Karkoo Nursery relocating to make way for $12m Blackwood Hub
Kicked out by their council, a Blackwood nursery has its sights set on a landmark Hills property – and one-of-a-kind cafe and garden centre.
Adelaide Hills
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The popular Karkoo Nursery in Blackwood may have found a new home with its owners seeking to take over a landmark property in the Adelaide Hills.
Peter and Jane Rowat have lodged a development application with the Adelaide Hills Council to change the use of the historic Johnston Brewery in Oakbank, currently owned by O’Leary Walker.
If approved, the 178-year-old landmark at 18 Oakwood Road will become the new home for Karkoo Nursery and an associated garden cafe.
The family-run business, which currently operates on Main Street in Blackwood, will be vacating their current premise by the end of the year after Mitcham Council announced plans to sell the site to help pay for its $12 million Blackwood Hub.
Mr Rowat said he and wife Jane were deeply saddened by the council’s decision but hoped a move to the Hills would bring new opportunities.
The couple made an offer on the Oakbank property late last year for an undisclosed price.
“We’d love to stay where we are but the council left us no choice,” Mr Rowat said.
“So for the past year, we’ve been searching everywhere for a new site and eventually saw the Johnston Brewery come up.
“At the moment, the sale hinges on this development application as the bank won’t lend us the money until council approves the change of use.
“If all goes through, we hope to get keys by mid-March, followed by a quiet opening as soon as we can and an official launch in spring.”
According to the development application, Karkoo Nursery plans to operate seven days a week at the new site, between the hours of 9am and 5.30pm.
The proposal does not seek any major interior or exterior changes to the property, with the exception of increasing the capacity of the existing car park in accordance with plans approved by the council in 2018.
Mr Rowat said the new site would allow the business to explore new ventures, including opening a cafe, which will eventually be turned into a fully licensed premise.
“Almost every second customer tells us that we should put in a cafe and we’re planning on doing that in the new location,” he said.
“If we get a licence, we’ll also approach the Lobethal Brewery to get the original Johnston brew made up. That actually was a suggestion from one of the locals and I think it’s a great idea.”
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