Things that go bump in the night

A few nights back we were sitting in the lounge watching TV when there were sounds of movement from our fireplace.  Scratching and scurrying.  We’ve got a fireplace with an old cast iron insert and a flue door that closes in the summer  months.  Being the Adelaide Hills and with the cooler night time temperatures I dismissed it as being a mouse.  Happens every year – until it gets cool enough to light the fire – they don’t hang around for long then!  Not a big fan of mice; they’re dirty, smelly, diseased little creatures that shit everywhere!  They make me feel unclean.  My dogs love them – it’s the Jack Russell instinct.

 

Same noise happened the next night too, and the one after that.  I was about to put a packet of Ratsac on my list of essential purchases on my next shopping trip.

But last night was different.  The scratching and scurrying gave way to a chirping and squeaking.  A pang of guilt swept over me.  It must be a bird stuck in the chimney!  I didn’t care when it was a mouse – I figured you got in, you can get out (those things can squeeze through some crazy gaps!).  But a bird?  What if it has a broken wing?  What if it’s in pain?

Not having a torch I used the next best thing and grabbed my phone (thanks for the flashlight app!).  I pushed open the little cast iron door in the fireplace and shone the light in.  Staring back at me from the darkness was this:

 

A ring-tail possum!  Poor little bugger must have been running across our roof, lost his balance and fallen down the chimney.  And I’d ignored him for days!

Being the manly man that I am I instantly jumped into action mode.  I closed the flue door, and got prepared for battle.  I knew I had to get him out but I wasn’t just going to stick my hand in there and pull.  Have you seen what a possum can do to a man?  They’re savage little bastards when backed into a corner!  I pictured claws, razor sharp teeth and shredded flesh.  I quickly donned two long sleeve tshirts, a hoodie, two pairs of trackies, my hiking boots and a pair of riggers gloves.  I moved the leather lounge out of the room – I had this image of an hysterical possum getting out of my grasp, swinging from the curtains and tearing strips off my furniture as retaliation for my ignoring his plight.

Meanwhile, my better half has calmly rung the lovely volunteers at Native Fauna Rescue SA.  If you don’t know about them you should look them up, and if you’re an animal lover with some space in your home and free time on your hands you should consider volunteering.  We were referred to a local volunteer who was only too happy to come out and assist with the rescue.  Only problem was they had just had a call from another person who had just found a koala which had been hit by a car – obviously a life and death situation.  They would come out and assist us later in the night – they estimated around midnight!

We decided to chance opening the chimney flue door and bribing the possum with fruit.  I opened the front door of the house and we sat quietly in the corner waiting for any sign of movement.  After about 20 minutes a little furry face appeared, and my possum friend crawled out into the fireplace and onto the lounge room floor.  He looked at us and we looked at him.  I was still picturing an episode of “When Animals Attack”, or the scene from National Lampoons Christmas Vacation when a psychotic squirrel launches itself from the Christmas Tree.  But our friendly possum only wanted one thing – freedom.  Without a wave goodbye, he sauntered casually to the front door, onto our driveway and up the nearest tree.  And we haven’t seen him since.

It was a different way to spend a Sunday night!  Much better than watching TV.  It gave us a story to tell and my wife got yet another opportunity to laugh at my calmness under pressure!  Gotta love living in the Adelaide Hills!

The Adelaide Hills - Price Marks, Trust Marks and Love Marks

In brand management we’ve been discussing what a brand is from the perspective of Price Marks, Trust Marks and Love Marks (as per Uncles text “Perspectives on Brand Management”).  You’re probably wondering what this has to do with a blog on the Adelaide Hills.  Everything and nothing I suppose.  I just thought it might be cool to try and keep with the Adelaide Hills theme and mix a travel blog with some marketing insight.  Happy to take the criticism....

Price Marks

It’s apple and pear season in the Adelaide Hills and harvest is in full swing.  Excellent quality and above average yields, but a depressed market brought about by a high Aussie dollar impacting exports and price pressures from supermarket discounting campaigns.   Apples and pears are examples of price marks.

Whilst an apple may carry a sticker denoting the name of the orchard or grower, they are otherwise brand free.  Attempts to differentiate the product lay in the form of promoting the region, variety and, in fruit market circles, the orchard.  To Mr Mum and Dad consumer these variations go largely unnoticed.  Sure, we care if it’s a Fuji or a pink lady, and the locavore within us probably cares if it’s locally grown (New Zealand apples and fair trade agreements are four letter words in the Adelaide Hills).  But that’s where it ends.  The consumer in the supermarket or greengrocer isn’t going to demand apples from Joe Smith’s orchard over those of Fred Bloggs.  In the end, at the point of purchase, it mainly comes down to a price driven purchase decision.  Price too high and you’re just the rotten fruit at the bottom of the tree (metaphorically speaking..).

Trust Marks

Living in the hills I love good wine and good food.  It’s hard not to when you’re surrounded by it.  Cheese is one of my biggest weaknesses (that’s almost a cliché job interview answer).  There are a few award-winning cheese producers in the Adelaide Hills, but none rocks my world more than Udder Delights.

Udder Delights make fantastic cheese and I highly recommend it (in fact I’ll make my next Adelaide Hills blog about Udder Delights).  They produce a whole range of cheese varieties in my home town of Lobethal, and sell via their own branded cheese cellar in Hahndorf, as well as via gourmet stores and supermarkets nationally.  The logo, branding and package design is distinctive and consistent across all products in their range.  

Trust marks are borne from projecting and building a confidence in a brand through consistency – consistency in labelling, consistency in quality, consistency in customer service, etc.  It’s about consumers sampling your brand, enjoying the experience, recalling your brand, repurchasing your brand and being similarly satisfied, and repeating.  Attitudes form and consumers come to trust your brand.

Udder Delights do a bloody good job of this.  I haven’t managed to get through their entire product range, yet somehow I know that it’s all good.  It’s reliable.  It’s quality.  It’s consistent.  

Oh, and do yourself a big favour......grab an Udder Delights triple cream brie and a bottle of Bird In Hand Chardonnay, and sit back, relax and listen to that soft harmonious note which is the universe turning smoothly on its celestial gyros...

Love Marks

It’s interesting what Adelaideans recommend to interstate or overseas visitors as suggested destinations that they simply must visit while in South Australia.  Even more interesting is that, more often than not, the usual suspects are suggested – irrespective of whether the suggestor has been there recently, or ever been there at all.  If a place can be a brand, and a brand can be a lovemark, then in terms of Adelaide Hills destinations I would go so far as to declare Hahndorf as South Australia’s love mark.

The idea of lovemarks is that they are bigger than brands.  A lovemark is about passion, love, emotional connectivity.  It’s about the heart more than the mind.  Brand image, brand awareness and brand equity are all products of the mind. Lovemarks are products of the heart.

South Australians LOVE Hahndorf!  Despite various bastardisations including a number of dubious developments, the entry of multi-nationals and the loss of the traditional German feel that made the town unique, Hahndorf remains on the top of many people’s itinerary, thanks in part to the recommendations of others who have elevated the town to lofty heights (many of whom have not been there in years).  I can see how it’s possible.  Good company, good food, good wine, good service and good experiences all combine to create good memories.  Stick this in the repeat cycle and enjoy these experiences several times and it can work to create intimate and emotional connections, from which commitment is borne.

Don’t get me wrong – I like Hahndorf!  It has many cool shops, and many a fine eatery.  I eat there regularly.  I take my interstate visitors there too.  And I recommend it to interstate and overseas visitors.  It’s just Hahndorf is not the be all and end all of the Adelaide Hills to me.  Just as you can’t say you’ve seen all of France because you’ve been to Paris, you can’t say you’ve seen the Adelaide Hills because you’ve been to Hahndorf.  We’re so much more than that, despite what the fanbois may say.  Hell, are the Adelaide Hills MY lovemark???

What do you think?  Is Hahndorf South Australia’s love mark?

Melba’s Chocolate Factory Woodside

Being surrounded by fantastic gourmet foods, wines and produce is one of the luxuries of living in the Adelaide Hills.  And there’s always something here for the kids too (or the kid in all of us!).

35km’s from Adelaide on the Onkaparinga Valley Road is the town of Woodside, and just outside of town you’ll find Melba’s Chocolate Factory.  Using 1940s era confectionery making equipment, Melba’s manufacture their large range of chocolate and confectionery products on-site. 

 

From the moment you walk through the door you’ll be overpowered by the aroma of chocolate, liquorice and other confectionery being made fresh on the premises.  The interior is decorated with a myriad of antique signage, heritage shop-fittings and old packaging in keeping with the heritage status of the building and the 1940s equipment being used.  Surrounding the main shop area are rooms where the manufacturing occurs.  These are barricaded off, but otherwise open, allowing visitors the opportunity to view the traditional confectionery making techniques being used.

 

Melbas produce a wide variety of confectionery, from liquorice sticks and chocolate frogs to scorched almonds and rocky road.  If you have kids prepare for the onslaught!

 

If you are a sweet tooth then Melba’s Chocolate Factory is an ideal destination or stop during your next visit to the Adelaide Hills.  

Visit Melba's website 

Like Melba’s on Facebook to get a $10 discount voucher.

Old Tailem Town Ghost Tours

Just when I think I know all the cool, unique things about the Adelaide Hills, something else comes my way that gets me excited!  This one's not strictly Adelaide Hills (it's a little further out), but well worth a mention as a unique experience!

90km’s from Adelaide you’ll find Old Tailem Town – Australia’s largest Pioneer Village.  Featuring over one hundred buildings dating from the late 19^th Century.  Old Tailem Town is worthy of a visit at any time, and I’ll review it in another blog.  But, it’s what happens when the tourists go home and darkness falls that has me intrigued.

 

Adelaide’s Haunted Horizons conduct weekly ghost tours at Old Tailem Town!   Every weekend, these paranormal field investigators will guide you through Old Tailem Town’s haunted places.  Guests will hear the chilling tales from the group’s investigations of the site and question whether ghosts really do exist and do they continue to haunt these buildings.  Paranormal Field Investigators are long established ghost hunters in Adelaide.  During the ghost tour they will not only discuss their investigations but will also play possible evidence captured during their investigations of not only Old Tailem Town, but other haunted places in South Australia.

  

If you don’t believe in things that go bump in the night, or you are a believer wanting to put your own ghost hunting skills to the test, then the Paranormal Investigations Tour may be just what you’re looking for!  These tours differ from the traditional ghost tours as guests get to try their own hand at ghost-hunting!  Guests stay back after the guided tour, and spend some time with the paranormal investigations team to experience what it is like to spend some quiet time in the dark in the reportedly active areas of the township for an hour or two!

If nothing else, it's a fun and unique way to spend a night with some friends in the Adelaide Hills.  Well worth a try!

Ghost tours are $28, and the Investigations Tours are $65.  Can’t find a gift for that hard to please friend?  Why not buy one of the Ghost Tour Gift Vouchers?

Bookings can be made with Adelaide’s Haunted Horizons via the following:

Tel: 0407715866
Email: alison@adelaidehauntedhorizons.com.au
Adelaide Haunted Horizons
Paranormal Field Investigators
Facebook: Adelaide Haunted Horizons

Where is Old Tailem Town? 

Morialta Conservation Park

So, it's a long weekend coming up in South Australia and you're looking for something to calm the nerves from all the Mad March shenanigans!  Put on your walking shoes, and refresh your mind and soul with a walk through Morialta Conservation Park.

 
Morialta Conservation Park is located 10km north east of Adelaide (take Magill Rd, turn left onto Norton Summit Road, left into Glen Stuart Rd and right into Morialta Rd.  Once in the park gates you can continue on to the car park situated at the start of the walking trails, however parking fees do apply.  Personally, I prefer to park at the Morialta Road entrance carpark and walk to the Morialta Falls walking trails (it's only about 750 metres and I'm going to be walking anyway so why not start with a warm up?).

 
The park is open to vehicles from 8.30am until 15 minutes before sunset, however, walkers are able to access the park from sunrise to sunset.

There are a number of walking trails meandering off in various directions.  Paths are well signposted but you may prefer to obtain a map from the Department of Environment before starting off - Morialta Falls website.  On my last visit, we tackled the Three Falls Grand Hike - a 7.3 km loop which takes you above the cliffs, then down through the various valleys and canyons.

The scenery is spectacular with rugged cliffs, deep gorges, seasonal waterfalls and native flora and fauna.  The park is popular with walkers and runners, particularly on weekends, but peaceful none the less.  Considering you're only 15 minutes from the city centre the serenity of the place is staggering.  The climb to the top can be quite steep in places but the view from the various lookouts is well worth it.  There are various viewing platforms along the walking trails which overlook the gorge and Adelaide skyline and coast.  Great photo opportunities abound and wildlife are in abundance.

 
To see the falls at their finest it is obviously ideal to go in winter or early spring, but some water still flows during the summer months.  The first two falls are the most spectacular as they cascade over the sheer quartzite cliffs of the park.

 There are many combinations of walking trails throughout the park, ranging from easy walks to more challenging hikes.  The more adventurous can walk right through to Norton Summit, whilst others may prefer the short climb to the Giants Cave and First Falls. For something more adventurous the rock faces in the Morialta Gorge provide some of the best local rock climbing and abseiling.  The rock climbing and abseiling area is located off Norton Summit Road between Second and Third Falls, with climbs of varying difficulty.  Various companies in Adelaide can provide info on this - Adelaide Rockclimbing

Picnic spots are plentiful, and there are barbecue facilities at the entrance to the park.  It's a great spot to get away from life and clear the mind.  It's also FREE, and a great way to get the kids outside.  Why not check it out this weekend?

Wine Barrels

It's vintage time in the Adelaide Hills.  It's the time of year when pickers and harvesters descend upon the vineyards.  Word is that bunch sizes are small and yields are down but quality is top notch, meaning it will be a year of exceptional quality wines from the Adelaide Hills region.

Passing by Simon Greenleaf Wines in Lobethal today I noticed he had barrels for sale for $45!  It would be even better if they were full of wine for that price!  It's great marketing for the winery too - on such a prominent corner passers-by are drawn to the display (and great price).  They then meet the winemaker and are introduced to a new brand they may not have otherwise.  Basic but effective!

It's a great price for wine barrels considering how much Bunnings or some of the landscaping stores charge for them.  A great addition to your home bar or courtyard.  Cut in half they make for great planters too.  I know where I'm stopping on my way home today!  That's what's great about living in the Adelaide Hills - I never know what I'm going to stumble across next!

Mount Pleasant Farmers Market

One of my favourite things about living in the Adelaide Hills is the array of fresh produce which surrounds me.  Whilst there are times where for pure convenience sake I find myself shopping at one of the duopoly supermarkets in Mount Barker, more often than not I seek out fresh, seasonal produce from local markets.  The latest addition to the Adelaide Hills market scene is the Mount Pleasant Farmers Market (only 45 minutes from Adelaide, following North East Road).

The Mount Pleasant Farmers Market is a community owned and run food market that supports small family farms and businesses.  This fantastic market operates from the Mount Pleasant Showgrounds every Saturday morning from 8am – 12pm, offering a diverse range of produce to an adoring public.  A good deal of the market is undercover in one of the large showground pavilions, so the market can operate irrespective of the weather conditions. 

Our family are able to almost complete a week’s worth of grocery shopping from the market, and best of all we know that the quality of the produce is first rate and fresher than anything available from the big two supermarkets.  Fruit and vegetables come from the farm to the market, eliminating the middle man, distribution and storage of supermarket produce.  A number of the producers are certified organic – I’m no greenie, but there is definitely a taste difference between organic and commercially grown vegetables!

The diverse range of product makes a visit to the market a must-do Saturday morning adventure.  On our most recent visit we were able to purchase a fantastic assortment of fruits, vegetables, meats, fresh pasta, jams, cheese, spices, organic flour, breads, olive oil, coffee and milk.  I highly recommend Spice For All Seasons from Lyndoch, for their fabulous range of spice blends and Udder Delights for their fabulous cheeses at special market prices (love the blue cheese – heaven!).

All the stall holders are local producers.  One of the great things about this is that the person selling you the produce is the person who can make changes to product range, labelling, pricing, etc.  The stallholders relish the opportunity to talk about their products, and for those looking to expand their business, customer feedback is invaluable. 

For those attending the market regularly, becoming a member of the farmers market is highly recommended.  Membership will help support the market operations.  For only $50 per year members receive: free on-site parking, 10% off all stalls, Farmers Market shopping bag, special offers and discounts.

The market organisers also have occasional special guests – celebrity chefs and authors, demonstrating their skills and knowledge whilst utilising the local produce.  Breakfast and fantastic organic coffee is also available on-site to add to the day!  On the way home, stop off at some of the brilliant Adelaide Hills wineries or grab a bite to eat in one of the hundreds of fantastic Hills eateries.  A visit to the market is highly recommended!

When: Every Saturday, 8am – midday.  Rain, hail or shine

Where: Mount Pleasant Showgrounds, Melrose Street, Mount Pleasant. 

Parking: Onsite by gold cold coin donation (free for market members)

Cost: FREE

Money: Bring cash – no ATM facilities on-site (yet)

Website: http://www.mpfm.org.au/

Twitter: @MtPFM

Echunga Goldfields

Few people know that less than 10 kilometres from Hahndorf was the scene of South Australia’s own gold rush in the 1800’s.  The now sleepy town of Echunga was once home to thousands of people seeking their own piece of fortune.  The remnants of their searching still remain and the areas of Jupiter Creek and Chapel Hill, just out of Echunga, make for an interesting and exciting day.  Fossicking and panning are popular ways of adding some fun to a day in the bush and a great way to spend some time in the great outdoors.  There’s still gold in those hills and with a little patience and a lot of luck you might go home with more than a smile on your face!

The Chapel Hill Diggings are a few kilometres out of Echunga (about 30 kilometres from Adelaide via the freeway and Hahndorf).  In 1852, 600 miners were scattered through the scrub in this area, sinking shallow shafts in search of alluvial gold in buried ancient gravels.  On the Chapel Hill bushwalk you will find holes everywhere!  Some have collapsed, but others present a real danger - not much bigger than a car tyre at the top, they sometimes drop several metres.  Sticking to the walking trail will take you safely past these, but be careful if straying off the path - especially with kids.

A few minutes walk from the road are the ruins of an old engine house – built by the National Gold Mining Co. in the 1860's to service deeper shafts.  The nearby National Dam is fairly choked with reeds, but provides an idyllic spot and is perfect for trying your hand at gold panning (any good army disposal store will sell gold pans for less than $20). 

The better and more exciting site though is Jupiter Creek.  From the Hahndorf Road turn right at the entrance to Echunga (next to the golf course) and  a well signposted road takes you to the Jupiter Creek Goldfields.  The Heritage Trail here is very informative, with detailed signs, and makes for a great day of bushwalking and prospecting.  There is a very large carpark area on what was once the 1800’s mining camp, with a variety of traders catering to around 1200 miners. 

Amidst the eucalypts, stringbarks and wattles, are the tell-tale signs of mining, fossicking and tunneling – clay, gravel, mounds of mullock, and literally hundreds of mine shafts.  The trail leads past many significant sites, many of which are well signposted.  The majority of mineshafts in this area are well fenced.  Some people do ignore the fences, and tackle these shafts with ropes and torches but it is not recommended.

The Cornish-style round stone chimney built in 1868 by the Beatrice Mining Company is the most significant relic of the golden days of Jupiter Creek.  It stands on the side of a hill above the company shaft and Battery Creek.   

On the southern side of the diggings, are the remains of the Crystal Gold Mining Company.   In 1887, they did very well, taking $350,000 worth of gold at today's value out of the first 25 tonnes of ore.  The old horse puddles ditch is still in place – a round trough full of water into which miners would pour clay and ore mix.  A horse would then trudge endlessly around dragging rakes that broke up the clay, so it could be washed out and down the gully, leaving the gold and rock behind.  Nearby are some deep shafts and ruins of old structures.

During the Great Depression miners returned to Jupiter Creek to once again explore these fields.  It was during this time that the New Phoenix Shaft was dug - a tunnel cut horizontally into the side of the hill towards the old Phoenix mine.  The floor in this tunnel has been restored and the shaft declared safe by the Department of Primary Industries and it is open to all who wish to explore it – you will need a torch!  The tunnel runs eighty metres into the hillside and ends with a steel ladder to climb up to the top of the hill.  The tunnel does continue further beyond the ladder but is fenced off and not intended for further public exploration (not that that stops some people). 

The Jupiter Creek diggings trail can be a bit of a maze – some parts are very well signposted, and other parts aren’t.  It’s hard to get lost though and the exploring is part of the fun.  You’ll find yourself staring at the ground in hopes of kicking that elusive nugget as you head down towards Long Gully Creek and then back through the gullies.  The signs in the carpark contain a map of the trails.   You can explore the area in a couple of hours, but it’s more fun to take some goldpans, a small spade, the metal detector and a picnic lunch and spend the day in the bush.   It’s a great way to get the kids outside and makes for a unique Adelaide Hills experience.

Both sites are registered as State Heritage Items.  Fossicking is permitted at both sites but mechanical implements are not allowed and holes must be back-filled.  The Department of Primary Industries and Resources produce an excellent brochure on the area which contains the background history, details on trail points and a map.  Cost is $2 and is available here.

So, get the family together and do something different this weekend!