Sustainable Fairs, Stirling Players & Persian Love Cake You Need to Bake

Good morning, Hills lovers!

This week, we’re celebrating the people, places and plates that make the Hills special. The Uraidla Sustainability Fair is turning 20, proving that big change starts with small, grassroots ideas. The Stirling Players are bringing a beautifully crafted Australian play to the stage, and Hannah Kent is back home to launch her stunning new memoir. Plus, we’ve got fresh markets, cheap eats, and the recipe for a Persian Love Cake that’s as dreamy as it sounds.

Let’s get into it.

HILLS PEOPLE DOING COOL THINGS
Uraidla Sustainability Fair – 20 Years of Grassroots Action

Twenty years ago, the Uraidla Sustainability Fair was just a market stall. A couple of locals, passionate about the environment, set up a table at the Uraidla Show and started sharing ideas about how to live more sustainably. No big agenda, just conversations about composting, water conservation, and growing food. Year after year, more people gathered, the ideas spread, and that one little stall turned into a full-scale community event, drawing over 1000 people each year.

This isn’t the kind of fair where you just walk around and listen. You learn by doing. Thinking about getting an electric vehicle but don’t want the dealership sales pitch? Chat with real EV owners who’ll have their cars on display, ready to answer questions. Keen to improve your garden but don’t know where to start? Sophie Thomson will be part of a panel discussion on this year’s theme, Preparing for an Extreme Climate – Hope and Action. Then there’s Conversations Under the Trees, where you can sit down with a beekeeper, a composting expert, or someone who has built an off-grid home and ask whatever’s on your mind. At the end of the day, after over 1000 people have passed through, there will be less than half a bin of rubbish. It’s a small but powerful reminder that change happens when people come together and put ideas into action.
Book your tickets here.

RECIPE OF THE WEEK 
Persian Love Cake - Sweet, Spiced, and Soaked in Love

I first made this cake when Adelaide Hills Pantry started at the beginning of COVID, back when everyone was baking anything they could get their hands on. And let me tell you, this cake is pure magic.

But if there’s one thing you need to know before you make it, it’s this. You need more syrup than you think. The syrup is everything. It’s what makes the cake soft, fragrant and melt-in-your-mouth good. So don’t be shy, pour it over while the cake is still warm and let it soak right in.

The recipe is below, but if you want to see the original bake from back in 2020, it’s here: Persian Love Cake.

Now go make this cake. You won’t regret it. Recipe below.

Method

1. Preheat oven to 160°C (fan-forced). Grease and line a 22cm cake pan.

2. Combine dry ingredients in a bowl.

3. Beat butter and sugars until smooth. Mix in eggs, yoghurt and orange zest. Stir in dry ingredients.

4. Pour into the pan, smooth the surface and scatter with pistachios.

5. Bake for 50–60 minutes until a skewer comes out clean.

6. While baking, simmer syrup ingredients until sugar dissolves.

7. Poke holes in the hot cake and pour over warm syrup. Let soak for at least an hour before slicing.

8. Sprinkle with extra pistachios or a dusting of rose petals if you’re feeling fancy.

Got a favourite recipe? Or if someone you know has a recipe that deserves a shoutout, send it my way and let’s celebrate them in the newsletter!

Email me here

IT’S SHOW TIME 
The Stirling Players and a Theatre That Almost Wasn’t

The Stirling Community Theatre has been a part of the Hills since 1884, first as a library and council office, then as a gathering space for film screenings and dances. By the 1970s, it was barely being used and at risk of being demolished. A group of locals decided to save it through theatre. In 1972, the Stirling Players staged their first production with no heating, cooling or even toilets, raising funds to restore the space one ticket at a time. Since then, they have produced over 150 shows, launched the Hills Festival of One-Act Plays, and built a reputation for staging bold, exciting productions, from contemporary Australian works to fresh plays straight from London and New York stages.

Now, in 2025, they are stepping into a new chapter. With a new logo and website, they are officially becoming Stirling Players Adelaide, but their mission remains the same. Passionate volunteers bringing great stories to life. Their next production, Life Without Me, is the South Australian premiere of Australian playwright Daniel Keene’s poetic and whimsical comedy about how sometimes what you want arrives when you least expect it. Megan Dansie directs this beautifully crafted piece, full of dry humour, quiet reflection and moments that stay with you long after the curtain falls. I’ve booked my ticket - hope to see you there! Get your ticket here.

WHAT’S HAPPENIN’

Full Moon Hike 🌕🥾 HIKING | Cleland National Park
📅 Fri, Mar 14 | 6:15 PM – 9:00 PM
Experience Cleland National Park under the glow of the full moon. Led by experienced bushwalking guides Ian and Rod, this 8km hike is for those confident on uneven terrain. Expect hilly sections, quiet trails, and a good dose of fresh air. Bring a head torch, water, sturdy shoes, and warm layers for after the walk. INFO

Hooked 🧶✨ EXHIBITION | Fabrik, Lobethal
📅 Wed – Sun, now until Mar 30 | 11 AM – 4 PM
Crochet, but make it unexpected. Hooked brings together over 100 pieces from Kristin Phillips and Lianne Gould, two makers and collectors obsessed with the craft. There are doilies and knee rugs, but also sixties fashion and designs that’ll shock your nan. INFO

Sunprints & Sips 🎨🍷 WORKSHOP | The Hut, Aldgate
📅 Fri, Mar 7 | 1 PM – 3 PM
A paint and sip with a twist. Instead of a brush, you’ll be using sunlight and nature to create beautiful prints, guided by artist Jorji Gardener. Play with natural materials, experiment with light, and walk away with your own unique artwork. Wine and nibbles included. INFO

Quiz Meisters Trivia Night ❓🍻 TRIVIA | Prancing Pony Brewery
📅 Every Wednesday | 7 PM
Prancing Pony Brewery has teamed up with Quiz Meisters to bring you a wild and unpredictable trivia night packed with quirky questions, crazy segments and plenty of laughs. Gather your team and book a table. INFO

An Afternoon of Wine and Song 🍷🎶 LIVE MUSIC | Sinclair’s Gully Winery
📅 Sun, Mar 9 | Mon, Mar 10 | 2 PM
Pack a picnic, grab a glass of wine and settle in under the gums for an afternoon of live music at Sinclair’s Gully Winery. Each day brings a different sound, from acoustic folk and blues to classic Aussie rock. INFO

ON LATER, BOOK NOW

Meet the Author: Hannah Kent 📖✨ AUTHOR TALK | Elder Hall, Adelaide
📅 Mon, Apr 28 | 7:30 PM
Hills local and world-acclaimed author Hannah Kent is back with her stunning memoir Always Home, Always Homesick. Hosted by Matilda Bookshop, this special event sees Hannah in conversation with Molly Murn, reflecting on creativity, belonging and the stories that shaped her from an exchange year in Iceland to writing Burial Rites. INFO

Omens & Portents 🎨✨ ART EXHIBITION | Cherry Bomb Cafe, Ashton
📅 Thu, Mar 20 | 7 PM
Artist Alex Beckinsale explores the symbols and meanings we attach to people and animals, drawing on native Australian birdlife, classical mythology and folklore. Her haunting, intricate works invite you to see the world through a different lens. Light refreshments on arrival. INFO

Lobethal 54 ✨🕺 DISCO FUNDRAISER | Lobethal Centennial Hall
📅 Fri, Apr 4 | 7 PM – 11 PM
Get ready to glam up and hit the dance floor at Lobethal 54, a disco-fuelled fundraiser packed with cocktails, DJs and prizes. Whether you’re there for the beats, the glitter or the good cause, this is your excuse to go full Studio 54. INFO

MARKETS

🧺 Oakbank Market | Oakbank Soldiers Memorial Hall
📆 Saturday, 8 March | 9:00 am – 2:00 pm
An artisan, homemade, and craft market is held on the second Saturday of each month, featuring stalls with candles, books, plants, jewellery, clothing, pet treats, jams, and more.

🧺 Adelaide Hills Farmers Market | Mount Barker
📅Every Saturday | 8:30 AM – 12:30 PM
A certified farmers market packed with fresh, local produce. Stock up on fruit and veg, baked goods, meat, dairy and pantry staples, all direct from the growers and makers.

🧺 Mount Pleasant Farmers Market | Mount Pleasant Showgrounds
📅 Every Saturday | 8 AM – 12 PM
A vibrant market with seasonal produce, small-batch products and a welcoming country feel. Grab a coffee, meet the makers and soak up the relaxed weekend atmosphere.

CHEAP DATE

Rib Night 🍖 | Oakbank
📅 Every Tuesday
BBQ Beef Ribs or Smoked Pork Baby Back Ribs, your choice. Served up every Tuesday night at Oakbank Hotel, dine-in or takeaway. Pair it with a drink and dig in. INFO

Bottomless Chicken 🍗🍹 | Aldgate
📅 Every Thursday till 4:30 pm
At Dirty Doris, Thursdays mean one thing. Unlimited Carolina-style fried chicken with your choice of toppings, cabbage salad and shoestring fries. Wash it down with a Margarita and call it a night. INFO

The Ernest Classic 🍝 | Hahndorf
📅 Fri, Mar 7 | From 5:30 PM
A Friday night feast of pasta, lasagne, sides, and plenty of vino. Gather your people and settle in for a night of comfort food done right at Ernest Delicatessen. INFO

Schnitzel Night 🍽️ | Aldgate
📅 Every Thursday
Crispy, golden and done right. Cheap Schnitzels Thursday night at Aldgate Pump Hotel. Simple, classic and always a good idea. INFO

Let’s Chat

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