Hahndorf Trading Company

Walking along the main street of hospitable tourist Hahndorf, you may not notice this small shop, hidden deep in the yard. It would be an unforgivable mistake.

Shop of the Hahndorf Trading Company is a real treasure island, where you can find a lot of amazing and unexpected things came to us from yesterday. There are antique and vintage items, and just simple old cute trinkets decorated many years ago the dresser of someone's beloved grandmother. There are old magazines and books, clothes and utensils. There is an "alternative art" by local artist Steve Langdon. You can spend there hours staring at unusual items, trying to guess their origin and purpose.

The shop is filled with music from carefully collected vinyl records, supplementing the magical atmosphere of this place. But perhaps the most important treasure of the shop is its owner, Greg Lomax. Without him, the store would lose a half of its charm. He is a witty man, an expert in his field, and a pleasant interlocutor.

Do not forget to find this amazing place during your next walks, and you will not be disappointed by what you saw.

Melba's Chocolates & Confectionery

Adelaide Hills are full of secrets. Thank God that there are some road signs that reveal these secrets. Thus, about the Melba’s Chocolates we first found out from a road sign standing on one of the turns. At that time, the factory was not found, although we really tried to find it. Obviously, those magical places could be found only by the persistent adventurers.

The second time we have found it without a road sign, accidentally passing by, but, unfortunately, that day it was already closed. However we set this place in the GPS, and promised that we would be back. And we went back, just for the Birthday of the youngest daughter.

Melba’s Chocolates is the dream of any child. There is a huge amount of sweets for all tastes: chocolate frogs, pigs and dinosaurs, chocolate coated nuts & fruit, licorice, rocky roads and even ... chocolate with chili. Here you can also buy speciality bags for all occasions and souvenirs. We were also happy to find the huge but inexpensive packs of the mixed broken chocolate.

But the candy store it's not the most interesting thing. The most interesting are the glass walls and open doors, through which you can see the production process of all these delicious things. This is a very interesting and informative demonstration. We learned that the factory has traditionally operated the old heritage chocolate and confectionery making machinery. Next to each open door there were the bowls with the samples of chocolates that you could taste.

We spent more than an hour in a factory, and took home not only happy memories, but also a whole bag of chocolate delights.

The German Village Shop

If you want to feel the spirit of real Germany, welcome to Hahndorf! This is the oldest surviving German town in Australia, in which has been preserved the old architecture in the German fachwerk style, and live descendants of the first German settlers.

Do not forget to visit the German Village Shop, operated by Justin Lang and his family. You hear sounds of cheerful German music, and ticking of a few dozen of German clocks in the shop. This creates an absolutely amazing and unique atmosphere.  Hand carved Cuckoo Clocks are produced and are imported to Australia from their homeland - the Black Forest in Germany.

In addition to the clocks, you can buy other authentic German souvenirs, such as Music Boxes, Wooden Nutcrackers, Cow Bells, Beer Steins, Wooden old style toys, Hohner Harmonicas and many more.

Justin Lang is one of the few Australian specialists repairing and servicing the Cuckoo Clocks. He receives parcels with clocks from all over Australia and even overseas. He repairs them with great professionalism and love, and the tiny wooden birds come to life in his hands.

John Graham Leathersmith & Bush Gallery

We have discovered a very Australian place in the traditional German Hahndorf. It's John Graham Leathersmith & Bush Gallery. It is the oldest business in the Hahndorf Main Street, running from 1983.

Over these years, this shop has become an icon of Hahndorf, entertaining visitors from all over the world. In the shop sold a variety of leather goods, such as oilskin coats & vests, wallets, purses, belts, hats, suede goods, whips and much more.  All goods are made from various animal leathers - from cow, to kangaroo and crocodile.

The shop is located in a building built in 1854! For more than hundred years this building was a pub. Perhaps that is why the shop has remained such a relaxed and pleasant atmosphere. Guests can always find the warming fire there, complimentary glass of port, and a friendly smile.

John Graham had run this business with his wife Jenny for 30 years. After John's death, the business run by his son Sebastian Graham, who inherited from his father all the working skills and knowledge.
Sebastian is incredibly nice and charismatic man who invited us into his workshop and showed how he creates his wonderful leather goods.

Sebastian works in the traditional manner, using old hand-tools and equipment received from his father. He manipulates them with incredible precision and dexterity, creating true masterpieces.