Jacobs Creek Retreat: Ron takes in some Barossa Valley region South Australia luxury
Travel the backroads of the Barossa Valley and you'll come across telltale signs of its European beginnings. But sadly, with the passing of the years - many of the stories of its early German past have been lost. All too often the sun has set on the epic tales of entire families who escaped religious persecution in their homeland to establish a new life in the social experiment that South Australia would eventually become.
And so it could have been for the story of Nitschke family and the little hamlet they established at the top of Nitschke Road in the foothills of the Barossa Ranges.
If you really want to get to the essence of the Barossa - to some of its earliest beginnings you need to spend some time here. On the banks of a rather unremarkable creek with it's very famous Gramp Cottage and cellar and its very famous vineyard on one side and on the other the plush surrounds of the old Nitschke Homestead - or what's now known as Jacob's Creek Retreat.
Thanks to the efforts of current owners Wyndham and Patricia House what was a basically a collection of rundown cottages and overgrown scrub has been transformed into luxurious accommodation - set in an amazing garden reminiscent of the villas of Italy or the chateaux of France.
Adam Ivkovic: "It's inspired from Italy. Wyndham and Patricia travelled through Tuscany and that's where they got a lot of the inspiration for the gardens, the great courtyards and the hedges and that's the sort of appeal that they really enjoy.
Wyndham and Patricia were again overseas when we visited Jacobs Creek Retreat - no doubt gathering more ideas for the continual transformation of what is one of the most historic properties in Australia's most famous wine-growing region.
The story goes back to 1838 when Samuel Nitschke and his wife Elizabeth arrived in South Australia on board the Zebra. They were a stern looking lot - these "Barossa Deutsch", as they became known. And they soon got down to hard work - later moving to the Barossa and carving out a farm on the banks of Jacobs Creek. Wander around the property and signs of its frugal German heritage are everywhere - from the smoke house where they made their larkshinken and German sausages to the fruit trees which provided a bountiful supply for the evening table.
Adam Ivkovic: "This house was the original home of that family and their daughter, Eleanor went over the creek and married John Gramp.. And between the two families the vineyard was set up and it was the birthplace of the Barossa Valley. The first vines were planted across the river.
"So it's a very rich, colourful and very important part of the Barossa Valley. And so that's what we've tried to do here - tell that story and recreate the history because it is such an important aspect of the place."
But one suspects the living conditions for Samuel and Elizabeth Nitschke on their side of the creek and Johann and Elanor Gramp on the other - were nothing like the accommodation which guests now enjoy at Jacobs Creek Retreat.
Here you can find your own personal space in the specially designed garden - with its array of David Austin roses. And not far from the doves and their little hideaway is Johan Gramp's original vineyard. His first plantings have now gone but that sense of history at this little bend in the creek is ever present.
Over time the Gramp side of the family became famous for its wines and the Nitschke's gradually moved onto other pursuits. But now the winemaking tradition is making a comeback here in the old barn at Jacobs Creek Retreat.
"This was the original Nitschke winery built in 1870s and the Nitschke's had a very famous wine brand called Moorooroo Park."
In what's now called the Silentium Cellar visitors sample wines made from the nearby vineyards and from fruit sourced from the Adelaide Hills - and of course the names draw from aspects of the famous Nitschke story.
"Zebra and Solway and those names are from the two classic sailing ships, which came out from Germany in the 1840s."
By the end of the day a drop from the Silentium Cellar offers the perfect accompaniment for some hearty winter fare served in the Cafe Larder. The cafe is open daily to visitors and so too is the cellar door. Those wanting to book into the luxurious accommodation on offer at Jacobs Creek Retreat should contact 8563 1123 or log onto their website.
Jacobs Creek Retreat
Nitschke Road
Rowland Flat
Barossa Valley
Accommodation $250 to $350 per night inc breakfast
Contact 8563 1123Published 19th July 2009
