If you’re anything like me, then your weekend outing destinations are largely driven by ‘family-friendly’ venues. The places with kids’ menus, playgrounds, good food and great wine are always a hit in my household.

Here’s the good news – there’s plenty in the Adelaide Hills and Murraylands regions.

It’s another reason I love where I live, and a great reason to work and play in this area too. I’m guessing it’s also one of the major reasons that so many young families migrate here from the city each year with new developments popping up every few months and merging our communities even closer to one-another.

We have affordable housing, excellent schools, beautiful scenery, great facilities, incredible produce, awesome day trips and possibly the best wine in the world in every direction you look – and we’re on the doorstep of our capital city, Adelaide (for the punters who want to still experience the perks of city life).

Operating as a family business for more than 40 years now, my team and I are happy to be a part of this exciting time in the Adelaide Hills, which is experiencing significant growth.

This is part of the reason my company – O’Brien Conveyancers – has branched out in to the Adelaide Hills this year and set up an office in Mount Barker. Of course our home is in the Murraylands, but we have a soft spot for the Hills. Believe it or not, I worked in the Hills as a chef for a while (before I realised that perhaps the industry hours weren’t going to work for my young family). Now – in the world of conveyancing I get to help people with their property dreams. Whether it’s young people buying their first home, families investing in something with more space, older couples looking for the perfect patch to retire on, or investors searching for their next portfolio purchase – my team and I are here to help.

So knowing the Adelaide Hills as I do – I thought I’d share a few a few of my favourite places to visit. This is a good list for those who might have just moved to the district, or perhaps even encourage those considering a regional investment. Take a read, and let me know if you can recommend any other places in the Hills that might be good to share with new/interested residents…

Barrister’s Block, Woodside

This is the perfect place for a family to spend the day playing outside and enjoying the best the Hills has to offer. Barrister’s Block at Woodside has incredible wine, gourmet pizzas and premium grazing platters – and you can take it all in on their landscaped lawns under shady trees (with a sandpit and farm animals enclosure on site). You can also follow-on from your Woodside experience with some indulgent chocolate or gelati at Cocolat in Balhannah, just down the road.

The Big Rocking Horse, Gumeracha

Take the family to the Big Rocking Horse in Gumeracha where the kids can feed the animals and marvel at all the things to see and do.

My two boys making the most of The Toy Factory at Gumeracha’s Big Rocking Horse.

Birdwood Motor Museum

For those of you who love of cars, why not pop over to the Birdwood Motor Museum, where you can get a glimpse up close of some classic Aussie cars (and a reminder of your youth in many of them). There’s also lots to see and do for the kids here, with interactive and educational displays.

Antiques at Strathalbyn

While antiques aren’t really my thing, I still know that Strath is THE best place to go antique hunting in SA. It’s also go incredible bakeries, and the beautiful River Angas running through it. The little boutique stores dotted around town make it a great day trip for all interests (and it has a few cracking playgrounds for the kids too, including one with a giant flying fox!).

Movies and sweets at Mt Barker

Mount Barker has a HUGE Wallis Cinema facility at Auchendarroch House if you just want to switch off and relax for a while. It’s also perfectly placed across the road from Mt Barker’s famous Gawler Street, which is lined with great places to eat and shop for all tastes. A favourite for those with a sweet tooth though is the new 50SIXONE, which is one of the first places you come across as you walk down this historic, tree-lined street.

Hahndorf’s (more-than) German experience

Spend a day in Hahndorf getting a touch of the tourist experience. Holiday in your own backyard and discover something you haven’t tried before, like the unique ChocoVino experience at Hahndorf Hill Winery. Otherwise, there’s plenty of other great things to experience in Hahndorf, spend time just walking the main street, and you’ll get a feel for it straight away.

These are just a few of the experiences my family has enjoyed in the hills, and we know that you will too, whether you are a local or just visiting. We are very proud to now service this wonderful region and would love to meet you and help you with any of your property transactions.

Our new office is located at 12 Hampden Road in Mount Barker, and services all areas from the Hills, Murraylands, Mallee and Coorong regions. Give us a call on (08) 8398 2858, or email me at patrick@obrienconveyancers.com.au.