The Adelaide Hills Top 10 business women
From launching SA’s first sustainable fish shop to helping save the Southern White Rhino – women in the Adelaide Hills are kicking serious goals in business. We profile our top 10.
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From those leading the pack in male dominated fields to those building businesses from the ground up, the Adelaide Hills is full of inspiring women.
To celebrate their achievements, The Adelaide Hills News has compiled a list of 10 inspiring women in business to call the region home.
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EMMA EDWARDS - EMMA AND IVY
Where there is a will, there’s a way and in Emma Edwards case - it was finding a way to combine her love for blooms and coffee.
She has achieved as much with the creation of Emma & Ivy in Lobethal – a bustling lifestyle community hub for both food and plant lovers.
It is also a hub for passionate and inspiring Hills women who have banded together to create team Ivy.
Mrs Edwards said the decision to start her own business as a means to create her dream job that encompassed all of her passions.
This includes running floral workshops and pizza nights - both of which have been hailed a huge success.
“We moved to the Adelaide Hills from Broken Hill (and) once my boys were settled into their new school I decided to create my own business and chose to do it locally in the Adelaide Hills as the produce is of high quality and abundant,” she said.
“I believe the Adelaide Hills is a prime location and should be showcased to the whole of Australia and beyond.
“My mottos are to support local and support those that support you.”
Mrs Edwards passion for the community became evident after the Cudlee Creek bushfires when she immediately opened the cafe’s doors to serve free coffee to locals and volunteers fighting the blazes.
She also sits on the Lobethal Lights committee, supports local sporting clubs and regularly makes donations to various foundations and charities, including the Mito Foundation and Lukemia Foundation.
ANGIE LO-FARO - MOUNT TORRENS HOTEL PUBLICAN
When Angie Lo-Faro gave up her career as an intensive care and emergency nurse to become a publican, she thought she had left her healthcare days behind.
But running Mount Torrens Hotel, she soon discovered the two roles had an important crossover – community connection and the chance to check in on the health and wellbeing of those around you.
That connection has become particularly important since the Cudlee Creek bushfires and now COVID-19, with Ms Lo-Faro often called upon to help locals in need. Sometimes over a pint of beer, or two.
“I think having a good understanding of mental health is important everywhere,” Ms Lo-Faro said.
“But because we’re such an important part of the community, understanding where people are at is more crucial than ever.
“Country people have a real functional view of health, so they don’t necessarily look after their mental health and are often not aware of it.
“So we’ve tried to create a space where people feel safe, a place they know they can come to and just have a chat and lay their problems on me.”
More recently, Ms Lo-Faro has been instrumental in setting up a Christmas in July for bushfire affected families and a community event to mark the one year anniversary of the Cudlee Creek blazes.
AMANDA PRANCE - ANGLER STIRLING
Angler is not your average fish and chip shop. It’s dedicated to fresh fish sourced straight from local fisherman associated with SA Fair Fish - making it the first sustainable fish food business in the State.
The concept is the brainchild of Amanda Prance, who runs the Stirling-based business with nephew Sam Prance-Smith.
Angler has become a sought-after commodity among seafood loving locals, willing a market gap generally filled by country-style foods.
Its popularity has also resulted in major expansion plans, with Ms Prance currently on the hunt for a second venue to create a sustainable seafood restaurant.
“We wanted to create a place in the Adelaide Hills that is all about sourcing food ethically
because so many seafood restaurants do not think deeply about where their food comes
from and what the impact is on our oceans,” she said.
“We have carefully considered how we can also contribute to the food, social and cultural scene of the Adelaide Hills.”
Ms Prance grew up in Adelaide before spending time living overseas and then in
Melbourne until 2016 when she returned to South Australia, making the Adelaide Hills
home with her family including three children.
Her passion for reducing waste at home, at work, in schools and out in the world, has seen her delve into working on a number of projects that provide practical resources for anyone wanting to live more sustainably.
JULIE PETER - URAIDLA HOTEL
Adelaide Hills local Julie Peter is behind the successful revamps of the Crafers and Uraidla hotels, both of which have helped transform the faces of the respective towns.
Both establishments now do a roaring trade on weekends and have helped introduce scores of food and wine lovers to the quiet and leafy area which once thrived on large-scale vegetable market gardening.
However, it’s the Uraidla - the town’s worst and best pub - that’s really left a mark in Mrs Peter’s heart and it’s where she spends most of her time.
“My time these days is spent at the Uraidla where I’m really hands on, to the point where I’m cooking things and making muffins,” she said.
“It’s totally become my baby and just love the community being there.”
Mrs Peter, who has a keen eye for design, said her love for antiques and all things quirky was behind the Uraidla’s unique appearance.
“We want it to feel homely and by going Opp Shop shopping, you’re also supporting locals, which is really important to me.
“But my favourite part about my job is interacting with my staff and patrons and learning about the community.”
HELEN GERMEIN EDWARDS - ADELAIDE HILLS TOURISM CHAIR
Hills business woman Helen Germein Edwards wears many hats.
She is the Chair of Adelaide Hills Tourism Board - a role she’s held since 2011 - and the Chair of the first South Australian Regional Visitor Strategy which was implemented in 2018 with outstanding results by the end of 2019.
She is also the co-founder of The Lane Restaurant and Vineyard in Hahndorf, and was previously the President of the Adelaide Hills Wine Region.
It goes without saying that Ms Edwards loves to stay busy and inspired. She is humbled to be part of collaborative industry efforts that make the Adelaide Hills the tourism experience it is today.
“I grew up in a family where my parents were very much involved in the community in a country town and it was expected of us to contribute, so that’s my excuse for doing what I do,” she said.
“I really enjoy what I do because this is the most wonderful region (in SA) and I can say that because I’ve lived all over the state.”
SHEREE SULLIVAN - UDDER DELIGHTS
Good things come to those who wait and work hard. And for ‘Cheese Queen’ Sheree Sullivan it’s the opening of a new Udder Delights venue in the Adelaide Hills.
Ms Sullivan and her team are in the process of transforming the old “Grumpy’s” site in Verdun into a new $1.5m hospitality complex, complete with a new restaurant and microbrewery.
The project will also include cheesemaking classes and a tasting and function space and is the accumulation of many years of hard work.
“I love food and cooking but never thought about a career in the food industry so really got into cheesemaking by accident,” she said.
“However, these days I’m more focused on the business site of things which really appeals to me as I have what I call the math/music brain.
“I actually went to uni to do a degree in Jazz Piano.”
Ms Sullivan said she credited her success to being able to “learn really quickly.”
“It’s inevitable that things will go wrong in business, that you do something wrong,” she said.
“So a key lesson, I found, is to get it wrong quickly and to learn the lesson, implement the changes and move on.
“Don’t get stuck in your ways and business is fluid and needs to change.”
KRIS LLOYD - WOODSIDE CHEESE WRIGHTS
Kris Lloyd is a self taught Australian Cheesemaker who has headed up Woodside Cheese Wrights at Woodside for well over 20 years.
She is known for pioneering cheeses with a point of difference, which has helped assert herself as one of the most respected artisan cheese producers in the country.
She and her team produce a range of quality goat and cow milk products, sold nationally, and have won a string of awards nationally and overseas.
It’s quite a feat, considering Ms Lloyd earnt the art of cheesemaking mainly through trial and error.
“Before I bought the cheese business, I was consulting in business planning, strategic planning and marketing,” she said.
“I was never going to be a cheesemaker; I was going to be a manager. But when I had to help out one day when we were short-staffed, I fell in love with the process – and it turned out to be the beginning of my somewhat accidental career.”
Her passion for cheese has also seen Ms Lloyd travel to Italy, France and the UK for inspiration and helped establish CheeseSA in 2004.
She is also a recipient of a Medal of the Order of Australia, which was awarded to her in 2020 for dedication to the industry.
TRUDY DICKSON - AMBLESIDE DISTILLERS
Behind every man is a strong woman. In Trudy Dickson’s case, she stands behind two men; husband Steve and son Matt.
Together they run Ambleside Distillers in Hahndorf – but it’s Trudy’s background in HR that has helped the business thrive.
She is also an active member of the Adelaide Hills Tourism Association.
“I love innovating and exploring different opportunities and as we have a family business, it’s really great to have that opportunity to work together,” she said.
“Last year, I sold my HR business in the city, so now I’m 100 per cent Hills, which gives me the opportunity to get even more involved with the community.”
Ms Dickson said one of her greatest achievements since launching Ambleside in 2017, was forming a partnership with Monarto Zoo.
Under the deal, proceeds from sales of the Kifaru Gin, which has been inspired by native botanicals from the Monarto region and is limited to 500 bottles, will go towards relocating 30 southern white rhinos to Monarto under the Australian Rhino Project.
“I have been a long supporter of the Zoo, so when we opened this family business we wanted to see what we could do to support them,” she said.
“So I met with them and came up with developing a product to raise funds in support of a project and that’s been really successful.
“So far we’ve raised over $60,000 in the last two years towards that and that’s something I’m really proud of.”
KATE LAURIE - DEVIATION ROAD WINERY
Kate Laurie may not be the only female winemaker in the country. However, she is one of only a few specialising in Champagne.
Ms Laurie co-owns and runs Deviation Road Winery in Longwood, known for its large range of sparkling table wines.
The mother of three runs the business with husband Hamish who was instrumental in producing the label’s first wine in 2002 and the subsequent purchase of the Scott Creek Road cellar door in 2004.
Their combined passion for sparkling wines has resulted in an impressive and growing list of national and international accolades, including: Top Gold at the UK Sommeliers Wine Awards 2014, Trophy for Best Sparkling of the Show at the Adelaide Hills Wine Show 2011 and 2012, and Best Australian Sparkling at the Sydney International Wine Show 2012.
Ms Laurie, who grew up on a vineyard and spent three years in Champagne, France to study wine, said she considered herself lucky to be able to follow her dreams.
“Winemaking encapsulates everything I am passionate about, incorporating science with creativity, hands on farming and outdoor lifestyle filled with food and wine,” she said.
“Every day has different challenges, and equally no vintage is ever the same so the variety is fantastic.
“As a winemaker, there is something very exciting about making sparkling wine that keeps me hooked.
“While all winemaking is a balance of science and art, traditional method sparkling pushes that to the next level.”
Outside of work, Ms Laurie spends most of her time supporting her children’s interest, including coaching a netball team.
“I’m also a passionate supporter of Type 1 diabetes research and advocacy, having being diagnosed with the disease 12 years ago,” she said.
ARABELLA BRANSON - OAKBANK RACING CLUB CHAIR
Adelaide-based lawyer Arabella Branson managed to make history last year when she was appointed as the first chairwoman for Oakbank Racing Club.
She has since hit the ground running by overhauling the traditional Easter weekend race which had recorded big slumps in numbers over the years.
Early indicators showed that her new-look, three-day picnic carnival was going to have the desired effect with well over 30,000 spectators expected to attend.
Unfortunately, COVID-19 put a pause on the launch which has been postponed until this year. Under Branson’s leadership, the club is also in the process of obtaining its first permanent liquor licence to host a larger number of functions on site in a bid to become financially viable and independent from the state’s racing body.
“We’re building on 150 years of history,’’ Ms Branson said.
“We’re trying to create a new tradition at Oakbank that reflects modern consumer demand, while staying true to the fundamentals that have made the Easter Carnival one of the biggest events on the SA racing and social calendar.”
Branson is also a board member of the Heart Foundation, the Lifetime Support Authority and SYC Ltd.
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