About Us

Wildman Farm - Owned and operated by Cate and Brenton Wildman. US We first met in 1989 through Rural Youth, as we both grew up in country communities - Cate in the Barossa Valley and Brenton in Balaklava. In 1990, we moved to Adelaide together, where we lived for 20 years. During that time, we married on Valentine’s Day in 1993 and raised our two children, Erika and Chris. While our kids were young, I pursued a Diploma in Interior Decoration and Design, inspired by my love for renovating our Adelaide home. In 2011, we made the decision to return to the Barossa to be closer to family. Whilst living there, we renovated a house for one of my clients, which sparked a deep passion for renovation. For years, we searched for the perfect property in the Barossa. Then, one day, while driving a different route for work in the Mid North, Brenton stumbled across a farm for sale on Conrad Road. That moment changed everything.

THE FARM

Our journey with the farm began in September 2020 when we finally acquired the property we had spent years searching for. It was in far worse condition than we had imagined, having been abandoned for many years. Despite the layers of peeling paint, grime, and decay, we could see the potential hidden beneath it all, and we knew we had found something truly special.

Initially, we estimated that we could make the house livable within six months and then tackle the barn. Our first hurdle was discovering that the property had no septic system—just a hole in the ground. After several months, we installed a worm farm septic system and finally had a functioning toilet.

Finding builders during the COVID pandemic proved challenging. We managed to replace the house roof before the situation worsened, but the rest of the work fell to us, with some assistance from a retired concreter and a lot of guidance from the "University of YouTube." We learned how to lime mortar and plaster, moved doorways, replaced ceilings, built new walls, and moved into the house after 20 months. While we still use a temporary kitchen and an old bathroom from the 70s, we look forward to completing our new extension.

Over the following eight months, we focused on rebuilding the barn’s verandah, erecting fences, constructing a chicken coop, and creating a shelter for our three male alpacas. We also began setting up the property as a sustainable small farm. There’s still much to do!

In December 2022, when our daughter got engaged, we dreamed of hosting her wedding at the farm, making her wedding our first event in our barn. We had 15 months to prepare, which we thought would be ample time. However, we underestimated the time needed to secure approval for the barn's use.

The Barn has been completely renovated: we replaced the roof ourselves, reused the old roof to line the ceiling, and crafted lights from metal objects salvaged from the barn and a local salvage yard. We repaired the exterior stone, plastered the interior walls, and rebuilt the lean-to, now featuring a kitchenette, vanity area, and accessible bathroom. One of our most enjoyable projects was transforming the old grain silos into two charming gazebos, involving welding metal frames and using a crane to lift and cut them.

Though we were racing against the clock and left a few minor tasks unfinished, everything essential for the wedding was complete. We’re now excited to open the barn to others, welcoming anyone who wishes to host their wedding, party, seminar, or art exhibition amidst the beautiful farmland.