The Enchanting Adelaide Hills

When you first move to Adelaide you will come to know about the enchanting Adelaide Hills. Really quick.

Maybe not the enchanting part at first but you will realise it soon enough. In my case it was within a week of moving to and starting work in Adelaide.

I had seen colourful brochures about the Hills and it did not look anything like Adelaide. The assumption was that it was quite far away, a day trip perhaps.

In my first week I met a colleague who did a brisk walk after work to the bus-stop at Grenfell Street. It was to catch the 5.30pm bus to the Hills. That was the first clue that the Hills was not that far away. It was a commute away and not a day trip.

The interesting permutations

Few more weeks later and you hear someone contemplating moving to the Hills, biking to the Hills or meeting someone in the Hills.

Doctors who live in the city but have a practice in the Hills. Doctors who live in the Hills have a practice in the city. Get someone to do your pergola and they come down from the Hills. Get an invite for dinner and you have to go into the Hills. The kids too had classmates that lived in the Hills. Then when it came to club sports, at least one or two of the team would come down from the Hills for their weekday evening trainings and weekend games.

Then you realise the permutations are surprisingly many as you meet and talk to the locals.

When we bought our first home, the family selling it were relatively new migrants from the UK. They had purchased a property in the Hills and moving there.

In this link you will find a little more about the enchanting Adelaide Hills from the State Government. Note they chose the word “fairytale” to describe the Hills. I am not sure even sure it was just marketing.

I mention all these as the dynamics involved are fluid and unusual.

It is not in anyway similar to people moving or relocating to another suburb, town or suburb for various reasons elsewhere. It is not like a move to Brisbane to the Gold Coast or Sydney to the Hunter Valley.

Two reasons stick out clearly for this set of dynamics where the Adelaide Hills are concerned.

Proximity and two eco-systems.

Firstly proximity is a key factor by a mile.

You will be in the Hills from the city centre within 20 mins by car and 45 mins by bike. Adelaide is a linear city with the coast to its left and the Hills to the right. Close proximity also means ready access to everything the city has to offer.

Secondly Adelaide city and its suburbs are distinct from Adelaide Hills as they are two separate and distinct eco-systems. Two Worlds in fact because of the climate and the terrain.

The climate is much cooler, the vegetation lush and the terrain is closer to what you find in UK or Europe.

The town of Stirling in the Hills for instance became popular in the 19th century among the landed gentry as a retreat during hot summers of the city. It was cooler by 10C despite being only 15 kms from the city centre or 20 minutes away.

The Hills are generally rural with farms, vineyards, small businesses and many quaint towns. In recent years add excellent restaurants and cafes. And like all small towns there is a the sense of community.

Over the years there has been a housing boom in the Hills. A reflection of the growing economy, not only the Hills but the city as well. The primary reason however is the attraction of living in such an appealing environment.

Flora and fauna

Homes are set in nature to take in the flora and fauna of the Hills. In the day, it’s the Rosellas, Lorikeets, Galahs and a wide variety of Cockatoos including the yellow tailed black Cockatoos. Not forgetting Kangaroos, Koalas and Wombats.

Nights are silent except for the sounds of cricket and rustling of trees from the winds. The exception is when there is a colony of possums nearby. They are not actually noisy except when they run the fence line.

Some residents have stables for their horses, others run a hobby farm. It could also be the growing of cherries to having a few cows to keep the grass down. Most however are there for the climate, nature and the small town setting for their home.

The terrain is of valleys and sub-valleys with much greener vegetation, running creaks along with expansive vineyards, orchards and farms.

Besides native gum trees there are deciduous trees such Elm, Oak, Maple and Ash brought in by early settlers. There is little else ubiquitous in the Hills with the exception of churches most of which are Lutheran in origin. The Lutheran heritage in some towns cannot be missed.

The towns in Adelaide Hills

Stirling, Crafers, Aldgate and Bridgewater are very much English Towns in architecture and setting amongst the older buildings while Hahndorf and Lobethal are German.

Hahndorf is the oldest German settlement in Australia.

Settled and built by early migrants more than a century ago. They built homes, workshops and barns with designs that came from the mother country, then Prussia. Cuisine from food, pastry, bread and wines from there.

Over time, parts of it remained, a mix of cultures occurred and became more Australian to some extent. But some of the old world heritage such as viticulture and food remained which is now serving South Australia and Australia well.

Twenty years ago when the family was young, one of our favourite breakfast restaurants was in Hahndorf run by later generations of a German migrant family.

Excellent and authentic food. Lots of tasting to be done. It set the tone for weekend.

On weekends, tourists and locals flock along the main street for breakfast, lunch, coffees, cake, sweets and ice creams. And German beers, wines and food from the Hills. I don’t think there is another place in Australia that has something similar.

A former Foreign Minister and a Nobel Laureate

Nuances are important even if the numbers don’t add up. They provide a little window to see things.

Alexander Downer lives in the Hills long before he pursued Federal politics. He holds the distinction of being Australia’s longest serving Foreign Minister, a position he held for 11 years. A position that I thought he did very well in and endeared foreign countries and their Governments to our way of life.

When he left politics and later on taking on the role of High Commissioner to the UK, the Hills continued as the family home. It never lets you go.

Some years ago, I was delighted to hear that Nobel Laureate and twice winner of the Booker Prize South African J.M. Coetzee chose Australia and Adelaide to migrate to. One of the greatest authors of our time. If you read his novels you will know the measure of the man. His books are not just literature at its best but a window to one’s soul.

He could have picked the US and the UK where he previously worked and lived or for that matter any first world migrant destination country but he chose Australia and Adelaide.

And he chose the enchanting Adelaide Hills for his home. I was not at all surprised as he comes from one of the most beautiful cities in the World, Cape Town.

Relocating to the enchanting Adelaide Hills

Until the age of broadband and digitisation became a thing, it made sense to move to cities where work was plentiful.

Work dynamics meant being in close physical contact with management, colleagues and clients on a regular basis. Cities and big towns facilitated these and made those interactions convenient. Not anymore for many I suspect.

Suburbs and remote locations are not just for homes anymore.

One can work remotely and within the confines of their home. The current trend indicates a desire to create or find an environment to live and work.

Even if it includes sacrifices on some steps in the career ladder. I have covered this in my earlier post of Adelaide being an ideal remote working city and that includes the Hills

Gig Economy also means those who can package and market their skills are ahead if they want to work remotely. Only making the occasional and necessary forays to city offices for physical meetings.

I have to be explicit here. There are choices and god ones. Every town in the Adelaide Hills has its own distinctive features and charms in terms of terrain, vegetation and ambience.

There are also the surrounding amenities from the baker to the butcher. If there are any plans to move to the Hills, do take your time over weeks and months to find your little slice of paradise. It’s worth the planning and the patience.

And more importantly do trips late in the evening and night to see and feel the enchanting Adelaide Hills.