In 2019 a section of the old Onkaparinga Woollen Mill was reopened as Fabrik. Fabrik was operating for just 11 months before the Cudlee Creek fires surrounded the town of Lobethal. Located in the Adelaide Hills Region of South Australia, the Woollen Mill had flames at its back door. Many houses in the region were lost as well as livestock and fencing. Thankfully, the Woollen Mill was saved.  

Now, with $3 million provided towards the project through the Local Economic Recovery (LER) Program, Fabrik has been restored. It now provides a place to bring the community together to showcase arts and heritage.  

A Historic Community Site  

The Woollen Mill has been part of the Lobethal community since 1872. The check patterns of Onkaparinga blankets have been a household item across Australia for many years.  

In the early 1990s the Onkaparinga Woollen Mill closed down and the centre became a home for local start-up businesses.  

Today, the centre is a successful food production site, with cheese, wine, beer and baked goods made on site. Fabrik sits amongst these businesses as a cultural hub for the community. 

After the bushfires, the Adelaide Hills Council pivoted their programs to support the community in their recovery.  

Melinda Rankin, Director of Fabrik Arts and Heritage said, “being able to redevelop this site, I think is providing a real beacon of hope for the community that we’re going to have something really amazing here on the site.” 

A boost for tourism and local employment  

The funding provided through the Local Economic Recovery Program has been used to refurbish the space, with construction now complete. The new facility is a precinct for arts and culture in the region. With a gift shop, carefully designed spaces for workshops, and studios for artists to work from, there is always something new to see. The addition of a temperature-controlled gallery also allows for travelling exhibitions from national collection institutions, bringing people into the town to enjoy.  

The facility also has a space for artists to come and stay for longer periods of time with a bedroom, bathroom and kitchenette setup. Accessibility is also a key feature of the upgrades.   

Kim Jordan, the owner of a Lobethal Bed and Breakfast said, “We really need something that attracts people into the town throughout the year so that we have a steady stream of visitors who will enable our local businesses to thrive, and I think Fabrik is going to achieve that.” 

“Being able to access the funding through the LER Program, to connect with funding from all levels of government, has meant we’ve been able to transform this really significant community site to connect with our community and draw people to the Hills and we really hope to make a difference to the local economy with that,” said Melinda Rankin.