The Mount Barker Courier

Smokehouse tree an award finalist

A Littlehampton river red gum that was used to smoke meat during the early settlement of the Hills has been listed as a finalist in the SA Tree of the Year competition. The Tree of the Year competition is an initiative of Adelaide organisation 20...

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New hospital works underway

Major construction work has begun at the Mt Barker hospital after months of preparation works. Construction of the $365.8m new hospital is being managed by construction company Built, which began preparation works in December. Last week...

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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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New York win for ‘basketball nut’

A 10-year-old self-proclaimed “basketball nut” has become the first Aussie to win the North American dominated NBA Math Hoops Global Championship in New York. Year 5 Stirling East Primary School student Oscar Keily recently went on an...

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Funding sought for Houghton Hub

The Adelaide Hills Council will investigate funding options for the long-awaited $4.2m Houghton Hub, after a Paracombe resident and local stakeholder agreed to match any council funding “dollar for dollar” to see the project finished. An...

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Stirling mall resurrection

The developer behind the Stirling Village Mall redevelopment is hoping to begin construction later this year, a year and a half after the site was completely destroyed by a fire. Owner and developer Leyton Funds has lodged a planning application...

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Too little, too late

Key medical stakeholders fear the new Mt Barker hospital will not be large enough for the region, as the SA doctors’ union says the local emergency department needs double the number of medical staff. A local emergency doctor, who The Courier has...

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Elisa Rose

News

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Funding to help two Hills football clubs

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Smokehouse tree an award finalist

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New hospital works underway

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New York win for ‘basketball nut’

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Council & Politics

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Funding sought for Houghton Hub

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Virtual fence trial shows promise

The Adelaide Hills Council has installed virtual fencing along a stretch of Greenhill Road, as part of the second stage of a project aimed at reducing wildlife injuries. The virtual fencing project trials a new electronic protection system designed...

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Wetland weed spread stopped

Mt Barker Council staff have stopped a declared weed from spreading in the Laratinga Wetlands, after two Italian buckthorn saplings were dumped in the area. The weeds, along with a small pile of garden waste, were dumped near a path on June 10 and...

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Louis Mayfield

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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Hills towns award finalists

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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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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

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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18 Jun 2025

Sport

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Winning State for Barker

Mt Barker United broke through for a second victory of the 2025 State Soccer League (2) South senior campaign last Saturday night at Summit Sports Park. Hosting competition leader Eastern United, Barker stunned the most fancied visitors, having...

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10 Jul 2025

Indoor goals

Mid Hills Netball Association A-grade fixtures enjoyed the comfort of the indoor environment at St Francis de Sales in Mt Barker on Saturday night. The second indoor round of the 2025 season provided wins for the leading contenders. Defending dual...

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10 Jul 2025

Barkeroos on the edge

Mt Barker’s hopes of a Hills Football League (HFL) Division 1 A-grade finals berth appear extremely doubtful following a narrow loss to defending premier Hahndorf last Saturday. In a fluctuating Round 11 contest, the Barkeroos rebounded from...

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10 Jul 2025

Dogs Day Out

Onkaparinga Valley Bulldogs celebrated their first win for season 2025, holding off a determined Blackwood side to record a 20-point victory at the Kennel. At a sunbathed Balhannah Oval, the young Bulldogs led from start to finish in a consistent...

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Torrens Valley Table Tennis Finals

The Torrens Valley Table Tennis Tournament for 2025 has been run with some familiar names making the headlines and some young guns stealing the limelight. In the Men’s Open semi-final Ollie Hughes pushed Darren Stanbury to five sets. Hughes was up...

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Adelaide Hills Hotel Darts Finals

The 2025 Adelaide Hills Hotel Darts League (AHHDL) Summer season came to an end on Tuesday June 10, with three grand final matches. The A, B and C-grade played at the newly renovated Bridgewater Sports and Social Club. With about 30 players and just...

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Oakbank motorsport prodigy

Adelaide Hills motorsport prodigy Jensen Marold continues to set a fast pace which belies his teenage years. Although just turning 15 at the end of May, the Oakbank resident is quickly turning wise heads on a national scale with his performances in...

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18 Jun 2025

Wyld weather for 250th

It was Rob Wyld’s 250th A-grade game as an umpire having been involved in the HFL for more than 50 years as a premiership player, coach and life member of Hahndorf and now umpiring

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18 Jun 2025

Editorial

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Editorial

Growing pains

Fears that the new Mt Barker hospital will be too small to cater for Mt Barker’s growing population are representative of the issues across the region. A local doctor’s assertion that the hospital is 10 years too late, could be repeated about...

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Editorial

Classroom chaos

It’s very concerning to see the extent of behavioral issues occurring at least two Hills public primary schools. Reports from parents at both Echunga and Blackwood primary schools demonstrate that there is a broader issue within the education...

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Editorial

Wheels turning

It’s good to see that the Adelaide Hills Council has decided to re-instate funding for the 2026 Tour Down Under (TDU) in its budget. It’s understandable that the council is looking to employ cost-cutting measures to decrease it’s $4.86m...

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