Month / Jul 2017

by brandsa2018

French fare at the market

By Melissa Keogh

Dust off your beret and pop a crusty baguette in the basket of your vintage bicycle because Bastille Day is almost here.

Adelaide Central Market stallholders will celebrate all things trés chic on Friday, July 14, for France’s National Day.

A French-inspired program of free and ticketed events will unfold and delicious goodies and celebratory activities will be on offer.

Cheese is an essential part of the Central Market's Bastille Day festivities.

Cheese is an essential part of the Adelaide Central Market’s Bastille Day festivities.

Bastille Day commemorates the storming of the Bastille prison on July 14, 1789, which was a critical turning point in the French Revolution.

The celebration results in military parades, public events and festivities across France every year.

South Australians won’t be shy of showcasing the best of Parisian culture, as the Central Market hosts a pop-up crepe bar, free cooking demonstrations, champagne tastings and, of course, lots of cheese.

But, it wouldn’t be a celebration without cake.

Market trader Dough has created a giant Eiffel Tower cake and marketgoers can indulge in a slice for a gold coin donation.

Proceeds go to local charity OzHarvest.

Market trader Dough will provide a giant Eiffel Tower cake. YUM!

Market trader Dough will provide a giant Eiffel Tower cake. YUM!

Adelaide Central Market Authority general manager Aaron Brumby said the Bastille Day celebrations would immerse customers in a day of French fare and culture.

“We’re excited to be able to express French culture through the produce our customers love like pastries, bread, smallgoods, truffles, and of course, cheese,” he said.

“Like the French, South Australians have a strong passion for good food and Bastille Day gives us a chance to celebrate our shared appreciation.”

Bon appétit!

Pop-up crepe bar
The Market Bread Bar will whip up the tasty French street food staple, crepes, at its pop-up bar from 11am – 2pm and 6–9pm.

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Free cooking demos
Jenni Key from Le Cordon Bleu will host free cooking demonstrations at the market’s community kitchen at 12pm and 7pm.

Tasting table
Sample some of the best artisan products for free (yippee) from around the market between 11am – 2pm and 6–8.30pm.

On your bike
Catch the action of the Tour De France when the famous bike race screens from 2–9pm.

The action from the Tour De France will screen from 2pm – 9pm.

The action from the Tour De France will screen from 2pm – 9pm.

Parisian sounds
Catch live music at the market from 11am – 2pm and 5–8pm.
The Louise Blackwell Quartet will also delight listeners with a free performance from 6–7pm.

What about the children?
Kids can indulge in cupcake decorating from 9.30am – midday, facepainting from 10am – 2pm and a big balloon giveaway from 10am.

And lastly …
Some marketgoers will enjoy a full Parisian experience with a six-course French meal designed and cooked by MasterChef’s Poh Ling Yeow from Jamface. However, this event has already sold out, as has the Raclette Party hosted by The Smelly Cheese Shop.

by brandsa2018

Adelaide gears up for Gig City

By Melissa Keogh

It’s set to make Adelaide the most connected city in the southern hemisphere, with the promise of affordable, ultra-fast internet speeds

So what is GigCity Adelaide and who will benefit?

GigCity Adelaide is an Australian-first network connecting entrepreneurs, start-ups and big businesses to gigabit-speed internet via the South Australian Broadband Research and Education Network (SABRENet).

The 250km fibre optic network spans across 14 precincts, including the Tonsley Innovation District, TechInSA, Stretton Centre and St Paul’s Creative Centre.

These precincts will access internet speeds from 1 gigabit per second (Gb/s) and up to 100 times faster than the national average.

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The State Government says GigCity Adelaide will allow innovative and technology-advanced companies to thrive.

“For the first time we will see businesses, start-ups and entrepreneurs access ultra-fast internet that is cheaper and less restrictive than current available plans on the market, which only offer half the speed,” says Science and Information Economy Minister Kyam Maher.

Under the network, businesses and co-working spaces in the designated precincts can access the service on plans starting from $49.90 to $179.90 per month.

Delivery is expected to take place in July, with Keswick-based company ESCAPENet recently appointed as the provider.

One of the first precincts to be connected will be tenants of St Paul’s Creative Centre.

St Paul’s tenant and virtual reality software developer, Novus Res, says GigCity Adelaide will bring big benefits and “make life easier”.

Novus Res co-founder Matthew Wilson says the company is developing a 360° camera that allows for real-time creation and streaming of ultra-high definition 360° video.

A 360° camera records views in all directions.

The 360° MEKI camera records views in all directions and allows for real-time creation and streaming of ultra-high 360° video.

The 360° MEKI camera records views in all directions and allows for real-time creation and streaming of ultra-high 360° video.

Matthew says being connected to GigCity Adelaide will boost the delivery of the new product.

“GigCity will allow us to create and stream high quality, 360° video in real time and it’s important for us to demonstrate how this technology works,” he says.

“At the moment we can do it, but GigCity will allow us to demonstrate the full capability of our camera system.”

John Lindsay is an advisor to the Department of State Development, director of Adelaide-based cloud consultancy jtwo solutions and the keeper of GigCity knowledge.

“We hope this is the beginning of something really big,” he says.

“Businesses are being starved of this sort of service which is available in other economies.”

In June the State Government announced a further $2.9m to expand the network to additional precincts including regional SA.

Its total investment is $7.6m.

So what is Ten Gig City?

If GigCity Adelaide isn’t enough to blow technological minds, Adelaide City Council is also working on a city-wide 10Gb/s capable fibre optic network.

Ten Gig City will provide an ‘interconnect hub’ allowing local businesses, governments and researchers to connect to one other and export their services to the world at a lightning fast 10Gb/s.

Adelaide Lord Mayor Martin Haese says Ten Gig City will complement the State Government’s GigCity Adelaide project and the NBN rollout.

He says once business models are endorsed by Councillors, construction of the Ten Gig City network is likely to start by the end of 2017.

by brandsa2018

Bakery thrives in outback ghost town

By Melissa Keogh

The ghost town of Farina in outback South Australia is the last place a traveller would expect to be met with the aroma of freshly baked bread.

But that is exactly what visitors to the almost forgotten remote town will find – in addition to freshly baked pies, pasties and buns.

Farina in the State’s Far North, 55km south of Marree where the Oodnadatta Track commences, has a population of zero but is popular with history buffs, campers and, of course, meat pie lovers.

For eight weeks during winter, volunteers flock to Farina and fire up an old underground wood-fired Scotch oven.

Aside from the bakery PHOTO: Rob Fairweather.

Farina is rich in history, character and charm. PHOTO: Lydia Strutton.

They bake hundreds of goods for hungry visitors, who can also explore old buildings and ruins scattered across the landscape.

The man behind the oven mitts is experienced South Australian baker Martin MacLennan, who says people’s reaction to the bakery’s existence is always the same.

“Gobsmacked – they can’t believe it,” he says.

“We have people come especially to Farina for the bakery – it’s very much on the map now.”

Martin MacLennan is the man behind the oven mitts. PHOTO: Rob Fairweather.

Martin MacLennan is the man behind the oven mitts. PHOTO: Rob Fairweather.

Men, women and children of Farina c.1990. SOURCE: State Library of South Australia.

Men, women and children of Farina c. 1900. SOURCE: State Library of South Australia.

Farina is located on the former alignment of the Ghan railway.

It was settled in 1878 for farming and at its peak was home to 380 people, a bakery, a hospital, two hotels, and a post office among other buildings.

But Farina slowly fell into disrepair and was completely abandoned in the 1980s.

About a decade ago Victorian Tom Harding and his group of caravanners came across the ruins and discovered they were in significant decline.

The underground bakery churns out hundreds of baked goods every winter. PHOTO: Rob Fairweather.

The underground bakery churns out hundreds of baked goods every winter. PHOTO: Rob Fairweather.

Children gather outside the Farina post office. c. 1900. SOURCE: State Library of South Australia.

Children gather outside the Farina post office, c. 1900. SOURCE: State Library of South Australia.

A Farina Restoration Group was formed and its volunteers from across SA and interstate have worked to preserve the town ever since.

At least $40,000 in bakery revenue every year goes back to the restoration group and its preservation efforts.

Volunteers also sell Farina merchandise which adds to the income.

There are plans for a new café, museum and training area in the underground bakery for trainee bakers, while a second oven was discovered behind one of the old hotels only weeks ago.

The bakery leads to the underground oven. PHOTO: Rob Fairweather.

The bakery leads to the underground oven. PHOTO: Rob Fairweather.

Laucke Flour Mills has provided four tonne of flour to the bakery over the years and Martin says this winter has been one of the best yet.

“The bakery continues to get busier and busier,” he says.

“It is the linchpin of the town.”

The Farina bakery is open until July 23.

Check out this amazing drone footage of Farina captured by Jacqui Kennedy of Get Twisted.

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by brandsa2018

Restoring life on the land one tree at a time

By Melissa Keogh

Two decades ago it was hard, if not impossible, to spot a kangaroo grazing on pasture at the Herrmann family’s Adelaide Hills farm.

But after years of environmental efforts, catching a glimpse of a roo or a sleepy koala on the property near Mt Torrens is almost guaranteed.

Over 15 years fifth-generation livestock farmer Noel Herrmann and his wife Dianne have transformed their degraded landscape into a place rich in wildlife and native plants.

The family runs beef cattle and merino sheep for wool and meat.

The Herrmanns say the transformation was made possible with the help of environmental organisation Trees For Life.

Trees For Life volunteers grow seedlings in their backyards before the plants are sold to country landholders like the Herrmanns.

Thousands of Trees For Life eucalypts, wattles, and shrubs have been planted on the farm over the past 15 years, helping to restore the land to its former glory.

The degradation of the property began in the mid-1800s when Noel’s great-grandfather, like many settlers, began clearing the land.

But as a result, the saline water table rose to the surface, killing off vegetation, with erosion also becoming a problem.

“We knew we had a few problems but we didn’t know what to do about it,” Noel says.

“That’s when we heard of Trees For Life.”

Margaret Kings, like many Trees For Life volunteers, grow seedlings in their backyards to be delivered to landholders.

Margaret Kings, like many Trees For Life volunteers, grows seedlings to be delivered to landholders.

Noel says the Trees For Life plantings were significantly cheaper than sourcing plants from elsewhere.

He says the revegetation held the creek lines together, reduced erosion, dropped salinity levels and provided habitat for wildlife and shelter for stock.

Trees For Life executive officer Natasha Davis says thousands of other South Australian landholders had revegetated their properties through Trees For Life.

“We have some farmers who have ordered seedlings for a couple of decades, and many long-term relationships between volunteer growers and land owners,” she says.

Landholders can start their own planting by placing a Trees For Life native seedling order before July 31.

Registration for volunteer growers are also open.

Email info@treesforlife.org.au, call 8406 0500, or visit the website for more information.

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by brandsa2018

Making moves as a social entrepreneur

By Melissa Keogh

International social entrepreneur Suzi Sosa sees the world of business as a game of chess.

There are winners and there are losers.

But a true entrepreneur will always see one more move on the board.

“Too many people quit too early,” says the Texan, who is visiting Adelaide this month for Entrepreneurs Week.

“Don’t give up until no moves are left on the board. You must keep playing because unexpected things happen all the time.”

The ability to “desensitise yourself to failure” is another snippet of advice from the mother-of-two, who is founder and CEO of global corporation, Verb.

“In my life, the way that I have avoided big failures was when I had no other choice,” she says.

“You learn that you can step up and you have to keep going.”

Suzi is a Don Dunstan Foundation’s Thinker in Residence and is making various appearances at Entrepreneurs Week (July 3-7).

Suzi Sosa tells Entrepreneurs Week audiences about fellow Texan social entrepreneur Blake Mycoskie.

Suzi Sosa tells an Adelaide audience about fellow Texan social entrepreneur Blake Mycoskie.

Among her renowned achievements include running the world’s largest student social entrepreneurship competition – the Dell Social Innovation Challenge – at the University of Texas at Austin.

The challenge engaged more than 25,000 student social entrepreneurs from 100 countries.

Suzi says embracing social entrepreneurialism could hold the key to success in South Australia.

Social entrepreneurs launch enterprises with the aim of solving a community’s problems, rather than being driven solely by profits.

Renowned social enterprise TOMS is one of Suzi’s favorite examples.

TOMS was founded by fellow Texan entrepreneur Blake Mycoskie and is praised for its ‘one-for-one’ mantra.

For every pair of TOMS shoes sold, a new pair is given to a disadvantaged child in a developing nation.

Suzi says Adelaide is a promising ground for social entrepreneurs.

“It’s very clear that the entrepreneurial economy is very strong and growing,” she says.

But what can we do better?

Seeing the social economy as “an opportunity to create wealth and solve community issues” is one thing.

Snapping up opportunities as soon as they present is another.

“Be pioneers, this space is new,” Suzi says.

“Perhaps Adelaide can be the social entrepreneur capital of Australia and be on the front foot.”

Suzi is attending a number of Entrepreneurs Week events, including the IPAA 2017 Intrapreneurship Forum on July 6 and the Social Capital Conference 2017 on Friday, July 7.

Click here for more information.

Entrepreneurs Week is a collaboration between Brand SA, the Adelaide Entrepreneurship Forum, Adelaide City Council, the State Government and other stakeholders, and is supported by News Corp Australia.

by brandsa2018

Australia’s first robotic gym helps sick kids find their feet

By Melissa Keogh

Australia’s first robotic gym at the Adelaide Women’s and Children’s Hospital (WCH) is helping sick kids get back on their feet.

After launching almost a year ago, the Centre for Robotics and Innovation is helping children and adolescents with neurological disorders and injuries, including brain injuries, cerebral palsy and spina bifida, regain movement.

Experts say the state-of-the-art centre, which was funded by the Little Heroes Foundation, could eventually lead to a drop in hospital admission times.

The equipment exposes children to a higher number of repetitive movements per session but without the associated costs of a therapist’s time.

The robotic therapy gym is the first of its kind in the southern hemisphere and features equipment which improves movement and hand-eye co-ordination in young people.

The ‘lokomat pro’ is a high-tech robotic treadmill that manipulates leg movement, helping children to learn to walk again.

The determined Tanna Saunders uses the cutting-edge robotic technology.

The determined Tanna Saunders uses the cutting-edge robotic technology.

The machine supports the user’s body while allowing their legs to move in a walking motion, creating new messages in the brain.

The ‘armeo spring’ is another robotic device involving game-like tasks which improve arm and hand strength and movements such as reaching and grasping.

A third tool – the ‘dynavision’ – was the robotic centre’s final major installation and was funded with the help of the Paraplegic and Quadriplegic Association of SA (PQSA).

The Robotics and Innovation Centre is used by young people who have neurological injuries or disorders.

The Robotics and Innovation Centre is used by young people who have neurological injuries or disorders.

The peak spinal cord injury body contributed $30,000 towards the dynavision, a tool originally developed for athletes to boost visual awareness and hand-eye co-ordination.

Robotics and Innovation Centre physiotherapist Chris Innes-Wong says the feedback on the high-tech equipment has been “fantastic”.

“Children love the robotic therapy, particularly the games,” Chris says.

“The games are exciting so it makes therapy fun and children are motivated to work to their full potential.

“In robotic therapy there is a higher number of repetitions of movement per session and families have reported functional improvements in arm use and walking.”

Head of research at the WCH’s Paediatric Rehabilitation Department, Professor Ray Russo, says children using the robotic equipment were motivated to “try harder”.

“The technology means that we can give a greater quantum of therapy, for example, total steps taken per session, as well as give timely feedback to assist the children in gaining the most from their rehabilitation session,” he says.

The centre is the first of its kind in the southern hemisphere.

The centre is the first of its kind in the southern hemisphere.

Over the next year, the centre will undertake a “critical analysis” of robotic therapy and investigate its impact on motor performance and how it might affect patients’ everyday life.

The Paediatric Rehabilitation Department says these findings could help determine how the machines can be used to achieve the best outcomes and could potentially lead to a drop in the amount of time children spend in hospital.

Since opening, the centre has also attracted the academic support of two university students who are running projects in the space.