.au Ivybrook Farm 2018 Tempranillo Planted on the alluvial flats alongside the Maslin Creek at Ivybrook Farm, the soon to be released 2018 tempranillo is 100% estate grown using organic and biodynamic methods. Older French barrels were used to retain the perfumed aromas of cherries and blackberries with hints of earth, tar and rhubarb. The palate is medium-bodied with black olive and spice characters. Great with tapas dishes to match the savoury qualities. A crowd favourite. ivybrook.com.au Main & Cherry 2018 Tempranillo Made by hand using traditional techniques of foot, shovel and basket press, this tempranillo honours the rustic, Mediterranean roots of the variety. A vibrant, medium-bodied style wrapped with plush tannins.

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Characters of ripe cherries, blackcurrant, cinnamon spice and earthy tones. Pour a big glass, sit down with friends on the verandah and enjoy with a hearty slab of ham, cheddar, crusty bread and local olives. Simple pleasures. mainandcherry.com.au SKEW Wine Co. 2017 Fleurieu Tempranillo The SKEW tempranillo has lifted, floral and herbaceous notes - plum meets cola nut, sarsaparilla and chinotto. The palate is equally vibrant, packed with that same cherry-cola fruit, white pepper spice and lovely sandy tannins. It’s got a lovely sweet-and-sour playfulness to it, and ends up tautly stretched between the two extremes, drawn out by the drying tannins. skew.com.au Shingleback 2016 El Capitán Tempranillo Tempranillo is the leader – el capitán – of the Spanish grape varieties that excel in the warm and welcoming vineyards of McLaren Vale.

A 1.2Ha sheltered, sandy loam site hosts the tempranillo fruit crafted into this bright, medium-bodied wine. Fragrant liqueur cherry aromas are supported by elements of roses, tobacco and earth. Rhubarb and red apple pie flavours flow through the palate of this perfect all season red. shingleback.com.au

salafestival.com

South Australian Living Artists Festival August 2019

Visit our new cellar door and immerse yourself in a unique tasting experience with our cheese and wine matching flights – or take in the vista of the vineyard from the viewing deck.

29 Burleigh Street, Langhorne Creek Bookings encouraged: 08 8537 3002 or email cellardoor@kimboltonwines.com.au kimboltonwines.com.au

Artist: Louise Haselton, End to End 2, timber, mirrored acrylic, acrylic, webbing, 2018. Photo Sam Roberts

FLY THE FLEURIEU AERIAL PHOTOGRAPHY AND VIDEO www.fly-the-fleurieu.com

Whisky and Gin Tastings Wednesday - Sunday 10am to 5pm.

34 Mont Rosa Road, Hindmarsh Valley. rochfortdistillery.com.au

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Pubs of the Fleurieu Warm the cockles this winter at one of these local pubs and enjoy good service, honest food, local beer and wine in a family-friendly atmosphere.

EST. 1839 WILLUNGA

THE GREENMAN INN Ashbourne A unique family-friendly pub open for lunch and dinner Wednesday to Sunday as well as breakfast on Sundays. Extensively renovated to create a relaxing and welcoming environment, The Greenman Inn offers patrons the opportunity to taste local wines and produce while enjoying the delightful surroundings of Ashbourne. Dine at the restaurant for modern gastro-pub fare while soaking up the Inn’s old-school charm. thegreenmaninn.com.au

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THE ROYAL FAMILY HOTEL Port Elliot Established in 1880, the Royal Family Hotel features traditional-style verandahs and a huge Norfolk Island pine tree in the south coast’s best beer garden. Enjoy great food at affordable prices seven days a week, with live entertainment every Friday evening and a Sip’n Save bottle shop with a great local wine selection on offer. The Royal Family Hotel prides itself on its family-friendly atmosphere and reputation for good value, great food and friendly service. royalfamilyhotel.com.au

THE OLD BUSH INN Willunga This heritage pub at the top of Willunga’s High Street has all the rustic atmosphere expected of a country pub – with no pokies!

The restaurant offers traditional pub fare with a modern twist, along with a local wine list featuring standouts from McLaren Vale and the Adelaide Hills. Open fireplaces beckon in winter, while the verandah and beer garden are perfect for enjoying the warmer weather. oldbushinn.com

THE VICTORY HOTEL Sellicks Hill With sweeping views of the coastline, an exceptional menu and a renowned wine cellar, it’s hard to go past the Victory. The selection of cellared wines focus on the McLaren Vale region with additional wines from other South Australian regions as well as the very best from the rest of Australia and overseas. Loved by visitors and locals alike – bookings are recommended. victoryhotel.com.au

THE VICTORIA HOTEL Strathalbyn Conveniently located in the heart of Strathalbyn, the Victoria Hotel is steeped in history and offers all of the country charm you would expect. Expect quality food and wine from the award-winning restaurant complemented by modern three-star motel accommodation, all in newly renovated surroundings. The open fires and great country hospitality complete the Strathalbyn experience to perfection. vichotelstrath.com.au

THE BRIDGE HOTEL Langhorne Creek The historic 1850 Bridge Hotel is situated one hour south east of Adelaide in the magnificent wine growing region of Langhorne Creek. Tastefully restored, the hotel’s old world charm is allowed to shine.

Warm yourself by the open fire or dine in the flame-warmed alfresco area. The Bridge Hotel is a little country pub with oldfashioned great service, delicious meals and an excellent array of local wines. langhornecreekbridgehotel.com.au

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Saturdays 8am –12.30pm Willunga Town Square

Meet the grower, TASTE THE REGION We welcome you to our community.

Become a member for the day and receive 10% discount off all purchases when you present this voucher to the Information Stall.

206 Port Road, Aldinga

Open from 11 to 9pm Fridays • Other times by appointment.

Tasting Classes • WSET and other wine courses available.

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OPEN FOR LUNCH WEDNESDAY - SUNDAY DINNER FRIDAY & SATURDAY NIGHTS FROM 6PM PH: 08 8598 4184 WWW.LEONARDSMILL.COM.AU 7869 MAIN SOUTH ROAD, SECOND VALLEY SA

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Wedding artisans Create a truly unique wedding with these bespoke local specialists

FRANGIPANI’S CAKES A wedding cake from Frangipani’s Cakes doesn’t just look beautiful, it tastes incredible too. With over twenty years of experience, the passionate team at this small family business are dedicated to creating a unique wedding cake for every couple they work with. Whether it’s fondant, buttercream, chocolate shards or cupcakes, Frangipani’s Cakes will accommodate your design. frangipaniscakes.com.au

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LIVING BUNCH Living Bunch specialises in the hire of exquisite succulent arrangements for special events. Created by self-taught succulent artist Tammy, Living Bunch arrangements are stunning, contemporary and sustainable, offering the perfect alternative to cut flowers. Living Bunch also offers custom arrangements for sale, including succulent bouquets, jewellery, corsages and boutonnieres. These purchased succulent arrangements become living memories – simply plant them after your event. livingbunch.com.au

METAL & STONE Metal & Stone Jewellers is a family-run business by husband and wife team, Maurice and Sonya Lorenz. Together they can help you to choose the perfect wedding rings to reflect your love. From the design stage to the final creation of your rings, Maurice and Sonya ensure that your whole experience at Metal & Stone Jewellers is an amazing one. metalandstone.com.au

Previous page and above: photographs by Deb Saunders Photography (far left, bottom left and far right). Wedding dresses and veil: She Sews. Hair: Beyond Beautiful Style Lounge. Makeup: Glow Beauté Room. Flowers: McLaren Vale Florist. Tipi: Tipi Lane. Succulents: Living Bunch.

SHE SEWS She Sews specialises in made to measure bridal and evening wear. Megan offers noobligation quotes on creating an individual dress or outfit that fits perfectly and reflects your style. She Sews offers an extensive range of lace, silk, wool and satin fabrics. If you’ve purchased an ‘off the rack’ gown, a made to measure alteration service is also available for bridesmaids, mother of the bride and men’s suits. shesews.com.au

GLOW BEAUTÉ ROOM Sacha Wendt is a qualified and highly sought after makeup artist and eyelash technician working from her beautiful salon in McLaren Vale. She offers a mobile makeup service to bridal parties and groups. Sacha specialises in traditional and airbrush makeup, eyelash extensions and spray tanning. She knows the importance of making you the best version of yourself on your special day. glowbeautyroom.com.au

DEB SAUNDERS PHOTOGRAPHY Deb Saunders Photography is a small, boutique studio, where a hands-on, can-do approach is embraced for every photographic shoot. From your wedding day or event, family photos or a small product shoot, and anything in between, you can be sure that Deb will handle everything herself, and give personalised care to your precious memories and photographs. debsaundersphotography.com.au

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Fleurieu weddings Tash Martinsen and John Walters married on the 24 March 2019 at Kuitpo Hall.

Above: The newly married couple arrived at Kuitpo hall courtesy of Kombi Cruise. Flowers from Flowers of Envy. Hair by Spoilt Rotten.

When Tash and John met in early 2017 at a social club picnic in Glenelg, they were immediately taken with each other.

competition run by Fleurieu Weddings, the couple went from engagement to wedding all within three months. Their win was announced in December 2018 and they walked down the aisle at Kuitpo Hall on 24 March this year.

Tash was drawn to John’s quiet manner and – she says – the kindest eyes she had ever seen. John was immediately captured by Tash’s bubbly personality. They found a sense of ease in their relationship and easily fit into one another’s lives. Both had children prior to meeting each other, and the two families blended seamlessly into one.

Tash’s daughter was her flower girl, and looked lovely in her white dress with purple sash – the bride’s favourite colour. ‘She stole the show, along with her cousins as page boys,’ says Tash. Tash was also attended by her sister and her best friend wearing dresses in her favourite shade. John’s daughter was his best ‘man’, and looked stunning in a black version of the bridesmaids’ dresses. A good friend of John’s stood as his other groomsman.

While John and Tash knew that they’d get married one day, fate intervened to hurry things along. Thanks to a ‘win a wedding’ 94

Some of the other terrific suppliers were: Living Bunch, Mase Event Hire & Design, D&D Catering Co., Royal Cakery and Geddes Wines.

The bouquet, posies and buttonholes featured white roses and purple lisianthus. Spoilt Rotten Hair helped prepare Tash and her bridesmaids, while moments from their day were captured by Lucy Romano Photography as part of the couple’s all-inclusive prize.

The bridal party travelled to Kuitpo Hall in vintage Kombi vans. Tash walked down the aisle with her daughter to the sounds of ‘100 years’

by Five for Fighting. Among family and friends, John and Tash read the vows they had written, pledging their commitment and love for each other, with a bit of humour added in.

The celebrations continued at Kuitpo Hall with photos taken in the picturesque surrounding forests and a relaxed evening reception.

D&D Catering Co. provided delicious food at long tables teamed with Geddes Wines. Guests also enjoyed outdoor games in the rustic setting.

The bride and groom danced to two songs. During ‘Thinking Out Loud’ by Ed Sheeran, the newlyweds were unexpectedly joined on the dancefloor by their daughters providing one of their most treasured moments of the night. Speeches given by members of the bridal party and the father of the bride were equal parts sentimental, loving and hilarious.

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Jimmy Smith’s Dairy jimmy smith’s dairy style guide

©JIMMY SMITH’S DAIRY STYLE GUIDE / JUNE 2013

For a unique and relaxing getaway at Port Elliot: jimmysmithsdairy.com.au Ph: 0409 690 342 Mentone Road East, Port Elliot, SA (via Brickyard Road.)

For a logo to be effective, it’s essential that it doesn’t change. It needs to be represented the same way over and over again. If a logo is suddenly represented in a different way (for example, a red logo suddenly becomes blue) the audience becomes confused and the strength of the brand diminishes.

Repetition and consistency is the key.

This style guide is a reference for your logo, and will outline how to use elements in different circumstances.

CUTTING RD, GOOLWA. FLEURIEUDISTILLERY.COM.AU

John Lacey

BUDS & BLOOMS

gallery studio

Buds and Blooms Florist Shop 5, 17-23 Main South Road, Reynella 5161 Ph. (08) 83263664 · budsandblooms.com.au

W: johnlacey.com.au

follow me @johnlaceyartist

Open 11am - 5 pm most days 41 Woodcone Rd Mt Compass 0419 823 708

Learn to Surf

All ages, all levels, all time fun!

P: 0412 950 087

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Exciting developments are in progress at FLM. Announcement soon.

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Healthy aging is very dependent on good hearing. We risk our social skills if we cannot communicate. A hearing test is simple and informative.

CALL TO BOOK A TEST NOW.

INDOOR PLANTS · CERAMICS · BASKETS · PLANTERS · HOMEWARES · BEAUTY PRODUCTS · JEWELLERY GIFT VOUCHERS · CARDS · SELECT GARDENING PRODUCTS

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Residential Interior Design & Styling | Property Styling for Sale | Online Store Contact: Marcus 0419 158 784 littleroadhome.com.au · design@littleroadhome.com.au follow us @littleroadhome

FLEURIEU WEDDINGS EXPO SUNDAY 20th OCTOBER 2019 10am - 3pm

LOCAL WEDDING SUPPLIERS, WINES, PLATTERS, GOODIE BAGS AND MORE

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SOCIAL PAGES

Being Social: FLM autumn issue launch All the contributors to the autumn issue of Fleurieu Living Magazine were invited to celebrate the launch of our 29th issue at Swell Brewery on 14th March. With food by Todd Steele and wines from a number of great local makers, it was a night of goodwill and cheer at another great new establishment in the region.

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Being Social: McLaren Vale Vintage and Classic Motoring enthusiasts came from near and far to enjoy one of the largest vintage and classic car events in the state. The highlight was a parade along the main street of McLaren Vale featuring over 500 vehicles from by-gone eras. This fun, family-friendly community event also raised funds for the McLaren Vale & District War Memorial Hospital and local CFS brigades.

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01: Nicky Connolly and Jenni Mitton 02: Dave Bennett and Nina Rondello 03: Rob Negerman and John Wegener 04: Vanessa De Lisio, Marie Sulda and Corrina Wright 05: Cindy Westphalen and Julie Freeman 06: Sandra De Poi and Claudia Hick. 07: Anthea and Monica with Sybil Lebois-Parkinson 08: Helen Rhae and Julie Venning 09: Mark Attard and Belinda Butler 10: Ryan Piekaski 11: Samantha James, Graham Byass and Julia Brown 12: Thor and Brigid Schjolden.

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Being Social: Willunga Waldorf Autumn Fair The Willunga Waldorf School Autumn Fair was held on 7th April at the beautiful school grounds. Thousands gathered to share in good food, music, family activities and community spirit. The school’s largest annual fundraiser was extra special this year, also celebrating 30 years of Waldorf Willunga School and 100 years of Steiner education.

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Being Social: SA Wooden Boat Festival launch The SA Wooden Boat Festival (SAWBF) was officially launched at Signal Point on 13th February, providing the opportunity for SAWBF committee members to network with volunteers, sponsors, council members and media representatives. The biennial two-day festival is held in Goolwa and is Australia’s most impressive freshwater wooden boat festival.

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01: Kate Gardner 02: Andrew Bartlett and Buffy Woolcock 03: Katrina Heuskes and Sally Wise 04: Esther Thorn, Tristan Bryant and Marcus Syvertsen 05: Amy Vale and Loren Kate 06: Rebecca Aitken, Janet Cashmore and Shah Ariffin 07: Shen Mann, Sandy Carle and Lieca Kahl 08: Elizabeth Williams and Paul Thurkie 09: Janice and Mark Van der Pennan 10: Deborah McKee and Angela Andrews 11: Glenn and Allyson Rappensberg with Rodney Harrex 12: Steve Ramsey, Natchalee Papon-Kelly, Garry Coombes and Greg Hamilton.

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SOCIAL PAGES

Being Social: Y Business ‘under the stars’ On 6th April, Doc Adams played host to the first networking event by Y Business, ‘Under the Stars.’ Designed to inspire and connect savvy business women of the south coast community, the inaugural event was a sell out with more to come.

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Being Social: Kuitpo Kollective Fox Gordon Wines threw open their doors on 7th April to host an outdoor wine market as part of Tasting Australia. Masterclasses were held with a panel of Kuitpo region winemakers covering a range of topics. With an array of food stalls from Udaberri, Sunny’s Pizza and Osteria Oggi as well as music by Ollie English and Sidwho, this was a dynamic event. Photos by Ben MacMahon.

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01: Nicky Connolly, Rojina McDonald, Georgia Cornell and Sally Badnall 02: Claire Varnham, Liza Reynolds and Carla Evans 03: Lena Wilkinson, Danni Leopold and Amber-Lee Witt 04: Kate Peel and Brianna Waters 05: Amy Graham and Nicole Gelsi 06: Rachel and Shaun Allgood 07: Bethany Steiner & Kate Bickmore 08: Daniel Hemple & Tash Dunks 09: James & Alana Hamilton – Golden Child Wines 10: Jodie & Georg Armstrong - Sew & Sew Wines 11: Sara Nicolson & Rachel Atkins - Fox Gordon Wines 12: Sebastian Hardy – Living Roots Wines.

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Sales, holiday rentals & permanent property management Independent – Premium Service & Local Knowledge – Community Support & Charity – Strong Fleurieu Portfolio

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Modern coastal luxe at Port Elliot From Ports to Piers: Jetties of the Fleurieu & Kangaroo Island Wirra Wirra 50/125: The two lives of Wirra Wirra Fashion in the forest Young Guns of Wine: McLaren Vale 30 years of Willunga Waldorf School Art · Design · Food · Wine · Fashion · Photography · People · Destinations