Beloved Beerenberg Farm saved by decision to ditch Hahndorf bypass, owner says

A hugely popular Hills tourist icon dating back almost 200 years would have been “devastated” by a proposed freeway project, according to its owner.

Beerenberg managing editor Anthony Paech said options for a Hahndorf bypass all required substantial compulsory acquisition of farm land and houses which would have been "heart-wrenching for those involved".

A beloved tourist attraction with deep roots in the Adelaide Hills dating back almost 200 years would have been severely affected to make way for a scrapped Hahndorf bypass.

Beerenberg Farm – a hugely popular cafe, strawberry tourism icon and jam factory that in 2021 had a $2.6m upgrade – would have been ploughed up under the preferred option to address Hahndorf’s traffic issues, according to its leaders.

In 2020, $250 million was committed to the Hahndorf Township Improvements and Access Upgrade Project with a new bypass near the Hahndorf township planned to ease congestion in the busy tourist town.

Beerenberg managing editor Anthony Paech said options for a Hahndorf bypass all required substantial compulsory acquisition of farm land and houses which would have been "heart-wrenching for those involved".

But plans for a new interchange were scrapped by Labor in September 2022, with the government citing disruption to the environment, heritage, business and property across proposed options as the reason to kill new bypass plans.

Instead, the government is upgrading the Mount Barker and Verdun interchanges as a traffic solution.

The decision has been met with backlash from the Hahndorf Community Association, which continues to push for a new bypass to solve the “dangerous” traffic issues in Hahndorf’s mainstreet.

The group collected a petition more than 2000 signatures strong, asking the government to revisit new Hahndorf bypass plans.

A spokesman for Transport Minister Tom Koutsantonis the week told The Messenger the government was aware there was strong support in the community for a bypass, but none of the options of the table were viable.

Beerenberg managing director Anthony Paech agreed and said while parts of the Hahndorf community rejected three bypass options proposed by the Department of Infrastructure and Transport in 2021, the same voices proposed a solution with strong opposition in the neighbouring Paechtown.

Mr Paech said the fourth option was created “without asking the residents of Paechtown or the Paech family here at Beerenberg”

“The previously proposed option 4 and 4B freeway interchange at Hahndorf would have had a devastating impact on local farming land; our world-renowned tourism site, the iconic Beerenberg Family Farm,” he said.

“All four options involved substantial compulsory acquisition of farm land and houses which would have been heart wrenching for those involved,” he said.

“The department was left with no good options … the Minister made the right decision.”

Mr Paech said six generations of his family had lived and farmed on the Beerenberg Family Farm for since 1839.

“Beerenberg is fully supportive of improved traffic measures at Hahndorf, that protects the environment and heritage of the historic township and its surrounds, while supporting the future of local businesses,” he said.

“The decision to upgrade the Verdun and Mount Barker interchanges and deliver vital improvements to Hahndorf’s main street is an option that will encourage future business investment and preserve local farming land.”