Community

Historian driving campaign for war era bus

A local historian has started a grassroots campaign to bring a piece of Lobethal history back to the town – a 1940s Graeber’s bus. Graeber’s bus service operated in Lobethal from around 1919 until the 1970s, transporting residents from the...

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Fin Dunford

03 Sep 2025

Council and Politics

Op shop faces the chop

The future of the Gumeracha Op Shop hangs in the balance, with an independent report revealing the shop is no longer financially viable and at odds with the council’s strategic objectives. Consultancy firm BRM Advisory conducted a service review...

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Fin Dunford

03 Sep 2025

Community

Badge of honor

A Mt Barker teenager has raised $5000 for her local football club, driven by a desire to return the kindness it showed her after a life-changing incident 10 years ago. Earlier this year, local artist Madi Fox saw an opportunity to sell player...

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Scott Murphy

03 Sep 2025

Community

Storied history of Kaffeehaus to end

An inter-generational Hahndorf business will close its doors after more than 20 years. The Kaffeehaus was founded in 2004 and has since been a family affair, with Heidi Hartnett and daughter Ashton Downing serving in the front of house, Ms...

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Ethan Long

22 Aug 2025

Community

Calls for shelter at Littlehampton park

The Littlehampton Community Association (LCA) is pushing for a shelter to be installed at the Willow Park reserve, despite being turned down by the Mt Barker Council. The LCA received $2500 from the Mt Barker Council’s community grants program to...

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Louis Mayfield

13 Aug 2025

Community

Ruby shines as a volunteer

Volunteering at Hills schools has not only earned Mt Barker High School student Ruby Forster an award, but it also proved that she could achieve her dreams while living with diabetes. The 17-year-old, pictured, was one of 13 South Australians who...

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Louis Mayfield

13 Aug 2025

Community

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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Fin Dunford

30 Jul 2025

Community

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

16 Jul 2025

Community

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

Community

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

Community

Event brings home car crash consequences

The Mt Barker community is being invited to participate in an “eye-opening” session about driver safety, presented by a firefighter and a road crash survivor. SA MFS station officer Doug MacDonald-Taylor, who has seen the devastation car crashes...

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Louis Mayfield

02 Jul 2025

Community

Kicking goals: local school chosen for football investment

Students at Aldgate Primary School will be kicking goals in the coming weeks after being chosen to receive new AFL goal posts for their school oval. The junior-sized goal posts will be delivered as part of a joint SANFL, AFL and State Government...

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Scott Murphy

18 Jun 2025

Community

King’s honor: Hills resident honored for contribution to medicine

A Hills neurosurgeon who chaired committees to improve patient outcomes and educate and train new surgeons has been made a Member of the Order of Australia (AM). Aldgate resident Dr Glenn McCulloch, pictured, was inspired to pursue a career in...

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Louis Mayfield

11 Jun 2025