Fresh destinations

Words by Poppy Fitzpatrick.

We’ll forgive you for getting lost in your imagination as you skim through the following pages, fantasising over your next adventure in the south; we’re doing the same as we write it. But before we lose you, it’s worth drawing your attention to the incredible innovation and creativity that constantly elevates our region.

Above left: A slam dunk on Lucky Ducks vegan food and cocktails! Above right: The beautiful property atop of Mount Jagged is the perfect place to enjoy Boho Farms minimal intervention wine or a botanical gin and beer paired with pizzas and platters on the weekends.

EAT

Lucky Ducks

They say great minds think alike and for Jac, Stacey, Rich and Lisa, the phrase couldn’t be more fitting. While each member of the group proudly embraces their own unique food preferences, all are in clear agreement over the deliciousness that can be created using all vegan ingredients. Seeing an opportunity to join the ever-growing Aldinga nightlife with a restaurant and cocktail bar that offers something a little different, the quartet came together to bring us Lucky Ducks. Determined to challenge the bland stereotypes that surround vegan food, Lucky Ducks boasts a vibrant and creative menu sure to please every palate – vegans, vegetarians and meat-eaters alike. The team are serving up some of the ‘best ducking vegan food without stereotypes and bs’ from 5pm until late, Thursday through Sunday.

Lost Phoenix Farm

Drop into this brand new Hindmarsh Valley destination for a gourmet lunch, or spread out on the luscious lawns with picnic rugs and beanbags while you sip on local wines and spirits into the evening.

Muni

Remind yourself of life’s simpler pleasures like good food, wine and community in this sleek, minimalist new addition to Willunga, where every single ingredient is treated with the utmost attention to detail.

Thai DAYS

Delve into a menu that will take you on a brief Thai getaway right here on our very own south coast. Dine in at this Goolwa restaurant to enjoy the friendly atmosphere and extensive local wine list, or grab something to go and enjoy it by the seaside.

What was initially published as a one-off feature to champion a handful of new businesses on the Fleurieu has unexpectedly become a regular fixture in our already bursting pages. Since it first appeared in our summer 2018/19 issue, this segment has featured close to sixty emerging business ventures on the Fleurieu – and there’s no sign of it slowing down. The richness of experience and connectedness that underpins our lifestyle is what keeps so many visitors lingering, while also serving as a constant reminder to locals just how good it is to be a part of this incredible corner of the world.

Above left: Design inside and out at Shirvington’s new cellar door. Come for a platter and one of their fine wines in this stylish interior or in the beautifully landscaped garden. Above right: Enjoy the stunning views and gardens at Heidrun Estate and stay for ‘Billy’s menu’ and award-winning wine.

DRINK

Boho Farm

When Luke Hoban met Claire Bolt, it was the beginning of a love story – one followed by the creation of a beautiful family and the realisation of their combined dream, Boho Farm. Finding a beautiful property atop the coastal highland of Mount Jagged, the pair sold their city home to grow their farm and family on the Fleurieu. Open since July 2021, Boho Farm offers a selection of minimal intervention wines made from Mount Jagged grapes, botanical gin and beer, paired with delicious wood-oven pizzas and platters on weekends. This is the perfect spot to stop and admire the stunning hills that surround the region.

Shirvington Wines

With 25 years of winemaking experience under their belt, the Shirvington family have firmly held their ground as quiet achievers in the Fleurieu region. McLaren Vale’s optimal grape-growing climate, alongside its supportive community have allowed the Shirvingtons to nurture high-quality fruit from vine to bottle, while building a strong local reputation. In March 2021, Shirvington Wines found a renewed sense of inspiration and opened a new cellar door in McLaren Vale. Offering tastings of their award-winning wines, delicious platters and a truly family-oriented experience, the Shirvingtons can’t wait to share their history in this stylish new space.

Heidrun Estate

This humble, cottage-like cellar door offers a casual sharing menu using the best produce from the region, washed down with awardwinning Rohan Family wines. Each wine is tied to an occasion that symbolises a special moment in life – like their ‘After Dark’ Grenache which conjures thoughts of indulgence and temptation, or their newest wine, ‘Golden Hour’, which is symbolic of sun on your skin, sand between your toes and a glass of chilled sauvignon blanc in your hand. Each moment can be enjoyed in a different pocket of the estate, either inside their big outdoor cage, sprawled on a picnic rug on the lawn, snuggled up by the firepit, or dining inside while admiring the view through their beautiful big window. >

Above left: Visit Dear Deliah (tucked inside the Valley of Yore) for dried posies, pressed flowers, cards and unique artworks. Above right: Beautifully curated fashion, homewares and gifts at Morocco by Mish.

Clink at Tintara

Sip an icy cold gin, cocktail, premium wine or beer while you enjoy rotating live music line-ups brought to you by Fig Gigs. This pop-up will be nestled on the lawns between Tintara Winery and the McLaren Vale Hotel, with Nitro Burrrito serving up tasty Mexican eats until the end of March.

Sparkke at Factory 9

Quench your thirst with a Carbon Zero Sparkke beer or select from their Summer of Fun cocktail range. This popular Adelaide label is bringing its unique flavour to the Fleurieu in Port Elliot’s own Factory 9, where you can sample beer paddles or join an intimate, guided Full Circle gin tasting with local maker Rose.

SHOP

Dear Deliah

Tucked inside the Valley of Yore in Myponga, Dear Deliah specialises in dried floral posies, wreaths and larger arrangements, as well as unique cards and artworks adorned with pressed flowers. Owner Ash also gives bridal bouquets a second life by turning them into works of pressed flower art. Nothing in store goes to waste; arrangements are sourced as locally as possible and dried without chemicals or dyes, before they are wrapped in recycled paper and finished in natural twine. Dear Deliah has found a unique way to spread joy that doesn’t cost the earth, all while celebrating the creativity that exists in living a slower, more considerate life.

Morocco by Mish

One mightn’t see many parallels between the humble Fleurieu Peninsula and the exotic country of Morocco. But as a 20-year resident returning to Australia with her daughter Bahija, Mish feels she’s found a community that embraces the same shweea shweea (Arabic for slowly, slowly) lifestyle she grew to love in Morocco. Morocco by Mish has brought to Willunga a curated collection of art, fashion and textiles incorporating traditional techniques with contemporary designs. The harmonious mix of homewares, rugs

Above left: All the pretty flowers at Harvest Studio. Come for a uniquely designed bouquet and ask about their flower installations for special events. Above right: Ben and Kel opened the Surf Esteem board room recently and have loads of knowledge to help you pick your perfect ride.

and jewellery is a one-of-a-kind shopping experience that transports you to the Marrakesh medina, while ensuring each product ethically empowers its artisan. Whether your eyes are drawn to small earrings crocheted by Fatiha and her mum in a small village outside Marrakesh or to the bags hand crafted by Najib deep in the souk, you’re bound to acquire something truly unique in this new addition to the High Street.

Harvest Studio

With a fine art background, Hope Deane has always been passionate about reconnecting people with the natural world through her work. Opening Harvest Studio on McLaren Vale’s Main Road in September 2021, Hope is now creating works of art that customers are able to take into their own spaces. Hope and her team of fellow artists offer contemporary flower installation art and event design, alongside spectacular studio flower arrangements for pick-up and delivery. All of the botanical materials are locally foraged and salvaged, in an effort to create a more sustainable method of floristry while celebrating the local seasonal environment. More than simply bunches of flowers, Harvest Studio aims to create immersive experiences that act like mini-landscapes, leaning into the unique imperfections of each piece of foliage they interact with.

Surf Esteem Board Room

This locally-owned and operated surf shop has been a long-term fixture at Aldinga Central Shopping Centre since 2004, stocking a wide range of surf clothing, accessories and surf equipment. Surf Esteem are now celebrating the recent expansion of their Board Room, designed to meet the needs of all surfers, from beginner to expert. This one-stop-shop has everything required to get you in the water with a smile on your face, whether you’re after a bodyboard, stand-up paddle board or a top-of-the-range surfboard. Whatever their customers walk away with, owners Ben and Kel want them to ‘stay stoked’, with good vibes and good rides across our beautiful coastline.