Discover Mount Barker

Markets, wetlands and history in Mount Barker

Mount Barker can be explored through a range of themes: the Adelaide Hills Farmers Market, the trails of Laratinga Wetlands and the history of early mills and estates. This gives you different points of focus as you plan your trip—from market offerings and birdwatching to glimpses into the past.

A weekly market beneath historic elms

The Adelaide Hills Farmers Market is held every Saturday from 8:30 am to 12:30 pm at 23 Mann Street, beneath historic elms. Its offerings include fresh fruit and vegetables, artisan breads and cheeses, free-range eggs, pasture-raised meat, local honey, jams and sauces, as well as plants, flowers and handmade products. The market brings together a variety of foods and products in one place.

Live music, hot food, coffee and activities for families are also part of the market. These include demonstrations on cooking, gardening and environmental topics, as well as craft and cooking activities for children. Growing and cooking competitions round out the offerings. If you plan a visit to the market, you can make it part of your Saturday morning stay.

Walks and birdwatching

Laratinga Wetlands are in the heart of Mount Barker. You can walk there, and the trails are suitable for prams. More than 150 resident, migratory and nomadic bird species have been recorded in the wetlands. The number may change as species populations are recorded again. Several bird hides are available for birdwatching, offering a different experience from walking the trails.

The Mount Barker Linear Trail is a seven-kilometre shared walking path. It follows the local creek between Laratinga Wetlands and Keith Stephenson Park. This gives you two different ways to spend time outdoors: walking in the wetlands or following a clearly defined route between its endpoints. Check the trail route and length before setting out.

The history of mills and estates

Dunn Mill on Cameron Road was built by John Dunn in 1844. It was the first steam mill outside Adelaide and also Mount Barker’s first brick commercial building. The mill was used as a family home until the adjoining mill house was built; it ceased operating in 1894. These stages connect its early use as a home with its later significance as a mill.

On the site of today’s Auchendarroch at 17 Adelaide Road, Lachlan Macfarlan built the Oakfield Hotel in 1860. Robert and Joanna Barr Smith bought the estate in 1878 and extended it into a summer house. Architect John Grainger designed alterations that cost £10,200. The owners commissioned furniture by William Morris and laid out an extensive garden. During the Second World War, the Red Cross and the Royal Australian Air Force requisitioned the estate. In 1976 it was sold to a group of families, who divided the house into residential units. Wallis Theatres bought Auchendarroch in 2000 and restored the building at the time as a modern tavern and entertainment centre with an adjoining cinema complex.

More to discover and choosing your holiday rental

Historic Gawler Street has pubs, bakeries, cafés and restaurants, as well as smaller shops selling household goods and clothing. Individual businesses and offerings may change. Another option for an outing is the SteamRanger Heritage Railway: at selected times of the year, it runs between Mount Barker in the Adelaide Hills and Strathalbyn, Goolwa and Victor Harbor on the Fleurieu Peninsula. Check operating dates before your trip.

These themes give your trip planning a sense of direction without requiring you to choose just one type of stay.

Discover more destinations: Littlehampton, Echunga, Kanmantoo

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