Month / Jul 2018

by brandsa2018

Adelaide school to undergo $35m development including new inquiry and innovation hub

One of Adelaide’s most prestigious private schools will undergo a $35m development, including an inquiry and innovation hub featuring science and technology labs.

Westminster School at Marion in Adelaide’s south-west will undergo the development which is set for completion by the end of 2021 to coincide with the school’s 60th anniversary.

The co-educational, early learning to Year 12 school says the development is the single largest investment ever made by an independent school in SA.

Westminster School is set to undergo a $35m redevelopment featuring

The project is designed by Adelaide architects Brown Falconer along with a Melbourne firm.

School principal Simon Shepherd says a key element of the development plan is the three-storey inquiry and innovation hub to include science labs, IT, design, engineering, technology and fashion and textile spaces.

The school’s existing performing arts centre will also undergo a three-storey extension featuring a community food café, learning resource centre and performing arts hub.

“The inquiry and innovation hub forms part of our commitment to preparing students to become the innovators, educators and leaders of tomorrow,” Simon says.

“The new multi-level community food café, learning resource centre and performing arts hub will include an interactive circulation zone, food cafe for the school community and visitors, rehearsal, performance and theory spaces for music, drama and dance students, as well as library facilities with break-out study books and quiet reading areas.”

A central outdoor meeting space – Westminster Square – will provide access to café and dining spaces, the senior school library, and performing arts and learning areas.

The school’s senior learning hub will also undergo upgrades.

The development is part of the school’s campus masterplan and is expected to create a modern and innovative learning space to help set students up for the workforce.

“We are committed to empowering students to achieve more than they thought possible as engaged citizens in the community and outstanding leaders in their chosen careers,” Simon says.

Construction is scheduled to start in 2019.

Visit I Choose SA to meet the people building business and industry in SA, and to find out how your choices make a difference to our state.

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by brandsa2018

Adelaide Hills watering holes reborn into bustling, stylish pubs

Adelaide Hills couple Julie and Ed Peter are 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.

Last week, the couple’s renovation efforts paid off, with the Crafers Hotel crowned the Best Overall Hotel in South Australia at the 2018 Australian Hotel Association (AHA) SA Hotel Industry Awards for Excellence.

The dining hotspot also took awards for Best Superior Hotel Accommodation, Best Redeveloped Hotel, Best Apprentice Development and Training, and was a joint winner for Best Bistro (Metropolitan).

Photo by Julie Peter.

The Uraidla Hotel was also a joint winner for Best Bar Presentation and Experience (Metropolitan).

Julie and Ed, who also run wine various businesses including Kaesler in the Barossa Valley, purchased the Crafers Hotel in 2014 with shareholders Brett and Sarah Matthews and Jodi and Scott Brumby.

Over three years they transformed the historic yet rundown establishment into a French-inspired and stylish gastropub, offering local produce and a wine list featuring drops from as close as Balhannah and Kuitpo and as far as Burgundy, France.

The menu boasts a strong focus on local produce, from Smoky Bay oysters, SA mussels and locally caught squid.

“Nowadays, hotels are more food-based with higher quality offerings,” says Julie.

“I think now people are more discerning about what they’re eating and drinking.

“On our busiest day we put on close to 200 meals at Crafers.

“Sundays are our busiest, people love to have Sunday lunches.”

Photo by Julie Peter.

In 2016, 5km away in Uraidla, the Peters purchased the Uraidla Hotel, a pub seeping in history but left in a ghostly and abandoned state for many years.

The 151-year-old establishment was brought back to life, with the insides stripped bare and Julie collecting antique pieces to spruce up the interior, including vintage lamps that hang upside down from the high ceiling and beer kegs quirkily used as urinals.

The end result is a 1930s art deco style space, featuring a large front bar, upstairs function area and plush sofas by open fires.

With experience renovating houses in the Hills, France and Singapore, Julie says she is drawn to the character and history of old buildings.

“With the Uraidla Hotel, it had loads of character,” she says.

“The more derelict it was, the more I loved it.”

Photo by Julie Peter.

While both the Crafers and Uraidla hotels focus on delivering a high quality wining and dining experience, Julie says patrons can still feel at home.

“People use our hotels as an extension of their own living rooms,” she says.

“The concept at Crafers is that if you want to spend $10,000 on a bottle of wine you can.

“But you can also sit by the fire with a bag of chips. We just want people to feel comfortable.”

Next door to the hotel is the Uraidla Brewery and the Uraidla Republic café and bakery, also owned by the Peters.

The Uraidla Hotel, photo by Julie Peter.

Uraidla’s main street can also attribute its revival to the efforts of community group Imagine Uraidla, as well as the addition of the eclectic restaurant Lost in a Forest.

Uraidla’s general store has also undergone a recent upgrade.

Julie says the food and wine boost has been welcomed by local residents.

“I know that it (the success of the hotel) has stopped some people from moving away from Uraidla,” she says.

“It’s also benefited local employment because between Uraidla and Crafers we employ 100 people and many of them are from the area.”

The Crafers Hotel will go on to compete at the National AHA Awards on the Gold Coast in September.

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by brandsa2018

Best places to find SALA art where you’ll least expect it

Cemeteries, airports and distilleries aren’t places usually brimming with art, but works forming this year’s 2018 South Australia Living Artists (SALA) Festival will be hard to miss.

The annual festival kicks off on August 1 and runs until August 31, with a ground-breaking 9000 artists taking part in more than 700 exhibitions and events across metropolitan Adelaide and regional South Australia.

Aside from the usual galleries, museums, libraries and cafés, some unsuspecting locations will also show paintings, sculptures and creations.

“Art doesn’t have to hang on gallery walls or be hard to access,” says SALA festival director Penny Griggs.

“This year’s program reflects the diversity and inclusivity of the SALA Festival.

“We are thrilled that 9000 people will showcase their unique concept of living art to the people of SA.”

Here’s five places to find SALA art where you’ll least expect it!

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1. Distilleries

Sip a G&T and enjoy contemporary abstract works exploring “the passionate collision of emotions and colour” at Prohibition Liquor Co in the Adelaide’s CBD.

Artist Katie Spry’s works will be on show at this Gilbert Street craft spirits producer, which recently took a sweep of awards both here and overseas. 

Catch Katie’s exhibition Colour Ascension from August 2-30.

Regional SA isn’t immune to SALA festivities, nor has escaped spirit fever.

Most of the state’s best spirit producers are based in regional areas, including in Renmark, where Twenty Third Street Distillery can be found.

The Riverland distillery will host There is no place like home featuring works by five artists exploring what home means no matter how little or much you have.

For those wandering through the Barossa, the Barossa Distilling Company in Nuriootpa is showing Botanical by Lottie Rosenzweig.

Spot her quirky embroidered Italian line wall hangings and illustrations.

Drove to the airport to get my art on 🖼 #salacitizen #universalcitizen #sala

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2. Adelaide Airport

Photos, paintings and computer generated imagery will take over the Adelaide Airport this SALA Festival for Universal Citizen. 

The installations created by eight talented SA artists will be on display until September 23.

SA institutions the SAHMRI building and the Adelaide Central Market will also make an appearance.

Artists include Aida Azin, Liam Bosecke, Tracy Lymn, Kaspar Schmidt Mumm, Brianna Speight, Harry Thing, Dan Withey, and Emmaline Zanelli.

Adelaide Airport processes more than eight million passengers a year, so it’s fair to say that thousands of people will view these works!

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3. Cemeteries

There’s probably no better place to contemplate life and art than in a cemetery.

Adelaide’s largest cemetery, Centennial Park, has a sculptural SALA walk featuring works by 13 artists.

The pieces are scattered throughout the park and tranquil gardens, and visitors can also explore the cemetery’s permanent art installations.

In another SALA event, community artist Koruna Schmidt Mumm has been working with the Friends of Walkerville Wesleyan Cemetery and St Andrew’s Primary School on activating the historic Wesleyan Cemetery.

From August 9–17, visitors can explore the ideas of what lies below, who the buried citizens are, and how cemeteries are viewed by modern society.

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4. Tattoo parlour

Black Diamond Tattoo studio in Port Adelaide isn’t just about inking up – it’ll also host a series of Aboriginal artworks by Anangu woman Elizabeth Close for SALA 2018.

Using a fusion of contemporary and traditional Aboriginal art styles, Elizabeth has collated new works and old favourites for her solo exhibition Red Dust Rough Diamond.

Prints will be for sale at the launch on August 10, with mulled wine and cider on offer.

A live smoking ceremony will unfold, as will live tattooing featuring designs by Elizabeth.

You can also spot Elizabeth’s street art on Adelaide’s inner city walls.

Come escape this dreary weather with Mt Compass G3 Botanical Gin. Normally we serve this Gin with Passionfruit & Basil but since it’s our Gin of the Week, we’re mixing it up with some lively Pineapple & Mint.🍍🌿 Mt Compass have created this Navy Strength Gin by increasing the alcohol & tripling the botanicals of its base Gin. This consists of earthly notes of Angelica, Coriander & light Citrus flavours with indigenous Lemon Myrtle to deliver a Gin with plenty of strength, character and flavour. From 7-8pm we’ll also be serving $5 Pikes Pilsner or Lager or 2 for $20 Flower Bomb, Blackberry & Basil Bramble or Espresso Martini Cocktails. #thehowlingowlcafe #mcspirits #navystrength #ginisourthing #ginstagram #gin #ginlovers #ginoftheweek #happyhour #cocktails

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5. The pub

Adelaide-based artist Luke Thurgate will lead participants on an art pub crawl where participants can “draw under the influence”.

The 18+ Sketchy Art Tour is an interactive art event that will explore drawing in a number of bars and watering holes across Adelaide’s CBD.

The crew will depart the Grace Emily Hotel on Friday, August 24, at 7pm. It’s free!

Luke is also hosting a separate SALA event, Date Night Tour, departing the Howling Owl bar on August 17, at 7pm.

Get new sparks flying or rekindle the flame as you bar hop across the city while drawing and enjoying a tipple or two. Also free!

For those wanting a traditional art fix:

  • Head to the Lenzerheide Restaurant in Adelaide’s southern suburbs to spot painting and photography exhibition, Apokalypsis. Featuring works by Corey Gray and Peter Hall, the exhibition aims to reveal the “public, private and secret immersions of our everyday lives”. Corey will also unveil his commissioned work of Australian comedy legend, Dave Flanagan. The launch is on August 3, but the exhibition continues until the end of the month.
  • The West Gallery Thebarton gathered 13 of the state’s most innovative contemporary artists and asked them what drives them to paint. The result is APPROACHES |13 SA Contemporary Painters on display at the gallery until September 2. There will be an artist talk on Saturday, August 18, 2pm.

For the full SALA program and further details head here.

Header image: SALA Still Life Tour Clare Valley, 2017, photo by Sam Roberts.
by brandsa2018

First female director appointed to Art Gallery of SA

The Art Gallery of South Australia has appointed its first female director in its 137-year history.

Brisbane-born Rhana Devenport will step into the role in October, after moving on from her place as director of the Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki in New Zealand.

She is replacing Nick Mitzevich who is now leading the National Gallery of Australia in Canberra.

Rhana, who was this year appointed an officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit for her services to the arts, is the first woman to take on the director’s role in the art gallery’s history.

The announcement comes just days before the Art Gallery of SA’s exclusive exhibition Colours of Impressionism: Masterpieces from the Musée d’Orsay wraps up on Sunday, July 29.

The paintings are from the renowned collection of the Musée d’Orsay in Paris and chart the revolution of Impressionism, a 19th Century art movement known for its vibrant techniques and colour.

Claude Monet, Water lily pond, pink harmony, 1900, oil on canvas, 90 x 100 cm; Musée d’Orsay, Paris, France. © Musée d’Orsay, dist. RMN-Grand Palais / Patrice Schmidt.

The Art Gallery of SA says the impressionist exhibition, featuring masterpieces by famous artists Monet, Cézanne, Renoir and Pissarro, among others, is on track to break the gallery’s record for ticketed attendances.

The previous record is 124,000 attendances, set by The Chinese Exhibition in 1977.

The Art Gallery of SA attracts more than 800,000 people per year.

Rhana brings with her 25 years’ experience in collection development and exhibition presentation across a number of national and international platforms, with her career allowing her to forge significant connections with artists, donors, benefactors and sponsors.

“I am deeply honored by this appointment, the Art Gallery of SA has forged an excellent reputation for its ambition, its outstanding collection, and a dynamic exhibitions program,” she says.

“I am thrilled to be leading this strong and innovative cultural organisation into the future.

“Great art museums are the heart of great cities and reflect how a city considers itself in the world and how it contributes to self-discovery, empathy and shared knowledge.”

The Art Gallery of South Australia’s new director Rhana Devenport.

Art Gallery of SA chair Tracey Whiting describes Rhana as an international arts leader.

Rhana’s arts history includes being the director of the Govett-Brewster Art Gallery in New Zealand and leading the development of the Len Lye Centre.

SA Premier Steven Marshall says Rhana brings a wealth of experience, leadership acumen and a genuine commitment and understanding of the role art plays in people’s lives.

“SA has a proud history of championing the role and contribution of women across all sectors of our community – from politics and Indigenous affairs, to science and the arts – and this appointment continues that legacy,” he says.

Rhana will relocate to Adelaide with her husband, multimedia artist Tim Gruchy.

Visit I Choose SA to meet the people building business and industry in SA, and to find out how your choices make a difference to our state.

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by brandsa2018

Port Augusta’s desert botanic garden flourishes with volunteer spirit

The Australian Arid Lands Botanic Garden attracted more than 100,000 visitors last financial year and is helping to reinvent Port Augusta as the “arid garden city”.

The desert botanic garden, which opened in 1996, is regarded as Port Augusta’s top tourism destination and earlier this year was ranked the country’s best regional botanic garden by Australian Geographic magazine.

The 250ha space is owned by the Port Augusta Council, which recorded almost 107,000 visitors to the garden in 2017/18.

The council says the garden’s success is down to the efforts the Friends of the Australian Arid Lands Botanic Garden, a volunteer group which helps maintain the plants, assists in the running of the onsite nursery, lead guided tours and raise funds.

The volunteer group has raised more than $1m for the garden, while voluntary labour over the past four years is valued at more than $4m.

The group says visitors to the garden contribute $18m to the Port Augusta community, a figure based on research carried out by Tourism Research Australia.

Friends of the Australian Arid Lands Botanic Garden president John Zwar OAM says the garden is a place for research, serenity and exploration. Photo: ABC Port Pirie.

Friends president John Zwar OAM came up with the concept for an arid botanic garden for Port Augusta in 1981, forming the Friends group in 1994 before the garden was finally opened in 1996.

Located on the shores of the Upper Spencer Gulf and offering stunning views of the Flinders Ranges, the garden features significant areas of natural arid zone vegetation as well as coastal vegetation.

Many of the plant collections feature rare plant species in sections dedicated to particular regions of Australia including the Flinders Ranges, Eyre Peninsula, Central Ranges, Gawler region, and Great Victoria Desert.

John says the garden’s popularity has helped raise the image of Port Augusta, which has faced recent struggles with the closure of the Alinta power plant.

Volunteers put in hours every day to maintain the garden and many of its operations, including the nursery.

“It’s really helped raise the image of the town and people are calling Port Augusta the arid garden city now, whereas it didn’t have this image before,” John says.

“The place, which has gone from being flat for a year or so, has really started to pick up again and I’m hopeful that the garden is safe.

“We now have the world’s largest solar thermal power station going in north of Port Augusta and I think there are another five wind, solar and pumped hydro (projects) going in.

“Port Augusta is a great place to live and there are a lot of positive things about it; it’s a great location near the Flinders, near the sea, and right on the doorstep of the outback.

“Loads of tourists and travellers are passing through and the garden has a captive audience because a national highway – the Stuart Highway – passes right through.

“It’s a really great place to showcase arid zone vegetation and I think tourists really appreciate it.”

Friends of AALBG plant the first tree in 1989. Friends president Dr Gordon Paine, left, Dr Reg Sprigg of Arkaroola, Ian Gilfillan MP, and Brian Powell AM (standing). Photo courtesy of John Zwar.

John says the Friends group has about 400 members including locals and people from around the country and overseas.

About 30 people regularly volunteer on site, he says.

“Without the support of the volunteers, I’m sure the garden wouldn’t have eventuated in the first place and it wouldn’t keep running like it is at present,” John says.

About 160 species of birds, including rare species, can be spotted in the garden and two birdhides provide the perfect place for birdwatchers to observe quietly.

The garden is also home to an award-winning AridSmart section which shows visitors how to use water wise gardening techniques at home.

The Arid Explorers Garden offers a children’s nature play area with a shelter shed, logs, rocks, a dry creek bed and red sand pit.

The Blue Bush Café overlooks stunning scenery. Photo courtesy of AALBG.

Travel and restaurant company TripAdvisor rates the garden’s Blue Bush Café as the second-best restaurant in Port Augusta. Dishes use native produce including lemon myrtle and quandongs.

The garden is also an important place for research with students and researchers conducting studies into the heat tolerance of various arid zone plants.

The Port Augusta Council’s director of corporate and community services, Anne O’Reilly, says the garden is a significant benefit for the regional centre.

She says the Friends group members are valued and passionate ambassadors in the community.

“The garden would not be the success that it is today without the support of the Friends,” Anne says.

The Australian Arid Lands Botanic Garden is at 144 Stuart Highway, Port Augusta, and is open daily from 7.30am to sunset.

Children explore the Arid Explorers Garden. Photo courtesy of AALBG.

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No place like home for hugely successful Pocket Casts pair

Adelaide app developers Philip Simpson and Russell Ivanovic’s climb to the top of the tech game is the stuff of entrepreneurial dreams.

In 2008 the two work mates built their first app, Pocket Weather, as a side gig to their full-time day jobs.

A decade later and their Adelaide-based company Shifty Jelly and its hugely popular podcast app Pocket Casts has been snapped up by four of the biggest radio and podcast creators in the United States.

But despite the recent international investment in the South Australian tech company, the humble pair say they have no plans to move from Adelaide.

All development will stay in the city, with the Pocket Casts team based in a small office on Ebenezer Place in the Adelaide’s East End.

Their space is modest and shows no obvious signs of flashy success, although the duo joke that a Silicon Valley-style ping pong table would probably fit nicely in the corner and be welcomed by their small but soon-to-expand team.

“They were talking about wanting us to go to New York, but from the early days we said we wanted to stay in Adelaide,” Russell says.

“They could see that we’d make a successful product and they could have a level of trust in us so that even though they can’t be here all the time, they know our team will still deliver.”

Pocket Casts app developers and I Choose SA ambassadors Philip Simpson, left, and Russell Ivanovic. Photo by James Knowler/JKTP.

Since the acquisition earlier this year by the Americans – NPR, WNYC Studios, WBEZ Chicago and This American Life – Pocket Casts is knuckling down on its ambitions for the future.

I Choose SA ambassadors Philip and Russell say they hope to hire at least another six staff members before the end of the year, adding to their small team of five.

Weekly they Skype their new CEO, former iHeartRadio senior vice president and general manager, Owen Grover, who is based in New York.

Pocket Casts is a premium podcast listening app allowing users to access and manage more than 300,000 podcasts on Android, iOS or web devices.

It was launched a few years after Philip and Russell had quit their day job and started their own venture, Shifty Jelly, a two-man operation which grew to include a designer and support and admin staff.

Pocket Casts has been downloaded more than 100,000 times in Google’s Play Store and in 2015 the design was recognised by the internet giant at the annual San Francisco developers conference.

A recent ABC survey shows that almost 90% of Australians aged 18–75 claim to be aware of podcasts which allow users to download and listen to episodic audio files on electronic devices.

Pocket Casts was one of the first of its kind on the market and even came before Apple’s own podcast app.

Philip says having the backing of the US consortium means the team now has more flexibility and financial security to grow Pocket Casts’ features.

“We can be more flexible now … before we were always profitable but were restricted with money,” he says.

“Now we can expand more and put on more developers to help with the features we’ve been wanting to do for years, it’s very exciting.”

The popularity of Pocket Casts wasn’t Philip and Russell’s first brush with success.

Before launching Shifty Jelly in 2010 the pair’s first app, Pocket Weather, was released in 2008 and was an immediate hit.

Within one day of its release the weather app, showcasing live weather data from Australia’s Bureau of Meteorology, shot to number one in the Australian Apple App Store.

“It was amazing because we didn’t expect that, but we didn’t really know what it meant either,” Philip says.

“We were earning more money outside of work than we were at work, so we decided to take the jump with Shifty Jelly, and it was definitely worth it.”

Both Philip and Russell agree Adelaide’s creative industries and technology scene holds real job prosperity for graduates and job seekers.

“There’s plenty of work coming out of Adelaide if you want it, there’s the defence sector and the start-up thing is also happening,” Russell says.

“There’s almost no reason to move to Sydney or Melbourne, you’ll be paying five times more for housing, transport and everything else.

“If I was coming fresh out of uni, I’d definitely be getting a job in Adelaide.”

Visit I Choose SA to meet the people building business and industry in SA, and to find out how your choices make a difference to our state.

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by brandsa2018

Homegrown VFX companies striking gold in film boost

Adelaide’s largest visual effects companies are seeing a surge in work on major Hollywood and Australian films as the state’s new 10% rebate kicks in.

Rising Sun Pictures (RSP) and Kojo have both recorded their highest growth year as the rebate for post production, digital and visual effects comes on top of the Federal Government’s existing 30% rebate.

It has led to Rising Sun Pictures establishing an entire new floor space at its Pulteney Street studio, with managing director and joint founder Tony Clark saying the studio is building on its busiest time in a 20-year history.

The space would house a projected 60 to 80 new staff as South Australia strengthens its global reputation and draws more work away from countries like rebate-rich Canada.

Hollywood blockbuster Thor launches in the theatre.

“In the past year we’ve achieved $22.7m in revenue, when you think about it over its 20 years, the company has probably contributed more than $250m to the state’s economy,” he says.

“The money flows directly from RSP staff into the economy, creating jobs for baristas, hairdressers, in schools or in housing.”

The highly regarded studio has led the way for SA, working on Hollywood blockbusters like Thor: Ragnarok and Gravity, and its current work was expected to see staff numbers peak as high as 280 by the end of 2018.

This includes work on the next Predator and the next X-Men films, along with Dumbo for Disney, directed by Tim Burton.

Rising Sun has also just finished its first major project for a Chinese film production, a fantasy adventure called Animal World that has secured a distribution deal with Netflix.

The Rising Sun crew.

Tony says he believes growth is also being spurred by the steady rise in film production in the US, Europe, Australia and China, triggering parallel demand for ever-more spectacular visual effects.

Earlier this year, another major development for the local industry was announced with global entertainment giant Technicolor saying it would open a $24m visual effects studio in Adelaide.

Its chief executive Fred Rose predicted the studio Mill Film could generate 500 new jobs in SA during the next five years.

Tony welcomes the news, saying building SA as a hub for the industry means it will attract a greater pool of talent – but means existing businesses must prepare for a more competitive labour market.

In a move to ensure more creative talent keeps appearing in the local jobs pipeline, Rising Sun Pictures has expanded its education program operating in partnership with the University of South Australia.

A new undergraduate course in visual effects skills was added to the offering and the Graduate Certificate program expanded.

The company also continues to search globally for talent, recently hiring veteran visual effects supervisor Tom Wood, who earned a 2016 Oscar nomination for his work on Mad Max: Fury Road.

At Kojo in Norwood, chief executive Dale Roberts is also feeling optimistic saying the creative services company’s film and TV section of the business “had its biggest year in history”.

Creative agency Kojo has experienced a surge in the number of project it’s taken on in the past year.

“In the past 12 months we’ve done a record number of projects, I think six, in a good year we would usually do three,” he says.

Dale says the new government rebate has certainly helped trigger more international work.

The team has worked on American-Australian thriller film Hotel Mumbai, on Storm Boy featuring Australian and Hollywood star Geoffrey Rush and earlier this year finished a second series of Wolf Creek for Stan.

“We’re also working on a new movie starring Hilary Swank called I am Mother and a new Netflix series called Pine Gap that was shot here earlier this year,” Dale says.

“Post production and visual effects is definitely the growth area for us.

“We are really good at it here in SA, we offer a world-class product out of Adelaide and because we have a different cost structure to somewhere like Sydney or London or New York, we can offer competitive pricing.”

Australian actor John Jarratt plays notorious serial killer Ivan Milat in TV series Wolf Creek.

Kojo’s numbers have increased to 90 across four offices in Australia along with about 30 contractors, with Dale saying its two other core businesses are also staying strong.

Its advertising, marketing and communications team recently won the contract for BMW events nationally, including for famed car brand Mini.

Meanwhile, Kojo sport won the contract to operate lighting, sound and video at the new Perth’s Optus Stadium – it already has the job at Adelaide Oval – and Dale says Kojo will pursue other stadium work during the year.

Kojo also has work with AFL teams Adelaide and Port Adelaide, along with Richmond, Essendon, West Coast and Fremantle.

“We’ve had an incredible year of growth, in the past year, our overall revenue has grown 20% year on year, and staff numbers have grown 12 to 15%,” Dale adds.

Adelaide-based VFX studio Resin is also experiencing growth from the state’s burgeoning creative industries sector.

The company says it has experienced 200% growth in the past financial year.

Resin’s portfolio includes the highly anticipated remake of SA classic, Storm Boy, as well as film Hotel Mumbai, which is set to open the Adelaide Film Festival in October.

The company is also currently working on the first ever Netflix original Australian produced series, Tidelands.

Visit I Choose SA to meet the people building business and industry in SA, and to find out how your choices make a difference to our state.

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by brandsa2018

Small online venture boxing up luxury on Limestone Coast

With her impeccable style, bubbly personality and passion for sparking joy, Katie Fox is a Mount Gambier woman on a mission to deliver happiness to the world – one luxe gift box at a time.

The popular make-up artist’s new online business Little Pink Fox ticks every box on the ultimate pampering wish-list.

Her distinctive pink packages filled with her own vegan body whip, hand-poured soy candles, crystal earrings and sparkling wine recently won the People’s Choice Award at the Limestone Coast’s inaugural eNVIes live pitch night hosted by Flinders University’s New Venture Institute (NVI)

Katie Fox at Flinders University’s New Venture Institute eNVIe awards.

Katie says the program handed her the tools and connections to refine her business model and broaden market reach.

“Joining this accelerator program was one of the best decisions I’ve made for my business; I learned so much, the guidance from the teachers and mentors was truly amazing, and the classroom camaraderie from everyone who went through the program was fantastic,” she says.

After 15 years working in fashion, the style guru switched her career focus to professional make-up and hair styling, and promptly became one of the Limestone Coast’s go-to girls for special events and photo shoots.

It was while working behind the scenes at weddings when Katie came up with the idea for her latest business venture.

The bridesmaid gift boxes feature candles, sparkling wine, jewellery and other wedding preparation essentials.

“I have worked on hundreds of weddings, and I have seen stressed out brides struggling to find the perfect gift for their bridesmaids, and I thought ‘I could do this – I could create the ultimate gift box for bridesmaids,” she says.

After launching last Christmas, she quickly realised the growth potential despite some strong competition.

“In a market this size, there is always room for unique, beautifully packaged gifts; Australians spent more than $11 billion on Christmas presents last year and attended an estimated 119,000 weddings, but it’s husbands and commercial businesses who have also embraced the click and send concept,” Katie says.

“Everybody wants the easy way to purchase the perfect gift.”

Katie Fox runs her own online gift and accessories business from the Limestone Coast.

Buoyed by positive feedback, Katie is now exploring wholesale markets and extending her range.

A Happiness Box is among the products in the pipeline, complete with inspirational cards and a short book containing tips on how to sustain a positive mindset.

Katie is planning to pay it forward in the community which has thrown its support behind her, and will donate part of the proceeds to Lifeboat South East, a group for people suffering stress, anxiety or depression.

The next NVI program intake is in September/October. Click here for more information.

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by brandsa2018

Adelaide University scientist to build world’s fastest charging battery

A University of Adelaide scientist is powering ahead with a plan to build the world’s first quantum battery, which could be charged in less than a second and provide opportunities for the renewable energy sector.

The university’s newest Ramsey fellow and expert in quantum physics, Dr James Quach, will be working within the Precision Management Group in the university’s Institute for Photonics and Advanced Sensing.

Once built, the quantum battery could replace conventional batteries used in small electronic devices such as watches, phones, iPads, computers or other products that rely on stored energy.

Once developed, the university says it hopes larger quantum batteries could lead the way for opportunities in renewable energy.

Dr Quach says the invention is based on the theory that the more quantum batteries you have, the faster they charge, unlike ordinary batteries which take some time to charge irregardless of the number.

“If one quantum battery takes one hour to charge, two would take 30 minutes, three would take 20 minutes, and so on,” he says.

“If you had 10 thousand batteries, they would all charge in less than a second.”

The fastest charging battery would be possible due to a feature of quantum mechanics known as entanglement.

The University of Adelaide’s newest Ramsey fellow Dr James Quach.

“Quantum mechanics deals with interactions at the very smallest of scales, at the levels of atoms and molecules – at this level you get very special properties that violate the conventional laws of physics,” Dr Quach says.

“One of those properties is entanglement. When two objects are entangled it means that their individual properties are always shared – they somehow lose their sense of individuality.

“It’s because of engagement that it becomes possible to speed up the battery charging process.”

Dr Quach says he intends to “take the theory from the blackboard to the lab” with the idea of a quantum battery first discussed in a research paper in 2013.

“Entanglement is incredibly delicate, it requires very specific conditions – low temperatures and an isolated system – and when those conditions change the entanglement disappears,” he says.

“… I aim to extend the theory of the quantum battery, construct a lab conducive to the conditions needed for entanglement, and then build the first quantum battery.”

Dr Quach says the the quantum battery could support renewable energy technologies by allowing for a continuous energy supply no matter the weather conditions.

He is undertaking the four-year Ramsey Fellowship at the University of Adelaide’s School of Physical Science.

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by brandsa2018

Volunteers the true stars of Coober Pedy Drive-In

Coober Pedy is the eccentric outback town renowned for its opals and underground dugouts, but roll around every Saturday night and scenes of Hollywood will flicker before your eyes.

The renowned mining settlement – where 70% of the world’s opals are mined – is home to one of the country’s last remaining drive-in theatres, operated by a dedicated band of volunteers who keep the facility running.

There was once a real risk of explosives being let off at the drive-in by hooligan miners, but although the threat has ceased, a notice is still flashed on screen warning of such offences.

Mining blokes would jump in their utes, loaded with gelignite and other mining tools, and head to the drive-in to catch a flick after a day’s work.

Locals say it wasn’t unusual for sticks of dynamite to be thrown at the screen if the film on offer wasn’t to their liking.

A warning sign still flashes on the screen at the drive-in warning viewers to keep their mining explosives at bay. Back in the day it was a real threat, now it’s more a novelty.

Although things don’t go off with quite a bang these days, the romance of the Coober Pedy Drive-In is still very much alive.

It’s now run by the Outback Open Air Cinema Committee, a small group of volunteers who give their time to operating and up-keeping the equipment.

Committee chairperson and projectionist Matt Key says the Coober Pedy Drive-In screens films every Saturday night and often AFL matches on a Friday.

The sessions attract about 30-40 cars, he says, with 70% of patrons locals townspeople, while the rest are tourists.

“The drive-in is the main regular activity for the town,” Matt says.

“It’s the only cinema where people can bring their animals. People come on gophers with cats on their lap, and others will bring their dogs.

“If there are dogs in the movie as well, it often sets of a raucous.”

The Coober Pedy Drive-In might be one of the longest running outdoor cinemas in SA, but it hasn’t been without its downtimes.

Its history is a colourful tale of unwavering community spirit, with the facility built by the Progress and Miners Association by 1965 with money raised from donations and the raffle of a Holden ute.

Volunteers install the drive-in screen in 1964. Photo: Bill McDougall, cooberpedydrivein.org.au/

The films generated a high source of revenue for the town, with eight films shown every week from the likes of Gone with the Wind and The Sound of Music.

But as the 1980s rolled in, the rise of television took over and with that came the decline of many drive-ins across Australia.

By 1984, the Coober Pedy Drive-In had closed except for the odd special screening – most notably the charming classic Crocodile Dundee which hit the silver screen in 1986.

By the mid-90s, the Coober Pedy Drive-In was a mostly abandoned site, until a private group reopened it on a commercial basis and the facility was wound back to life.

But in 2000 the lease ran out, and volunteers again had to step up, taking over the operations and keeping the town in touch with films that would go on to form generations of culture.

In 2013, the drive-in suffered its biggest challenge – the takeover of the digital age, meaning the old equipment was made mostly redundant.

Dozens of cars gather at the Coober Pedy drive-in to watch a movie under the stars.

Coober Pedy locals refused to let the curtains close on the outdoor cinema, and so they set out to raise more than $120,000 to undertake a full digital upgrade.

“We held community raffles, karaoke nights, school fundraisers, community markets and took donations, it was something the whole town got behind,” Matt says.

“The State Government chipped in $40,000 and the Coober Pedy Council gave $20,000.

“We’re a small town and we aren’t a well-off community by any stretch, but we pulled it off.”

The drive-in is still managed by the Outback Open Air Cinema Committee, who collect money from the gate, operate equipment, run the canteen and chase grants to ensure the drive-in can stay.

“It’s because of the locals that the drive-in still exists,” Matt says.

“The whole town is behind the drive-in … everyone looks out for each other.

“We are one of two drive-ins in the state and one of 12 in Australia. To have it out here in the country, in the middle of nowhere is pretty special.”

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