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The Heritage Trail was developed by the Lenswood and Forest Range Community Association to mark the centenary of the naming of Lenswood in 2017.  It tells the stories of the pioneers of our district. The Trail aims to honour the Peramangk people and their ancestors, the custodians of this land for more than 50,000 years.  It also honours the colonial settlers, of more recent times.

Planning for the Heritage Trail began by giving students of the Lenswood Primary School a list of themes and asking them to provide drawings depicting pioneers of the district.  Those images provided concepts which led to the final structures that are now on display. Life size silhouettes cut from steel.

The Trail is in the Lenswood Centennial Park, opposite 1590 Lobethal Road, Lenswood. It follows a creek in a picturesque valley of tall stringy barks trees.  There are ten silhouettes spaced over 800 metres and at the base of each one is an information plaque providing additional information via a QR code.

The achievements of our immigrant ancestors who settled this district are a source of pride to our residents.  We honour the challenges they faced and overcame to establish our community. Equally we honour our Indigenous People, the oldest continuous culture on the planet and their harmony with the environment and deep knowledge of this land.

This Heritage Trail is an inspirational, history resource for Lenswood Primary School students and we hope it is an interesting and unique way of promoting our community to visitors to the Lenswood Centennial Park and surrounds.

A wide number of cherry varieties are grown in Lenswood and Forest Range.

Stella and Lapin are the dominant varieties grown. There is a wide range of other varieties grown based primarily on the market niche of a region/grower.

Merchant, Stella, Lapin, Sweetheart and Simone are the main varieties grown. Bing, Supreme, Empress, Van, Summit, Sunburst, Kordia, Vista and Lambert have had varying levels of production but are declining in popularity. Rainier is only grown by a few specialist growers. Rons Seedling is still grown by several growers. Several other varieties have been introduced recently and the best performing of these include Black Star, Earlisweet, Sweet Georgia, Chelan, Earlise, Australise, Santina, Samba, Sylvia and Regina.

Most cherry crops are harvested during December and January.
Check the Cherries SA website for availability of pick your own and Shed Door Cherry sales.

Also, download the  android cherries app: 

Google –  Fresh Cherries App

Apple – Fresh Cherries App

South Australia has a long history of apple growing, starting in the Adelaide Hills in the 1860’s.  It produces around 10% of Australia’s apple production, predominantly Cripps Pink (sold as Pink Lady®), Royal Gala, Fuji and Granny Smith, although there is a strong trend towards planting newer varieties of Rockit®, MiApple®, Red Love, Jazz™, Kanzi™ and Envy™, with an estimated 15% of planted area growing newer varieties in 2017.

South Australian fresh apple exports have been increasing over the past 3 years and processed apple juice and dried apples are also exported.

There are currently about 1.5 million apple trees in South Australia, grown by around 60 apple growers, of which about 40 growers primarily produce apples; the remainder produce apples with other mixed enterprises.  Most apple growers in SA (80 percent) have small holdings of less than twenty hectares; the remaining 20 percent farming in excess of twenty hectares. Apple orchards in SA are almost all family-owned and run.

Adelaide Hills

The Adelaide Hills regions is the State’s most important and longest established growing area, with 80 percent of the growers. Centred on the Lenswood Valley, apple growing in this area is characterised by good clay/loam soils and a rainfall of around 1000mm annually. While being of 34 degrees of latitude south it has a climate moderated by around 500m of altitude and South-westerly weather patterns.

Source:  Aussie Apples https://www.aussieapples.com.au/about/#region-sa

Pick a Pink lady Weekend

A popular annual event each May gives visitors to Lenswood, the opportunity to experience the beauty of the Adelaide Hills in the peak of autumn, to enjoy fresh Pink Lady apples picked straight from the tree, to learn about apple production straight from the grower and to sample apple produce.

The biggest change in land use in this region came in the 1980s when planting grapes for wine production began.  The cool wet climate is well suited to grape growing and planting has expanded such that Lenswood is now a recognised sub-region of the Adelaide Hills Wine Region and the name Lenswood was entered on the Register of Protected Names in 1998.  Pioneers of this industry were Tim Knapstein from Clare who purchased at the top of Cold Store Road in 1981.  He was quickly followed by Prue and Stephen Henschke of Eden Valley, again on Cold Store Road in 1981 and Geoff Weaver planted on Stafford Road in 1985.  The grapes from this region quickly established a strong reputation for high altitude cold climate wines. 

There are a number of winery Cellar Doors located in Lenswood. Each offers wine tastings, excellent food and cellar door sales. They also offer entertainment and special occasions catering.

Anderson Hill Wines

Mt Lofty Ranges Vineyard

Pike & Joyce Adelaide Hills

Tilbrook Estate

Other vineyards and wine makers nearby include: Bird in Hand | Cobbs Hill Estate  | Golding Wines  |  Lobethal Road Winery   | Read more at Adelaide Hills Wine 

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