The Property
The History of Abbotsford Country House
Your Barossa hosts are the creators and owners of Abbotsford Country House. After spending many years in the corporate world, both in Australia and the United Kingdom, in 1997 they chose to create a luxurious country house in the heart of the world’s favourite Australian wine region.
They chose to fulfill their dream of developing and running a country house in the similar vein to those which they had stayed whilst living in the United Kingdom.
After two years of combing every road and laneway, every hilltop and gully of the Barossa, by sheer accident they were told of a spot that “might suit their needs”. As it is with these things, the land was not for sale and the owners were looking at building a home on the spot for their own retirement!
The owners, Ken and Helen Semmler, were impressed with their plans and chose to sell them the land. Ken Semmler has referred to them as modern day Silesians, a reference to the great pioneering spirit to those who settled in the region in the 1840’s.
As is the way with these things in the Barossa, the deal was done with a hand shake and they have remained great friends ever since. In fact, one of the suites is named after them, close to trees planted by Helen when she was a child.
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The grounds
Abbotsford’s grounds were designed with a desire to ensure it remained sympathetic to Colonial Georgian architecture and at the same time endure through our Mediterranean climate of hot, dry Summers and cold, wet Winters. It remains practical in it’s classical […]
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The Farm
Whilst food and wine is our linga franca in the Barossa, farming is embedded in our DNA.
For over 20 years, when we are not taking care of our guests we are also managing our Black Angus cattle. Our cattle are bred to not only provide beef for our kitchen and the suet for our traditional Christmas […]
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Our Commercial Kitchen
Available for weddings and functions.
Our commercial kitchen is available for use by approved commercial caters for weddings and functions.
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Interiors
The interior design of the main homestead is a blend of our families history from Australia, Scotland and the Barossa itself.
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