by brandsa2018

Millicent’s Mayura Station a cut above the rest

A beef producer from the state’s South East has won top honours in Delicious magazine’s National Produce Awards.

Mayura Station at Millicent on the Limestone Coast won Best Product From the Paddock for its full-blood Wagyu beef, as judged by a panel top-heavy with some of the country’s most respected chefs.

“We’re over the moon,” says Mayura’s owner, Scott de Bruin. “But it’s almost as if we had an unfair advantage. We’ve got the rolling green hills and, it being the Limestone Coast, beautiful soil full of calcium, which is just what growing animals need.”

Mayura, founded in 1845 as one of the state’s first pastoral leases, came under the stewardship of the de Bruin family in the 1980s and the first Wagyu herd was imported from Japan in 1998 by Scott’s father.

Mayura Station owner Scott de Bruin.

At first they focussed solely on producing breeding stock, but Scott soon realised there was an opportunity to do more, so he bought some cattle from his father and started his own breeding program, focussing on the production of prime beef.

His hunch paid off when he took some samples to Adelaide. Mayura Wagyu first appeared on a menu at The Grange, headed by iconic SA chef Cheong Liew, and its popularity just exploded from there.

“Consistency has always been the key for us,” says Scott. “There’s a lot of science behind delivering a product with the best possible flavour and texture.”

The cattle go through a carefully regulated management regime to maximise the quality of the meat. The final stages of feeding, at what Scott calls the Mayura Moo Cow Motel, include some unusual ingredients; e.g. chocolate.

The stock are fed chocolate during the final stages of feeding.

“Yep, chocolate,” he confirms. “Usually factory seconds – Kit Kats are a favourite. It gives the meat a genuinely unique flavour that’s instantly recognisable.”

“Traditionally beef production is focussed on rapid growth at the lowest cost,” Scott continues. “But at Mayura our focus is on quality – slow, steady growth, which gives the beef a fine texture and a beautiful mouth-feel.”

Their hard work has certainly paid off, if the number of awards Mayura has received over the years are anything to go by.

Mayura Station is a major employer and tourism drawcard in the Millicent area, particularly since opening The Tasting Room, an award-winning on-farm restaurant that showcases prime cuts of export-grade Wagyu, matched with a range of top quality local produce and “museum wine vintages” from around the region.

“We’ve always had a strong emphasis on locals supporting locals,” says Scott. “Through our Wagyu Experience, Head Chef Mark Wright introduces diners to some of the delicious but lesser-known cuts of beef, matched with the best local ingredients and wines.”

For the record, Scott’s favourite cut of Mayura Wagyu is the Zabuton – a small fillet named after the Japanese pillow that it resembles – grilled over charcoal.

“One of the great things about good quality Wagyu is that nearly every cut is a grilling cut,” he says. “A couple of minutes each side and it’s ready.”

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by brandsa2018

Escapod delivers luxury regional experience

A new luxury accommodation pod in regional South Australia allows visitors to be immersed in the environment while enjoying all the creature comforts of a high-end hotel.

New company Escapod installed its first pre-fabricated pod at The Vineyard Retreat in McLaren Vale this month, adding new opportunities to the luxury accommodation market in regional areas.

The pod was built off site at a “controlled facility” in Adelaide, before being transported to McLaren Vale.

The 71.5m² building features a minimalist layout complete with architectural and premium finishes and fixtures, including large double glass windows allowing views of the landscape and outside environment.

The Escapod is installed at The Vineyard Retreat in McLaren Vale. Photo by Sam Dickinson.

The open plan layout includes a dining and lounge room with an open fire, fully functioning kitchen, king size bed, separate bathroom and storage room, and a small outdoor deck.

The Vineyard Retreat’s Escapod will be available for bookings in September.

Escapod is the brainchild of Ryan Brown, who has background in the property and construction industry.

He says he has plans to roll out 20 Escapods across regional SA by June next year.

“We have some fantastic opportunities happening on Kangaroo Island, in the Coonawarra, McLaren Vale and Fleurieu Peninsula,” he says.

On site in McLaren Vale. Photo by Sam Dickinson.

The Escapod buildings can be bought outright by landholders or leased over an agreed period of time.

The semi-permanent nature of the building allows customers to relocate the pod should they need to in the future.

“Our objective is to partner with a certain pedigree of clients who have existing tourism businesses or winery/vineyard,” Ryan says.

“Vineyards are really good for Escapods, particularly for wedding accommodation which is in high demand.”

Photo by Sam Dickinson.

Ryan says SA’s tourism appeal continues to grow, with the state notching up a record $6.7 billion in visitor expenditure, but a gap existed in the market for high-end accommodation in regional areas.

“I was searching extensively to find modern accommodation that wasn’t a typical bed and breakfast or hotel in the main street. It’s not an easy proposition in our regional areas,” he says.

“Building in regional and remote areas presents a number of challenges. From our experience in the construction industry, we saw an opportunity to utilise pre-fabrication to create a new accommodation concept, with the added benefit of addressing key environmental and planning issues.”

Escapod founding director and architect Dino Vrynios says international research and development was undertaken to provide the most practical floor plan, and deliver outstanding energy performance.

Escapod CEO Ryan Brown, second left, and Tourism Minister David Ridgway and other dignitaries launch Escapod in McLaren Vale.

The pods can either be connected to existing services or go entirely off-grid with the use of solar power, water harvesting and wastewater treatment infrastructure.

“The building has been designed to include high performance insulation to all surfaces, Australian, hardwood timber cladding and double glazing as standard to provide excellent passive energy performance,” Dino says.

“But it also includes the comforts one might expect in a luxury hotel or resort; underfloor heating, integrated appliances, reverse cycle heating and cooling, automated blinds, custom joinery and uninterrupted views.”

Ryan says “all materials were sourced from local businesses and SMEs which is something that we’re very proud of”.

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by brandsa2018

Just moved here? What to know if you’re new to Adelaide

So, you’ve decided to call Adelaide home.

Welcome! And allow us to congratulate you on a most excellent decision.

But don’t just take our word for it – in The Economist’s Global Liveability Index 2018, Adelaide was named in the top 10 most liveable cities in the world for the seventh consecutive year.

We’re also ranked in the top 10 healthiest cities in the world.

As with all cities, ours has its own quirks, terminology and things only locals would know, so here’s your introduction to becoming an Adelaidean.

Where will I meet you?

There’s one iconic meeting place in the heart of the city that every local knows – the Mall’s Balls.

Situated in the middle of Rundle Mall, their official name is The Spheres, but no one calls them that. However, everyone meets there.

The Mall’s Balls is one of Adelaide’s most renowned landmarks and meeting places.

Late night shopping

Another thing to note about Rundle Mall – it’s open for late night shopping on Fridays. All other suburban shopping centres are open late on Thursdays.

Don’t worry, no one knows why and we often forget this fact. The Adelaide Central Market is also open until 9pm on Fridays.

Hit the mall on a Friday night before heading to dinner or drinks down one of Adelaide’s many laneways.

Don’t forget your bags

Speaking of shopping, South Australia has had a plastic bag ban in place at its supermarkets since 2009.

Yes, we’ve been bringing our own bags to the shops for nearly 10 years and the eastern states have only just jumped on board. They’ll get used to it, as will you.

Order your I Choose SA totebag at shopsouthaustralia.com.au under the South Australian merchandise tab.

Baby you can drive my car

It’s a bit of a running joke that it takes 20 minutes to get anywhere in Adelaide.

Especially if you have a car. So, if you have become a permanent resident of SA, you must transfer your exiting licence to an SA driver’s licence within 90 days.

Click here to find out more about the full requirements.

Get your driver’s licence sorted and you could be cruising around some of the state’s most picturesque landscapes, like these vineyards at Kellermeister Wines in the Barossa Valley.

Getting around on public transport

If public transport is more your speed, you’ll need a Metrocard.

You must tap your Metrocard when travelling on buses, trains and trams, at the start of your journey on an Adelaide Metro Service.

You can get one from Adelaide Metro InfoCentres, newsagents and ticket vending machines. They can be topped up online, or at the infocentres, newsagents, and convenience stores.

Click here to learn more. Adelaide’s CBD also has a number of free public transport options.

Adelaide’s trams run between the Entertainment Centre and Glenelg.

Let the music play

It’s no secret we love our live music, which is quite fitting as Adelaide is the first and only UNESCO City of Music in Australia. Adelaide has a vibrant and varied live music scene with venues hosting gigs and performances every night of the week.

Click here to find a live music venue.

A musician plays at the Grace Emily Hotel, one of the city’s well known live music venues.

We’re a festival state

What really sets Adelaide apart is its festivals. The calendar is full of them and they distinctively inhabit every corner of the city.

From the Adelaide Fringe Festival to WOMADelaide, the History Festival, Adelaide Cabaret Festival, Adelaide Fashion Festival … just to name a few.

In October/November, Adelaide is also home to OzAsia, Australia’s only international festival celebrating contemporary art from Asia. The 2018 program landed recently, check out the highlights here.

Check out Adelaide’s other festivals here.

The Garden of Unearthly Delights is a magical place to be during the Adelaide Fringe, which runs from late February into March.

We love our footy

There are two main football teams in South Australia – the Adelaide Crows and Port Power.

The rivalry is real and you must pick a side. The state comes to a standstill when these teams face each other in what we call the Showdown. Told you it was serious.

This guide barely scratches the surface of everything SA has to offer, but it’s a start.

The best way to get to know our beautiful state – its food, wine, sport and lifestyle – is to get out there and enjoy it!

During a Showdown match, one end of Adelaide Oval will be covered in teal, black and white (Port), while the other in red, blue and gold (Crows).

Oh, and we we also have our own lingo!

South Australians are renowned for speaking a little bit posher than the rest of the country. Our accent has been likened to the English and South African accents.

We also use some funny words including ‘fritz’, ‘Stobie pole’, and ‘bathers’. Scrub up on your SA lingo here.

Sonia Bavistock is a fashion and lifestyle blogger and also has her own social media management and copywriting business. Sonia is passionate about all things South Australia and can often be seen dining out with a glass of wine in hand.

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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Header image: SATC.

by brandsa2018

Coffee lover? Where to find the best brew in SA

It seems simple; roasted beans, ground and brewed, milk frothed and poured into a mug cradled between two hands.

But it can also go so wrong. Too bitter, burnt milk, a cranky barista and you have a combination of coffee sins that is sure to (almost) ruin a morning.

But with more cafés adopting a choose local ethos by using South Australian dairy milk and locally roasted coffee beans, coming across a dud brew is almost hard to do.

Brand SA News has set out on the ultimate coffee quest – to find the best coffee shops in the land, the friendliest baristas in the burbs and the types of cafés that truly make you feel at home.

From regional coffee hotspots to trendy metro hideaways, we’ve searched the state with the help of fellow caffeine fiends and our pool of regional journalists, to find the best spots across the state for good coffee.

But this list is just scratching the surface, so if there’s a coffee shop we’ve missed, hit Brand South Australia up on social media using the #ichoosesa hashtag and spill your caffeine secrets.

Metropolitan Adelaide

The Meat & Cheese Club, King William Street.

Exactly what a hole in the wall should be, this coffee and sandwich shop is a new kid on the block.

Owner Damian Vasilevski is a solid I Choose SA supporter, frothing Paris Creek Milk for the coffees (which are always hot) and using Udder Delights Cheese and Barossa Fine Foods smallgoods for menu items.

Meat and Cheese Club owner Damian Vasilevski and Adelaide Lord Mayor Martin Haese, who visited the coffee spot earlier this year. Photo: Facebook.

La Moka, Peel Street.

A solid CBD favourite, La Moka is not only a perfect spot to soak up laneway vibes, but more importantly, this yellow-doored café makes good coffee. Every time. After dark on weekends those lattes can turn into espresso martinis!

Bond & Lane Canteen, Colonel Light Gardens.

They grind from 7am weekdays. Having a cuppa or a meal here is homely and comfy, and the owners are big I Choose SA supporters, so you know you’re supporting local.

The cake cabinet will leave you drooling.

Two Sparrows Coffee & Kitchen, Forestville.

A must-visit for the latte art itself.

Barista Brian’s creation’s will leave you highly impressed and almost unwilling to touch your coffee in fear of ruining the masterpiece.

Mind blown. Photo: Instagram, @his.names.sparky

Adelaide Hills

The Organic Market and Café, Stirling.

An old Hills favourite that’s been around for decades.

Makes consistently good coffee, which can be enjoyed in a quiet corner or outside among the trees and many four-legged friends.

The menu is healthy, homely and nutritious, with chock-a-bloc salads for summer and hearty soups for winter.

The Good Pantry, Gumeracha.

This café uses locally roasted coffee and serves all day brekkie, soups, dips platters, and local juices. It also doubles as a little art and crafts gallery.

Limestone Coast

Metro Bakery & Café, Mt Gambier.

One of Mt Gambier’s most popular spots, the Metro Bakery not only knows how to bake a good pie and pastie, but their coffee is on the mark too.

Presto Eatery, Mt Gambier.

Located in a refreshed heritage building in Mt Gambier town’s centre, this café is exactly what a good coffee lover needs in a rural town.

Coffee is roasted by local roaster Bricks and Mortar Coffee. Relax with a cuppa inside or chill out the front and watch Mt Gambier life go by.

Presto Eatery Mt Gambier. Photo: Instagram @prestoeatery.

Fleurieu Peninsula and Kangaroo Island

Cactus, Kingscote – KI

A fairly new addition to Kangaroo Island, this cosy café is popular with tourists and locals, so be sure to rock up early.

Pair a coffee made from custom roasted beans by Rio Coffee Adelaide with a sneaky sweet treat and soak up the sun on the blue and white deck.

3 Monkeys Fine Foods, Willunga.

These guys are taking a break and returning in September, but they’re worth the short wait.

The coffee is just how you’ll want it to be and you can sip your fix while browsing through gifts, homewares and gourmet goodies.

McLaren Vale

Mullygrub, McLaren Vale.

This café which also exists in food truck form is known for its simple dishes made from scratch.

Their coffee is also on the mark, with milk by the Fleurieu Milk Company.

Dal Mare Coffee, McLaren Vale.

Too early to sip on a red? This wine region is also well known for its boutique coffee shops scattered around the place.

A corrugated iron shed that is the Dal Mare Coffee headquarters is an unsuspecting caffeine haven, but these guys know their stuff.

Roasting their own beans, the main focus of the business is wholesales, but you can also spot them roadside through the travelling Short Black Caravan.

The Short Black Caravan on the side of the road is a welcome sight when you’re craving coffee on the go! Photo: Facebook.

Barossa Valley

Barossa Farmers Market

Grab a coffee and take a wander through the fresh produce stalls offering goodies from one of the state’s most renowned  food and wine regions.

Coffee wise, local roaster artisan Bean Addiction will take care of you. Their actual shopfront in Nuriootpa is closed for renovations, reopening this month.

Yorke and Mid North

Red Hot Shot, Clare.

Jodi Weckert is the lady in the little red van, pulling up at businesses and giving locals their caffeine fix.

Passersby have also been known to give a wave or a toot as they see her on the road, signalling the need for a coffee fix!

Watervale General Store, Watervale.

This quirky store is run by well known local foodies, Louise and Neil Haines and is renowned for its quality coffee.

The store has a big focus on local produce and is a good spot to pick up a few traditional or gourmet groceries.

Coffee Barn Gelateria, Moonta.

We may be luring you here just for the ice cream… but the coffee is good too!

In summer, move fast though because lines will creep out the door.

Finding this Yorke Peninsula gem is half the fun. Turn off the highway and head off the beaten track.

Far North

Bluebush Café, Port Augusta.

Good coffee is possible in the outback.

Located within the stunning Australian Arid Lands Botanic Garden, the Bluebush Café’s setting alone is worth the visit.

It’s peaceful and serene dining before a stunning backdrop of the Flinders Ranges.

The Bluebush Café overlooks stunning views of the Flinders Ranges and outback flora. Photo courtesy of AALBG.

Murray and Mallee

Arrosto, Renmark.

This multi-award winning boutique coffee roaster will put a spring in your step. They service many cafés in the region.

Renmark-based Arrosto Coffee has recently collaborated with Glossop winery’s 919 Wines to create a coffee liqueur, The Firewater.

Made from Scratch, Waikerie.

Described as “Waikerie’s little health oasis”, this Riverland gem is hugely popular with locals.

Coffee is by the above Renmark boutique roaster, Arrosto. The café’s interior pays close attention to small, homely details such as locally grown flowers on the table, put together by Riverland business Daisy and Ginger.

Eyre Peninsula

Boston Bean Coffee Co, Port Lincoln.

EP locals Brian and Sue Scott run this award-winning speciality coffee roasting business that recently opened a coffee bar and roastery on Mortlock Terrace.

Born from a desire to lift coffee standards in regional areas, Boston Bean is all about the local game and are also supporters of environmentally friendly coffee cups.

Hitting Port Lincoln in summer? Try the cold brew over ice with a splash of milk.

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

OzAsia Festival program lands with record number of events

Disco dancing Korean grandmothers, acrobatic Shaolin monks and a group of millennial girls in a ‘fishbowl dormitory’ are among highlights of the 2018 OzAsia Festival program launched this week.

The 12th annual OzAsia Festival, Australia’s only international festival celebrating contemporary art from Asia, will feature five world premieres and 20 Australian premieres from October 25 – November 11.

OzAsia Festival director Joseph Mitchell says the level of talent and exclusivity in the event was a testament to Adelaide as the festival capital of Australia.

“I think it’s just another example of Adelaide being much more ahead of the game, innovative and aware of the role and responsibility of art and culture,” says Joseph, who moved in 2015 to Adelaide from Toronto, Canada, to take on the director’s role.

“I’ve always felt that South Australia has been a bit more innovative and leading the way.”

A record number of 60 events will unfold at various venues, featuring works from 817 artists from countries including Japan, Singapore, China, India, Malaysia, Korea, The Philippines, Hong Kong and Indonesia.

Hundreds of SA and interstate artists will also be involved, while the event organisers are hoping for visitor attendances to hit a record 200,000 people.

A scene from Here is the message you asked for… don’t tell anyone else 😉

Joseph says one of the most appealing aspects of OzAsia is the artists’ ability to create truly unique projects that set apart from theatre traditions.

One of the highlight performances is Sun Xiaoxing’s Here is the message you asked for… don’t tell anyone else ;), featuring a group of millennial girls in a transparent bedroom set.

Audience members can communicate on their mobile phones with the performers through popular Chinese social media app WeChat.

“The audience can use WeChat and interact with these girls who are essentially living their lives in their bedrooms, they’re playing computer games, using social media, drinking Coca-Cola, dressing up in cosplay and living their own identity,” Joseph says.

“They don’t talk to you, there’s no script and there’s no narrative, you watch this fishbowl performance installation which has live music … and the only way you can get a grasp on it is to communicate through WeChat.

“It completely rewrites the traditional theatre experience. It’s a great example of what OzAsia is.”

Dancing Grandmothers. Photo by Eunji Park.

Prolific Korean choreographer Eun-Me Ahn’s Dancing Grandmothers is another highlight, featuring real life Korean grandmothers grooving under disco balls.

Eun-Me Ahn travelled her native country to meet the everyday women who founded modern Korea and to film them dancing in their villages.

Along with a screening of the video, a small group of the grandmothers themselves will hit the stage of Adelaide’s Dunstan Playhouse.

Other inspiring pieces include award-winning choreographer Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui and his masterpiece Sutra.

The critically acclaimed acrobatic piece features Cherkaoui and 19 Shaolin monks.

The festival’s most highly attended event, is the Moon Lantern Parade on October 27 featuring a parade of 40 large handmade lanterns including a 40m-long Hong Kong dragon.

OzAsia Festival artistic director Joseph Mitchell.

Visitors can also eat their way around Asia at the Lucky Dumpling Market on the Adelaide Riverbank lawn every night except Mondays.

Orginally from Newcastle, Joseph came to Adelaide after living in Toronto, Canada, where he lead multi-arts event the Luminato Festival.

He was also the executive producer of the Brisbane Festival.

“The Brisbane Festival and OzAsia ran at the same time so we’d shared work before and that’s when I became aware of OzAsia,” he says.

“I thought it was just so refreshingly different.

“There is no other festival in this country that operates annual and focusses on contemporary art and culture in Asia.”

Check out the full program here.

Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui’s masterpiece Sutra.

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

Sanjeev Gupta announces Whyalla solar farm the size of 550 Adelaide Ovals

British billionaire Sanjeev Gupta has announced plans for a solar farm covering an area the size of 550 Adelaide Ovals as part of his $US1 billion renewable energy plan for the Upper Spencer Gulf.

SIMEC ZEN Energy – part of Mr Gupta’s GFG Alliance – announced the plans for one of Australia’s largest solar farms alongside South Australian Premier Steven Marshall and local Mayor Lyn Breuer in Whyalla on August 15.

The Cultana Solar Farm is the first project to be unveiled as part of Mr Gupta’s landmark $US1 billion, one gigabit dispatchable renewable energy program.

The Cultana solar project will feature 780,000 solar panels generating 600GWh of energy per year, enough to power 96,000 homes, and according to Mr Gupta will help bring down energy prices.

“Today’s event is symbolic of our desire to develop and invest in new-generation energy assets that will bring down Australia’s electricity prices to competitive levels again, as well as our commitment to local and regional Australia,” he says.

“In particular, this signals the beginning of our journey with a number of stakeholders to not only transform GFG’s operations in Whyalla, but also further enhance the appeal of this great city.”

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In 2017, Mr Gupta’s company GFG Alliance bought the Whyalla steelworks and iron ore mines, saving thousands of local steel industry jobs.

The Cultana Solar Farm will generate 350 jobs during construction and 10 ongoing operation and maintenance positions.

Development approval is expected later this year before works begin in the first quarter of 2019.

Mr Gupta says Cultana, along with SIMEC ZEN’s second solar project to be built nearby, will become one of the largest solar farms in the country.

He says the renewable energy projects will not only improve reliability and drop energy costs for his own operations, but will provide competitive sources of power for other commercial and industrial users.

Whyalla Mayor Lyn Breuer says the city’s council is keen to partner with GFG Alliance in coming decades, including leasing a portion of land for the Cultana project.

She says the solar project signalled to the nation that Whyalla is open for business.

SIMEC ZEN Energy is pursuing a number of other renewable energy projects in the region, including cogeneration at GFG’s Whyalla Primary Steel plant using waste gas, the world’s largest lithium-ion battery and pumped hydro projects at GFG’s Middleback Ranges mining operations.

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

Solar River Project to create hundreds of jobs for Goyder region

Hundreds of South Australian jobs will be created and thousands of homes powered with the construction of a $450m solar power project near Robertstown in the Mid North.

Stage one construction of one of the state’s largest solar power ventures – Solar River Project – will begin in 2019 featuring a 200mW solar photovoltaic (PV) array and 120mW battery.

The first stage also includes a 35km-long transmission line to the national grid, delivering power to at least 90,000 Australian homes.

The man behind the project is passionate South Australian Jason May and business partner Richard Winter, who is a lawyer based in Perth.

Jason says Solar River Project will help “disrupt” the energy sector by delivering cheaper electricity and push SA’s renewable energy status.

Managing director Jason May.

“It’s certainly the start of something very big in the energy sector for SA,” he says.

“We’ve been chipping away at it, photovoltaics have been a little bit expensive but they’re coming down. There is a boom in the energy sector at the moment.”

Jason says about 350 jobs will be created during the two years of construction, including a further 20-50 permanent positions throughout the 25-year life of the facility, by way of engineering roles and project managers.

“The contractor has agreed to source as much of that (construction jobs) locally as they can, so that means everything from labourers to plant operators will come from that whole region,” he says.

Stage two construction will commence in the fourth quarter of 2019 and will include an additional 200mW with a 150mWh battery.

Jason says the State Government’s proposed electricity interconnector with NSW could unlock potential for future stages of Solar River to supply power to 450,000 homes across the country.

“That (interconnector) is very exciting for the industry, but also the region because it unlocks 1200mW of connection … billions of dollars’ worth of investment will go ahead as a result of that interconnector,” he says.

Jason has more than 35 years working in the energy sector, both nationally and internationally.

The layout of the solar PV array.

He says the idea for a renewables project had been on his mind since 2002, a time when he was working as a senior project manager at ElectraNet.

Jason met Richard Winter in Sydney about a decade ago when the pair was working on renewable projects at bank Investec.

They became mates, eventually travelling to the Mid North and following Goyder’s Line until they found the perfect location for a solar farm that was close to the national grid.

Solar River Project is being run out of the University of Adelaide’s ThincLab on North Terrace by a team of 40 people including university graduates.

Jason says price points on photovoltaics and large battery systems have dropped dramatically in the past two years, making large scale solar projects more feasible.

“When you think what resources does SA have … we have tonnes of solar and tonnes of wind, let’s build plants here that harness that energy, connect to the grid and sell that to the eastern seaboard,” he says.

Solar River Project is privately funded through a mix of national and international investment and has received state development approval and backing from the Goyder Council.

A smoking ceremony was held on the Solar River site in January 2018. The solar project developers have collaborated with local Indigenous groups.

Jason has also worked closely with local Indigenous groups, establishing a Ngadjuri National Aboriginal Corporation Heritage Agreement and a regional heritage fund with the Goyder Council.

Local flora and fauna protection programs will also go ahead, as will sponsorship of local sporting teams and facilities.

The May family name is well-known in SA, with Jason’s forebears Frederick and Alfred May founding engineering and manufacturing firm May Brothers & Co in Gawler in 1885.

Frederick is remembered as a “mechanical genius” and one of Australia’s greatest engineers, with a plaque installed in his honour on North Terrace in Adelaide.

Jason went on to reinstate the May Brothers name and has since led a number of energy projects.

He says SA’s big renewable ventures such as Tesla’s big battery in the Mid North has put the global spotlight on the state.

“SA is the far most progressive out of all the states when you look at all the statistics coming out of AEMO (Australian Energy Market Operator),” he says.

“Let’s step it up and take it to the next level.”

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

The art of life on the land

Alysha Sparks stands bare foot in her studio applying liberal layers of acrylics, Posca markers and spray paints to a canvas.

With son Bodhi on her hip or playing at her feet underneath a growing baby belly, colour by colour, layer by layer, the talented self-taught artist brings South Australia’s landscapes to life with a modern twist.

For the girl brought up in the bush with a keen eye for colour, her passions come to life on canvas and be it human, bovine, botanical or landscape, Alysha has a talent for capturing something special.

Also a gifted photographer, she has a knack for encapsulating the personalities of the families she frames, and the raw character of the farm animals in front of her lens.

Right at home in the paddock are some of Alysha Sparks’s art works flanked by a few of her subject matters.

“My work is fairly eclectic I guess,” Alysha says.

“I paint cattle and birds but then do abstract florals and landscapes as well, I guess my style is a modern take on traditional.

“The florals give me the freedom to use any colours I want and everyone loves flowers, they make you feel happy and last a lot longer than the real thing.

“As for the cattle, they have so much personality, each one is individual and I love seeing them evolve on the canvas.”

Much of Alysha’s inspiration is sourced from the natural colour of the landscape, and now with a drone camera as well, she is given a different perspective from the sky to translate onto canvas in her studio at Jamestown in SA’s Mid North, about 2.5 hours from Adelaide.

Alysha’s works will feature in an exhibition in Adelaide’s Hyde Park as part of the 2018 SALA Festival.

“The colours and textures take on a new perspective from the sky and out in the country there’s such pretty light, you get those beautiful colours coming through,” she says.

“I see a colour combination I like and snap away on the camera, take it back to the studio and start creating inspired by it, and apply it to my landscapes.”

It was her mother who first bought a 13-year-old Alysha a blank canvas and paints, giving her the freedom to experiment with colours and styles and eventually develop her own niche.

The daughter of sheep, cropping and export hay farmers, Alysha has the country in her blood.

Like so many others before her, Alysha was keen to spread her wings, moving to the city and then travelling the world, but love eventually brought her ‘home’ to Jamestown and ultimately back to her roots.

With partner Tom – a local stock agent – Alysha has embraced country life again and it is not uncommon to see her out, boots on, son Bodhi in tow, helping Tom at the sheep yards or travelling across country with him.

It is all part of her inspiration, and as much as she has wholeheartedly returned to her roots, she is grateful for the community’s welcome back into its fold.

Alysha’s modern take on traditional landscapes looking right at home.

“We came back to Jamestown five years ago, the community has really embraced my art work and photography and they’ll come to me to buy my art or have their family photos, both because they like my work and because they want to support local,” Alysha says.

“The people have been so embracing and lovely, and that’s part of why my business is going so well.”

The shop local ethos is not lost on Alysha who works alongside local framer Clive Palmer in Jamestown to finish her works, and Daniel Blackman at Blackman Gallery in Clare who she entrusts to create “world class reproduction prints”.

“Local is best, if they support me, I support them,” Alysha says.

“It’s really just about everyone supporting each other.”

While she relishes her country life, the road to Adelaide is also a well-worn path for Alysha who regularly makes the trip to deliver her art to clients as well as restocking her ongoing exhibits at The Gallery on Waymouth Street in the city.

Locally her works are on show at café Bindlestick in Jamestown, and at Atore gift shop in Melrose, as well as through her website, alyshasparks.com

Alysha has an exhibition, Native, on show at Toop and Toop at King William Road, Hyde Park in Adelaide, as part of the SALA festival until the end of August.

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by brandsa2018

Scientist of the Year drills into mining breakthroughs

South Australia’s top scientist is hoping world-leading drill rig technology created in this state will generate millions of dollars for the local mineral exploration industry.

The RoXplorer rig was developed at the state’s renowned Deep Exploration Technologies Cooperative Research Centre (DET CRC) and is being hailed as a game-changer in cutting costs, time and improving safety.

Geologist and explorer Professor Richard Hillis says vast tracts of the continent contained potential undercover mineral deposits currently too difficult and expensive for geologists to pursue.

“What I’m hoping for is this new cheaper and safer drilling will spark a new wave of undercover exploration and discovery in SA and Australia,” he says.

The rig was developed under Professor Hillis’s leadership as chief executive of the CRC.

And it was this work, along with his extensive contribution to his field and in commercialising a range of world-leading technology that led to Professor Hillis being named the state’s Scientist of the Year on August 10.

The revolutionary new drill rig, the RoXplorer, has been labelled a “game-changer” for the mining sector.

The Scotsman first joined the University of Adelaide in 1992 and held positions that included Mawson Professor of Geology and Head of the Australian School of Petroleum, before he joined the DET CRC for the past eight years.

Professor Hillis believes the future of SA’s mining sector and its supply chain industries is promising.

“I think job opportunities are good at the minute, the mining industry is picking up and probably longer term, and hopefully it will be less cyclic in mining services,” he says.

The potential value of discoveries during Professor Hillis’s time at the DET CRC was estimated to be US$200m in extra value each year to Australia, according to Industry and Skills Minister David Pisoni.

“His work at the DET CRC has led to the commercialisation of technologies with projected future licensing income of around $3m per year,” Mr Pisoni said at the SA Science Excellence Awards night.

“For example, the RoXplorer, a coiled tubing rig developed by the centre, is a revolutionary game-changer for the mining sector and has recently been licensed to global mining equipment, services and technology giant IMDEX.

“This rig will drill low-cost bores and produce a suite of real-time geological data at a drilling cost of $50 per metre, around one sixth of the typical cost.”

SA Scientist of the Year Professor Richard Hillis.

The RoXplorer CT rig replaced individual drill rods with a continuous steel coil.

“In my view, research works best when industry defines the problem, industry knows what challenges it has and in this case, industry had to drill holes cheaper or Australia was going to lose mineral exploration,” Prof Hillis says.

“In the old days, if you were at 1000m you unscrewed 333 drill rods to put a new drill bit on and screwed them back on and got the drill bit to the bottom of the hole.

“What this rig, that drills about six times cheaper than conventional drilling, will do, is make mineral exploration in Australia cost effective again.”

Professor Hillis says the RoXplorer rig was successfully tested earlier this year near Port Augusta and another site at Horsham in Victoria.

Since then it was licensed to the ASX-listed global mining equipment, services and technology giant IMDEX, with its headquarters in Perth, and a new drilling trial was now set to happen with Barrick Gold exploration in Nevada, USA.

While he was now planning a year off after finishing at the DET CRC, Professor Hillis suggests those wanting to explore the world of mining, energy or geology in SA should take advantage of the state’s focus on Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) subjects.

“We have good courses, I think there are currently not as many students in them as we would like,” he says.

“I’m feeling positive about employment at the minute but the mining sector can be cyclic.”

DET CRC chairman Tom Whiting is proud of the research centre’s work, saying its major technologies – Wireless Sub, Lab-at-Rig, AutoSonde, AutoShuttle and RoXplorer CT drilling system – had been taken to working prototype and licensed in revenue-generating agreements to supplier participants, Boart Longyear and IMDEX.

The project team developing the RoXplorer coiled tubing drilling system was led by Soren Soe and it also received contributions from Boart Longyear, CSIRO, Curtin University, University of South Australia, University of Adelaide and IMDEX.

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

Zero-emission car service rolling out in SA

South Australia’s first zero-emission car service is rolling out across Adelaide, in support of the city council’s push for the southern capital to become carbon neutral.

The chauffeur service myCar, based at Tonsley Innovation District, aims to help reduce transport emissions and promote electric vehicle technology.

myCar founder and director Mark Harrington says the zero-emission vehicle service began in 2017 with a fleet of luxury hybrid Lexus and Mercedes cars, as well as electric Tesla vehicles.

However, he says the company is now shifting towards adding less expensive car brands to its fleet, including the Mitsubishi Outlander, a hybrid vehicle that services “at taxi prices”.

myCar still uses its luxury Tesla vehicles the ‘Model S’ and ‘ Model X’, which have a range of about 400km before running flat.

Mark says myCar will soon release new software, including an app, allowing passengers to choose their preferred type of vehicle and their favourite driver.

myCar founder and director Mark Harrington is the brains behind SA’s first zero-emission car service.

“Not only are we the first zero-emission car service in SA, but we are the only,” he says.

“It’s new technology like this that will enable drivers to become your affordable personal concierge on wheels so the experience feels like being in your own fancy car, only better.”

Mark says he envisages the app to also include information on public transport services such as trains and buses, and also flights.

“I can imagine a day where people don’t own their own cars at all, but it’s all about ride sharing and using transport through an app,” he says.

He can also see the day when autonomous vehicles in SA eventually become less of a novelty and more of a reality.

“At myCar we’re already running Teslas in auto pilot mode (with backup drivers of course), but I think that we’ll still have drivers for a while,” Mark says.

“For now, I expect that the sharing economy and autonomous driving will make it less important for more people to own their own vehicle.”

Mark has taken inspiration from successful trials in Holland and is now collaborating with Flinders University and local business Gelco to export electricity from car batteries to power households.

“Collaboration in business will enable us to realise our potential and make Adelaide the world’s first carbon neutral city,” he says.

“At myCar we’re not just using the safest electric cars on the road, we’re supporting SA’s transition to sustainable energy by investing in electric and autonomous vehicle research.”

One of myCar’s Tesla vehicles.

myCar is a founding partner of Carbon Neutral Adelaide, an Adelaide City Council driven ambition to make the southern capital the world’s first carbon neutral city.

Carbon Neutral Adelaide aims to increase the proportion of hybrid and electric vehicle registrations to 15% by 2021.

Emissions from transport contribute to 35% of Adelaide’s total emissions with 90% of that coming from private passenger cars, according to the Adelaide City Council.

The myCar fleet is charged on electric car charging infrastructure set up across the state including regional areas and at locations across the city.

Mark grew up in the Adelaide Hills, becoming a global finance advisor overseas before moving home to run his own Adelaide-based firm, Infrastructure Finance Australia.

His decision to branch out into the transport industry carried on his family’s history in personalised chauffeur services, with his grandfather Jack Harrington running a horse-drawn carriage business in the Hills for many years.

Adelaide’s movement in the renewable energy space plus its strong entrepreneurial ecosystem made the perfect launchpad for myCar, Mark says.

“There is a great entrepreneurial spirit in Adelaide and myCar is proud to be part of this growing, dynamic business community,” he adds.

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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