Adelaide – the “City of Churches” – rolled out the red carpet in early December for more than a hundred buyers and media as the opening city for Dreamtime 2015, Tourism Australia’s incentive product showcase.
Up until recently, the South Australia state capital has been viewed as being in the shadow of bigger counterparts such as Sydney and Melbourne, but it could always boast of having the nation’s finest wine and produce.
Now it has far more to share with a convention centre expansion that would facilitate the medical and scientific conferences borne by the city’s medical research institute that forms part of Adelaide’s redevelopment. The Sahmri (South Australia Health and Medical Research Institute) provides a centre of excellence that is already emboldening Adelaide’s conference bids.
Adelaide Oval – the city’s home of cricket – very much impressed Dreamtime delegates from India, with at least one kneeling to kiss the hallowed turf when touring the stadium.
The compact nature of Adelaide is also an attraction with the conference centre, five-star hotels and the Riverbank precinct all within walking distance. Beyond the city are the Adelaide Hills, Barossa Valley and more where wineries are legion.
But it’s the transformation of the city itself from staid to festive that is also remarkable. Adelaide is now a trendsetter with bars, restaurants and small businesses with an artistic edge flourishing. Take for instance Orana, led by chef Jock Zonfrillo, who dives for the restaurant’s seafood and is influenced by Aboriginal recipes and cooking techniques. Or funky bars such as Africola where the menu is inspired by Duncan Welgemoed’s native South Africa.
There is a good reason for this Adelaide renaissance: the reform of a stack of age-old licensing regulations that restricted anything from opening for business on Sunday to al fresco dining.
A little freedom can go a long way in making a city internationally competitive.
With that, MIX wishes its readers a Happy Christmas and a prosperous New Year.
