Hello everyone. I hope you’ve all been enjoying this strange, floaty week between Christmas and New Year. I’ve been down the coast, soaking up time with my family. The days have a way of slipping through your fingers at this time of year, but I’ve written a newsletter every week since the beginning of the year and today is no exception! This week we have a bunch of events happening to bring in the new year but also some really nice experiences to get amongst during the holidays.
Let’s get into it.
As today marks the final day of 2025, it feels like a good moment to pause and reflect on the year that’s been for Adelaide Hills Pantry.
It’s been just over a year since I decided to start this newsletter. In that time, it’s grown to more than 18,000 readers and continues to grow each week. That still feels pretty special.
This year I worked with some incredibly talented artists to bring a few long-simmering ideas to life, including the puzzle and the roadside stalls map. Getting those projects off the ground was deeply satisfying, but what really stayed with me was your response. The encouragement, messages, and genuine enthusiasm meant more than I can properly express.
One of the most rewarding parts of this work is hearing from businesses after their article or event is featured, telling me how many of you showed up, booked in, or spread the word. That kind of impact is only possible because you take the time to read, share, and engage each week.
Looking Ahead to 2026
The year ahead is shaping up to be an exciting one:
I’ve been renovating our home studio, and it’s looking like it will finally be ready for me to open up for artist-led workshops early in the new year.
I’m in the beginning stages of working out how to bring to life a weekend art retreat on a beautiful Hills property I haven’t been able to stop thinking about
New products are coming, including one for bird lovers focused on the birds of the Mount Lofty Ranges
Another illustrated map is in the works, created in collaboration with tourism and local Hills businesses
People often ask if there’s anything they can do to help. As a one-woman operation, supported by a fantastic assistant, help is always appreciated. The biggest way you can support Adelaide Hills Pantry is by sharing it with friends and family. And if you’re attending an event or visiting a venue and they ask how you heard about it, letting them know it was through the Pantry makes a real difference. In the coming year, I’ll be looking to work with more Adelaide Hills businesses to help keep everything running smoothly, and your feedback plays a big role in that.
I hope you all have a wonderful start to the new year. Here’s wishing health and happiness to every one of you. 💛
LEGO LEGENDS
Motoring meets imagination
Somewhere between nostalgia and imagination, this summer’s LEGO Trail at the National Motor Museum offers a quietly brilliant way to spend a day in the Hills.
South Australia has a deep motoring history, one that stretches back to the 1800s. Many of those locally made vehicles live right here in Birdwood. This summer, they’re sharing space with something a little more playful. LEGO® bricks.
The LEGO Trail: South Australian Classics invites visitors to explore the museum in a new way. As you move through the displays, you’re on the lookout for South Australian made vehicles, each one part of a trail that reveals a secret word when completed. It’s simple, engaging, and just challenging enough to keep kids curious and grown-ups interested too.
What makes it work is the blend. The weight of history paired with colour, creativity, and hands-on fun. It’s not about rushing through. It’s about wandering, noticing details, asking questions, and letting kids lead the way for once.
Finish the trail and enter to win LEGO prizes, or simply enjoy the satisfaction of cracking the code together. Either way, it’s the kind of shared experience that sticks. One that turns a museum visit into a memory.
Running daily throughout the school holidays, this is an easy win for families, grandparents, visiting friends, or anyone who loves South Australian stories. Sometimes the best adventures are the ones built brick by brick. INFO
JAUMA CELLAR DOOR OPEN
From the farm to your glass
Tucked between cherry orchards, vines and shady gardens in Lenswood, Jauma Farm’s cellar door feels less like a destination and more like an invitation.
After years of farming, fermenting, planning and dreaming alongside their community, Jauma has opened their new cellar door that brings everything together. It’s a space created for gathering, sharing stories, and celebrating living wine.
Housed in a lovingly restored old farm cottage, this is a place designed for slowing down. Vinyl hums softly in the background. Handcrafted furniture encourages you to linger. From the moment you walk through the red gates and down the path, you feel like you’ve found something special.
Tastings here are seated and quietly thoughtful. Six Jauma wines are poured and shared at your own pace. New releases sit alongside back vintage favourites and farm-only creations, each one a reflection of organic vineyards across Clarendon, McLaren Vale, Blewitt Springs and Lenswood. These are living wines, made without additives, fining or filtration, and poured with care and context.
What makes Jauma special is not just what’s in the glass, but the connection around it. Stories flow easily, about farming, harvests, and the land itself. Depending on the season, you might wander the orchard, glimpse the winery in motion, or take home farm produce alongside your favourite bottle.
This is a cellar door for conversation, curiosity, and community. A place to settle in, ask questions, or simply sip and enjoy the moment. Jauma Farm Cellar Door opens every Saturday from 12–5pm. Come with a friend. Leave with a story. INFO
Got an event coming up? Let’s get the word out to thousands of people who love the Adelaide Hills.
Join the Hills Youth Theatre Community: Do you have a young person who is ready to shine on stage, discover new talents, and build lifelong friendships? This might be just the thing they’d enjoy! The Hills Youth Theatre are open for expressions of interest for new people to join their community. With a welcoming, supportive environment this is the place that imaginations soar, confidence grows, and creativity knows no bounds. INFO
Woodhouse Unplugged School Holiday Drop & Go Day Camps:
A great options after the fun and festivities are done and work is back. The kids come home tired, grubby, and full of stories. The UNPLUGGED program runs daily from 9am–5pm (drop-off from 8:30am) with new adventures each day like survival skills, science experiments, laser tag, Challenge Hill and the tube slide. It’s more than care – it’s adventure, fun and new friends. 👉 Book the kids in for a day.
MARKETS
🦗 No markets on this week but they’ll be back in January!
WHAT’S ON THIS WEEK
🧱 LEGO Trail: South Australian Classics
| FAMILY | Birdwood
📅 Wednesday, 31 December – Monday, 26 January | 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Explore South Australia’s motoring heritage by following a LEGO trail through classic vehicles and uncovering a secret word for the chance to win LEGO prizes. INFO
❓ Quiz Nights
| COMMUNITY | Prancing Pony Brewery, Totness
📅 Wednesday, 31 December | From: 7:00 PM
Wrap up your Wednesday with free, fast-paced trivia packed with quirky questions, big laughs and great prizes at Prancing Pony Brewery. INFO
🍷 A Very Merry Lot.100 Christmas
| FOOD & WINE | Lot.100, Hay Valley
📅 Wednesday, 31 December | 11:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Celebrate the festive season with friends or colleagues over a delicious lunch and optional drinks package at Lot.100, perfect for groups of 10 or more. INFO
🌞 Summer on The Lawns
| MUSIC | Lot.100, Hay Valley
📅 Wednesday, 31 December 2025 – Sunday, 22 February 2026 | 1:00 PM – 4:00 PM
Enjoy live music from local artists on weekends while relaxing with casual food and drinks on the scenic lawns of Lot.100, perfect for picnics and sunshine. INFO
🥂 New Year's Eve Celebrations
| FOOD & WINE | Hardy's Verandah Restaurant, Crafers
📅 Wednesday, 31 December | 7:00 PM – 8:00 PM
Ring in the New Year with a 6-course degustation dinner paired with exclusive wines and a stunning dining experience on the terrace and inside the award-winning restaurant. INFO
🍷 Gin and Wine Tastings at The Gatehouse Bar
| FOOD & WINE | The Gatehouse Bar, Houghton
📅 Thursday, 1 – Sunday, 4 January| 10:00 AM – 4:30 PM
Relax among lush garden views while enjoying Glen Ewin gin and wine tastings, local artisan dishes, and the option to picnic or linger over lunch. INFO
🃏 Cribbage and Company: Social Card Play Sessions
| COMMUNITY | Torrens Valley Community Centre, Gumeracha
📅 Thursday, 1 January | 1:30 PM – 3:00 PM
Join a friendly, welcoming group for relaxed cribbage games and great company, with all skill levels welcome and pay-on-the-day entry. INFO
🍷 Jauma Farm Cellar Door - Opening Weekend!
| FOOD & WINE | Jauma Farm, Lenswood
📅 Friday, 2 – Sunday, 4 January| 12:00 PM – 5:00 PM
Bring your own lunch and join a welcoming Christmas Day gathering with shared games, kids activities and friendly connection for individuals and families wanting to spend the day together. INFO
🌞 Sundown Socials
| MUSIC | Kitchen Farm Pantry, Mount Barker
📅 Friday, 2 – Friday, 30 January | 5:00 PM – 9:30 PM
Ease into summer evenings with Sundown Socials featuring live music, a relaxed garden bar vibe, spritzes, snacks and share plates designed for lingering with friends. INFO
🍕 Grunthal Brew All You Can Eat Pizza Nights
| FOOD & WINE | Grünthal Brew, Verdun
📅 Friday, 2 January| 5:30 PM – 10:00 PM
Enjoy a relaxed Friday night feast with unlimited handmade pizzas served fresh from the oven at the much-loved Grünthal Brew. INFO
🌿 Sunday Morning Yoga Flow with Intention
| WELLNESS | The Hahndorf Lavender Estate, Paechtown
📅 Saturday, 3 – Sunday, 4 January | 8:00 AM – 9:15 AM
Discover the art of gin blending with guided tastings and hands-on creation of your own bespoke gins at Ambleside’s Adelaide Hills distillery. INFO
🍸 Gin Blending Masterclass
| FOOD & WINE | Ambleside Distillers, Hahndorf
📅 Saturday, 3 – Sunday, 4 January| 11:00 AM – 12:00 PM
Share a warm and welcoming Christmas evening with a festive community meal featuring meats, fresh salads, hearty vegetables and delicious desserts, open to everyone who would like to celebrate together. INFO
🎶 Live Music with Travi Collins
| MUSIC | Kitchen Farm Pantry, Mount Barker
📅 Saturday, 3 January | From: 12:00 PM
Enjoy an immersive lunchtime performance by Trav Collins, blending roots and folk with rich soundscapes, heartfelt storytelling, and a mix of acoustic guitar, didgeridoo, banjo and more. INFO
🌿 FIELD to FRAME Twilight Lavender Tour & Pressed Flower Art Experience
| ART & NATURE | Hahndorf
📅 Saturday, 3 January | 5:00 PM – 8:00 PM
Wander fragrant lavender fields at twilight before learning the art of flower pressing and creating your own framed botanical keepsake in a calm, sensory-rich setting. INFO
🌞 Summer Picnics
| FOOD & WINE | Sinclair's Gully Winery, Norton Summit
📅 Sunday, 4 January | 12:00 PM – 4:00 PM
Relax beneath the candlebark forest with a picnic and handcrafted wines, enjoying nature, birdsong and the peaceful Adelaide Hills atmosphere. INFO
🌿 Sunset Yoga Flow
| WELLNESS | The Hahndorf Lavender Estate, Paechtown
📅 Monday, 5 January and 8 January | 6:45 PM – 7:45 PM
Unwind at dusk with a gentle, breath-led yoga flow set among blooming lavender fields, inviting calm, connection and ease as the day draws to a close. INFO
🏁 School Holiday Scalextric Racing!
| FAMILY | Birdwood
📅 Tuesday, 6 – Saturday, 24 January | between 11:00 PM – 2:15 PM
Race family and friends on a large Scalextric slot car track at the National Motor Museum, with free sessions included in museum admission. INFO
🌿 Sunrise Morning Yoga Flow
| WELLNESS | The Hahndorf Lavender Estate, Paechtown
📅 Wednesday, 7 January | 7:30 AM – 8:30 AM
Greet the day with a gentle, mindful yoga flow among blooming lavender, connecting breath, movement and the calming presence of bees to energize and centre your body and mind. INFO
🥋 Girls Self Defence - 3 Week Program
| WORKSHOP | Toa Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Martial Arts School, Mount Barker
📅 Wednesday, 7 January – Sunday, 21 January | 2:00 PM – 3:00 PM
Empower girls aged 10+ with confidence, awareness, and practical self-defence skills during this supportive three-week school holiday program. INFO
ON LATER, BOOK NOW
Click the button below to check out all upcoming events to help you plan ahead beyond this week…there are so many cool things happening across the Hills this summer!
Thanks for reading Adelaide Hills Pantry. I hope it added a moment of enjoyment to your day.
Acknowledgement of Country
We acknowledge Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples as the traditional custodians of our land. We recognise Peramangk and Kaurna people as the traditional custodians of the place where the content in this newsletter is featured and where the newsletter is created. We pay respect to Elders past, present and future and to the cultural authority of First Nations Peoples from other areas of this country.