The Mount Barker Courier

Hundreds of new housing lots open

A 28ha site on the Heysen Boulevard at Mt Barker will be transformed into a 338-allotment master-planned community by Lanser. Marketed as a “natural extension” of the developer’s award-winning Clover Park, Clover Wood will include lots ranging...

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Producers welcome sticker ban deferral

A Hills orchardist believes a deferral of a Statewide ban on non-compostable plastic price look-up (PLU) produce stickers is a win for the industry, saying a nationwide approach would reduce cost pressures for producers. SA was set to become the...

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Pool construction finished ahead of schedule

Construction of Mt Barker’s new $51m Summit Aquatic and Leisure (SAL) centre is complete, with the facility ready to open next month. Delivered “ahead of schedule and within budget” by construction contractor Kennett, the facility features...

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Vandalism a sign of opposition

A banner advertising a faith-based program intended to explore “life’s big questions” was vandalised last week in an attack that organisers believe was calculated. Recently, a family living near Woodside and Ridge roads agreed to hang a banner...

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Scott Murphy

Fundraiser means cycling days

Nairne man Andrew Day will spend the next two months cycling from Perth to Adelaide and then on to Sydney, as he and his sons aim to raise $15,000 for the Cancer Council. About 10 years ago, after losing his father to prostate cancer, Mr Day rode...

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No parking: car park closure causes childcare centre chaos

About 250 car parks around the Mt Barker hospital and Summit Health have been lost for about a year, forcing a nearby childcare centre to monitor use of their private car park. Mt Barker Community Childcare Centre director Michelle Yvette has...

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Drought blamed for worker stand-down

Hundreds of staff at the Thomas Foods International’s Lobethal facility are in limbo after being stood down without pay at the end of a three-week shutdown, in the wake of the recent drought. The Courier understands that 200 to 300 staff are...

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News

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Heritage building to make way for health clinic

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Hundreds of new housing lots open

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Producers welcome sticker ban deferral

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Pool construction finished ahead of schedule

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Council & Politics

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Council and Politics

Council to trial outreach library service

A pilot program that will deliver a small-scale library outreach service to a township outside of Mt Barker is being funded through a $10,000 investment by the local council. The Library Pilot Program will take the form of a “flexible...

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Council and Politics

City centre confusion

The Mt Barker Council has been forced to clarify the purpose of a council-owned building included in the design of its $100m city centre project, after designs from a recent presentation were shared on community Facebook pages. In a Facebook post...

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Council and Politics

Councillor test drives truck of the future

Crafers resident and Adelaide Hills Councillor Adrian Cheater has been test-driving a new fully-electric utility vehicle that he believes could have significant potential for the local government sector’s efforts to decarbonise. As part of the...

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Police

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Police

High steaks offender

There was a “high steaks pursuit” at Dawesley last week, after a cow was spotted with a bucket on its head. In a social media post last week, SA Police said a patrol responded to reports of a “cow acting suspiciously” alongside Old Princes...

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Elisa Rose

26 Mar 2025

Fire sparks complacency warning

The CFS is warning residents not to be complacent in the wake of a fire that burned through 3ha of scrub at Birdwood last week. The blaze was sparked by a fallen powerline at about 2.20am on Wednesday, March 19, at a rural property near the...

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Joseph Moore

26 Mar 2025

Police

Fire damages century-old barn

A century-old barn at Nairne has been “significantly damaged” after catching fire last weekend. At about 9.50pm on March 1, five CFS trucks with about 25 firefighters responded to reports of a structure fire at Jeffery Street. On arrival...

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05 Mar 2025

Not-guilty plea in Littlehampton axe case

A former Hills woman who is charged with attempting to kill her ex-husband in a Littlehampton garage has pleaded not guilty. Lisa Lines and co-accused Zacharia Bruckner both pleaded not guilty this week to one count each of attempted murder, one...

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05 Mar 2025

Community

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Fundraiser means cycling days

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An act of love

When Gumeracha mother Theresa Tucker learned her 15-year-old daughter needed a heart transplant, she was thrown into a world of uncertainty, fear – and hope. After the first transplant, Mrs Tucker’s daughter improved, but a few years later, her...

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Ethan Long

Hills towns award finalists

Two Hills towns are finalists in this year’s SA Agricultural Town of the Year award, highlighting their significant contributions to “agriculture, community strength and regional leadership”. On July 1, Strathalbyn and Mt Pleasant were named...

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Scott Murphy

09 Jul 2025

Aldgate firefighter deploys to Canada

A Hills firefighter is among a group of eight SA personnel deployed to Canada to help fight remote wildfires in Alberta. Aldgate CFS firefighter Tony Pratt left Adelaide on June 26, alongside CFS regional officer Peter Ikonomopoulos and personnel...

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Scott Murphy

02 Jul 2025

Sport

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Hills link to Panthers flag

Mt Lofty and South Adelaide forward Lucy Northcott claimed her fourth SANFLW premiership last Sunday, playing a key role in the Panthers back-to-back triumph over Woodville-West Torrens. The Panthers defeated the Eagles 6-5 (41) to 2-6 (18) at...

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Slogging battles

Extremely wet and chilly conditions, coupled with boggy ovals, made for low-scoring results in Saturday’s round of Hills Football League competitions. Division 1 A-grade matches featured Nairne-Bremer handing Hahndorf its first home defeat since...

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Trifecta for Barker

Mt Barker United continued a recent streak of success with another win in Saturday’s Round 18 State Soccer League (2) South fixtures. Travelling to Port Noarlunga to meet Seaford, Barker were rewarded with an impressive 3-1 victory – its third in...

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Barker strike for derby win

State Soccer League (2) South action returned to the Hawks Nest in Woodside last Saturday with Adelaide Hills Hawks hosting fellow Hills-based rival Mt Barker United. The Hills Hawks marked the occasion with their Indigenous Round, the fixture...

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Aldgate boost hopes

Aldgate returned to the leading quartet within Hills Netball Association A-grade competition following an important victory in Saturday’s Round 10 fixtures. Players were back on court following a bye for school holidays and the hosting Gaters were...

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Tigers break streak

Lobethal Tigers broke a long-standing drought against reigning premier Hahndorf during last Saturday’s Round 12 Hills Football League Division 1 A-grade fixtures. In a determined performance, the hosting Tigers rallied from trailing at three-quarter...

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Eastern women retain State crown

Eastern Zone women have retained the crown during the 2025 SA Country Football Championships hosted over last weekend at Port Pirie. The team secured back-to-back titles with a gritty two-goal victory against South East in the grand final at...

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Hills athletes on world stage

Hills Districts Athletic Club representatives Jack Netting and Akeesha Snowden are set to make their World Para Athletics Championships debut in New Delhi later this year. The duo will race in India from September 26 to October 5 after gaining...

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Editorial

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Editorial

Parking the issue

The issues caused by the closure of a significant portion of the Summit Health Centre car park for 12 months to facilitate the construction of Mt Barker’s new hospital were entirely foreseeable. While some measures have been implemented to reduce...

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Editorial

Exploiting trust

It’s extremely disappointing to see that some people have taken advantage of local children and their enterprising way to make pocket money. Roadside stalls in the Hills sell everything from flowers and home-grown produce to firewood and manure...

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Editorial

Growing pains

Councillor Rebecca Hewett’s proposal for a report capturing the congestion on Mt Barker’s arterial road network is a sensible idea. The region has significant infrastructure needs and the council has long shouldered the significant burden of...

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