Behind the Lens: Merilli1885 on HelloSA

Having the HelloSA team out here in March felt a little like that.

When presenter Tom Rehn arrived at Merilli1885, the property did what it always does. It went about its day. The cattle were in the front and rear paddocks. The horses were quietly grazing. The stone walls of the 1885 cottage held the morning cool the way they always have, indifferent to cameras and crew. I think that’s what made it work.

I’ll be honest: I’m much more comfortable behind a camera than in front of one. Running a working farm, raising Angus cattle, hosting guests — none of that requires me to look down a lens. But there’s something about being asked to share this place, properly, with an audience who might never have heard of Currency Creek or the Fleurieu Peninsula’s quieter corners, that felt worth stepping out from behind the scenes for.

Tom was easy to talk to, genuinely curious rather than just going through the motions. We walked the property, talked about what it means to run a place like this regeneratively, why the single-booking model matters, and what guests tend to find when they arrive expecting a beautiful stay and leave having found something they weren’t quite expecting….. Rest, mostly. Real rest.

Featured alongside on of our absolute favourite local eateries Hay St Bar & Kitchen, the segment aired on Channel 9 on 12 April 2026, and you can watch it now on 9Now. If you’ve found your way to this page because you saw it, welcome. You’ve already found the quieter corner of the internet that belongs to this place.

If you’d like to know more about staying at Merilli1885, or about our paddock-to-plate Merilli Angus beef, the best place to start is right here.