HillsMusic

Ukaria centre grows
 as prestige music venue with bushland views of valley/Mount Barker

Ukaria centre grows
 as prestige music venue with bushland views of valley/Mount Barker
Ukaria Cultural Centre, a 200-seat auditorium for chamber music, set in bushland at Mount Barker.
Image courtesy Ukaria Cultural Centre

Ukaria Arts Cultural Centre, a 200-seat auditorium set in bushland at the summit of Mount Barker, is growing in prestige as a music venue. On the hillside of the Ngeringa property just outside Mount Barker, has hosted concerts for acclaimed musicians  since the mid 1990s.

In 2014, its modest concert room was demolished and replaced with 220-seat concert hall purpose built for chamber music. The $7 million rammed earth and timber building on Williams Road was funded by businesswoman and philanthropist Ulrike Klein, who was a founder from 1985 of the international skincare label, Jurlique.

Ukaria (formerly Ngeringa) cultural centre is attracting serious classical groups such as Australian String Quartet, Grigoryan Brothers, the Adelaide Chamber Singers, Goldner String Quartet, Adelaide Virtuosi, Los Angeles Philharmonic Wind Quartet as well American opera singer Dawn Upshaw, recorder virtuoso Genevieive Lacy and cellist Anthony Albrecht as well as jazz and cabaret performers.

Ukaria  is built the former Jurlique Farm, where many herbs, flowers and plants were grown for natural skin care products. Architect Anton Johnson has designed every aspect of the centre with the sensory experience in mind.

The centre is 40km from the Adelaide CBD and is an easy drive on the South Eastern Freeway, which takes about 40 minutes. Getting to Ukaria is now easier via the Bald Hills Road exit, which bypasses Mount Barker The Ukaria name is from Klein’s initials and “aria”.  It is hidden within the botanical name for hoop pine – araucaria cunninghamii – used extensively in the interior of the concert hall.

Also in the Hills, Brian Chatterton, a founding musical director of Co-Opera that he left in 2018, has started the Adelaide Hills Music Circle presenting orchestral, choral and chamber music in Hahndorf, Lobethal, Mount Barker and Strathalbyn.  


 

 

Other related ADELAIDE AZ articles

John Hendrickson (front row, third from left, on saxophone), as director with Brian Lunnis, with the Bay Big Band playing at the Victory Ball in Glenelg Town Hall in 1995
Suburbs >
John Hendrickson blows new life into spirit of Adelaide dance hall era with the Bay Big Band at Glenelg from mid 1980s
READ MORE+
Fraternity, in a  promotional image arranged by its Adelaide manager Hamish Henry, (from left): John Freeman, Mick Jurd, Bon Scott, John Bissett and Bruce Howe.
National >
Fraternity progressive rock band, signed by Hamish Henry, briefly 'the next big thing' from early 1970s Adelaide
READ MORE+
Adelaide Hills hiphop group Hilltop Hoods in concert with Adelaide Symphony Orchestra, presenting music from the Restrung albums they have worked on together.
National >
Award-winning albums with Hilltop Hoods one of many Adelaide Symphony ventures in contemporary music
READ MORE+
The Twilights won Hoadley's Battle of Sounds from 500 other bands in 1966.
Multicultures >
Adelaide/Elizabeth's Twilights set the Australian standard in 1960s for tight sound and stage presentation
READ MORE+
Carmel Hakendorf was taught piano from the age of three and her father taught her the violin from five, at their home in the Adelaide suburb of College Park. 
International >
Carmel Hakendorf backed by Adelaide with special violin after John Barbarolli invites her to debut in Britain
READ MORE+
Adelaide Baroque, with principal founder Lynton Rivers (inset), has won international recognition for its standards in18th Century music. Image courtesy Adelaide Baroque.
International >
Adelaide Baroque, with founding principal Lynton Rivers from 1977, sets highest bars in 18th Century music
READ MORE+

 

 
©2025 Adelaide AZ | Privacy | Terms & Disclaimer | PWA 1.1.58