ABOUT
The site features historic buildings hand-laid using local limestone and bluestone, and whilst the property has had lots of love thrown its way with modern touches to offer guests warmth and comfort, it has maintained a remarkable presence of history and unique character.
The heritage buildings which were once utilised for storing chaff and farm machinery now have a new life as boutique accommodation, and weddings and events spaces.
AREA
The Barns of Freeling is located just under an hour from Adelaide and only 15 minutes from Gawler.
Nestled in the idyllic rural landscape of the Barossa, the 6000-acre working grain farm is neighboured by the township of Freeling and is only a short drive to many of the Barossa's most iconic food, wine and cultural attractions.
Home to South Australia’s largest hay production area, and made famous by the McLeod’s Daughters TV series, Freeling is a rural destination that is now also home to an Australian first – Australia’s only custom-built silo accommodation.
PROPERTY
Located within a 6000-acre working grain farm, The Barns of Freeling has been owned by the Schuster family for four generations, and the family have taken great pride in reviving this historic Freeling gem.
The property encompasses unique barn and silo accommodation, a function centre and landscaped gardens, in addition to the working farm and all that that entails.
HISTORY
Built in 1921 by Heinrich Bros. Builders for Mr John E Neldner, using locally sourced Limestone dug by hand from nearby paddocks and bluestone sourced from the Greenock hills and transported back by horse and wagon. The Barns were an integral part of the property storing chaff and valuable horse drawn machinery including a German wagon.
The Schuster family purchased the land where the barns are situated in 1980. Farm machinery was at the time small enough to be able to be stored in the barns back then but as farming practices changed and machinery grew the barns basically became obsolete and like many other older stone buildings in the area slowly deteriorated over time.
It was always a dream of Gavin and his wife Sherinne, to one day “do up” the barns but with a young family and growing business and other more pertinent focuses it wasn’t until years later they began investigating it. In 2007 a builder confirmed that although the deterioration was extensive it was still most definitely a structure worth saving. In 2013 plans were drawn up but the final decision wasn’t made to take action until 2017 after a weekend away in a little old cottage inspired them to finally realise that dream.
The vision initially was for a simple space that could be used for gatherings with friends and family with a toilet, a place to wash your hands and a place to do dishes. That vision continued to grow yet the race was on with Valray and Merv’s (Gavin’s parents) 60th wedding anniversary celebration just around the corner the family pulled together with the builders and LeVant Outdoor Solutions to finish the landscaping literally the day before the big celebration in 2019.
With the completion of The Barns though, came a flood of requests to access the space. So after much consideration, the family decided it was a history and a space they’d love to share with others and following council approval in 2020 they today invite you to be a part of the future of the Barns of Freeling.
In 2021 after successfully winning a state government grant work commenced on the second barn which was to be converted into 3 luxurious accommodation studios and the creation of a state first in the build of 3 custom built and actually designed accommodation silos.