Dani Wright visits Australia's oldest surviving German settlement and finds it filled with art . . . and apple strudel.
Nestled in the Adelaide Hills is a Hansel and Gretel-ish town. Hahndorf was settled by 19th-century German Lutheran migrants who fled persecution by the King of Prussia for a new life in Australia and the promise of a scorched land and a multitude of dangerous animals.
Their idealism paid off thanks to Captain Hahn, who took 38 of the pioneer families from Germany to South Australia on the 344-tonne ship Zebra. Their eventual safe(ish) haven was a section of South Australia they named Handorf (or Hahn's Village).
But, it's not just the intriguing heritage and the theme-park-like German kitsch and cuisine that draws the crowds. There's also an abundance of art at the heart of this tiny town, as well as farm-fresh produce and country air.
Linda Kaminski, who has lived in the Adelaide Hills for 30 years, and owns Kaminski Art Centre, says the region has one of the biggest concentrations of art galleries in the country. Her gallery is filled with impressionist landscapes, colourful blown-glass creations, carved wood kitchen accessories and work by colourist Marek Herbut, all curated as a celebration of the region and its artists.
"There's a lovely relaxed village atmosphere here, and it makes you feel a bit more connected to Europe," she says. "People come for the wine and food, but end up falling in love with the art."
The town has a long history as an artists' retreat with potentially the most famous inhabitant being German-born landscape painter Sir Hans Heysen OBE, renowned for his watercolour gum trees.
His understated haven in the hills, The Cedars, has an air of contemplation with the tall trees the estate is named after, and well cared-for gardens. It's like returning to another, calmer era.
The work of Heysen's daughter Nora Heysen is also on display. Following her father into the art world, she became the first female war painter and the first female to win the prestigious Archibald Prize for Portraiture. It's her self-portraits that are particularly striking.
If you're feeling inspired after visiting all the galleries and artists' spaces, head over to The Paint Box Studio Art Supplies. The specialist art shop on Hahndorf's Main St is bursting at the seams with vibrant art supplies, including a wall lined with hanging Charvin paints.
"Charvin started making paints in 1830 and if you look at the wall, the colours will resemble a Monet painting," says the shop's owner and oil painter Rebecca Madden. "They still make colours in the palette Monet asked them to make for his paintings."
Hahndorf Inn's 'world's biggest hotdog'. Photo / Jonathan Kissoc
She imports them directly from artisan makers all over the world with a proportion of sales going towards the sponsorship of the local art community. This is in association with The Hahndorf Academy, which has selections of books on the pioneer women of the Adelaide Hills, as well as being home to the German Migration museum, tracing local history.
"There's a huge arts community in the town and fantastic light for them to do their work," says Madden, who has lived in Hahndorf for 20 years. "I also send lots of paint to customers in New Zealand, mostly to Kerikeri."
Alongside the paints, there are handmade paintbrushes and other art materials. You can also book into an art class while you're in town — try their Make a Masterpiece tuition, where students hone their craft by copying an original by a master painter.
Heading back on to the main street after the escapism of the art shop, I run into a flower grower walking the streets selling orchid plants from a trolley, while musicians busk and artists sell paintings further along the leafy street.
I take refuge from the busy thoroughfare and head into the Hahndorf Inn, where I buy tall glasses of imported German beer and feast on sausage platters with melt-in-your-mouth sauerkraut.
If you're really hungry, try Hahndorf Inn's "World's Biggest Hotdog". It's 1m long and made with grilled bratwurst sausage in a crusty baguette, served with sauerkraut, chips (in case the giant hot dog didn't fill you up enough) and German mustard.
If you're feeling lucky you could take the Hahndorf Hotdog Challenge to see how fast you can eat it, washed down with a stein of Bavarian Hahndof Inn Schloss Lager. The time to beat is just over 11 minutes.
If you can fit in dessert, you'll find decadent apple strudel and Black Forest gateau at the many cafes and cake shops lining the main street. There may not be a gingerbread house for Hansel and Gretel to stop in at, but it's still a fairytale German-styled village with plenty of charm and a great addition to any South Australian adventure.
No trip to Hahndorf is complete without stopping in at The German Village Shop. Filled with German Christmas decorations all year round, nutcrackers, beer steins and music boxes, you'll also find cuckoo-clocks, hand-carved in Germany, alongside Tyrolean felt hats and busty waitress beer-openers and aprons.
"We love Hahndorf for the weather, the picturesque surrounding and beautiful trees, as well as the food and the wine," says Rebecca MacAllan, who owns the store with her partner. "It's such a beautiful place and wherever we go in the world, we always compare it to Hahndorf — it's still a township and we love it."
Rebecca MacAllan (left), owner of The German Village Shop, Hahndorf. Photo / Dani Wright
Fact Box
GETTING THERE Air New Zealand flies from Auckland to Adelaide, with one-way Seat fares from $317.
Hahndorf is 30 minutes' drive from central Adelaide.
