In this episode, you'll meet the woman behind the newly opened, architecturally stunning gin distillery that now stands proudly among the vineyards on the edge of Clare.

The Clare Valley Distillery, along with its beautifully designed tasting room, officially opened its doors in March 2025. Behind this exciting new venture is Katherine Nugent — a lawyer, teacher, and proud Clare Valley local.

Known affectionately as "Karks" to most, Katherine has been nurturing this dream for the past seven years. She developed the concept alongside Guy Parkinson, former chef of Seed, and her beloved aunt and godmother, Di Mayfield — both now her business partners.

Karks is passionate about gin and community. Her vision was to create a welcoming space in the Clare Valley — not just for gin lovers, but as a creative hub, especially for writing retreats. That makes sense, because she’s also in the midst of writing a book.

But there’s far more to Karks than distilling botanicals. Originally from the Adelaide Hills, she takes us on a rich and colorful journey through her life — from the Hills to Denmark, with career chapters in journalism, law, teaching in Galway, and ultimately, finding home in Clare.

This episode is packed with inspiration, reflection, and storytelling. So whether you're brewing a cup of tea or heading out for a long walk — settle in. This is Katherine's story.

https://www.clarevalleydistillery.com.au/

https://operationflinders.org.au/

https://www.kademacdonaldfoundation.org/

Find out more about Annabelle Homer and her communications business Voice it:

https://voiceit.me/

Meet Tim Grigg, the man behind Travelwild Australia.

A tour company offering 4WD experiences across the wilds of the Kimberley, South Australia’s Outback and Flinders Ranges to the more pleasurable slower paced walking tours through rolling hills and vineyards in the Clare Valley.

Originally from Mildura, Tim moved to South Australia to pursue a career in industrial design, a career that wasn't for him as he always had an yearning to be in the bush. So he approached a company who ran tours to Alice Springs and from that moment he was hooked.

In this episode, Tim takes you through the highs and lows of starting a tour company, from not making any money with his first tours to Kangaroo Island, constantly fixing up trucks in the Kimberley, to navigating the GFC and COVID and pivoting the company out of challenging financial situations.

This is not just a business story, it’s a love story too.

Tim met his now wife Bianca, a young backpacker from Holland in his first six months as a tour guide and they’ve been touring together ever since.

Enjoy this fascinating behind the scenes journey of the unglamorous world of tourism with Tim Grigg.

https://travelwild.com.au/

https://clarevalleywalk.com.au/

https://voiceit.me/

Meet the super vivacious, creative individual Nicky White - the founder of Mickelloo.

From her humble beginnings as a marching girl, meeting her farmer husband Joel at the Planet nightclub to moving to the Clare Valley and creating her own business - Nicky is not short of a story.

She's been a Nutrimetics consultant, ran her own Weight Watchers’ group and delved into jewellery design and fashion.

Nicky is a self-taught jewellery maker and fashion designer, creating hand stamped jewellery, designing and making scardis, to now running her own on-farm fashion boutique.

It was once considered a hobby, now it’s a full-blown successful business where she is selling her designs across Australia and overseas.

Strap yourself in - this is Nicky’s story.

https://www.mickelloo.com.au/

Nicky reduced her opening hours in 2024 to give her more time to make accessories. She is open every Friday and two Saturday’s a month and by appointment. One-on-one styling is available for 6 months of the year. Hop onto Nicky’s website to get all the details and do some online shopping - she has some beautiful pieces!!

https://voiceit.me/

Voice it is a communications business specialising inpublic speaking training, media training, podcasting, audio memoir production and MC work.

I’m passionate about giving people the skills to beeffective, engaging and memorable communicators - not just on stage but in life. I’m a former ABC broadcast journalist and also 12 years experience in AMEB speech and drama, I use those skills to bring you engaging, fun workshops and recording sessions to make you feel at ease andenjoy the process - because I get it, public speaking can be daunting, but it doesn’t have to be.

Also, I’m happy to toot my own horn - this year Iwas a finalist in the Agrifutures Rural Women's Award in South Australia - a fantastic experience I encourage any women to pursue if they have a business or a project idea that can make a difference to regional communities.

https://agrifutures.com.au/opportunities/rural-womens-award/

Welcome to Season 4 of the Voice it Podcast!!

So glad to be back and to bring you more delightful guests from the Clare Valley and mid north area of South Australia.

Malcolm Stanley Heinrich, is the managing directorof SC Heinrich and Co - a family owned and operated company specialising in earth moving, quarrying, and transporting based here on the outskirts of Clare.

The business was originally started in 1954 by StanHeinrich, Malcolm’s father and has been operated by the Heinrich family ever since. Stan retired in his 50th year in business but remained actively involved for a further 6 years until his passing in 2010.

Malcolm has working full time in the business since he was 15 years old - that’s just over 50 years. He’s workedmainly alongside his brother Robert, who most recently stepped away and now runs it with his younger brother Andrew and his son Alex.

Malcolm takes you through the history of his family and the business - how it all began, the high and the absolute lows through the 1960 and 70’s, the absolute transformation of the business during Covid and his plans for the future.

Enjoy this ‘rags to riches’ tale with Moose Heinrich.

Find out more about SC Heinrich and Co: https://scheinrich.com.au/

Tom Kruze - the outback mailman: https://lastmailfrombirdsville.com.au/

Find out more about Annabelle Homer and her communications business Voice it: https://voiceit.me/

In this episode I’m introducing you to the SA finalists of the AgriFutures Rural Women’s Award.

An award that acknowledges the essential role women play in rural industries, business and communities.

It’s a big deal.

The finalists were required to present a project, idea, or initiative that benefits rural South Australia in some way. The state winner will receive a $15,000 bursary to bring their project to life, with the winner announced on April 8th, 2025.

Big welcome and congratulations to:

Emma Gilbert from Clarendon Farm and Incubate Pro

The Chicken Lady who's produced a hatching app that could transform the poultry industry.

Kelly Johnson from SPhiker, who's recycling all the food waste in the world.

Marie Ellul from Artlab Solutions has invented a new pregnancy device to reduce the need for rectal examinations in cows.

and me....

Annabelle Homer from Voice it.

I want to provide more people across regional SA with the skills to communicate confidently and authentically through subsidised face-to-face programs. Be it on stage at conferences, on podcasts or in community - its for everyone!

We all sat down at Emma's kitchen table at Clarendon Farm to chinwag about our backgrounds, our projects, and our experiences as RWA finalists.

We hope you enjoy!

Links:

AgriFutures Rural Women's Award: https://agrifutures.com.au/opportunities/rural-womens-award/

Sphiker:

https://www.facebook.com/sphikerhttps://www.sphiker.com.au/

http://www.instagram.com/sphiker.com.auhttp://www.tiktok.com/sphikerfood

https://au.linkedin.com/in/kelly-johnson-92400153

Clarendon Farm & Uncubate Pro:

https://www.thefarmclarendon.com.au/https://www.facebook.com/TheFarmClarendon/https://www.incubatepro.com.au/

https://www.instagram.com/thefarmclarendon/⁠

Artlab Solutions:

https://www.artlabsolutions.com/https://au.linkedin.com/in/marie-ellul-01912b78

Voice it

https://voiceit.me/

https://au.linkedin.com/in/annabelle-ottens-51573b1a7

https://www.instagram.com/voiceitsa/

https://www.facebook.com/voiceitsa/

It's an end of an era for this man.

Peter Shearer.

After 22 years at St Joseph's School in Clare, Peter has decided to step down from the top job at the end of 2024.

Peter has touched the lives of many people across the regional South Australia working in Catholic schools in Jamestown, Yorketown, Loxton and finally Clare. Peter speaks of the absolute joy of his career - what has kept him in the job all these years - but also the heartbreaking challenges he's experienced along the way.

In this episode you’re going to meet Kate Mensforth.

We all call her Miss Kate, she’s the woman that's built a soaring business providing children across the Clare Valley and mid north of South Australia access to the world of dance.

Kate is the brains behind the Clare Valley School of Dance offering all modes of dance ballet, jazz, ACRO, contemporary, hip hop and even ninja kids, appealing to dancers on a recreational level but also giving them the chance to compete on the statewide stage.

https://www.clarevalleydance.au/

This episode is about a man who had a entrepreneurial seizure.

David Heinjus.

What was a one-man-show in agribusiness consulting, now is the Chairperson of a multi-national company called Pinion Advisory. A leading-edge national agribusiness, water and environment consulting firm with tentacles reaching across Australia and into America.It all started in South Australia's Clare Valley.

Before Pinion, Dave Heinjus founded Rural Directions in 1997 in the Clare Valley. One of the first agribusiness consultancies in the state. It started with just him and now he manages over 100 people on his team.
After 23 years, he led the merger integrating Rural Directions with three other Australian companies to form Pinion.

In this podcast, you'll hear his journey from his early days working as a contractor with the Department of Ag, branching into self-employment with Rural Directions, the late nights, the ongoing study, balancing all that with a young family to then chairing a global company.

But let's start with Dave's early days, growing up on the family farm on the western edge of the Barossa near Freeling, a farm that he still manages today.
Enjoy the journey with Dave Heinjus, a journey he reflects back on and can't believe he is where he is today.

https://www.pinionadvisory.com/