McLaren Flat, SA 5171

If you like a neighbourly community, but also a quiet environment, this would be the place for you.

Steve Mac | House and Land Expert

I have been living in McLaren Flat for over a year now and I have to say I have never been happier! It is honestly like living in a postcard! The views are stunning every day of the year, the people are friendly and the community is safe and welcoming! Most of my family has joined the local CFS and we are loving it! There are so many beautiful restaurants, wineries and cafes and with McLaren Vale, Seaford and Colonnades all being less than 15 minutes away you are never far from shopping centres, medical facilities, schools and sports clubs! Everyone says hello in the street and there are always community events happening which is fantastic. Tatachilla has been an excellent school for the younger ones in our family, and offers reception to year 12. The air is clean, the streets are quiet and there is no graffiti or vandalism to be seen! You are also only minutes away from some of South Australia's most beautiful beaches which offer great swimming, surfing, walking and fishing from pristine white sands and crystal clear water! I honestly cannot think of a more beautiful, convenient, safe or peaceful place to live. And just a 40 minute drive from Adelaide city! If you are looking for a comfortable, country lifestyle but with all the modern conveniences of a big town then you have found your perfect place!

It is what it is: a great, quiet little town, which is close enough to everything but far enough away.
We built and moved here 3 or so years ago, which means we are the "new trouble" with the big house on the medium size block that changed everything.
Having said that I've never had anything but fantastic interactions with the people here, old and new residents alike we have been made to feel welcome.
We're not one for really socialising with our neighbours but they are all friendly and approachable, people notify us when they are having parties and we mostly keep quiet.
There is zero background noise, which means you can hear a dog bark from a block away, sometimes that's actually a bit annoying believe it or not because you don’t realise how much background noise you become accustomed to until it’s gone. It’s also great to see a sky full of stars at night!
When considering criticism of the suburb you need to consider the context of the area.
Shopping and nightlife? No, it's all at least 10 minutes away and major shopping complexes are around 15-20mins but in exchange you don't have large crime attracting car parks and loitering destinations near your house. In the context of what people typically look for in a small town this is actually an advantage.
Medical facilities and child care are 10minutes away in Mclaren Vale but both services still have open spots which is rare in other areas.
There are 2 main reasons we came here and 2 reasons why we still love it.
1) We were looking to build and could secure land at a good price. That meant building a house with everything we wanted and we’re able to afford to actually pay it off.
2) My wife grew up in interstate in the country and I grew up in Happy Valley when it was being converted from Vines to housing. We wanted the same type of lifestyle for our children (safe streets etc).
2 reasons why we still love it:
1) It's a quiet and easy-going area with beautiful views all around and a lifestyle I could never replicate interstate and would struggle to have anywhere else in the state outside of surrounding suburbs (1-hour commute to the city and a genuine country feel)
2) Every weekend is a holiday. The vineyards around the area are just fantastic! I travel a lot for work and dine in some nice places. Not many come close to some of the fantastic places just minutes away from the town. Interstate family come and stay with us rather than in a hotel because the house is big enough and we spend the weekends enjoying the fruits of this beautiful area.
Where else can you be 1 hour from the city, 30mins from Hahndorf, and 40mins from Victor Harbour, live in a tourist zone yourself but still get ADSL2, excellent phone reception (with Telstra at least) and point out the pony’s, horses, cows to the kids every drive or even walk down the street to feed a donkey and still have a nice, modern home to sleep in?

Partner and I moved into McLaren Flat over 8 years ago hoping to soak up some country charm but have been severely disappointed. The new housing estates are full of people from the socio low economic areas of the Fleurieu looking to make a big step up in the world. You'd think by the way they carry on they're Eastern Suburb material but generally their poorly educated and pretty shallow. There is of course some decent folks around but most them hide in their homes from the gossiping good for nothing bullying gangs that go out of their way to make you feel unwelcome. It's all a big competition. Gotta have the new house and the new car in the driveway too. The divorce rate and house sales that follow are an indication of the failed gotta have it all lifestyle.
No one likes the neighbour on one side of me because all he wants to tell you is how much bigger and better his house is. As for the other side well I've lost count of how many times their piss ups have kept my kids from sleeping in their bedrooms but apparently according to them I'm really ugly because I call the police to complain about the noise. But hey, they're abusive alcoholics and everyone else seems to like them so maybe I'm just uptight. The television show Neighbours would kill for the stories of deceit that are instigated in that house. I remember someone telling me years ago that if didn't own land or have your families last name plastered on a wine bottle you wouldn't fit in here. They were right. You can add completely self centred and shallow to that list too. And if you want to live in Jayden Court don't forget to bring enough Christmas lighting to light a small suburb. It's the latest tourist attraction. I don't know if they've heard of a suburb called Lobethal because it's probably where the should've gone to live.
As for services, well finally, we almost have a footpath on two sides of the Main Street, the local playground is great for under 5 year olds. Nothing for older kids like a small skatepark. In the last eight years the General Store is on it's fourth set of owners but at least we have a shop. There is no postal service. You need to get your mail from the General Store, a real pain when a lot of online shops won't deliver to a PO Box. I don't know why they bothered with a bus service because it's rarely used and has brought the territorial graffiti along with it. The local wineries are great if drinking wine and gourmet food is your thing but not much for families with young kids except for the Friday Night Lions Club Dinner. The local public primary school is OK. If you like soccer or netball or cricket or lawns bowls or tennis or horse riding or are a veteran road bike racer and want to pay the applicable club membership fees then this is probably the place for you. McLaren Flat could do with a bike lane down to the Vale and some safer pedestrian walkways. The traffic is not too bad however continual road works (South Rd./Victor Harbour road upgrade) and now the Victor Harbour Rd./Main Rd. overpass under path into the Vale makes us take the alternate route through Clarendon. It takes 25 minutes to drive to Collonades and about 18 minutes to drive to Seaford.
I feel for the long term residents of The Flat and totally understand their opinion of the town being destroyed by the new housing estates. The Swift Grove Estate has definitely had an impact on the local water fowl in the neighbouring wetland. The over supply of houses has seen the market values stagnant if not drop. You'd have to admit that McLaren Flat is always going to be the poor cousin to the Vale. And to be quite honest I have never felt so bullied and socially isolated as I have living here. We moved here to get away from the rat race and ended up living right in the middle of it. Would I recommend McLaren Flat to anyone well errr ummmm If you can't afford an acreage............. any other suburb in the South'll do. And please don't forget to bring a set of steak knifes with you, you'll need them to counteract all the backstabbers you'll meet.

A great little place. Safe for kids. In my estate the parents feel comfortable to let them play in the street. It is a friendly community. My estate has recently organised a regular community picnic so that we can all get to know each other.

Short walk from anywhere in town to the general store, post office, community club (Friday night schnitzels), primary school and sports grounds (tennis, netball, soccer, lawn bowls). There are also a few wineries within walking distance. We think this is great as we used to live in a popular estate in the southern suburbs and had to drive everywhere.

Although there isn't much in the way of nightlife or facilities in McLaren Flat, McLaren Vale is only 4km away and has everything you need. Supermarket, banks, doctors, hospital, childcare, pharmacy, a private school, pub, restaurants, cafes, takeway, service station, more wineries, etc.

Easy commuting with only 15mins to the start of the Southern Expressway. Noarlunga Centre is only a 20min drive.

Very quiet. At night there is virtually no noise.

I do agree that the council need to improve on the maintenance of the reserves and council strips, especially in the new Orchard estate.

With regards to the former bad reviews given:

UG70 - I would like to remind you that although you had no say in the developments going ahead, it was actually one of the locals who sold off their land to the developers in the first place. Maybe you should blame them and not us new comers who are just looking for a nice place to live. Also, harvest time busy - I didn't think so. A few extra tractors on the road, a large harvestor now and again, maybe a bit of night time vine spraying - hardly equals peak hour traffic.

Jahn - you are trying to sell your house. I assume you would like the best price you can get? It seems a little silly to give McLaren Flat a bad review then, doesn't it?

Also, the new estates here are relatively small, certainly not major developments. They are filling fast and the small amount of building noise will not continue forever. As far as I'm aware the town limits are Oakley Rd/Ingoldby Rd to the east, Hunt Rd/Blewitt Springs Rd to the west, the current edge of the Orchard/Scarpantoni/Oakley estates to the south and the current edge of the Springs estate to the north. This means there are no developments allowed outside these boundaries, only within. So the town shouldn't grow much bigger.

All in all, I love living in McLaren Flat!!

Well we've had enough of the so called "Progress" in the Flat, and we are selling up and moving to somewhere quiet. When we moved here all those years ago, we thought that we HAD found our perfect town, and that we'd never have to move again.

The last couple of years have seen an end to our plan of peaceful retirement. We had no say in the matter when a new housing development went up right behind us. And we've had nothing but noiose ever since.

I can understand where ug70 and joon are coming from, and for 9291 and vuntele to so blatently disagree wiht their statements, and defend THEIR own peace and quite, it appears that as usual, no one considers the welfare of those who already live in a 'small country town' and wish to keep it that way.

The house is on the market, and we can't wait to leave. This town will never be the same again.
Good luck to you newbies, in a few years, maybe you'll understand what it feels like, when the next big housing develpment comes and lands right next to you.

We moved here 18 mths ago to duck the "rat race" and give our kids (one as yet unborn at the time of our arrival) the sort of upbringing we wished we could have had ourselves. Older relatives had lived in the area for many years and we had always been envious!
Being part of a new estate - one of three in the area - we initially expected to be viewed as "outsiders" to some degree by locals, but found that we were welcomed into the community and were soon active participants in and contributors to that community.
We have one child at the Flat Primary, another itching to get there. Most of the older children at the school know the receptions and "newies" by name, and take pride in taking them under their wing and showing them the ropes - try finding THAT quality in suburban school students!
We can understand why residents such as joon and UG70 feel the way they do about the changes to the town they've grown up in, but they must understand that people like ourselves have come here not to change the Flat into something that suits us, but to benefit from what it already is, and hopefully to help preserve that. We have seen no evidence of grafitti or vandalism in the streets in our area, and if we did it would be dealt with.
We have a Community Hall, which is open for drinks one night a week and dinners most Fridays, and this is a focal point for social contact where all locals - long term and more recent - can meet, exchange idaes and "network" in a friendly and informal setting.
Lastly, it is indeed true that there are not enough Post Office boxes to cater for everyone, but do you know what? We were next on the list to get one after somebody else left the area, and we turned it down. Because we prefer walking into the General Store each day and greeting the owners by name, and having the same courtesy (privelege?) bestowed upon us in return.
That's what community is all about, I think!
One more thing... lock the car? That's another urban habit we're glad we can dump!

I have lived in mclaren flat all of my years. which is quite a long time. I have seen many changes to the town and have seen people come and go.
I am probably bias when I say that there is no where better to live but than I have no where else to compare.
I will agree with ug70 that the once peaceful hamlet no longer exists. it is always going to be the way of progress unfortunately.
I have noticed a lot more on the way of vandals and young people walking the street at nights and dont feel safe as i once did. its a way of life now tho.
I dont know if all these new houses going up are good or bad. but now when i walk in to the flat store i dont know anyone. it used to be i knew weveryone.
i think it is a bit sad that the new folk feel that us oldies have to move somewhere else to have our peace. weve been here all our life and should not have to move. i think too many people these days are lacking in common decency and respect for other peoples peace.
It is nice to see so many little children playing at the school. we were at one time worried the school may need to close.
anyway that is my little input. We call mclaren flat home. and we hope it will stay small and not get to big like mclaren vale.

I am compelled to write a review of where I live, as the last reviewer UG** has several points which are CLEARLY INCORRECT!!!.

As you can gather from reading the prior post, the reviewer in question lives in an older house, on the main road and most likely rents it.

The points that I would like to correct are:

There are 3 new housing areas in the flat area. The first is nearly completed, the 2nd where I live is about half completed and there is one more development which is just starting now. That is 3 not 4. Also to give the full picture, the local council has limited the housing development in the Mclaren Flat area to the 3 areas mentioned, the rest is a local primary school, the general store, a small amount of orginal housing and vineyards. All the land available in these 3 developments has sold. Demand has been significant, hardly surprising really as Mclaren Vale is at full capacity.

Hardly a noisy, high density housing development, as the prior poster would lead you to beleive.

Graffiti - what graffiti?

Another misconception is the type of people who own houses in this area. Although there are a few retirees, most of us are 2 parent with young children families, here for a quieter life, where our children can play safely outside our houses, whilst enjoying the "fruits" of the region - wine and food. I am happy to report, that despite being an owner of a new house, we enjoy our vineyard views!. The well regarded local primary school can contest to the regions young family growth as the enrollment has increased 45 kids in one yr, giving them a grand total of 152 children at the beginning of 2010. Hardly a mecca is it!

Most of us have no problem travelling the 4kms to Mclaren Vale to access childcare, the supermarket, cafes, restaurants and all I have spoken to are happy to not have the larger generic fastfood giants in our region.

Some people find change "hard to handle", wishing the town was like it was "10yrs ago". Thats life!, With change comes opportunities and given time Mclaren Flat will come into it's own.

I will agree with some comments, certainly some local infrastructure could do with some upgrading and certainly the local council needs a wake up call on some attrubutes in the Mclaren Flat area, such as poorly developed and maintained reserves in the new developments - for the $1600 per annum rates we pay you would think the council would weed and maintain open reserve areas. The cell phone coverage needs some work with some of the providers and Australia Post could do with supplying enough PO Boxes for all residents or better still give us a postie.

Prior poster I suggest if the flat area is not for you, you move a few kms down the rd to Kangarilla or Meadows for "life like it use to be"

...about ten years ago.
But progress found our little town, and now every man and his dog wants to live here. Which is good for them, but not so much for the people who've wanted a quiet life in their small town.
There's four major housing developments going on, and if you happen to live anywhere near them, too bad! Too bad if you dislike dust, noise at all hours, and the loss of your privacy that you so dearly cherished, thanks to neighbours popping up directly behind you, where once there were vines.
Everyone seems to think that they can now sell their houses for tripple the amount since the new housing development. Which makes it hard on the renters who are now paying ridiculous rents for low grade houses.

If you enjoy the peace and quiet, then you will find it IS...for around 6 months of the year. Then harvest time comes around, and you will notice an increase of traffic in the town.
Crime? Well, ever since the local constabulary closed it's doors (in McLaren Vale), it's been open season for the idiots to do what they like. No cops= free for all.
Road hoons are big in the town.
Graffitti is creeping in. Breakins are on the increase. Where we once left our house and cars unlocked five years ago, I would NEVER do that now.

Mobile phone reception is terrible. We either have to go and stand under a carport outside, or basically have no reception at all. And that's with Optus and Virgin. Vodaphone and others aren't much better. Telstra is probably the only one that is half decent. There really needs to be another mobile phone tower locally.

Eating out/night life is non existant. You have to go to McLaren Vale for a feed. Which is only a few K's up the road. Which is Ok for us, we don't mind. Night life here, is when the local teens decide to go 'Walkabout', and remove signs and replace them on someones front lawn or house.

Clean streets, mostly. Green? Well, I would've said yes, but unfortunately, our local Onkaparinga council, in their infinite wisdom, have decided to cut down around ten lovely old Ash trees to the East of the town in coming months.
Their excuse is they will replace them with "Native" flora. Ugly in anyone's language, and will take at least ten years to give shelter.

Parks, well, there is only the one.

Cost of living is expensive, considering you have to travel anywhere to get anything.
There is no natural gas available, so you either have to fork out through the nose for a bottle, or go all electric. And we all know how expensive electricity is these days, don't we?

Local government. Do I really need to say? They are pathetic.

Child care in non existant in the town.

Public transport has just started up, and by all accounts, is reliable. I can set my watch to when the last bus passes by at 7pm.

Would I reccomend this town to young families? No. there is very little to entertain the young people here. It's more a retirees place, or people who don't mind going without.

Wow, this is soon to be a boom region, located only 4 minutes from McLaren Vale and an easy drive into the city for work. McLaren Flat was in its time a sleepy rural community with a School, a General Store and a Community Hall, nowdays these all remain and a major investment has been placed on upgrading the local primary school (one of the best in South Australia) and investing in three new residential developments. The average house price (March 2010) would be around $475,000 for a new high spec four bedroom house with two living areas, two bathrooms, double garage on a 450sqm allotment. 'The Orchard' is one of the newer residential developments with a grassy reserve and very nice houses. It is walking distance to the school and has a new bus route travelling to Noarlunga (Colonades Shopping Centre) and can be linked by train into the city. Bigpond USB Wireless works well here but there is poor Vodafone coverage. The 'Flat' as the local call it, have a myriad of vineyards surrounding it and in McLaren Vale there a quite a few cafes and all of the essential services you require - except for a police station which has since closed down due to the lack of crime ... unreal. Why do I live here? - The commute to work is easy and when you reach the top of Victor Harbor Highway at the end of the work-day, the view of McLaren Vale, gives an instant feeling of tranquility ...