Adelaide Hills Cherries: Lisa enjoys a taste sensation from the Adelaide Hills region of South Australia
The Adelaide Hills are a picture at any time of the year but come the first hint of spring and something quite magical happens. We caught up with fourth generation cherry orchardist Ian Sparnon in early September, when his Montacute property had already exploded into a profusion of spring colour.
Cherry blossoms are a treat for any Sunday driver in the Mount Lofty Ranges and they're also a joy for the hills orchardists who've been growing cherries here since the 1850s.
"It's been a very good year as far as winter chill," said Ian. "We've had plenty of frosts this winter and the cherries like plenty of winter chill on their buds - that really helps with fruit development."
True to his word, Ian promised us a bumper crop and when we returned to his property in November the pickers' buckets were overflowing with a bumper crop.
"Historically cherry picking time meant Christmas was just around the corner," said Ian. "But now the season is much longer with wonderful rich red cherries also growing in the South-east and the Riverland. "That means you can get cherries for six nearly months of the year."
In the Norton Summit Post Office cum Museum the early photos point to a time when the Adelaide Hills region was the fruit bowl of the State. Cherry orchardists like Doug Bishop used to send his bushel boxes off to Broken Hill, Melbourne and Tasmania. He remembers working in the East End Market as a 17-year-old in 1940. He also remembers that black day when everything changed.
"The Black Sunday bushfire of 1955 made a big difference to the cherry industry," said Doug. "Some of the big growers didn't survive after that. They just went out of business, did other things. They sold the land or put in cattle. The cherry industry went into a steep decline after the 1955 bushfire."
Today cherries are grown on what's called pedestrian orchards where pickers can manage without the aid of ladders. In Doug's day it was different, with some of the older trees thirty feet high.
"I think everybody who picked cherries in those days has fallen out of a tree," laughed Doug. "And the cry was always 'don't spill the cherries'. They'd never ask if you were alright it was always 'haven't spilled the cherries have you?'
Signs of the Adelaide Hills' cherry picking past are everywhere including a memorial to perhaps the State's most famous cherry orchardist, Sir Tom Playford. He was State Premier who led his Liberal Country League Government for 26 years and 226 days to become the longest serving leader in the Commonwealth. Not that he'd ever refer to himself as such.
"He would refer to himself as Tom Playford, cherry grower from Norton Summit. He wouldn't say Premier of South Australia, he would say cherry grower."
Sir Tom was known to take a load of cherries down to the markets before a full day in Parliament and despite the years of high office he never lost the common touch.
The statue of South Australia's most famous and influential cherry grower is in a little reserve opposite the Scenic Hotel at Norton Summit. Meanwhile, the cherry orchards that he loved so much are still churning out their rich bounty by the bucket load. They're already on sale at the central market and fruit and veg shops throughout the city. If you have any further questions please email info@postcards-sa.com.au
Sir Tom Playford Statue Playford Memorial Park
Opposite the Scenic Hotel Norton SummitChristmas Cherries
Adelaide Central Market Various fruit & veg retailersPublished 19th November 2006
