Five Little Locals on the Adelaide Hills Retail Trail
If you're the kind of person who loves a good rummage, a thoughtful gift, or a beautifully made something-special that isn’t found in every second shop, our glorious Adelaide Hills have a treat for you. Scattered through the towns and villages are small, independent stores that champion local makers, ethical design, and the kind of old-fashioned hospitality that makes you want to stay and chat.
These five favourites all sit proudly on the Adelaide Hills Retail Trail - a growing collective of boutique stores that support creatives, celebrate slow-made goods, and make shopping an adventure rather than a chore. If you’re hunting for gifts, homewares, wearable art or just a mood lift, start your trail right here.
Peregrine store, Gumeracha
Step inside Gumeracha’s original 160-year-old General Store and you’ll quickly realise Peregrine Store isn’t your average “gift shop” - it’s a temple to slow living. Owner Jessie curates gear that helps people get back to basics: think bird-watching kits, whittling tools, watercolours, fire-cooking essentials, DIY projects and beautifully made camping and garden goods. Everything comes from small makers and heritage brands, chosen for quality and longevity.
This is the place to find something that feels good in the hands - a thoughtful, tactile gift that sparks creativity or reconnects someone with the outdoors.
Open Wednesday to Sunday (10ish to 3ish), and seven days a week in December.
Echunga Trading Co - Echunga
Part farm shop, part treasure trove, part community hang-out - Echunga Trading Co is one of those places that has absolutely no right to be as fun and eclectic as it is.
Need chook feed? Antique iron gates? A handmade sculpture? A slab of cake? A pair of Rossi boots? A pot plant, a fence post, a copper teapot or a locally roasted coffee? They’ve got it - and somehow it all makes perfect sense under one roof.
Customers rave about the quirky vintage finds, rustic art, wine-barrel furniture and the welcoming café vibe (complete with Chesterfields by the fire). It’s “home-garden-farm”, but with personality.
Open Monday–Friday 9am–5pm, Saturday 10am–3pm, Sunday 11am–3pm.
The Vault @ Verdun - Verdun
Housed inside a renovated 1930s church, The Vault @ Verdun is a ray of sunshine for lovers of preloved fashion, vintage treasures, handmade goods and very good coffee. Light pours through original leadlight windows while visitors browse racks of second-hand clothing, local artwork, ceramics, crystals, pottery and eclectic homewares.
It’s equal parts café, boutique and creative co-op - the kind of place where you stop for a pastry and end up leaving with a new outfit, a retro lamp and a renewed sense of joy. Sustainable, stylish and full of character.
Open Thursday–Sunday, 9am–3pm.
Field Trip - Balhannah
Field Trip feels like visiting two designers in their natural habitat - because that’s exactly what it is. Co-owners Mim (clothing designer) and Linda (jeweller) run their beautiful shop and studio from one charming little Balhannah storefront.
Inside you’ll find ethically made clothing, small-batch jewellery, ceramics, handmade gifts, natural materials and locally crafted homewares - many designed right there in-house. Their focus is on quality over quantity, meaning you’ll always find pieces with stories, soul and serious staying power.
Open Monday–Saturday 10am–4pm, Sunday 11am–4pm.
Pony - Charleston
Take a country drive to Charleston and you’ll stumble across Pony - a bright, welcoming boutique filled with homewares, gifts, fashion and retro-inspired treasures. Owner Nicki transformed a once–run-down building into a creative haven, stocked with handcrafted pieces, Scandinavian-inspired design, recycled art, colourful ceramics and unique finds from ethical Aussie and international makers.
It’s cool, creative and beautifully curated - the kind of shop where you say “I’ll just have a quick look” and emerge half an hour later clutching the perfect gift.
Open Thursday to Saturday, 10am–3pm.
the adelaide hills retail trail
These Five Little Locals are just the beginning, with a stack of other highlights to be found along the Adelaide Hills Retail Trail - a network of independent stores championing small-batch makers, slow design and thoughtful retail. Check out the full trail (and plan your next gift-hunting road trip) right here on Peregrine Store’s website.
Keen to know more about retailers in the Adelaide Hills? Check out our comprehensive guide to Shopping and Markets in the Adelaide Hills below.