Fleurieu Living Magazine Winter 2023

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

When every detail matters ...

Make sure you choose the right builder. www.fleurieuliving.com.au

Wondrous sights and delights at Dandelion Vineyards’ Wonder Room Of waves and wild places: Brinkley Davies Weekends away in the McLaren Vale wine region Coastal calm at Carrickalinga A rare opportunity at Chiton Rocks River time on the Beechworth Unlimited experimentation of Henny Van den Wildenberg

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

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WINTER 2023

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Art · Design · Food · Wine · Fashion · Photography · People · Destinations 19/5/23 10:36 am

Let there be light.

But not too much.

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We celebrate your differences.

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‘Hello Sunshine ’

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

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

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

We have a great selection of one and two storey home designs. One is ready to be a special part of your life, year after year.

Visit us today, a laid-back Fleurieu lifestyle is waiting.

Our display homes are open 7 days a week and are located at Victor Harbor, Old Noarlunga, Mile End, Pooraka and now open at Murray Bridge*. Visit our website for details.

BLD 175837 Imagery for illustration purposes only.

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STAFF & CONTRIBUTORS

FLM Key Personnel

Publisher Information

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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 ‘@miss_majestica’ if you’re so inclined.

Other contributing writers, photographers and stylists: Andrea Ball, Sarah Davies, Poppy Fitzpatrick, Jade Harrison, Sam Healy, Stephanie Johnston, Zöe Kassiotis, Mark Laurie, Kate Le Gallez, Sam Marchetti, Emma Masters, Ben Mcmahon, Heather Millar, Shara Murphy, Jodi Nash, Surahn Sidhu, Megan Spencer, Nick Stock and Kate Washington.

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

GUEST EDITOR Esther Thorn ADVERTISING SALES Hollie Connery hollie@fleurieuliving.com.au PRINTER Newstyle Print DISTRIBUTION Wrapaway SUBSCRIPTIONS Print: isubscribe.com.au Digital: zinio.com ALL ENQUIRIES Petra de Mooy petra@fleurieuliving.com.au POSTAL ADDRESS PO Box 111, Aldinga, South Australia 5173.

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

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

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

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GenesisCare St Andrew’s, relocates to new $80 million cancer centre Now open GenesisCare, in partnership with St Andrew’s Hospital, has re-located to a new $80 million cancer centre at 337 South Terrace.

At the new cancer care centre, the same high-quality patient care will be managed by a multidisciplinary team of specialised cancer experts, supported by global expertise and the latest sophisticated technology.

Patients will have rapid access to personalised care and specialist consultations and treatments across many tumour types.

Scan QR code for more information Where to find us 337 South Terrace, Adelaide, SA 5000 Onsite, underground parking with lift access is available

Contact us Tel: (08) 8228 6700 | Fax: (08) 8228 6797 infooncologysa@genesiscare.com

Any medical procedure or treatment involving the use of radiation carries risks, including skin irritation and associated pain. Before proceeding with treatment, you should discuss the risks and benefits of the treatment with an appropriately qualified health practitioner. Individual treatment outcomes and experiences will vary.

genesiscare.com AU_3295_P_v1_04.2025

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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

SILVER PARTNERS

BRONZE PARTNERS

ncil Alexandrina region: act

enjoy March enary

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

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

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

OUR SPONSORS

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From the publishing editor We are super excited about this issue because it’s full of everything we love. This includes the best food and wine and the best of McLaren Vale cellar doors, like the stunning new cellar door featured on our cover – The Wonder Room at Dandelion Vineyards’ Firehawk Farm.

We have watched this building grow and come together, and trust us when we tell you that no detail has been overlooked.

We also feature two architectural building projects via South Coast Constructions and Southern Ocean Building and Consulting. Both are oceanside and stunning in their simplicity and style. Check out the underwater oceanic beauty via Brinkley Davies epic photos (page 36) and Sam Healy’s meanderings about seeking blue space this winter (page 42). Our collaboration with Jodi Nash and Shara from Aura for our Weekends Away fashion shoot (page 72) was also a highlight. We covered a lot of ground and we really do think that the itinerary delivers ten-fold.

We love a crisp winter’s day out on the Fleurieu. Rugged ocean and soaring cliffs – no drone required to capture these epic shots – just make your way to Second Valley or King’s Beach for a cliffside walk.

And all complemented by the most stunning food and wine locations to visit. Find a tucked-away corner of a cellar door, or book into one of the amazing local restaurants where chefs walk the talk via their use of seasonal local ingredients, lovingly crafted.

We also have something to celebrate and that is issue 45 of FLM. Who doesn’t love a good regional publication to assist you with immersing yourself in everything the region has to offer? Explore as a visitor or a local. It’s not too cold! Winter delivers so much more than you could imagine. Plenty of fires and patio lanterns will be burning bright to keep you warm!

Also: Special thanks to our outgoing editor, Kate Le Gallez, for her time with us. Kate brought so much integrity to her work with us here at FLM. Thankfully she will still write for us. Thank you also goes to Esther Thorn for rejoining us from afar as guest editor – well actually only Angaston. It has been fantastic having her back.

Below: All aboard for an open cockpit flight over the spectacular coastal and rural surrounds of the region with Adelaide Biplanes. This image from our winter fashion feature on page 72. Photograph by Jodi Nash.

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THIS ISSUE

Contents

FLM

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36

COVER FEATURE The Wonder Room at Dandelion Vineyards Front cover photo by Jason Porter

PHOTOGRAPHY FEATURE Of waves and wild places: Brinkley Davies

FOOD, WINE & SPIRITS

PEOPLE ON THE PENINSULA

52 Willunga Farmers Market Producer Profile with recipe: Peninsula Providore Olive Oil – Everything in balance

10 Take one: Sam Healy

82 Drinkability: Wine reviews by Nick Stock

46 Places we love: Lessismore Farm

86 Markus Bucy: An army of volunteers

FACES & PLACES

94 AlumnI journey: Pierah Summers – On track

88 Sheep and cattle farmer: Brenton Lush

MAKE A DATE

44 Scott Krix: The sound of humility 48 The sparkling life of Katie Spain 102 Between two worlds: Mish Hank of Red Goes Faster

54 My style: Chanelle Ockenden of Husk Projects

12 Events, Art, Workshops, Places to be

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A

28

72

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HOME FEATURE A rare opportunity at Chiton Rocks

FASHION FEATURE Weekends away in the McLaren Vale wine region

HOME FEATURE Coastal calm at Carrickalinga

PLACES TO BE 90 Winter warmers – snuggle up at one of these cosy locales

ART, FASHION, DESIGN & PHOTOGRAPHY

HEALTH & WELLBEING

24 Tristan Kerr: A layered narrative

60 The unlimited experimentation of Henny Van den Wildenberg

42 Blue space: How the water can help us this winter

56 River Time: The making of the Beechworth paddle boat

BOOKS & WORDS

104 Local Selections: Designer made, off-the-shelf and made to order

98 Winter book reviews from South Seas Books

08 Photo from a reader: Nathan Godwin

EVENTS 92 Fleurieu Food Festival: August 2023

BEING SOCIAL 110 · FLM Autumn launch at Beaches Port Elliot

· Southern Surf Fest

112 Out & About: My Fleurieu

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Taken an amazing photo on the Fleurieu lately? Tag us on Instagram and you could see your handiwork in print. Each issue we’ll choose an image to publish right here in the pages of FLM. @fleurieulivingmagazine This image of Hallett Cove Conservation Park is by Nathan Godwin: @nathangodwin

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Above: Sam Healy – meditation coach and wellbeing facilitator at Aleda Collective meditating at the Myponga Reservoir.

Take one

Sam began his career as a teacher and through exposure to the irrefutable science of meditation, he began to explore the practice. Despite his skepticism, Sam noticed his calmness, focus and energy levels dramatically improve, which inspired him to start the journey of destigmatising meditation.

Background/How did you get started?

During an education conference in 2016, former AFL player and cofounder of Aleda Collective, Luke Darcy, presented the evidence behind meditation. I was scathingly skeptical, but the evidence spoke for itself.

As a teacher, my colleagues and I were desperately trying to sustainably support our students’ wellbeing and I was instantly inspired. I only began meditating to build my understanding, so we could authentically teach our kids. But within months I changed. I had more energy, more patience, more focus. My life-long social anxiety faded. Coping mechanisms were replaced with healthy habits and my gratitude was firing on all cylinders. We began to notice changes in the kids as well.

They were more self-aware, excited to learn, asking deeper questions, looking after each other, and most importantly, they were happier! I began teaching adults and saw the same benefits consistently play out.

I believe in meditation so strongly because of the changes I’ve seen in my life and in the lives of those around me. Meditation is not mystical or woo-woo. It’s a skill that trains the mind and filters out the bullsh**!

What’s left over is the stuff that matters, the stuff that changes lives.

How did you transition from teacher to meditation facilitator?

I spent the final two years of a seven-year career teaching students, educators and leaders how to meditate and started my own business so I could reach other members of the community. When Aleda offered me the opportunity to teach meditation full-time, I’d witnessed too many amazing changes in myself and others to turn it down. I know from direct experience that what we do at Aleda improves our children’s education, and I am incredibly grateful and humbled to be doing this work.

How do science and meditation cross over? How does this help you with breaking down barriers? How did it affect your attitude towards something you previously had little belief in?

Science is the universal language of our time. It speaks to everyone, no matter what their background or beliefs are. We are, therefore, extremely lucky to be living in an era when science has become intensely interested in how meditation achieves the extraordinary benefits that it does. As of today, the science is overwhelming. If you’re human, meditation works! It changes your brain at a neurological level. It improves your efficiency and your quality of sleep. It lessens your reactions and strengthens your responses.

We’ve known this anecdotally for thousands of years; the difference is that now we have the scientific research, evidence and language to objectively understand how it works.

If meditation is the answer, what is the question?

Why, in this modern age, are 70 percent of us in a perpetual state of distress? Why is suicide the leading cause of death for Australians aged 15 to 49 years? Why is anxiety and depression so prevalent? Why have we normalised headaches and constant fatigue? Why are breakdowns an inevitable part of so many people’s career paths? I think that a huge part of the answer is because, as a society, we don’t value the idea of training the mind. I know that meditation is not the magic cure, but I also know that it’s a skill that builds connections between critical parts of our brains and I believe that it’s a vital missing link in our culture.

Thinking big.

I know from the research and from what I’ve witnessed that when we destigmatise and normalise meditation, we’ll see a shift in our community’s wellbeing. For now, the work is untangling the misconceptions and exposing people to the possibilities.

Future goals.

It’s normal to see people running down the esplanade. We don’t bat an eyelid at people training the body. I want to help create a future where training the mind is treated the same way, where it’s normal to see people meditating. The evidence is clear, meditation works. I robbed myself for so long because I was unaware of this. As a society, there’s no need for us to keep making this mistake. It’s simple – like I always say, ‘Just meditate mate!’

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Discover

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LOOKING FOR

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DIARY DATES

Make a date FESTIVALS AND EVENTS Winter Fire Festival Fleurieu Arthouse & Hardy’s Tintara McLaren Vale Over two wintery weekends 23 & 24 June, 4pm - 9pm 21 & 22 July, 4pm - 9pm Hanging around by a fire with wine in hand? We’re in!

Food trucks, mulled wine, fire pits and live music on the lawns of Hardy’s Tintara. Tickets at hardyswines.com – $10 entry.

Willunga Almond Blossom Festival Willunga 29 - 30 July, 9pm - 4pm Enjoy rides, games and more during the day, then settle in under the stars for the Fleurieu’s oldest fireworks display from 7pm on Saturday night. For more information, visit: almondblossomfestival.com.au

Wilderness Escape Leading up to this July school holidays – check out the Wilderness Escape Outdoor Adventures website for children’s programs, including surfing, hiking, climbing and kayaking. At venues across the Fleurieu and beyond. For ages 5-17. wildernessescape.com.au

Blossom Food & Wine Papershell Farm, Willunga South 29 - 30 July 5 - 6 August papershellfarm.com An intimate day & night amongst the almond groves with serenading performances by the fire from Classical, Jazz and Soul artists. With food cooked from the gardens and wine from the vines around us.

WORKSHOPS & ART EXHIBITIONS Ngarrindjeri / Ramindjeri weaving and Culture with Cedric Varcoe Coral Street Art Space, Victor Harbor 17 and 24 June, 10.30am - 5pm

Above: Image courtesy of PapershelFarm.

Fleurieu Food Festival Various locations across the Fleurieu Peninsula 1 - 31 August There truly is something for everyone at the 2023 Fleurieu Food Festival. Now in its second year, the festival celebrates the best of our region with a month-long culinary festival. See below for some festival highlights and our festival feature on page 92. Keep up to date at fleurieufoodfestival.com

Join in for a day of learning traditional weaving with local Ramindjeri/ Ngarrindjeri contemporary artist Cedric Varcoe. During the class Cedric will share a story of Culture and Country.

Visit eventbrite for tickets.

Water People Exhibition Including works by Valerie Taylor AM Coral Street Art Space, Victor Harbor Continuing until 28 July Immerse yourself among the water people of our region through visual art, sculpture, audio visual, written art and connection to the Ramindjeri/Ngarrindjeri story of river and sea.

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

Sprout The Fleurieu Arthouse, McLaren Vale 11 June to 26 July Opening event 10 June at 2pm An exhibition featuring the work of A Small Art Factory’s Anna Small and Warren Pickering. Exploring the beauty of plant life in metal sculpture, garden decor, art and lighting.

donated artworks that will be on display and auctioned at this special, ticketed dinner, with all funds raised donated to Catherine House.

Jane Hylton Solo Exhibition South Coast Regional Art Centre 1 - 30 July The endless horizons around Jane’s Hindmarsh Island (Kumerangk) home are defined by the movement of water and immense skies.

This vastness and the vegetation of the region’s wetlands, scrub and bushland, native grasses, and her own garden are all an infinite source of inspiration for botanical studies and paintings.

Mosaic for Afghan women Goolwa Library 1 August - 17 September Over 100 South Australian mosaic artists and community members have created a giant mosaic ‘scarf, inspired by the colours, patterns and textures of traditional Afghan dresses. The mosaic scarf is a visual representation of Afghanistan’s diverse ethnic groups.

Home Dinner Salopian Inn, McLaren Vale Wednesday, 16 August 6.30pm Tickets $180 each (includes wine) events.humanitix.com/home-a-catherine-house-fundraising-dinnerat-the-salopian-inn Home exhibition: A Catherine House fundraising exhibition SALA exhibition fundraiser The Salopian Inn Wood Room Tuesday, 1 August – Wednesday, 16 August Catherine House aims to end homelessness for every woman who walks through its doors, not only providing a safe place to stay but a variety of services to support their recovery. Catherine House ambassadors Sam and Maddie Marchetti have joined forces with the team from The Salopian Inn, who are generously donating all produce and their time for a seasonal feast created by chef Karena Armstrong and Team Salopian. Artists Micky Barlow, Meg Caslake and David Pedler, Nicky Connolly, Nicole Deichmann, Dana Kinter, Alex Linden, Anna Small, Katie Spain, and Jen Wright have all

Infinite Skies Installation Garden of Honour, Goolwa RSL lawns. B.F Laurie Lane 4 - 6 August, 6pm - 8pm Experience Goolwa-based interdisciplinary artist Vic Waclawik’s moving image installation Infinite Skies, a work that captures the metaphysical wonder of nature and the meditative power of an open sky. >

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Red Poles Textile exhibition called Sidetracks featuring artists Chris Bowden, Sue Buxton, Margaret Carberry, Jane Coffee, Victoria Pitcher and Wendy Redden. Open July 26. Check out the textile demonstrations every Wednesday morning throughout August. For more information, visit redpoles.com.au

Whale watching Various coastal locations across the Fleurieu Peninsula June – September Come winter, Victor Harbor becomes a busy hub to catch a glimpse of southern right whales on their annual migration. A selfguided tour allows enthusiasts to spot mothers and calves between The Bluff and Encounter Bay. You can also start at Horseshoe Bay and follow the path around the headland to Knights Beach.

The cobblestone track takes you along the coast to experience some of the region’s best whale watching locations. Be sure to pack binoculars.

Winter Whale Fest runs through to 25 June with the closing event on Saturday, 24 June.

Check winterwhalefest.com.au/events for events ranging from tours, to markets, to educational and cultural programs.

Secret Cellar Staycation at Woodburn Homestead Langhorne Creek 2-4 and 16-18 June For the first time, Woodburn Homestead is offering its exclusive ‘Secret Cellar Experience’ in combination with a luxurious twonight staycation. For an unforgettable winter weekend, guests will be served a five-course chef’s selection menu in the homestead’s secret cellar. For more information, visit: woodburnhomestead.com.au

Above:Textile work by Sue Buxton – My city by the sea.

Long Play Papershell Farm, Willunga South Every Friday night, 5pm - 11pm Intimate listening hi-fi bar with local wines and snacks.

Limited capacity – reservations essential. papershellfarm.com Goolwa Wharf is open for business Goolwa June, July & August The Goolwa Wharf Precinct is being revitalised, but there is still plenty to see and do. This winter, visit the riverside location and enjoy a meal at Hector’s on the Wharf, cruise the Spirit of the Coorong, explore the paddle steamer Oscar W, or visit the Fleurieu Distillery and the Wharf Barrel Shed cellar door (relocated to the Signal Point building). To find out more, visit: alexandrina.sa.gov.au/goolwawharf

Above: Image courtesy of Tess Newton.

EARLY SEPTEMBER Totem by Union Street Sculptors The Fleurieu Arthouse, McLaren Vale Opening Saturday, 3 September and running until 1 October Totems serve as emblems for families or groups of people depicting sacred ideas or relationships. They represent what is held dear and important.

Creating their interpretations of totems has enabled the artists to explore processes and invest their individual representations with meaning and aesthetic value.

Artists: Victoria Beresin, Janell Gaudet, Vanessa Hearnden, Wendy Lindsay, Renate Nisi, Dave Parker, Rayna Schofield, Maureen Swallow and Julie-ann Rowe.

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It’s all here.

Consumables courtesy of Baker’s Delight, Barossa Fine Foods and Charlesworth Nuts. Cutting boards and knives from House. Tableware from Canopy Home Fashion.

Colonnades Shopping Centre | Noarlunga @colonnadesshopping

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Wondrous sights and delights at Dandelion Vineyards’ Wonder Room Story by Emma Masters. Photography by Jason Porter.

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Page left and above: The ‘Wonder Room’ at Dandelion Vineyards. The large open plan space has been designed to take in the spectacular vineyard views.

It’s impossible not to catch your breath when you first take in the phenomenal view over Dandelion Vineyards’ Firehawk Farm. One’s gaze rolls down into the vineyard’s valley, capturing an expansive patchwork of McLaren Vale vines.

To the south-east are sweeping views of the peninsula, and to the west its sparkling seas.

It’s easy to see why this site, which was once home to an old tractor shed, has been reimagined and transformed into a new stateof-the-art space designed to showcase the region in all its glory, complemented by outstanding wine and mouth-watering morsels.

Standing proudly at the top of the hill is the pièce de résistance of Dandelion Vineyards – the Wonder Room. As its name suggests the building is awe-inspiring, with ceilings held aloft by raw steel beams and drop windows that flood the main room and kitchen with light and the impressive vista.

Step outside and there are more vantage points to enjoy tastings and the sights: under a patio, or perching on the expansive colosseum steps, or while relaxing on the lawn.

It’s no surprise that behind this exciting new ‘must do’ wine experience in McLaren Vale is a couple of seasoned aficionados. The pair, who grew up in the industry, but on opposite sides of the globe, came together through their shared love of good wine.

Elena Brooks and her husband and co-owner Zar both started in the wine industry at a young age. ‘I come from a very big wine region in Bulgaria, the whole winery was like a town. Five hundred people worked on site. It had its own library, its own choir, doctor, dentist and even its own in-house artists, and Mum worked for the winery as a marketer,’ Elena explains.

‘I began to learn English at about eleven and started to help Mum with all the visitors and tourists. So I learned about wine very quickly. We didn’t have a legal drinking age either, so I could work with wine, pour wine, talk about wine and even try the wine.’

When Elena decided she wanted to pursue a career in the industry, she was told to look to Adelaide which offered ‘the best winemaking course in the world’ and at age nineteen, she had arrived. >

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Top: The well-appointed complex with impressive wraparound white steps ascend to the cellar door. Bottom: Award-winning winemaker, Elena Brooks.

Page right: The tasting experience at Dandelion will be front and centre of the Wonder Room experience.

‘I was lucky to come to Australia and start making wine at a time when people were hungry for something different, you know, people in Australia have a very high knowledge of wine compared to the rest of the world,’ she says.

Elena gravitated towards McLaren Vale. ‘It was always welcoming, I never felt like an outsider and you’re allowed to be different and come with new ideas and you’re celebrated for it,’ she says. ‘We have tradition, but everyone’s more than happy for new innovation as well.’

As Elena began to make her mark she met Zar Brooks, who was renowned for his work in wine marketing. Soon after, Dandelion Vineyards was born and so was the couple’s first child.

‘The entire company grew around me being a mum with a young child, and then everyone that came to work with us was the same – all mums with small children,’ she says. ‘The office was like a creche

and I think for that reason, we’re still really close friends.’

Dandelion is in every way a family business. The employees’ families all have experience in the industry, and have also played an integral role in its development. ‘We’re also from many different countries: we’ve got two Bulgarians, a Maltese, a Russian, Ukrainian/Canadian, and a few token Australians,’ Elena winks.

From the beginning, Dandelion set a high benchmark. ‘The idea was to have different style wines that represented a more mature taste of Australian wine,’ says Elena. ‘Wines that weren’t compared just to Australian wines, but were on the world stage as well.’

Elena and Zar’s search for the ‘cream of the crop’ took them to other regions.

‘What Zar likes to call “wines of terra”, which speak to where they came from, and probably the reason we make so many is that our >

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Page left: Delicious offerings to complement the wine tasting experience (top), expertly crafted by Chef Chris Bone (bottom left) and focusing on fresh local ingredients. This page top and below left: Be welcomed by friendly front-of-house staff rich with wine knowledge. Bottom right: Appreciate the ‘wines of terra’ from select vineyards around South Australia.

wines capture the vineyard and the land it comes from,’ Elena says.

‘As a winemaker, I like to think I do very little because I encourage the place itself to talk. For example, our Wonderland Eden Valley Riesling is such a unique vineyard that’s over 110 years of age, so it captures history and it captures our time, and it’s a very aspirational wine that tells a story. Our home is McLaren Vale, because we wouldn’t live anywhere else, but we also make a lot of wines from The Barossa, Eden Valley and Adelaide Hills, Finnis and all the way to Coonawarra.’

Their focus has paid off. From their first release in 2007, Dandelion Vineyards has achieved critical acclaim, with a swag of international and national awards – and also key local ones. In 2021, Elena and Zar

were crowned McLaren Vale Wine Show’s Bushing Queen and King, as the winemakers of ‘Best Wine of Show.’

And as word has spread, they’ve continued to grow, selling to more than forty markets worldwide.

The Wonder Room is the next step, providing a base for visitors to experience their wines, alongside offerings designed by one of the Fleurieu’s most innovative chefs, Chris Bone.

Known as a champion of seasonal foods and natural cooking, Chef Bone has been given free reign to create a selection of accompanying plates that elevate food as an integral part of the tasting experience.

‘In our culture in Bulgaria, when you go to someone’s house or a restaurant, you get food first,’ says Elena. ‘Dandelion Vineyards > 21

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Top: Be at the cellar door for some of the most spectacular sunsets in the Vale. Bottom left: The path to one of the newest wine tasting experiences in the Vale.

It will not disappoint. Right: Custom-made tableware made just for the Wonder Room by local potter, ‘Nicole is Nicole’ ceramics.

was created around food, so it was always going to be part of the experience of coming here. The food is part of the tasting and it will be literally up to the chef on the day and what’s growing at the time.

And it won’t be a little bit of food, but it won’t be a lot either. We want people to finish their tastings and still go out for lunch, because we don’t want to take away from all the great restaurants the Vale has.’

Elena’s Bulgarian heritage will also naturally come into the mix, with ingredients inspired by her mother Dani’s flourishing market garden, which is a stone’s throw from the Wonder Room.

‘We love using ingredients from the garden and while it might not deliver enough produce for what we need, what I love is that it shows

you what is actually growing well and what is seasonal. It’s a guide,’ she says. Guests can visit the garden, along with other special areas at Firehawk Farm. ‘We’ve got a lookout about five minutes from the Wonder Room that takes in the entire ocean, a beautiful big oak tree where you can have a picnic and there’s a little forest beside the shiraz vineyard,’ Elena explains. ‘There’s many places to enjoy, and we encourage people to explore, to walk through and to have fun.’

Dandelion Vineyards lives up to its name in more ways than one. It’s a place where you dare to believe wishes could indeed be granted on a single breath of wind.

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Contact us today about your dream kitchen or bathroom 11 Commerce Cres Victor Harbor. Phone: 8552 2090 Email: info@innovativekitchens.com.au innovativekitchens.com.au

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A layered narrative Story by Kate Le Gallez.

Above: From the exhibition Divergence, 2019, Third Quarter Gallery, Brisbane.

When I arrive at his Port Willunga home, artist Tristan Kerr is on the roof clearing gutters ahead of a forecasted deluge (it never eventuated). From that height, it might be possible to glimpse the blue of the ocean that drew Tristan and his young family to the area. It’s been a formative presence for him, the waves doing their work to shape and hone him, personally and creatively.

Tristan followed his creative interests to university to study visual communications and graphic design. It’s perhaps unsurprising that someone who found design in nature did not relish the idea of sitting at a desk, a ‘slave to the computer.’ ‘I wanted to find somewhere where I could still use those skills but use my hands and create things on a larger level. Something a bit more physical that wasn’t a computer-generated pixel,’ he says.

In his adolescence, Tristan was drawn to surfing and ‘that feeling of the water, that energy and being really present and just in the moment.’ He found his community on the water. He also found space to explore his visual creativity as he started filming and producing films of friends and people he looked up to on the water.

Switzerland gave Tristan an idea of what a design career could look like, bringing together design concepts with manual techniques, which can include anything from graphic design, sign writing, to using gilding and techniques using glass. These aspects of his practice eventually led him to found his professional design practice, Uppercase Studio.

‘It’s quite unique in this day and age and I managed to capture a

The search took Tristan to Switzerland and an internship learning the art and craft of screen printing, as well as typography. ‘My boss was very much hands-on with the practice, there wasn’t a focus on using computers. A lot of the process involved cutting stencils and hand printing,’ he explains.

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Above left: Hotel Indigo 2021, Adelaide. Photo by Kate Bowman. Bottom left: North Adelaide 2022. Right: Gilles Lane 2022, Adelaide. Photo by Andre Castellucci.

business through that because there was basically no one else doing it,’ he says. ‘It’s authentic. It’s a labour of craft.’

in the urban environment, and also its effects in the natural setting and how it deteriorates and ages and leaves a bit of a narrative.

Tristan continued exploring these ideas and developing his craft during a three-year stint in Paris, while also encountering and engaging with street and urban art. His artistic practice grew organically, surrounded by like-minded people and driven by innate motivation. ‘A lot of artists like me are kind of self-driven, and it’s just exploring and experimenting and having fun and that often leads to opportunities,’ he says. There was an inherent conversation between Tristan’s design aesthetic and the art he encountered on the streets of Paris. He was drawn to the cultural archaeology revealed through peeling layers of posters plastered to the walls of the Paris Métro, and to how street murals can help to articulate the narrative of a place over time. He saw the potential of both forms to tell a story of place, and our changing relationship to it.

A lot of my work is drawn to that and I try and emulate that through a lot of my elements, whether it’s texture or collage shapes, or torn, ripped poster treatments. And I’m drawn to the ephemeral nature of signage: how it changes and is overlaid and it leaves a bit of a story. My artwork tries to capture that sort of décolletage and reconstructive nature.’

In his personal practice, Tristan has gravitated towards large-scale mural work. ‘It’s unique to me and it’s an expression of who I am ... it gives me a lot of joy,’ he says. ‘There’s this discourse between our life

These elements are all present in a recent work Tristan completed at a former Holden plant on Gilles Lane in Adelaide. ‘Part of the brief was to weave that narrative into where things are at now and how the culture has evolved. I had all these beautiful references to the building and to the plant back then and I really enjoy that with my practice – looking into the history and narrative of the former sites and the area.

I find that’s a common theme in my work, where my work is sort of a product of the evolution of the streets or the culture.’ >

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Above left: From the exhibition Divergence 2019, Third Quarter Gallery, Brisbane. Right: King Street 2018, Prahran, Victoria. Bottom left: Gold leaf, enamel in epoxy resin artwork 2016. Right: Tristan Kerr at the Gilles Lane mural.

His process typically involves collage elements, type and imagery assembled in a way that works with a particular narrative or idea.

Usually it involves text or a word that’s built into the piece, but it can be quite ambiguous. For the Gilles Lane commission, the word was ‘imagine’. ‘That was based on discussions I’d had with the owners,’ says Tristan. ‘It was sort of like: ‘Imagine what the space will become’.

It’s evolving and the idea was that it’s a time and place, but this is just one part of the journey of the space.’

Perhaps Tristan’s biggest art project to date has been the design and build of his own home. It offered a different way to explore spaces, shapes, form and materials. His experience working on the build brought him into contact with new-to-him materials and methods as he got involved in concreting, milling timber and welding. Already those elements are finding their way into Tristan’s artistic work in a further evolution of his personal stylistic collage. It’s a new layer, a new strand added to his own artistic narrative.

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South Coast South Coast

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A rare opportunity Story by Stephanie Johnston. Photography by Jason Porter.

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‘There’s so much light, we don’t need lights during the day. The thermal regulation is so good the gas heater is enough in winter, and we rarely use the air conditioner in summer.’

Page left: The delightfully conceived and expertly built South Coast Constructions beachfront home is welcoming with warm wood under the eaves and decking as well as walkway and garden lighting and beautiful Basket Range Sandstone walls. Above: Two protected outdoor area ensure spaces for all seasons.

Adelaide specialist and entrepreneur Paul Athanasiov was cycling along a favourite route between Hayborough and Port Elliot, when he spotted his dream beachfront block – complete with the ‘For Sale’ sign.

Sorely tempted, he thought, ‘There aren’t too many opportunities like this.’

Paul and his family however decided not to buy, and the block eventually went off the market. He kept on cycling past, no doubt contemplating the missed opportunity, but then, six months later, the ‘For Sale’ sign suddenly reappeared. This time the family snapped it up. ‘The idea was we’d slowly come together with a plan, and build it when we knew exactly what we wanted to do,’ says Paul. That was about five years ago, around the time the new suburb of Chiton was established, with Seagull Avenue its most sought-after address.

The use of large floor-to-ceiling, double-glazed windows and individual panes on all aspects was a challenge in this high wind zone, but the result is truly awe-inspiring. As Paul walks me up the timber cantilever staircase to the generous upper-level kitchen, butler’s pantry and living space, he explains that the upstairs living and dining area was always intended to be an open-plan design. A more difficult decision for the family was how much balcony to build on the exposed, ocean-facing, southern aspect. ‘We eventually went with a small balcony, because the wind means you don’t actually go out here very often,’ Paul says. ‘On the other hand you can sit and enjoy the view from inside all year round.’

A spacious upstairs balcony and lower-level deck – both on the north side of the house – provide sheltered settings for outdoor living and entertaining, while still offering views to the ocean and hills, and capturing spectacular sunrises and sunsets. At this point we pause our tour to watch the Goolwa to Victor Harbor Cockle Train steam past, tooting all the way.

A period of incubation and contemplation followed the purchase, as the family imagined various design scenarios for the block, with its fabulous frontage onto the coastal reserve, Cockle Train railway and distinctive Chiton Rocks surf beach. Equally important were the long views to Port Elliot, Granite Island and The Bluff at Encounter Bay.

Paul tells me that there is in fact an easement for a road to go in front of this exclusive row of houses, joining the two carparks to the east and west, but doubts that will happen any time soon. ‘There’s also been talk of putting in a bike path down next to the train track,’ he says. ‘But nobody seems to want to spend the money on that either.’

The allotment’s 18 metres of frontage and depth of 42 metres meant it could have easily accommodated a duplex development, which the family considered but ultimately decided against. ‘We chose to make the most of the uninterrupted views by building a single dwelling,’ says Paul.

In the meantime, Paul and his two young daughters enjoy the regular Cockle Train ritual, walks through the reserve to the beach and local surf club, and the many existing opportunities for cycling, roller-skating and scootering. >

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Page left: The entryway brings your view squarely down the hallway to a large picture window. Artwork ‘Moon Shadows’ is by John Lacey and is available at the Strand Gallery, Port Elliot. This page top: The kitchen expertly designed and fabricated by Innovative Kitchens at Port Elliot has ample storage, a walk-in pantry and a delightfully functional layout. Bottom left and right: Every space with a view to the ocean. Oil painting by John Lacey ‘Late Night Near the Mouth.’ Much of the furniture and homewares inside the home were sourced from local favourite – Living by Design.

Returning to our tour, Paul reveals further views of the hills and landmark Crows Nest lookout from the upstairs master bedroom, as well as an ensuite bath with its own floor-to-ceiling slice of ocean view.

This bedroom and bathroom area can be secured so the rest of the property can be rented out as a holiday home.

The ease and flow of the home belies that complexity of the design process. Paul initially provided Adelaide architecture firm Contech with sketches as a basis for developing the concept designs and materials palette, which initiated a lengthy period of toing and froing.

He then handed those concepts over to local builder South Coast Constructions to refine the design, secure the necessary planning and building approvals, and finally undertake the build itself.

According to Paul, not a lot changed in this second phase, apart from the introduction of a two-storey Basket Range Sandstone blade wall between the internal stairwell entrance and the two outdoor decks.

This achieved the necessary thermal mass for energy efficiency requirements, while also anchoring the whole timber-framed structure to the site. The stone motif is replicated in a fireplace feature and the garden landscaping.

When I ask about the building’s energy efficiency, Paul provides rave reviews. Not only does the double glazing enhance insulation, it also makes for a beautifully quiet interior. And the minimal power consumption means he doesn’t see the need for battery storage.

‘There’s so much light, we don’t need lights during the day. > 31

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Page left top: All living spaces, indoor and outdoor, are generously proportioned. Middle: The solid stone blade wall is a feature throughout. Bottom: A simply functional bedroom with natural wool carpet. This page top: The outdoor kitchen / dining area again capturing views to the hills beyond. This page bottom: An understated palette in the bathroom with a generously proportioned vanity built by Innovative Kitchens..

The result is a highly relaxing beach residence, exuding comfort and contentment rather than opulence and extravagance, with the capacity to accommodate the twists and turns of this particular evolving and extended family over time.

The thermal regulation is so good the gas heater is enough in winter, and we rarely use the air conditioner in summer,’ he says.

The palette of sandstone and timbers brings earthy and warm tones to the façade. It also provides a striking contrast to the white walls and ceilings, and the cooler range of whites and greys used for the lowerlevel, polished concrete floor, kitchen surfaces and tiling throughout.

Considerable thought has gone into the joinery and finishes, from feature overhead light shades and joinery details, to the strip lighting used to highlight the stonework and floating timber staircase. And despite the challenge of a flat and skillion roof, blinds are enclosed in concealed pelmets. Floor-to-ceiling tiling and floating vanities are a feature of all the bathrooms and ensuites.

As Paul shows me around the downstairs area, it becomes apparent the house has been designed for maximum flexibility: both for holiday rentals, and also for ongoing use by an extended family, including visits from his Queensland-based parents. There are two children’s bedrooms, complete with flexible queen and king single bunk arrangements, a lounge and study, as well as a master guest room with its own ensuite and ocean views. All in all, the house can comfortably sleep twelve people.

A large ground-level storeroom accommodates an impressive range of excercise equipment, and duplicates the wine and linen storage area upstairs. As a means of future proofing the home, a lift can be installed in this space when required. > 33

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Top left: Pendant lighting over the vanity makes for a striking composition. Top right and bottom: Capturing the magnificence of the home in its oceanside location.

The owner says: ‘There are very few things I would change, because we spent a long time in the planning.’ A job well done.

A wall-to-wall window in the study allows Paul to enjoy the expansive sea views while working from home. He also sees this as a yogacome-mindfulness space, where those impressive vistas can be enjoyed from the floor.

As we reach the end of our tour, I ask Paul whether this was his first build, and if he would have done anything differently in hindsight. He explains that, while it was a first, ‘My Dad’s an architect by trade, so we’ve been around building sites growing up quite a lot.’

When I put the oft-quoted maxim to him that it takes three houses to get it right, Paul disagrees. ‘No, there are very few things I would

change, because we spent a long time in the planning,’ he says.

‘We weren’t in a hurry to start building, and that was possibly to the frustration of the architects.’

He explains that the family would take a long time to respond to questions from the architects, because they wanted to make sure they were happy with each decision.

The result is a highly relaxing beach residence, exuding comfort and contentment rather than opulence and extravagance, with the capacity to accommodate the twists and turns of this particular evolving and extended family over time.

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OPEN MON TO FRI 10~5

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A: 26/28 Kangarilla Rd Mclaren Vale 5171 T: 8323 0188 E: info@oxenberry.com W: www.oxenberry.com 35 inside_45.indd 35

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Of waves and wild places Story by Hollie Connery.

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Page left: Image courtesy of Jampal Williamson. Above: Image courtesy of Jess Hadden.

To a freediver, what lies above the surface and what awaits beneath is the divide between what the world asks of us, and what it has to offer us in exchange. To know the ocean, its inky depths and magical creatures, is to feel compelled to protect it.

For now, environmental activist Brinkley Davies dips beneath the surface to find pause. To find still. To marvel and to document, and to block out the noise of a sometimes cruel world. To dance a silent ballet with majestic mantas as they roll and dip and glide with the grace of centuries of wisdom. To visit dugongs grazing on a meadow of sea grass in front of her home that reveal themselves to her when she is quiet and comes alone. To make company with predatory sharks and understand their dominance. To show people a world she so desperately cares about through documentation of her experiences

in the ocean. It’s a habitat she knows will only survive if people understand just what is at risk – the beauty and magnitude of it all, our underwater universe.

Growing up, Brinkley led a quintessential South Australian childhood.

She grew up exploring the empty beaches of the Fleurieu Peninsula, hopping along rock pools and surfing on Myponga beach with her brother. Road trips to Yorke Peninsula to surf and explore as a teenager helped fortify her love of wild oceans. This formative time spent in and around the ocean paved the way for Brinkley’s passion for ocean conservation, and after completing her studies in marine biology at Flinders University, she set off to surf and work on conservation projects across the globe.

A sponsored surfer, free-dive instructor, marine biologist, business owner, model and activist are just some of the names that describe Brinkley. She founded a non-profit called ‘Balu Blue’ and also designs her own range of jewelry ‘Bandicoot by Brinkley’. Her life is her work, and her work is her life. >

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All images this page courtesy of Brinkley Davies. Page right: Maori Wrasse photo courtesy of Jampal Williamson.

With a large social media following, Brinkley is renowned for her striking imagery shared on a variety of online platforms. She captures moments of her everyday life: swimming with tiger sharks and whales, surfing and camping in her boat with her pet cat and dogs where she currently lives, near the Ningaloo reef in Western Australia.

Endorsements from sustainable brands allow her to travel abroad to bring awareness to global environmental issues and aid to wildlife affected by climate disaster. Her audience follows along as she spends her days living a life that brings her into close proximity with the natural world.

It’s a life most people don’t have access to and a privilege that holds great responsibility. And Brinkley doesn’t waste a second of it. She is

a gentle and poised femininity that deeply cares for animals, but also doesn’t take any rubbish. Brinkley tackles environmental issues in the same way that she takes on big waves: with grace and fearlessness.

Her home currently serves as a shelter for injured and displaced animals getting ready for re-release. Among her many projects is a plan to create larger wildlife care and re-release programs. Wildlife often ends up in her care and a point of exasperation and frustration for Brinkley is the all too regular abandonment of wildlife that has been injured on the road. Brinkley is in the process of finalising an app that provides people with emergency advice if they encounter wildlife, or any animal that has been injured. It’s a simple tool to empower people to stop and help if they come across an injured animal on outback roads. >

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Above left: Image courtesy of Jampal Williamson. Right: Image courtesy of Adam Stern.

Take a quick look online and you will discover there is not an environmental issue that relates to the ocean that Brinkley is not across, or using her platforms to educate and inspire people about.

Reducing plastics, plant-based eating, climate disaster, pollution, the oil and gas industry in Australia, threatened species and habitat destruction worldwide are just some of the issues she’s trying to address. I ask her how, with so many environmental and animal rights debates and issues unfolding, she manages to direct her energy. ‘I’m the type of person that cares so deeply so I’m thinking about this all the time and every day,’ she says. ‘ I worry that if I don’t take on everything that I encounter, perhaps no one will.’ Her primary focus remains clear though – habitat protection and decreasing suffering through awareness.

Our conversation takes the form of describing life in chapters. When I talk to Brinkley I get a sense that this is a woman evolving. For now she casts her net wide and inspires. Fortifying her mind and body, bringing into sharpness exactly what it is she can do for the time she is here on this earth. Like every human that has realised their purpose, her legacy and work is the slow burn, the long road. Brinkley muses that every day lived as an environmentalist and conservationist is just that, a life. Not a job. Not even an opinion. A service. And there is no human better suited to this role than this salt-of-the-earth, waterwoman from South Australia.

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Dandelion Vineyards’ Wonder Room is officially open!

Located atop the ancient ridge of Firehawk Farm, the Wonder Room provides visitors with breathtaking 180-degree views of the lush vineyards of Firehawk Farm, the rolling slopes of McLaren Vale, the Gulf St Vincent, and the Willunga Escarpment.

The Dandelion Vineyards’ Wonder Room offers unique wine-tasting experiences that represent decades of winemaking knowledge – blending the fruit of our vineyards with the finest traditions of artisan winemaking. The tastings showcase biodynamic wines with grapes grown on-site and wines from the pristine locations that South Australia has to offer across our vineyards in the Adelaide Hills, Barossa Valley, Eden Valley, Fleurieu, and McLaren Vale.

Come and join us for a tutored tasting and discover it’s more than a cellar door, it’s our Wonder Room. Wish you were here …

191 Chaffeys Road, McLaren Vale, South Australia | Ph 08 83238979 | dandelionvineyards.com.au

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How the water can help us this winter Words by Sam Healy.

Seasonal Affective Disorder (with the impressively apposite acronym SAD), can cause us to feel unmotivated and even depressed during the colder months.

The amount of light we get during winter is a known link, but we can’t part the clouds and let the sun pour down on our wellbeing.

So, what else can we do to look after ourselves and each other during winter? We’ve known for a long time that our environment affects our brain. Research shows that living in areas with greater population density can increase mental health disorders. Conversely, when we’re closer to nature, stress levels decrease and mood and general mental health improve.

Studies are now emerging that suggest those living near water report better mental health and wellbeing, and that this proximity may reduce the effects of trauma, lower the risk of obesity and even premature death.

This is where Blue Mind enters the stage. For those of us living in god’s country – aka the Fleurieu! – we’re lucky to have some of the most stunning coastlines and bodies of water at our doorstep.

Dr Wallace J Nichols coined the term Blue Mind to help promote something that’s intuitively familiar to many of us: the emotional wellbeing that we sense when we’re near, in or on water.

Whether you’re aware of it or not, water sends you very specific signals. It takes away noise and distraction, and it offers you soothing

imagery and sounds. The brain then responds to these signals by preparing for possible submergence. We are mammals and therefore have a ‘mammalian dive reflex’ and because we can’t breathe underwater, the brain knows it has to do things differently. It slows down your heart rate, shifts blood flow so it’s more energy efficient.

The default network mode is also activated, allowing the body to rest and heal, improving creativity and offloading stress.

As I sit and write this article at Pearl watching the waves roll into Aldinga Beach, I’m hyper-aware that getting in or under water becomes much more challenging as winter settles in. Even though studies suggest that cold water swimming may ease depression, it’s not likely that it will be a go-to winter strategy for most of us.

But remember, Dr Nichols tells us that Blue Mind takes effect even when we are near water. So, just sitting at places like Pearl or ordering a takeaway and enjoying it in your car overlooking the ocean can be enough to trigger Blue Mind. Our local businesses take a hit during winter, so Blue Mind has the potential to benefit the individual and our community.

For those of us who don’t fancy a bracing dip in the ocean, there are other ways to seek out water and tap into the blue state of mind: · Submerge in a bath or take a shower. · Play a track with water sounds. · Sit back and imagine your favourite waterside spot for a few minutes. · Read Nichols’ book, Blue Mind.

It’s simple stuff, but if you follow the science it will tell you that selfcare starts with simplicity. So, as counterintuitive as it seems, this winter, as Dr Nichols says, I wish you water!

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Above: Scott Krix, innovator and founder of Krix Loudspeakers.

The sound of humility Words by Surahn Sidhu.

In the industrial area of the old Hackham foothills lies one of South Australia’s lesser-known treasures. Hiding in plain sight, a warehouse holds a wonderful story of optimism and persistence.

The unremarkable building belongs to Scott Krix, innovator and founder of Krix Loudspeakers, who has been an international sensation in the world of sound for an entire generation.

Scott’s ‘origin story’ begins in Loxton in the heart of SA’s Riverland, on the family farm, which started as an irrigated post-WWII soldier settlement allotment known as the ‘fruit blocks’.

Living where the land and the River Murray meet, Scott learned the rhythm of the seasons, how to harvest fruit and to play in the dirt. An appreciation of art was also part of the family diet.

As one of six boys, Scott describes his upbringing as ‘bloody lucky’, with extended family and a neighbourhood of similarly-aged kids nearby. Growing up with plants, trees, soil and the day-to-day mechanics of running the fruit block gave Scott a rich foundation – and a formative education – in agriculture.

With farming likely in his future, Scott’s teenage interest in sound – and making his own HiFi systems – was nonetheless encouraged.

He met his first career crossroad after building his first amplifier, proudly displayed to this day atop a shelf in the R&D (‘research and development’) department of the Krix laboratory. Scott recalls with pride the idea of being able to ‘have fun doing something you love and truly finding joy with that passion.’

His education at Adelaide University furthered his skills in the field of electronic engineering. By the late 1970s and early 1980s, Scott had arrived at a pivotal cultural moment in Adelaide; a strong backbone of acclaimed music groups like Cold Chisel and The Masters Apprentices were breaking through internationally from South Australia and the city’s HiFi scene was throbbing. The sense of possibility was palpable, and for the first time, Scott dared to believe Hi-Fi could be a legitimate career.

His first big break came via Goodwood’s much-loved, heritage cinema, the Capri Theatre. Scott was invited to design new speakers and was given free reign to play with the space and this opportunity provided the right amount of freedom to experiment.

Born and implemented in the Capri, Scott came up with the aptlynamed ‘infinite baffle’, a sound-absorbing enclosure which enhanced the sound quality of the loudspeaker system. It was rapidly adopted by the cinema industry at large. Word of Scott’s penchant for finding sonic solutions quickly spread and before long he had global manufacturers, studios and directors wanting to work with him.

All the while Scott was revolutionising the industry, he remained at home here in South Australia.

Scott is a listener. It has allowed him to stay humble, focused and grounded. His outlook on life is also balanced with another highlydeveloped passion and skill set: growing grapes. It’s an even lesserknown talent he possesses, no doubt grown from his early days on the ‘fruit block’.

Scott’s vineyard thrives just up the road from his purpose-built Hackham manufacturing warehouse. As with his audio business, Scott’s viticultural prowess is effortless and world class, with several vintages selected – ‘classified’ – for SA’s iconic Penfold’s Grange.

The classic ‘Aussie’ adage of ‘getting in there and having a go’ also rings true of Scott’s story. The Krix speaker company employs future leaders of the industry, nurturing talented local engineers and giving hope to young inventors and providing a healthy environment for the arts and science to intersect. ‘We are essentially an engineering company, but we are proud to present other people’s art through ours,’ say Scott.

As we listen to music and movies through Scott’s speakers, or drink the wines his fruit has helped make, I can’t help but be struck by the fact that he does all this from his home on the Fleurieu. He embodies the spirit of living, working and creating in this place.

In 2024, as the Krix company celebrates 50 years, let’s raise a glass to acknowledge this humble, homegrown hero of innovation.

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Places we love Lessismore Farm

Above: Michelle and Dean Bagshaw.

THE EXPERIENCE Book one of the Lessismore farm experiences.

Make butter and damper from scratch and then enjoy it with a cuppa. During the school holidays you can book in to pet and feed the cows, goats, chickens and pigs. See if you can get Ginger, their Berkshire pig, to sit on-command. Or stay in the glamping tent tucked away in an exclusive valley with stunning views.

LOOK OUT FOR The 180 degree views. The barista made coffee and homemade everything. The pink piano is available for guests to play. AND the meat fridge for the best locally raised, biodynamic meat one can find.

Top: Take in the view … Bottom left: The Farm Shop – a warm and welcoming space. Middle right: Mango and Lexi – always there to greet you. Bottom right: The Berkshire piglets at feeding time. All images courtesy of Beau & Co Creative.

Have you ever taken the drive up Reservoir Road to the Myponga Reservoir on the south western Fleurieu? The views to the ocean and rolling landscape, dotted with cattle and sheep, are quite a delight.

The original shed at the farm has been refurbished by their daughter Chloe into the Farm Shop, acting as both a providore and cafe. The generous space is fitted out in cool whites and warm earth tones of caramel and peach.

When you ascend from the reservoir and onto Fork Tree Road, you have reached one of the highest points, before the road heads down to the ocean, with a spectacular vista looking northwest to Outer Harbour and Yorke Peninsula.

There are indoor and outdoor fireplaces, which are the perfect spots to pull up a chair and settle in. Alternatively you can take a table in the picture window and enjoy a selection of regional produce, order some of Dean’s slow-roasted lamb or treat yourself to a piled-high lamburger. Our tip is that the burger’s soon to be award-winning – we’re sure of it. Work off lunch with an hour-long, picturesque walk along the creek bed.

This idyllic location is where you will find Lessismore Farm. We drive the long, winding driveway onto the property and arrive at the Farm Shop, where we are happily greeted by farm dogs, Mango and Lexi, who are up for a game of fetch.

The working sheep and cattle farm is owned by Dean and Michelle Bagshaw, who are hosts of the good old-fashioned hospitality variety – always with a smile and offering an authentic paddock to plate experience.

There is so much to see, do and enjoy at Lessismore Farm. As Michelle says, it’s all about getting back to basics.

And all the while, Mango and Lexi wait patiently for us to throw the ball again.

Above: Best of regional ingredients, slow-cooked Lessismore Farm lamb and homemade dukkah.

DRINK The family is supporting local with Paxton’s biodynamic wines because, in the Bagshaws’ own words: ‘They have a great ethos and are trying to do something similar to us but with wine.’ Or have a G&T from Fleurieu Gin, sourced from the Bagshaws’ neighbour, Shane, on the adjoining property.

BEHIND THE SCENES The Bagshaws pride themselves on their low intervention methods when it comes to breeding pigs, cattle and lambs. It is really one of the lowest food mile purchases you will make this year. Less intervention equals healthy produce and more direct contact with their customers.

That’s Lessismore.

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The sparkling life of Katie Spain Story by Sam Marchetti. Photography by Ben Macmahon.

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Page left: Writer and celebrant, Katie, at her Hope Forest property rolling out her expansive and colourful wardrobe for a little bit of fun. Above: With scarves, hats and earrings to match!

You can’t merely peek inside Katie Spain’s wardrobe. It’s an experience that demands you have both eyes wide open, ready for an explosion of colour and unique fabulousness. To be clear, Katie’s isn’t an everyday closet, but rather racks and racks of treasured vintage clothing and accessories. ‘And there’s a shipping container out the back full of costumes too,’ confides Katie with glee.

Katie’s wardrobe speaks to her. Not just in an intuitive way, as her mood guides each outfit choice; with the results sometimes being likened to a futuristic bumble bee or astronaut. But the disco bodysuits, bright stockings, 1970s style skirts, high-block glittering heels, bright headscarves and statement earrings whisper their stories to Katie. ‘Every single piece of clothing that I have, particularly the vintage and op shop finds, has its own tale to tell,’ she says. ‘That’s why I love and can’t part with them.’ For this natural-born storyteller, award-winning journalist, author, and celebrant, being surrounded by this inspiration is invaluable.

Katie grew up on her family’s dairy farm in Meningie. ‘My childhood was basically Storm Boy, exploring the Coorong on motorbikes, going Bunyip hunting with Dad and his wild imagination, or just disappearing into my bedroom with a book for hours,’ Katie recalls. ‘Fashion was never on my radar. Mum used to hand-make all our outfits so that her four kids were all in matching clothing, which I thought was horrific at the time! But I do remember a pair of rainbow gumboots Mum bought me that I thought were it-and-a-bit.’

When Katie moved to Adelaide to attend high school, her grandfather Ron Spain, a jazz fanatic and radio presenter, ensured that Katie was surrounded by storytellers and introduced her to the world of live music and performing arts. This was when Katie’s own aesthetic began to emerge. ‘WOMADelaide, the Festival Centre and Adelaide Fringe were new worlds for me to explore,’ shares Katie.

Katie studied Communications in both Adelaide and Germany, before beginning her career in radio in London, where her passion for vintage op shops was also ignited. ‘I returned from London via Sydney because I thought coming back to South Australia was a step backwards,’ she says. ‘I was so wrong. Moving home was the best decision I ever made, and Adelaide Fringe played a huge part in that.

Nowhere else can replicate the energy The Fringe brings.’ Adelaide Fringe should also be credited with introducing Katie to edible glitter, which has become one of her key style ingredients. > 49

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Above: If it glitters it’s good. Katie wears many hats – and for her efforts won the Wine Communicators of Australia’s 2021 Wine Communicator of the Year award, and was the author of Bud Media’s The Wine Producers: Barossa and The Wine Producers: McLaren Vale, which won the 2022 award for Best Wine Books. To round off an exciting 2022, she was also named RMC’S Best Rural Journalist – Print.

During her career in print media, Katie has shared stories for numerous publications. ‘I’m happiest when I’m working across all aspects of a story, pulling all the pieces of the jigsaw together, the concept, visuals and words,’ she says. ‘I like to be able to have that kind of breadth in my work, whether writing about the treasured Adelaide Central Market or unearthing an unheard-of winemaker.’

As the wine industry evolved, Katie was one of the first women to be welcomed into the previously male-dominated world. ‘I enjoy talking to winemakers as they are generally farmers, and, just like Dad, they have a connection to the land,’ she says. ‘There’s an artistry to their work and a lot of them are quite eccentric.’ With 80 percent of her writing now focused on wine, drinks and food, Katie has recently been recognised as Australian Wine Communicator of the Year, author of Best Wine Book and Best Rural Journalist.

Katie’s knack for connecting with people has led her to become a thoughtful and empathic celebrant. ‘At either their happiest or saddest times, people trust me with personal elements of their and their loved one’s lives,’ she says. As well as feeling honoured to retell clients’ stories, Katie finds the current popularity of destination weddings serendipitous, as they also satisfy her itch to be on the road, discovering new people and their stories.

Named ambassador for the Fleurieu Food Festival this year, Katie is always proud to spruik the joys of the Fleurieu. ‘This is my chosen stomping ground,’ says Katie, ‘The food and beverage events in the Fleurieu Food Festival in August are even more reason to visit. There’s something for everyone: from the Strawberry Fair at Kuitpo Hall, farm tours, workshops, and long lunches at cellar doors and venues across the region. I love the sound of The Green Gourmet Vegetarian Winter Curry Feast Workshop, with all produce sourced from Fleurieu Peninsula growers and producers.’

Katie is considering the next chapter in her own story from her home in Hope Forest with her photographer partner Ben Macmahon. The strong feeling of community and friendship that they experience at local haunts, such as Willunga Farmers Market and Silver Sands Beach Club, binds them to the Fleurieu Peninsula.

Katie’s keeping an eye out for a new pair of rainbow rubber boots to keep at the back door of their farm, where she’s planning to plant a huge crop of sunflowers next to Ben’s dream vineyard. ‘We will definitely be building an outdoor dance floor with lots of mirror balls hanging from the gum trees,’ beams Katie. ‘I may not have been born wearing sparkles, but I’ll sure as hell die covered in them.’

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Visit Strathalbyn

A secret worth sharing Strathalbyn boasts equal parts charm and history with a generous helping of incredible local produce and wine, just 50 minutes from Adelaide. Unearth the quaint historic main streets, heritage buildings, boutique shops, delicious cafes and picturesque parklands on the banks of the River Angas.

Alexandrina Council has been undertaking the 8 Stage Strathalbyn Town Centre Revitalisation Project to reimagine the streetscape, transform the town, and draw people into this beautiful and much-loved township in the Alexandrina region.

Strathalbyn boasts two shopping precincts, and the project has made improvements to connect these spaces as well as upgrade the Town Hall, adding vibrancy and fostering community connection through shared open spaces, landscaping, and signage for both visitor information and historical significance.

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Above: Mel Hollick, owner of Peninsula Providore.

Everything in balance Story and recipe by Andrea Ball. Photography by Jason Porter.

Do you know that more of the olive oil consumed by Australians is imported than local? That extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) can be as diverse as wine in its flavour profiles? Or that cooking with Australian EVOO increases the nutritional benefits of vegetables?

The Australian olive oil industry is still in its infancy, and we’re only just beginning to appreciate the quality, flavour and health benefits of buying local EVOO – the highest grade of olive oil there is. We’re consuming just over two litres of olive oil per person each year, gradually using more EVOO rather than lesser grades of olive oil, and taking notice of where our oil comes from. And Mel Hollick, owner of Peninsula Providore, is ready to help us learn more.

In an industry where the majority of producers are older and male, Mel is a vibrant female force, leading by example in her use of more sustainable farming methods, while championing provenance, taste education and high standards. She takes on these important roles both as owner of her 17,000 tree olive orchards and as chair of Fleurieu Food, a member-based organisation representing local food producers and services.

Born into the Coonawarra’s Hollick Estates wine family, and trained as a winemaker, Mel moved to the Fleurieu and worked in wine marketing before purchasing her Currency Creek olive grove in 2015, and then her Nangkita olive grove in 2019. She saw producing olive oil as an opportunity to provide a nutrient-rich, health-driven food product.

Naturally curious and a determined problem-solver, Mel quickly applied principles she had learnt in grape growing to olives, focusing on soil health, and using regenerative pruning to change the architecture of trees and help smooth out their biennial yields (where you get high-yield crops one year followed by low-yield crops the next). Through a Smart Farms Small Grant, she is now conducting a composting trial using their olive mill waste. ‘All these steps are making a difference to the health of the soil, the trees, the olives, and the yields,’ explains Mel. ‘Everything in nature is about balance. It’s about working with Mother Nature and hoping that if you nurture her the right way, she will also look after you.’

Using this same balanced approach, Mel skilfully blends the brand’s three different styles of EVOO from the olives that are processed onsite within 24 hours of picking. Her Peninsula Providore Reserve is a greener, peppery style which she blends with the intent of winning gold medals, which she consistently does! Mel then blends the Peninsula Providore and milder Nangkita EVOO to suit customers’ palates.

The Willunga Farmers Market and her regular pop-up farm shop enable Mel to talk directly with customers explaining their growing, blending, OliveCare® certification, and how best to enjoy and use the brand’s oils, vinegars and accompaniments.

In 2022, as part of the inaugural Fleurieu Food Festival, Peninsula Providore hosted popular EVOO sensory sessions at the market, guiding people in recognising the varying flavours of different oils.

Mel sees these types of events as vital in promoting and protecting food production on the Fleurieu. ‘Our region’s oils are exquisite and unique,’ she says. ‘We are just beginning to scratch the surface of consumer awareness and we need more opportunities like these to excite people about using local produce.’

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Above: The Green Gourmet and Peninsula Providore will host tastings of this cake at Willunga Farmers Market on Saturday 1 July from 9.30am.

Upside-down olive oil gingerbread pear cake Showcasing Peninsula Providore’s mild Nangkita EVOO, as well as their Lemon EVOO and Chardonnay Vinegar, this warmly-spiced cake makes the perfect winter dessert.

Olive oil is ideal to use in baked treats in place of butter, helping them to stay moist and delicious for longer.

You can make the cake with almond meal for a gluten-free version with a more pudding-like texture, or with whole wheat sprouted flour for a lighter, cakier texture. Serve warm with a generous dollop of crème fraiche.

What you’ll need For the caramel pears 1 tablespoon unsalted butter 1 tablespoon Peninsula Providore Lemon EVOO 2 tablespoons coconut sugar Pinch of flaked salt 2-3 firm ripe pears, quartered and cored, each quarter sliced into 4 1 tablespoon Peninsula Providore Chardonnay Vinegar For the cake 2 cups (240g) Taronga Almonds Almond Meal OR 12/3 cups (210g) Pinnaroo Farms Sprouted Whole Wheat Flour* 1 tablespoon baking powder ½ teaspoon bicarbonate soda ½ teaspoon fine salt 1 tablespoon ground ginger 1 teaspoon cinnamon ½ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg ¼ teaspoon ground cloves ½ cup (100g/125ml) Nangkita EVOO 3 tablespoons (60g) molasses 4 Tablespoons (60g) golden syrup 1/3 cup (50g) coconut sugar ½ cup (120g) plain full fat Greek yoghurt

3 tablespoons (20g) grated fresh ginger 2 extra-large pasture-raised eggs 2 Tablespoons (30ml) milk – only if using sprouted whole wheat flour What to do Preheat your oven to 170°C (not fan). Brush a 23cm nonstick round springform pan with a little olive oil. Cut a square of baking paper 3cm larger than the base of your pan, place over the base and clip on the sides of the pan. This gives you a firm seal to prevent caramel leaking.

Start by making the caramel pears (yum!). Over medium heat, melt butter and lemon olive oil in a nonstick frying pan about the same size as your cake pan and large enough to hold pear slices in a single layer (depending on their size, you may need two or three pears). Evenly sprinkle over sugar and a pinch of flaky salt. Cook for a couple of minutes, without stirring.

Add pear slices and cook for 3-4 minutes on each side until golden, slightly softened, and they smell delicious. Add vinegar and cook for another minute. Set aside while you make the cake.

Place almond meal or flour in a large mixing bowl. Sift in baking powder and bicarb, then add the salt and ground spices. Whisk well to combine.

In a separate large bowl, use electric mixers to beat the EVOO and all the remaining ingredients until creamy – about 3 minutes.

Add wet ingredients to the dry mix; use a large metal spoon to gently combine.

Arrange caramelised pear slices decoratively over the base of your cake pan and drizzle over the caramel. Spoon cake batter over pears and smooth with a spatula.

Place pan on a baking tray to catch any drips; cook for 35-45 minutes, until a skewer comes out clean. The whole wheat flour version will cook more quickly than the almond meal version.

Cool on a wire rack for 30 minutes before carefully turning out onto a serving platter.

Store leftover cake in an airtight container and enjoy within a couple of days. *Pinnaroo Farms sprouted flours are available from Foodland and Drakes supermarkets.

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My style Chanelle Ockenden Landscape Designer

SHOP ‘We spend a lot of time at Port Elliot and Middleton because my husband surfs.’ Chanelle likes to browse shops like Daisy and Hen Boutique as well as South Seas Trading.

For plants Chanelle goes to McLaren Vale Natives for its great selection of grasses, as well as Morgan Park at Victor Harbor for its large selection of native plants. Chanelle favours westringia for its endless varieties, rosemary because it is hard to kill and myoporum parvifoleum for ground cover.

DRINK ‘We are just up the hill from Paxton’s so we go there and we can walk home.’

Chanelle visits Kicco, McLaren Vale every morning to get her coffee. ‘I love it because the coffee is good and they are super friendly.’

EAT ‘I do love the Currant Shed. The food is delicious and it feels like you’re sitting in a garden. I like to do the “feed me” and try things that I may not have otherwise,’ she says.

Above: A recent Husk Projects’ garden in McLaren Vale. Exterior lighting from We Ponder and the ‘Fairweather’ outdoor chair – some of Chanelle’s styling suggestions.

From the moment Chanelle Ockenden left school she was torn between her love of design and her desire to work with plants.

She initially enrolled in interior design at South Australia’s TAFE College for the Arts, but soon switched to floristry. After working in the industry for a while she began to miss the process of drawing and design and decided to combine her two passions to study a Diploma of Landscape Design.

Once she graduated there was no holding her back. ‘I literally finished the program and moved to Sydney the next week with my boyfriend Stuart,’ she says. Chanelle contacted all of the landscape designers she could think of and was hired at Adam Robinson Design.

Working on big-budget, high-end inner city projects was fertile ground for Chanelle and she quickly became a senior landscape stylist. ‘I would do a lot of the small balcony designs, where they were trying to fit a

lot into a small space, as well as smaller residential projects, choosing rugs, furniture, sculptures and pots to coordinate with plant selections,’ she says. ‘The creative environment was inspiring with the company winning awards, designing its own limited edition products and working on small, medium and large projects.’

Eventually though Chanelle and her now husband Stuart started to miss their family in South Australia, so they moved to the Fleurieu and bought their dream property in McLaren Vale.

Without skipping a beat Chanelle contacted local designers and architects she liked and Husk Projects was born, with Chanelle working on a range of projects, while juggling their young daughter Teddy.

Husk offers a contemporary design service focusing on native, hardy, low-maintenance and sustainable design solutions that reflect both the home and its owners.

Above:The Currant Shed.

Above: Chanelle’s regional restaurant favourite – The Currant Shed.

I LOVE As a newcomer Chanelle loves her new home.

‘You walk down the street and you always run into people, everyone is so friendly so it’s really nice. It’s cool because we have the best of both worlds; not far to surf, we can take the dog to Maslin Beach and then we can also go to a winery if we want so it’s really good.’

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River time

Story by Kate Washington. Photography by Jason Porter.

‘Relationships with country and people, like the river itself, are fluid and changing and can’t be rushed.’

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Page left: The Beechworth in all its splendour. This page top: The wheel room complete with lights sourced form an old airport runway and the wheel from a horsedrawn hay-rake circa 1878 – sourced from Strathalbyn. Bottom left: The ‘Homestead’ cast iron cooker with copper pots all a testament to the authenticity and quality in every detail of the boat. Right: River dog, Murray – living his best life.

Sitting around a fire on the banks of the Murray more than a decade ago, Jesse started sketching a paddle boat. He imagined how redesigning such a boat could transform the way he lived on the river. However it was ‘just a dream’, until he started chatting with his friend Robert O’Callaghan.

Robert admitted that he wouldn’t mind a paddle boat too, and just like that the pair became partners in building the Beechworth.

Describing a normal day on the Murray River, Jesse explains that The Beechworth travels at walking pace. He pulls up the modernised paddle boat where it ‘feels right’, sets a morning campfire to make breakfast, and stops for lunch … or not.

The leisurely pace means most days there’s no real plan. ‘We call it river time,’ he says. They travelled like that for about six months last year, clocking two and a half thousand kilometres. ‘Somebody’s gotta’ do it’, grins Jesse.

Watching the world go by suits Jesse. He immerses himself in the bush that cradles the meandering river. His early background in revegetation and love of bushwalking means he is as comfortable off the water as on it. This understanding of the bush serves as an effective navigation tool; by reading the riverbank shape and vegetation, Jesse can direct the boat through deep channels. It means he spends more time immersing himself in his environment, rather than looking down at charts.

Jesse has built many boats of all shapes and sizes. The Beechworth, his largest project to date, was built on Hindmarsh Island. He did most of it by himself, with friends dropping by to lend a hand. ‘It kept me out of the pub for a few weeks,’ he smiles. However, I later learned the total build took the best part of four years, working full-time.

‘Aesthetics were a huge part of it’ Jesse explains. The boat’s squareness is offset by its curved corners, that ‘weren’t so simple to build, but look good’. Materials were sourced with deep intention for their practicality, historical reference and aesthetic.

Jesse’s favourite features are the steering wheels adorning both decks. He wanted something with a bit of history and eventually found a matching set at Strathalbyn. They’re off a horse-drawn hay > 57

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Above: Custom-made … everything – mainly by Jesse but with other top craftsmanship in the kitchen by Andy Powell, dining chairs by Jan Saltet and all windows and doors made to spec by Tiana Joinery.

rake from 1878. One of the steering wheels has a dent, which Jesse affectionately explains he’s left ‘because it’s part of its story’. The workmanship of the boat and furniture is considered and reflects Jesse’s commitment to giving things the time they deserve.

The scale of this project is made all the more awe-inspiring with the knowledge that Jesse is self-taught. To call him a boatbuilder doesn’t properly reflect the skills he’s honed to construct The Beechworth.

‘It’s so many different trades; I’m a carpenter, an engineer, I’m an electrician, I’m a plumber, I’m a designer,’ he lists.

Building the hull was the first time he’d ever worked with steel. But as Jesse reflects, ‘I love the process. I love working it out’. This admission sheds light on why and how he took this project from a mere sketch to a reality.

Another influence was his love of the past. ‘I’ve always been fascinated by history,’ he says. Jesse partly attributes this to growing up in the historic gold mining town of Beechworth, Victoria, which lends the boat its name. He’s also travelled on historic paddle steamers, including the PS Oscar W, PS Ruby and PS Marion.

Reimagining a paddle steamer demonstrates Jesse’s deep respect for those boatmen and vessels that came before. He now travels the same routes they did but in a little bit more comfort and style. By keeping a little bit of the history travelling up and down the river today, Jesse and Robert pay homage to the important role these boats played in shaping the region.

Paddle steamers were designed to haul cargo, carry massive weight and be versatile. Redesigned, these characteristics also make

them easy to live on. The generous deck space and ample storage means you can flow easily between the campsite on the riverbank and the boat.

The Beechworth can cater to a large group of people, with spacious living areas on deck side and a second storey above, two bedrooms and a huge galley kitchen with all the mod cons. Not to mention, its skipper knows the river well, having travelled it for two decades.

Families, communities, and industry thrived as paddle steamers moved supplies up and down the Murray from the 1850s. Goolwa hosted ship building facilities and 37 paddle steamers were built between 1853 and 1913. They lost popularity with the increasing dependence on rail and road transport from the early 20th century.

But not everyone moved on.

You still find families whose ancestry dates to the original river traders and boat builders of the era. Jesse recounts that the river community is strong and nothing’s too much trouble. ‘People just want to help you,’ he smiles. ‘It’s just a beautiful vibe.’ A love of the river forges relationships today, in just the same way as it did in days gone by.

Jesse forms those bonds off river too, and he explains that customers are treated like family and all business is done on a handshake. Jesse builds trust and faith slowly, both with the people around him and the natural world in which he thrives.

To get to know something or someone deeply is to honour and respect them. ‘I’ve been travelling the river for 20 years,’ says Jesse.

‘You get to know it.’ Relationships with country and people, like the river itself, are fluid and changing and can’t be rushed. Perhaps we can all endeavour to live a little more by the river’s time.

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Unlimited experimentation Story by Petra de Mooy. Photography by Jason Porter.

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Page left: Artist Henny Van den Wildenberg with his work. Above: Siracusa self portrait in oil on canvas, 70cm x 50cm.

I meet 93 year-old artist Henny Van den Wildenberg at the Pages Flat property he shares with his wife and two sons.

The large property scales up steeply behind the home with gardens, sheds and studios surrounded by immense, ancient gum trees.

Each painting has a story. ‘One of the things I try to do that I think says everything is that I try to paint the wind,’ he says philosophically.

Henny describes his paintings as an exploration that helps him to answer a question. ‘I don’t want to know in words what it (the answer) is, but I walk the path of a painter, which helps me come closer to an understanding and I am (through painting) always exploring the next question.’ Henny’s current work is made all the more interesting by the fact that he suffers from age-related macular degeneration, which has left him with only his peripheral vision.

There is one particular tree on the property that Henny regards deeply.

He has painted it countless times – as a study of colour, but also as a way to immerse himself in nature. ‘I walk there when it is still dark and at that time you cannot see colour and I try to paint it, but when the light comes you can get an enormous variety (of colours),’ he says. ‘It is awe-inspiring and the tree, in a way, becomes your master.’

Henny’s career as an artist began in post-war Netherlands, where he attended college, studying art and industrial design complemented by learning to become a teacher.

We walk up a short hill to the top floor of a lined and converted shedcome-office / gallery. Abstract landscapes of vivid colour sit alongside portraits. One study of Australian actor David Gulpilil was born from Henny’s deep respect for Australia’s first people. ‘These people were here 60,000 years before us,’ he says. ‘Imagine, I try to get closer to them via my paintings.’ Another painting is an attempt to capture the rich hues of a change in weather over Kangaroo Island. Another of a moor was formed from a memory of a night spent in a folkloric Dutch landscape.

Henny left college and began his career at the Philips Electronics Company in the Lighting Service Bureau. A highlight of that time was the collaboration between Philips and French architect Le Corbusier for the 1958 World Expo. There Henny worked as part of a large team to design the electronics and lighting for the Philips Pavilion, which housed a slideshow designed specifically for the high-tech space.

‘I worked with them for a year on that building and that was a real privilege,’ he says.

Henny moved with his young family to Australia in the 1960s, where he worked as a house painter, rather than pursuing his skill as an artist and industrial designer. However, one of his clients came to him and said they were looking for an industrial design teacher at the >

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Top left: More with less; oil on canvas, image in two colours. 120cm x 120cm. Top right: Life drawing in oil on canvas. 110cm x 70cm. Bottom left: Life drawing in oil on canvas. 80cm x 60cm. Bottom right: Smart phone to oil on canvas. 75cm x 55cm.

National Arts School in Sydney. Henny applied and got the job on the proviso that he become an Australian citizen.

When Henny’s wife became pregnant with their third child, the family moved back to the Netherlands to take advantage of better healthcare available to women during birth and postpartum, but the family eventually felt a deep desire to move back to Australia. Henny applied for a teaching job at a college in South Australia and they migrated again – this time for good.

Our meandering conversation touches on his early days living in rural Netherlands, to his family’s time under German occupation during World War II, when his family formed part of the Dutch Resistance. We talk about his teaching life, his children, health, philosophy, the family’s eventual move further south to the Fleurieu. We reflect on how many stories one has at 93 years of age. We even touch on religion and politics. Far too many thoughts and stories for one short editorial to be sure, but through all of these moves, family life, a teaching career and retirement – creating art has been a constant.

Henny asks if I’d like to see the painting studio. We walk up the hill to a small shed, which sits under the shadow of a giant old gum tree

where birds arrive morning and early evening and owls and possums visit at night. Henny reflects on his desire to be at one with nature – to live immersed in it and be a part of it. The studio includes an open air painting area with easels on wheels, as well as a larger storage area for his collection of art supplies and paintings.

The storage area is only large enough to hold a small number of Henny’s prolific work and is carefully organised into abstracts, landscapes, self-portraits and life drawings. He describes in detail the concepts of each painting but also appreciates the lighter side of life – referring often to his joie de vivre. ‘I really like the French idea of enjoyment in life,’ he says.

On my two visits, and over the phone, Henny reiterates his existential ideals (the philosophical belief that each of us individually is responsible for creating purpose or meaning in our lives). ‘Life is so short,’ Henny says. ‘You have to enjoy everything.

Henny will be exhibiting his work at the Fleurieu Arthouse as part of SALA in August this year. Come and meet Henny at the opening from 2-4 pm on July 29.

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Coastal calm Story by Kate Le Gallez. Photography by Jason Porter.

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Page left and above: A compact beach house design that ticks all of the boxes, expertly crafted by Southern Ocean Building and Consulting, resplendent with established gardens of hardy natives and softened by grasses.

When we stay in a beach house – whether as a regular weekender or a once-a-year visitor – we’re not just visiting a location, we’re seeking a different way of life.

Often what we’re looking for in that life is greater simplicity. A taste of life where the daily rigmarole is only a low hum in the background, or – best of all – one where it fades away altogether.

For many years, Australians found that life in the shacks that popped up along the southern coast. Asbestos sheets were nailed onto timber frames, with a few small windows cut in and not much else.

While many mourn the loss of the classic shack, most had little to recommend their continued existence, other than rose-tinted nostalgia.

Such was the case for a little 100 square-metre shack on the beachfront in Carrickalinga. Nothing could be done to save or extend it, given what we now know about that particular cement sheeting.

What the owners, together with their architect and builder, have created in its place offers a modern take on Australia’s cherished beach house vernacular and a seamless escape from the everyday.

When the owners were looking for their site, top of the list was a view.

And not just any view – they’d previously enjoyed visiting their family beach house overlooking Rapid Head near Carrickalinga’s south bay and they wanted that same experience for their own place. Having found a site, the brief to the architect, Williams Burton Leopardi (WBL), was succinct: a no-fuss beach house built around that view.

In architecture and construction, words such as ‘no-fuss’ and ‘simple’ are like wolves in sheep’s clothing. Anyone with a passing interest in design knows that simplicity is only achieved through careful planning, masterful craft and clear communication between owner, architect and builder. Simple done well is so seamless it’s often felt only through the experience of the space.

This paradox was exactly what drew Dale Spencer of Southern Ocean Building and Consulting to the project. ‘They [WBL] really pare it back to creating beautiful spaces without it being overdone. That building, the way it presented on paper, had that feel about it,’ says Dale.

‘There’s a lot of small details that took a lot of planning to get right from the very start that probably go unnoticed. But if they weren’t done right they would stand out tremendously.’

A lot of that planning started with site meetings and with the collaborative working relationship that Dale’s team enjoys with WBL, both on this project and others since. ‘When they’re designing it, > 65

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Page left top left: The generous entryway with its wraparound stair well features artwork by Normanville local Andrew Munn. Top right: The solid wood dining table is beautifully contrasted with a light pink polymer chair. Artwork ‘Cornflower’ is oil on canvas courtesy of Joanna Poulson and available through The Strand Gallery, Port Elliot. Bottom: The generous kitchen bench with enough seating for the whole family plus guests. See page 106 for accessory and artwork sources. This page: The colourful downstairs family room with views to the west. Vintage and rustic finds are coupled with clean and modern styling.

they’ve got these ideas in their heads and it’s just about making sure we can extract that from them to make sure we interpret the drawings the way they intended,’ he says.

The resulting house is a generous, welcoming space that emphasises shared spaces and utility, in a way that’s pared-back but never cold.

The upstairs floor plan makes full use of the magnificent view with floor-to-ceiling and wall-to-wall windows overlooking Rapid Head and, come evening, allowing full enjoyment of the sunset.

The design subtly plays with the view, with the large dining table set in a small funnel that projects your view line in a different direction.

It’s Dale’s favourite element of the design. ‘The best thing about the ocean is where it meets the land. Your view is naturally taken towards Rapid Head, but being in that dining room, it directs you straight out to sea,’ he explains.

The kitchen too, with its luxuriously expansive island bench, overlooks the sea, so that cooks and dish-washers don’t miss out. The joinery

by Gawler Custom Cabinetry introduces a distinctly Scandinavian > 67

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Page left top: The living room and bedroom feature the family’s modern furnishings complemented with their eclectic collection of art and artefact, punctuated with pops of colour. This page: The dining area draws you into the sweeping view of the ocean.

flavour with open shelving and oak accents. It also reveals one of the house’s secrets – that the kitchen really is the heart of the home, or in this case, the beach house. Dale explains that the roof framing was entirely set up around the joinery. In effect – the design required the builders to think from the inside, out.

The overall result is that from design through to execution, this is a house made for people to come together. Whether on the spottedgum deck on a summer evening, in the cosy upstairs lounge with the winter-ready fireplace, or the downstairs family room with a picture

window out to the front garden, living spaces are front and centre. The bedrooms, in contrast, sit at the back of the house. Aside from the master bedroom, the vibe is dorm-like with two double bunk rooms.

They contain the necessities – a place to sleep and a place to put your belongings – but the message is clear: we’re here to spend time together, not hang out in bedrooms.

Likewise the bathrooms, which are beautifully finished but set up for maximum functionality. The laundry treats the person tasked with putting on the washing to a small flourish – a lovely view out to the > 69

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Top left: A laundry room with a view – chores are all the more inviting with rooms like this. Top right: We love the oversized drawer handles and pared back aesthetic of the bathroom. Bottom: The Shadowclad plywood cladding still wears its dark stain well, almost four years after the building was completed in 2019 (no mean feat in this exposed location).

back garden. Because even in a beach house there are still chores to be done, but why not make them as effortless and enjoyable as possible? The great banks of built-in storage also add to the overall ease of life here.

mean feat in this exposed location). The house has well and truly settled into its hillside site and the garden, full of hardy shrubs like westringia and euphorbia, interspersed with mellow grasses and gravel paths, is well established.

The colour palette is minimalist, but warmed by wide-planked European oak floorboards throughout. It’s a blank slate for the owners’ collection of art and furniture, including pieces by Normanville artist Andrew Munn in among more colourful selections.

Swinging beneath the front deck is an enormous hanging chair, easily big enough for two or three people to relax in. A road-side find, it’s emblematic of the experience this house offers. Never precious and always comfortable and inviting, it’s a new vision of beach house living. Modern, sociable, and as easy and free as the simple joy of swinging to-and-fro, legs trailing in the breeze.

Outside, the Shadowclad plywood cladding still wears its dark stain well almost four years after the building was completed in 2019 (no 70

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Weekends away Photography and styling: Jodi Nash. Hair and make-up: Aura by Shara.

Model: Sarah Davies. Clothing courtesy of I am Tall Poppy · Morocco by Mish Miss Gladys on Sea · Gorgeous Soles

Experience the region with a sky-high scenic flight in the Waco biplane at Adelaide Biplanes, Aldinga.

Clothing courtesy of I am Tall Poppy, Willunga.

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Winter is the perfect time for a cosy and atmospheric getaway in the McLaren Vale wine region. Each of these stunning locations will warm your heart and your mind, and all offer adventure and tastings that need to be experienced first-hand.

All aboard for an open cockpit flight over the spectacular coastal and rural surrounds of the region.

Clothing courtesy of Miss Gladys on Sea, Aldinga. Boots courtesy of Gorgeous Soles, McLaren Vale.

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Sample the delicious culinary delights on offer at Singapore Circus in the d’Arenberg Cube, McLaren Vale.Clothing courtesy of Miss Gladys on Sea, Aldinga.

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Enjoy the eclectic art and collections on each of the five levels at the d’Arenberg Cube.

Clothing courtesy of Morocco by Mish, Aldinga. Boots from Miss Gladys on Sea.

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At Berg Herring, Sellicks Beach wander the beautifully curated gardens complete with wine barrel tasting pods!

Clothing courtesy of Gorgeous Soles, McLaren Vale.

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Enjoy the warmth and styling of the converted 1862 church at Berg Herring, Sellicks Beach.

Clothing courtesy of Miss Gladys on Sea, Aldinga.

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At Hither & Yon, Willunga, Experience the innovative label and award-winning wines of this well loved brand.

Clothing courtesy of Gorgeous Soles, McLaren Vale.

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Lots of indoor and outdoor spaces to be experienced at Hither & Yon. Clothing courtesy of I am Tall Poppy, Willunga.

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Launch your weekend away from the modernist styling of Ukiyo House, Port Willunga.

Clothing courtesy of Miss Gladys on Sea, Aldinga.

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Located a stone’s throw from the ocean and overlooking a reserve – experience the five-star luxury of Ukiyo House. Clothing courtesy of Morocco by Mish, Aldinga.

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FOOD & WINE

Drinkability Wine reviews by Nick Stock

The Fleurieu is blessed with so many great cellar doors and tasting rooms with such a wide variety of tastes and winter is prime time to discover new winemakers and get amongst the region’s best wines.

There is no substitute for first-hand tasting, detailed explanations and off-the-cuff anecdotes, and you will often be pleasantly surprised with an extra taste of this, or a sneak preview of that.

From there, hone in on the styles you most enjoy and you’ll be certain to leave with a new discovery and a bottle or two of something you absolutely love. You’ll go on to share both the wine and your experience. The best tasting rooms and cellar doors are much like the best restaurants; they have the best staff, a great story, a beautiful setting and a unique set of flavours. All the things that keep you coming back for more!

Olivers Taranga Family values are at the forefront here and the wines find a clever intersection of current tastes and prime vineyard holdings. The cellar door experience is such a carefully curated one, where you’re focused on the tastings and carefully steered along by well-informed, genuine hosts.

Hugh Hamilton With a deep history of family winemaking, Hugh Hamilton has explored conventional varieties and lesser-known grapes with a bold and playful style. The cellar door is a stunning elevated room with a panoramic outlook. Tastings are a real adventure here and they carefully cultivate your curiosity.

Yangarra Yangarra’s recent addition of a world-class tasting room brings this winery’s presence in the region to the top tier. The wines have long

been at the very forefront of quality and now there’s a tasting room to match. Yangarra is widely recognised as one of Australia’s preeminent producers of grenache and is fast becoming known for its polished textural whites.

Yangarra Ovitelli Blanc 2021 A blend of varieties that are native to France’s Rhône Valley and fermented in ceramic egg-shaped vessels. The result is a smoothly textural white that has real depth and fluid fruit flesh. Orchard fruits like peach and pear, some lemon too. This is the kind of white that really suits more wintry, cosy dishes.

Yangarra Grenache Ovitelli 2021 This is prime old vine grenache, also fermented in ceramic fermenters shaped like giant eggs. These give a distinctive textural quality of silkiness as well as preserving pristine red fruit aromas and flavours. A showcase of impeccable fruit quality in an exceptional vintage.

Yangarra Grenache Hickinbotham 2021 This is a fresh grenache from this elevated vineyard with old bush vines. Super bright red berry fruits like raspberry on offer with blood orange and pomegranate. The palate follows in the same stream of red berries et al and the bright, elegant and seamless feel is a real highlight. Distinctive and vivid grenache.

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Today’s best wine tasting experiences are more immersive and more thoughtfully curated, with wineries differentiating themselves with their own unique flavour of experience as much as their own unique flavour in the glass. Wine tasting has never been this interesting, engaging and adventurous.

The best approach is to find out what each producer does really well and tap into their passions and pursuits. So often visitors go to a cellar door asking for their favourite variety, but the best way to discover and explore is to park your preferences and let the producers showcase their work and uncover their best wines.

Yangarra Shiraz Kings Wood 2021 A rich and impressive shiraz that has been matured in large oak vats, which is a distinctive style that a number of McLaren Vale producers are focusing on. The large vats caress that suppleness of shiraz that is a hallmark of the regional style, pushing ripe black and dark berry fruits to the fore. Bold yet polished, this is certainly impressive.

Oliver’s Taranga Vineyards Fiano 2022 This fleshy, exuberant white is packed with stone fruits like peach and nectarine, as well as white flowers and some yellow citrus notes. It has smoothly layered texture and carries the right level of refreshment to make it so more-ishly attractive. Fiano done right, this is one of Australia’s very best!

Oliver’s Taranga Vineyards Grenache 2022 A bright raspberry-focused grenache that offers hints of darker berries too. Upbeat, vibrant and fruit-focused, this is a ringing endorsement of vineyard-derived style and quality, real wine of place. It has such a drinkable style and effortless appeal.

Oliver’s Taranga Vineyards Mencia 2022 This Spanish red grape has landed on its feet in McLaren Vale, serving up a peppery array of ripe dark berry and blood plum fruits, hints of white pepper and fragrant savoury spices. Deep flavours are

delivered in a supple, pliable mouthfeel. There’s a fluidity that really appeals here and fruits are super fresh.

Oliver’s Taranga Vineyards Shiraz 2020 A strong card in the Oliver family’s hand, this shiraz is ever-consistent and plays right into the sweet spot of the region. Rich red and dark fruits like plum, blackberry and boysenberry abound here, some chocolate and liquorice too. So smoothly rich and undeniably drinkable, this is a wine you can take absolutely everywhere.

Hugh Hamilton Agent Provocateur 2022 A wine that really embodies the confidence and playfulness of Hugh Hamilton, this is a blend of grenache and touriga with two aromatic white varieties being frontignac and gewürztraminer. The result is an agile and softly fleshy red that casts raspberry and strawberry alongside more exotic fruits like lychee and rambutan into a deliciously fruit-focused style.

Hugh Hamilton Saperavi 2019 A variety whose home is Georgia (of the former Soviet Republic) and one that is rarely seen in Australia, yet it has found a home in McLaren Vale. It has a deeply rich crushed blackberry and dark plum fruit core with liquorice, rich earthy characters and a bold, assertive mouthfeel. Big flavours here.

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Above: Markus Bucy with one of a fleet of Disaster Relief vehicles on King’s Hill, Willunga.

An army of volunteers Story by Emma Masters.

When Markus Bucy emigrated from America with his pregnant wife and began volunteering to connect with the local community, he never imagined it would lead him to launching a charity that helps Australians recover from natural disasters.

More than a decade after the couple decided to call South Australia and eventually the Fleurieu Peninsula home, Disaster Relief Australia has attracted a workforce of over 2,500 volunteers.

With disaster relief teams based around the nation, the charity focuses on harnessing the skills of military veterans, engaging a group that is all too often positioned as traumatised and broken.

‘While there are people who are affected by their time in defence, it’s not always people’s experience. It wasn’t mine in the US military,’ Markus explains. ‘We need to be careful not to victimise veterans.

Importantly, many have a sense of service and want to become part of a community, and we’ve shown they’re actually really good working in disaster relief because they can repurpose all of their skills and experience.’

Markus started percolating the idea for the charity in 2014. The idea continued to grow, even as he worked late into the night after his day job, all the while juggling a new life in a new country with a new baby.

Markus’ intuition that the idea could work is what kept him going. ‘It’s not often you come across an idea that makes perfect sense; you take military veterans, repurpose their skills to do disaster relief and you’re helping the veterans and helping the community,’ he says. ‘I didn’t know anybody here, I had no political capital, but I was able to gather a few other people around me that could help make it happen.’

The small team was originally focused on international disaster response, but Cyclone Debbie in far north Queensland made the members realise there was also work to be done domestically. ‘We had a unique ability to take a military methodology about how we plan and execute our activities,’ Markus says. ‘We can go into a disaster-struck community, understand what the recovery needs are,

and adapt our operating model to work with individual communities to help them get back on the ground.’ Then the devastating Black Saturday bushfires hit.

‘Often due to the trauma of losing an entire property, people just don’t know where to start and we find the most important work we do is giving people a sense of hope by just coming in and doing enough to help them get started,’ he says. ‘It’s a really powerful change to see happen.’

With climate change increasing the threat of major disasters, the Federal Government has recognised the important role Disaster Relief Australia has been playing, and is in the process of committing $38.3 million in funds over four years to help the charity mobilise its veteran-led army of volunteers.

Compared to the mere thousands the organisation raised in its first year, the support of multi-million dollar funding is testament to its work in the field. ‘We can help take the pressure off the Australian Defence Force and we can work collaboratively with it, because we speak a common language and apply similar methodologies,’ Markus says.

But Markus’ story doesn’t stop there. After undertaking the Fleurieu Future Leaders course led by Charles and Janice Manning, Markus was introduced to the head of the Australian Institute of Machine Learning at the University of Adelaide.

They’ve since teamed up on building an artificial intelligence algorithm to do rapid damage assessments with drones and aerial imagery. ‘If we can develop a proprietary algorithm, that’s a sovereign capability for Australia that will have a profound impact on assessing damage of large-scale disasters,’ says Markus. ‘It’s a research project right now and these things don’t happen overnight, but it’s potentially an incredibly exciting outcome.’

But the greatest achievement for Markus is the opportunity to make a difference in the country he now calls home. ‘As an immigrant coming here, and having a sense of service myself, to be able to give back to a place that’s now my home and my family’s home, it’s an incredibly wonderful feeling,’ he says.

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Year 7, 2024: Enrolment Now Open Secure your place for 2024 and discover all that Investigator College has to offer – join us on an upcoming tour of our beautiful Victor Harbor Campus!

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Faces and places Brenton Lush – Fifth-generation sheep and cattle farmer.

Photograph by Jason Porter – on the Lush family property at Inman Valley.

‘My great-great-grandfather took up a block of land here in 1843,’ says Brenton. After studying Agricultural Science at the University of Adelaide, Brenton intended to get a ‘real job’, but his father and uncle (who were in their 60s at the time) needed him to come back to the farm to ‘run up and down the hills’. The day we meet Brenton and his wife Jo, they’re shearing some of the rams from their flock of 2000 ewes in preparation for sale.The physical work of farming is evident in every corner of the shearing shed and is an accepted part of farming life.

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Winter warmers

Take a scenic drive. Grab a coffee or do a wine-tasting. Fancy a stroll on a stormy beach?

Make a weekend of it. There is so much to see and do in our beautifully wintery Fleurieu region – all complemented by unique accommodations in idyllic settings.

BERG HERRING

HITHER & YON

LAPITO HOUSE

Nestled in an old church with sweeping views of Sellicks Beach, Berg Herring is a cellar door you will not want to miss on your drive south.

The owners Sam and Chloe are as warm and inviting as the grand bar that greets you upon entry. You can sit on the lawn around fire pits sipping on their small batch McLaren Vale wines as you watch the storms roll in over the ocean, or snag a cozy spot in one of their unique wine barrel pods. Great wine, great service, and truly a hidden local gem. bergherringwines.com.au

Originally a butcher’s shop built in the 1860s, this cellar door still retains its local slate flooring and limestone walls. A favourite on High Street in Willunga, Hither and Yon offers the perfect winter hideaway. An adventurous and bold label, you can taste wine amongst stacks of books and the smooth sounds of vinyl. The staff are knowledgeable and great company.

Cheese platters or gourmet food from next door are on offer, so visitors can sit back and relax with wines by the glass after grazing at the Willunga Farmers Market or perusing the local shops. hitherandyon.com.au

Set on 116 acres, this stunning estate is nestled between the Myponga Reservoir and Heysen Trail. Lapito House is a contemporary renovation of an old stone farmhouse, offering all of the comforts of luxury, whilst being fully immersed in the peace and tranquility of a stunning natural setting. Bring your dogs, bring the family and enjoy a deep breath of fresh country air. lapitohouse.com.au

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Page left: The views from the gardens at Berg Herring Wines. Top left: Vineyard views and rooms bathed in natural light at Miravino. Enjoy Lapito House on this exclusive Myponga property with rolling green hills surrounding. Right: Enjoy the modern five star location that is Ukiyo House.

MIRAVINO

TANGERINE DREAM

UKIYO HOUSE

Set on 1.3 acres of exhibition garden and featuring an outdoor hot tub that offers breathtaking winery views, this property is the perfect destination for your next getaway. With an open plan living area and three bedrooms, each with vineyard views, Miravino is the ideal place to unwind and reconnect. Miravino is within walking distance, or a short drive to a number of the region’s world-class cellar doors, so you can explore the best of what McLaren Vale has to offer, and then retreat back to total comfort. Book your stay and experience the tranquility of Miravino. miravino.com.au

Tangerine Dream is a 70s inspired surf shack and nature retreat located in the iconic Deep Creek National Park. The shack is nestled in secluded bushland, amongst yaccas, fresh air and clear skies. There you can spin some vinyl, take an outdoor bath or in the cooler months sit around an open fire and listen to the soothing sounds of nature. A short drive to blowhole beach, this little gem is truly the quintessential bush shack. Thoughtfully curated and a romantic and peaceful getaway, Tangerine Dream transports you to a simpler time. airbnb.com/h/tangerinedreamdeepcreek

Ukiyo House is a luxury accommodation offering located in Port Willunga. A hideout that feels worlds away from the doldrums of the everyday, the property has been designed with deep thoughtfulness to calm minds and excite sensibilities. Ukiyo House is just a stones throw from the ocean and offers an escape like no other. Seeking to nourish weary souls the very best furnishings, art and appliances have been selected to enrich every moment at Ukiyo House; Japanese ceramics, Italian kitchenware, vintage Danish furniture, Indian antiques and Australian artwork. ukiyo.house 91

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Fleurieu Food Festival 2023 Throughout August at various locations and venues across the Fleurieu

The Fleurieu Peninsula will come alive this August, with the return of the Fleurieu Food Festival. Now in its second year, the festival celebrates the best of our region with a month-long culinary festival.

From cafes and restaurants to farms and wineries, the festival program showcases the breadth and depth of the region’s producers and is set to delight both locals and visitors alike.

Wine writer and festival ambassador Katie Spain is proud to be showcasing her favourite part of South Australia. ‘Am I biased? Of course I am,’ she laughs. ‘This is my chosen stomping ground for a reason. I spend my days spruiking the joys of the Fleurieu and this event is even more reason to visit.’

Katie says the program of food and beverage events will showcase some of the best produce South Australia has to offer. ‘There’s something for everyone; from the Strawberry Fair at Kuitpo Hall, farm tours, workshops held at Willunga Farmers Market, and long lunches at cellar doors and venues across the region,’ she says.

The Fleurieu Food Festival promises an expansive program of fine dining in vineyards or olive groves, foraging experiences, farm tours, and cooking classes.

Visitors and locals can also visit the multi-award-winning Willunga Farmers Market throughout the month of August for special presentations and workshops.

Enchanted Feast of Flavours at Red Poles McLaren Vale In celebration of the Fleurieu Food Festival, Red Poles, Full Circle Spirits, and Rose Kentish Wines have collaborated to create the ‘Enchanted Feast of Flavours’. Held at Red Poles in Mclaren Vale, these five-course, long lunches will showcase the finest offerings of the Fleurieu.

This exciting collaboration brings together small-batch artisanal spirits from Full Circle Spirits, wines by Rose Kentish Wines, and a delectable menu by Red Poles’ head chef Travis Jeremiah.

By using locally-sourced ingredients and sharing the stories of the producers who cultivate them, the event hopes to inspire a deeper connection with the earth and a greater appreciation for the transformational power of nature.

Fleurieu Food Festival at Woodburn Homestead Langhorne Creek An exclusive dining experience at Woodburn Homestead at Langhorne Creek is an event not to be missed.

Held under the twinkling lights of a beautiful marquee and styled

by Fig Tree Weddings & Events, this event is set to be a visually stunning celebration of gourmet Fleurieu produce.

Those lucky enough to nab a ticket will be treated to a delectable three-course menu designed and served by award-winning caterer Cindy’s Classic Gourmet.

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Left to right above: Don’t miss Plated Provenance at Peninsula Providore, Cooking Experience with Anita Robin from Foodbuilder, Strawberry Fair at Kuitpo Hall, Enchanted Feast of Flavours at Red Poles or the exclusive Fleurieu Food Festival dining experience at Woodburn Homestead.

Plated Provenance at Peninsula Providore Tooperang Join Peninsula Providore and Precious Little Wines for a regional produce-inspired, long lunch at the Nangkita Olive Grove.

Olive oil producer Mel Hollick and chef Tom Tilbury will take guests through a seasonally-inspired, local-produce menu, complemented by a curated wine selection from Precious Little Wines.

Strawberry Fair at Kuitpo Hall Kuitpo This family-friendly event is set to serve as the official launch of Kuitpo Brewing’s Strawberry Seltzer Naughty Water.

A free event, the Strawberry Fair will feature live music and a traditional fairground vibe.

Vegetarian Winter Curry Feast Workshop Willunga On a chilly winter’s day, there is nothing quite like a curry to warm the soul. The Vegetarian Winter Curry Feast Workshop takes attendees on a spice journey across Asia, as you learn to cook a variety of curries, dhal, and Indian flatbread.

All ingredients used in the workshop will be sourced from Fleurieu Peninsula growers, producers, and suppliers, with fresh produce sourced exclusively from Willunga Farmers Market.

And like all Green Gourmet workshops, the afternoon will end with a deliciously healthy sweet treat.

Cooking Experience with Anita Robin from Foodbuilder Goolwa Various dates during August A passionate chef and educator, Swiss-born chef, Anita hosts cooking classes with a focus on sustainability and local produce.

As part of the Fleurieu Food Festival, Anita will be hosting several classes, teaching everything from vegetarian cooking, to bread making, to fine dining.

Feather & Peck Winbirra Farm Tours Willunga South Various dates throughout August Join this tour and don your rubber boots to discover exactly how ethical, pasture-raised eggs are produced. Meet the farmers, the hens, and the guardian Maremma dogs. The tour includes a light afternoon tea around an open fire. Suitable for all ages.

Strath Neighbourhood Centre Food & Friendship Lunch Strathalbyn The Strath Neighbourhood Centre will be opening its doors and giving guests a glimpse at the work they do for the community.

The lunch offers attendees the chance to experience the Food & Friendship program run by the Neighbourhood Centre and will raise funds to continue this and other programs.

For ticket and dates, and times please go to: fleurieufoodfestival.com

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ALUMNI JOURNEY

As a young person, finding your place in the world can often feel like putting a square peg in a round hole. But 22-year-old Willunga woman Pierah Summers has found her purpose early, in filmmaking.

On track

Story by Zoë Kassiotis. Photograph by Jason Porter.

From her Year 12 photography project at Willunga Waldorf School and working on the set of the first Netflix production commissioned in South Australia, to enjoying a Bachelor of Creative Arts (Screen) at Flinders University and a recent Fleurieu Film Festival win, Pierah feels destined for big screen greatness.

As we chat over a cuppa at the creative hub that is Goodness Coffee Co. in Aldinga, Pierah tells me that finding her ‘thing’ at such an early age has a lot to do with the nurturing education she received.

‘Waldorf encouraged me to eventually go into film because I didn’t have that pressure to be looking for a career. Rather, I could try my hand at everything and find out what I actually liked,’ she says, looking effortlessly cool in a sparkly green top and jade earrings.

With her distinctive creative swagger and powerful drive, Pierah’s journey in film began with school photography. There, she first saw the connection between photography and filmmaking as vehicles for creative storytelling, ‘the lens’ being the thread that tied them together.

After a stint studying Architecture at university, Pierah realised the degree wasn’t satisfying her creatively and decided to reevaluate.

She said her mum’s support to pursue her artistic dreams made the choice easier.

A pivotal opportunity presented itself through a local connection. ‘I had a bit of time off between Architecture and Film Studies, and that was when I worked on a TV show called Gymnastics Academy. [It] was an amazing opportunity to get into the industry and realise that I loved being on set,’ she says.

a department of four people. I was mainly shopping, helping out on set and meeting people, but my time in that world helped me make up my mind.’

Inspired, Pierah is now immersed in her Flinders screen studies degree. ‘I originally got into film without thoughts of “beautiful images”.

But through the [filmmaking] process I’ve been realising how much change it can really make in the world.’

In terms of blazing her own trail, Pierah says she draws her style from ‘coming-of-age, real-life drama and real problems’. That, and always having a touch of green in the frame.

‘I just really love green!’ she smiles, gesturing towards her shimmering top. ‘I think growing up in Willunga has had a lot to do with that.

Everywhere around my house is green, which I love, because it means “nature”.’

Already making big waves, Pierah won Best Production Designer for Picture Perfect at this year’s Fleurieu Film Festival – well deserved after working on three of the 15 films in different roles, including assistant camera for In the Present.

While Pierah aspires to become a director of photography, like many young creatives she is paying her dues, currently working as second assistant camera while navigating film industry hierarchy and politics.

‘Film is a big vehicle for change and a lot of people don’t realise that,’ she says with a fire burning in her eyes.

‘I don’t like the way the media portrays women in terms of body image,’ she continues. ‘I’ve always felt frustrated and wondered why they can’t just put people in there who actually look like us.’

Pierah’s drive clearly has purpose and depth. Her passion for creating projects that reflect a well-rounded representation of gender and identity will undoubtedly catapult her through the years ahead.

‘My mum knew the woman in costume through the Waldorf community. She wanted to get me there to see what it was all about,’ recalls Pierah. It was also a shining example of that renowned Waldorf encouragement: to give things a go without being an expert.

‘If I’m not working on projects that reflect my beliefs, the plan is to split off and do my own thing so I can make change that way,’ she states matter-of-factly.

This South Australian Netflix production turned out to be the compass that set Pierah on her course. ‘I was a costume assistant in

‘It’s exciting because I have the motivation behind why I want to do this. [Film is] fun and it’s pretty, yes. But it’s also important, and that’s the driving force for me.’

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Above: Filmmaker Pierah Summers in Kuitpo Forest.

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LOCAL PEOPLE, PLACES & THINGS

We love

A fine assortment of places and products made and owned right here on the Fleurieu that our team absolutely loves!

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Farm Fresh Full Cream Milk & it’s Lactose Free!

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100% South Australian owned & operated

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fleurieumilkco.com.au

01. Scarpantoni Wines A well-known McLaren Vale label, this winery is very much a family business with every step of production, from viticulture to the packaged product, done entirely on the premises. Established in 1958, Scarpantoni wines are and always have been, classically McLaren Vale in style. Our staff pick is the 2017 cabernet sauvignon. 02. Limon Can be enjoyed ice cold or in a vibrant spritz or cocktail. Inspired by a trip to Italy, this smooth, zesty limoncello liqueur will transport you straight to the Amalfi Coast where the sun shines, the water glistens and the drinks are more than refreshing; they’re a feeling. Proudly produced locally, Limon is available in some of the best SA restaurants and online. 03. Raw Bulk Wholefoods Store Located at 13 Coral St, Victor Harbor, Raw Bulk Wholefoods has an extensive variety of organic and gluten-free products, ranging from flours, cereals, and grains, to some delicious and indulgent confectionery. Local and organic products are sourced wherever possible, and you can purchase as little or as much as you need. Bring your own container to reduce packaging. Our favourite pit stop when heading south!

04. Fleurieu Milk Company We love it in our coffee, we love it with our breakfast. It is local and fresh and Jason (our designer) can’t get enough of their iced coffee.

05. The Joinery The Joinery Wine Room is home to Charlotte Dalton and Cooke Brothers Wines. Set in the backstreets of Port Elliot in the creative hub/industrial park of Factory 9, The Joinery offers a relaxed and comfortable place to taste wines or enjoy and drink and a snack. Open Friday to Sunday. Look out for their dumplings and live music night, this venue is a must visit destination. 06. Down South Distillery Situated in the heart of McLaren Vale is a unique ‘Australiana’ distillery operation, creating traditionally distilled premium spirits. Their ‘Spirits’ burst with delight. Packed with botanicals, and offering an intrigue of flavours on the palate, ensuing lasting sensory impressions. Highly recommended for all levels of adventurous spirit enthusiasts!

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Victor Harbor 246 Port Elliot Rd Ph: 8552 5108 Locally owned & operated

#ichosebeaumonts

tile.com.au

Award winning Southern Adelaide-based caterers, servicing South Australia since 2016.

Specialising in weddings, corporate functions, birthdays and any other special occasions.

T: 0484 897 999 E: jonjohn1982@gmail.com W: pillarofsalteventcatering.com.au 7 days

Amazing food. Amazing wine. Amazing view.

Beachfront Bar & Dining + Events

Norman Road, Silver Sands Beach. Bookings via www.silversandsbeachclub.com.au

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BOOKS & WORDS

Winter book reviews

by Mark Laurie of South Seas Books, Port Elliot.

‘grotesque euphemism of early settlement’, the opening up of the plains, a process continuing apace with the sanctioned butchery of the tree canopy. Dust storms and heat have followed, amidst ‘the true brutality of the stobie poles’ only South Australia seems to need.

Provocative, perceptive and profound, this book operates at the edges of our vestigial memory, asking that we consider that which should be lost and retained in the path of progress as, ‘little by little we understand the place we live in, the place we make for ourselves in it’.

Independence Square

by Martin Cruz Smith Published by Simon & Schuster ISBN 9781982188306 $32.99

Drawing the Crow

by Adrian Mitchell Published by Wakefield Press ISBN 9781862546851 $19.95 Adrian Mitchell, who was to become Head of English at the University of Sydney, has written a series of essays looking back upon growing up in Adelaide in the 1950s and early 1960s. Experiences fruit picking in the Riverland, country holidays on South Australia’s peninsulas, Christmas traditions at the beach, and the legacy left by German immigration round out memories of Playford-era Adelaide. More than a memoir, he searches for the State’s identity, seeking to codify its uniqueness and separation from the mythology of our national character, whose ‘emblems and icons, costumery … and natural history, belongs elsewhere’ he feels.

While celebrating the ‘richness’ of his youth ‘in a perfectly ordinary home in a perfectly ordinary suburb’, the author also pursues broader points of difference, both positive and negative. That ‘combination of stillness and openness’ of the city of light we celebrate is pitted against that

Investigator Arkady Renko, many years on from establishing himself in Gorky Park, has been confined to desk duties under the watchful eyes of his superiors in the deeply paranoid world of Putin’s Russia. It is a Russia, on the eve of its ill-fated invasion of Ukraine, that is the embodiment of Tolstoy’s idea of the State: an ‘essentially violent force held together by intimidation, corruption

and indoctrination’. Renko is diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease, his physical disorientation piling onto his disillusionment with a regime led by a rat-faced mobster where prosperity follows patronage.

Anti-government sentiment is everywhere, suppressed by a new State-sanctioned agency, its FSB acronym the only change from the KGB and all of its ‘methods’, supplemented by groups of extreme nationalists, ready to step in where even the FSB in all of its impunity feels unable to tread. A visit from an old acquaintance seeking help to find his daughter draws Renko towards a new dissident movement railing against the new Russia, and old political enmities borne of the Soviet Union that preceded it.

Navigating Moscow, Kyiv and Crimea, the author places his famed protagonist deep within the politics of a place watched closely and with mounting dismay by the world at large. It is a place Cruz Smith knows well, having watched and evoked it for decades.

Renko’s weariness and dismay with it all mirrors our own.

Life After Ted

by R.D. Feneley Published by Echo Publishing ISBN 9781760688240 $32.99 This big-hearted, quintessentially modern Sydney story has been a long time coming.

The author, a career journalist with the Sydney Morning Herald, debuted with Sly in the mid-1990s and has kept those of us who loved that salt-infused coming-ofage story waiting ever since. Life After Ted retains many of the strengths of the earlier work, well-drawn offbeat characters relating (or sometimes not) in a hyper-local seaside setting in ways which are both resonant and revealing. However, society has moved on considerably since 1995 and to read the two books together now would be an interesting demonstration of changes to our preoccupations and presumptions over the three decades.

The book faced considerable hurdles with this reviewer; heightened expectations from its predecessor and some antipathy to surf lifesaving club culture and Pentecostalism.

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struggles of his present, confronting him with a profound life choice.

While exposing the wider world to a new source of infamy in the tangible past for the all-powerful, all-pervasive Irish Catholic church, this book celebrates kindness, humanity and quiet heroism. Noting that ‘so many thangs had a way of looking finer, when they were not so close’, it exhorts us not to look away, to look more closely at that which is hardest to see. As Furlong reflects on all the quiet, small kindnesses which have made his present possible, he poses the existential question facing us all: why go on, what are our days for if not to help others? He finds his way, even as the church is lost in a moral wilderness of its own making. Power corrupts, and absolute power …

It faced them down with wit, charm, plotline and a smattering of nostalgia. Ted is a local legend, a larger-than-life character whose death (at the beginning of the novel, so no spoiler alert is necessary) opens the way for those in his orbit and awe to finally find their own path and place in a world without him. For all of the lightness of its narrative, and its decidedly unpretentious literary air, the story provokes intergenerational family re-engagement in a disarmingly thoughtful and positive way.

to changing conditions, and pass down information. With forest adaptation weakened by human interventions and too slow to match the pace of climate change, he critically examines the case for, and examples of, forestry interventions designed to speed up the rate of response.

The roots of various types of tree planting schemes involving new locations and introduced, ‘more adaptive’ species are exposed for all of their commercial self-interest and virtue signalling and thoroughly, scientifically debunked. Trees, he argues, simply need time and to be left alone to give them the best hope of succeeding in the Anthropocene.

At the heart of the problem of course is an idea of nature as some sort of calibrated machine revolving around humans and serving our highly utilitarian purposes. In this world, trees are typecast as sources of building materials, obstacles to efficient subdivision or broadacre agriculture, and a convenient carbon sink within which to greenwash business as usual. The author demonstrates that trees and forests can do so much more – whether as foundations for ecosystems, or magnets for cool, moist air. To mine the hope, calm and environmental benefits they bring, we must step back into the wings and let them shine.

Small Things Like These

by Claire Keegan Published by Faber & Faber ISBN 9780571368686 $19.99 Short, spare and achingly beautiful, this novella is at once fable, fiction and history laid bare. Set in the lead-up to Christmas in 1985, Bill Furlong works hard to supply winter warmth to the residents of the small town in southern Ireland, in which he has lived his entire life. As he juggles the demands of his business and the large family he supports, an encounter at the local convent invokes his past in the

The Power of Trees

by Peter Wohlleben Published by Black Inc. ISBN 9781760643621 $34.99 Following on from the enormous success of The Hidden Life of Trees, published three long years ago, Peter Wohlleben explains further how trees learn, adapt

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Saturdays 8am –12.00pm Willunga High School

Support your local farmers and producers Fresh local produce including fruit, veg, meat, olive oil, cheese, wine and all your weekly essentials can be found every Saturday morning in Willunga. We look forward to welcoming you. *New location – Willunga High – 1km south of Town Square

www.willungafarmersmarket.com.au

ESTD. 2005

E: yourmates@down-south.com.au M: +61 431 833 732

BLD 248623

OLD | NEW | ECO 0409 286 135

billygoatbrickstone@hotmail.com

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Blossom Food & Wine

PAPERSHELL , WILLUNGA JULY 29TH & 30TH AUGUST 5TH & 6TH

An intimate day & night amongst the trees with serenading performances by the fires.

Classical, Jazz and Soul artists along with food cooked from the garden and wines from the vines around us.

TICKETS

WWW.PAPERSHELLFARM.COM

At Roar, we believe in the importance of building strong relationships. We provide families with easy to access, convenient speech pathology assessment and therapy services for children in their learning environments, or within our two fun and friendly Clinics.

We support little lions to find their ROAR! Locations: 71 Hill St, Port Elliot 1 Chances Lane, Unley T: 8166 2129 E: Growl@roarspeech.com.au Website: www.roarspeech.com.au

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Between two worlds Story by Poppy Fitzpatrick.

Above: One wheelchair is the difference between going to school or staying at home. Changing lives one wheelchair at a time.

Aldinga’s Temperance Precinct is home to Morocco by Mish; a space filled with carefully curated Moroccan trinkets, each with their own unique story and maker.

When I enter, it’s the small, hand-stitched fabric camels that catch my eye. They’re made by children to whom owner Mish Hank directly supplies the materials.

Their journey from the Sahara and ultimately to someone’s home on the Fleurieu represents a trade route benefitting two vastly different worlds. The proceeds of each camel go towards Mish’s volunteer-led charity Red Goes Faster, funding the transit of children’s wheelchairs from Perth to Morocco.

Mish spent 20 years living in Morocco teaching English, where she met her Moroccan-born friend and polio survivor, Brahim Tgharmin.

Mish joined the board of Brahim’s charity at the time, teaching English, Braille and computer studies to students with vision impairments.

The pair soon found that several of their students needed access to wheelchairs, which aren’t readily available through the Moroccan healthcare system.

In 2016 Mish and Brahim co-founded the charity organisation Red Goes Faster, teaming up with Perth-based not-for-profit organisation Wheelchairs For Kids. Retirees construct each wheelchair to World Health Organisation standards, before they’re flat-packed into individual boxes and sent to various developing countries and marginalised communities around Australia. Red Goes Faster facilitates a shipment to Morocco once a year containing around 164 wheelchairs, which since their first shipment six years ago, amounts to over 900.

It’s important to Brahim, Mish, her daughter Bahija and the rest of the volunteer team that the charity can be sustained beyond the initial delivery of the wheelchairs. Red Goes Faster sends a team of qualified Australian physiotherapists every year to conduct training with local volunteers, so that wheelchairs can be safely assembled and fitted to their proud new owners – a process that takes over three hours each time. Having trained local volunteers nearby also means there’s ongoing support for families as the child grows, or if repairs need to be made.

The wheelchairs are colourful and suitable for rough terrain – a sort of ‘four-wheel drive’ of the wheelchair world. Mish says this is essential for Moroccan streets and regional areas, allowing children to be connected with their community in a way they’d never otherwise

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Top: Mish Hank at Morocco by Mish in Aldinga. Bottom left and right: Changing lives one wheelchair at a time. So much more than mobility – independence, freedom and social interactions.

experience. Once children with disabilities are too big to be carried by their mothers, they are often unable to leave their homes. Many may only experience life from a mattress; they’re loved, fed and cared for, but stuck between two worlds.

Mish says that for some of these kids, when they’re properly fitted to their new chair, it’s the first time they have ever sat in a secure, upright position without being held. ‘You should see the look on their faces – it’s amazing. That moment gets me every time,’ Mish says.

‘There’s a sense of communication once they’re able to make upright, eye-to-eye contact with their family – it’s about so much more than just mobility.’

This might also be the first time a child is introduced to their neighbourhood. So, the new wheelchair becomes a true community affair with a constant stream of visitors, mint tea flowing, and plenty of snacks being passed around.

‘Once a child is fitted, it’s almost immediate – the local kids are knocking on the door and grabbing little Yusuf or Mohammed and whizzing him around on the street, going wild and letting him go down the hill,’ Mish laughs.

While Mish’s heart rests in two hemispheres, she and her daughter Bahija have found the sweet spot between McLaren Vale and Marrakech – delicately balancing their work with Red Goes Faster between their tour company in Morocco and their quaint shop here on the Fleurieu. They have inspiring ambitions to set up their own Moroccan-based Red Goes Faster workshop for wheelchair production, distribution and fitting, all while ensuring they maintain the grassroots, community-focused approach upon which the charity was built.

Mish places into my hand a fabric camel and a Hamsa; a palmshaped amulet gifted for its protective qualities. I sense an inexplicable warmth beneath the weight of the gifts in my hand; Mish tells me this is its barakah – an Islamic expression sometimes used to describe an object’s infectious spiritual power. I imagine the barakah that must be harnessed inside every wheelchair, passed on to each child when they wheel it down the street for the first time.

You can follow what’s happening with Red Goes Faster via their Instagram @redgoesfastermorocco and visit this link if you would like to donate directly: https://bit.ly/RedGoesFasterDONATE. You can also buy a camel of your own, in-store!

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RETAIL THERAPY

Local selections Designer made: Take some time to explore all that’s on offer from these local designers and retailers: 01 and 02: The team at SpaceCraft Joinery specialises in designing and making bespoke kitchens, bathrooms and cabinetry.

Create a point of difference when you undertake planning your new build or renovation. Think luxe materials, thoughtful use of colour and expert craftsmanship.

SpaceCraft Joinery – Design and Manufacture, Strathalbyn Photography by @Adelaide_Photographer

03: From cooking pizzas in three minutes to low and slow smoking and grilling over coals, this product inspires the chef within and doubles as a beautiful fireplace. As seen here: Expertly built-in to this outdoor kitchen in concrete. The Billy Smoker range is off-the-shelf while the surrounding cabinetry can be customised and made to order.

All available at Adelaide Outdoor Kitchens – Design and manufacture, Seaford.

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04 and 05: Little Road Studio offers a unique, personal touch and fresh look on sophisticated styling, from spatial planning and joinery design to material selections.

Arrange a personalised in-home/onsite consultation or join the team in the Design Studio to discuss how you can achieve your dream interior. www.littleroad.com.au

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Pictured: A Little Road Studio material palette and the finished space.

Little Road Studio, McLaren Vale Photography by Evan Bailey Photography

Made to order: 06: BQ Curtains & Blinds is your local stockists of the Luxaflex® Window Fashions range. The range also includes a large variety of custom-made curtains, wave sheers, pelmets and external roller shutters. The plantation shutters pictured feature a PolySatin® finish, which is perfect for wet areas. BQ Curtains & Blinds, Victor Harbor >

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Focal point: Above left: John Lacey’s ‘Light on Hay Flat Road’ 61 x 61 cm oil on canvas. John’s paintings are available at The Strand Gallery, Port Elliot. Above right: Dominika Yindi Pottery – cups, vases, plates and more. For stockists: dominikayindi.com.

Off the shelf: Above left and right: Homewares from Canopy Homefashion, Vicinity Collonades. A long-time favourite where you can always find something new and beautiful.

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Fly the Fleurieu Autumnal vines in Mclaren Vale fly-the-fleurieu.com · @fly_the_fleurieu

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RECIPE DEVELOPMENT · COOKING DEMONSTRATIONS FOOD EDUCATION · INTERACTIVE COOKING WORKSHOPS thegreengourmet.com.au | @thegreengourmetco WILLUNGA

High quality relaxed dining.

Serving visitors and locals alike for more than 40 years.

Coffee, quality cakes, gelati and full al a carte lunch, dinner and pizza menu.

17 Albert Place Victor Harbor (opposite Crown Hotel) Ph 8552 3501 • Open 7 days 5.00pm till late.

www.ninoscafe.com.au

LAKE BREEZE WINES lunch + tastings + events + weddings bed + breakfast Step Road Langhorne Creek | 8537 3017 | lakebreeze.com.au

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Shop 1/165 Main Rd McLaren Vale 0482 640 691 · gorgeoussoles.com.au

John Lacey’s Studio & Green Tank Gallery 41 Woodcone Rd, Mt Compass m: 0419 823 708 Open most days 11am - 5pm. www.johnlacey.com.au instagram: @johnlaceyartist

Learn to Surf TEMPERANCE PRECINCT ALDINGA

All ages, all levels, all time fun!

P: 0412 950 087

surfcultureaustralia.com.au

148 McMURTRIE ROAD McLAREN VALE CELLAR DOOR OPEN 7 DAYS 11AM – 5PM

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FLM Autumn issue launch at Beaches Port Elliot On March 9, we were treated to nibbles and fine wines at Beaches, Port Elliot. The food was en pointe with the crowd mingling well past closing time. We loved co-hosting with Rosie, Sarah and the Beaches team! Photos courtesy of Jade Harrison.

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The Southern Surf Fest Held at Middleton Point on the beautiful Fleurieu Peninsula. The festival featured over 200 competitors vying for State Championship status in shortboard, longboard, and kneeboard surfing, along with inter-club twin-fin and mid-length events. Enjoyed by all with music, food trucks, local wine, beer and much more.

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01. Sarah Mitford-Burgess, Rosie and Annie Beach. 02. Lucy Apostolopoulos, Bianca and Cindy Westphalen with Charlotte Lemmon.

03. Jane Clayton and Noel Mifsud. 04. Diana Brandt and Britt Jones. 05. Mayor Moira Were AM and Mayor Keith Parkes. 06. Dale Spencer and Chris Rowlands. 07. to 10. and 12. Surf action shots by In Flight Sports Photography. 11. Beer station image courtesy of Will Mills.

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Let us treat you like a VIP 0447 627704

0431 616 544

L A N DSC A PE D E S I G N H US K PROJ EC T S .CO M | 0 4 0 5 94 3 7 8 4 S T U D I O @ H US K PROJ EC T S .CO M

lessismore farm.

farm shop • paddock to plate • farm tours • glamping platters • coffee • wine • cocktails | 388 Forktree Road, Myponga Beach

lessismorefarm.com

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

Lessismore Farm

lessismorefarm

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

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

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Out & About: What the locals love about Fleurieu life 01. Wendy Upitis Wendy loves shopping at Miss Gladys on Sea. ‘The girls are really friendly, there is always something different and I love colour,’ she says.

02. Maya White at Miss Gladys on Sea Maya loves the closeness of the community and all of the familiar faces.

‘I like Angove’s cellar door and, oh yeah … the beaches!’

03. Margot Muir at Fall From Grace Margot loves the community. ‘It’s supportive, creative and the diversity of people is mind-blowing,’ she says.

04. Dave Robertson. He comes to Goodness for their long blacks with oat milk. ‘It’s the kids favourite spot, so I’m here often,’ he says.

05. Jack Lovat at Lucky Ducks Jack enjoys the Fleurieu lifestyle and maintaining a good work/life balance – working only four days a week.

06. Leanne Cramp at Morocco by Mish Leanne was visiting from Byron Bay and was ‘super impressed.’

‘There is so much on offer … the food OMG … I have eaten my own body weight in seafood and wine,’ she says. Leanne also raved about the great produce and basically could not say enough about how she loved getting to know the region.

07. Jamilla Martin. When Jamilla isn’t behind the coffee machine she is surrounding herself with nature. ‘I love to get in the ocean for a surf’.

08. Kim Baraiolo with her kelpie pup Bloke. Kim and her partner Boe run Outback Cleanups Australia, so she is often scouring our local coastline cleaning up rubbish pollution. Their puppy Bloke is the newest recruit.

09. Angel Benjamin. When she is not running Goodness, Angel is an avid bird watcher. ‘I love Kookaburras, and I’m often hanging out in the Aldinga Scrub or Belair quietly looking for birds’.

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Let there be light.

But not too much.

CURTAINS & BLINDS

We believe in being yourself.

We celebrate your differences.

We embrace change.

We, like you, are one of a kind.

Call in to our concept store in Victor Harbor now!

Let us design and make your space.

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

Betta Quality Curtains & Blinds · 78 Ocean Street, Victor Harbor SA 5211 · T: (08) 8552 3770 · W: bettaquality.luxaflex.com.au cover_45.indd 2

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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

When every detail matters ...

Make sure you choose the right builder. www.fleurieuliving.com.au

Wondrous sights and delights at Dandelion Vineyards’ Wonder Room Of waves and wild places: Brinkley Davies Weekends away in the McLaren Vale wine region Coastal calm at Carrickalinga A rare opportunity at Chiton Rocks River time on the Beechworth Unlimited experimentation of Henny Van den Wildenberg

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

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WINTER 2023

We design and build award winning homes.

AU $9.95 WINTER 2023

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Art · Design · Food · Wine · Fashion · Photography · People · Destinations 19/5/23 10:36 am