The small town of Hahndorf in South Australia’s Adelaide Hills is famed as Australia’s oldest surviving German settlement … and is an incredible place to spend the festive season.
With its tree-lined main street and huge variety of artisans, craft stores, and galleries, Hahndorf has plenty to offer grey nomads and other visitors … and the Hahndorf Christkindlmarkt, an annual European-style Christmas market, is the icing on the festive cake.
The town, which now has a population of around 3,000, was initially largely settled by Lutheran migrants from Prussia, many of whom arrived on board the Zebra in 1838.
The German influence here is clearly evident in the architecture of the original buildings that are still standing … and in the type of hostelries, cafes and shops that continue to thrive.
The streets of Hahndorf have a festive feel. PIC: Michael Waterhouse Photography / SA Tourism Commission
Not surprisingly then, there are some memorable places to enjoy a German beer and some authentic German cuisine.
These include the German Inn, located in the original Sonneman’s Bakery which first opened here in 1863; and the Hahndorf Inn, which also first opened in 1863. And then there are the businesses along the Handorf Main Street which sell everything from hand-crafted leather goods and antiques to gemstones and lollies.
There’s also the Hahndorf Kandle Haus where Kerzenmachers (candle makers) hand-pour natural soy wax candles; and the German Village Shop where visitors enter through giant nutcracker-guarded doors to find a typical Christmas Bavarian village, complete with cuckoo clocks, beer steins, Christmas decorations, and an incredible selection of toys.
The Heraldry Cottage offers visitors the chance to look up their family coat of arms, and there are quite a few galleries to explore, including the Hahndorf Academy, which boasts the Angel of Hahndorf sculpture, a migration museum, artist studios, and a gallery featuring the work of local artisans.
Strolling along Hahndorf’s main street, historic highlights Issue 339: December 20, 2024 include Thiele’s Cottage and Thiele’s House; the Old Mill; Detmold House; and Haebich’s Smithy. Also worth a look is St Michael’s Lutheran Church, the oldest Lutheran Church in Australia which was dedicated in 1859; and St Pauls Lutheran Church, which opened in 1886.
Just out of town, the eight-hectare Yantaringa Reserve is a great place to have a stroll. And most travellers will take a trip out to see the Cedars at Hahndorf, the former home of the renowned Australian artist, Sir Hans Heysen. A bronze statue of the famed landscape painter also stands in the main street.
This, of course, is the Adelaide Hills and so there is plenty to see and do in the surrounding countryside, including visiting lavender farms, strawberry farms … and a smorgasbord of wineries including the Lane Vineyard, and Hahndorf Hill Winery.
As an extremely popular tourist destination, there are also a number of good caravan parks in the area.
Hahndorf is not to be missed.
