Our Commitment to Sustainability and the Environment  

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 Supporting local community:

Our passion in running Mulberry Lodge comes from the desire to support the local area and showcase the fantastic range of experiences, products and services we have on our door step.  The sustainability of the local area is paramount in a tourism region and we are pleased to be able to play a part.

  • The Mulberry Lodge website features extensive coverage and recommendations for local cafes, restaurants and cellar doors, as well as tourism experiences all around the Fleurieu;
  • Mulberry Lodge social media channels support and promote other local businesses;
  • Mulberry Lodge produces a fortnightly digital newspaper featuring local and South Australian tourism businesses and experiences;   
  • We buy and serve locally-grown produce including wine, fruit and vegetables
  • We shop locally for our white goods;
  • We employ a local cleaner and gardener and use local businesses for property maintenance and projects;
  • All plants, seedlings, mulch, fertilisers are purchased locally;
  • We sell our excess fruit via our gate-side honesty stall. Proceeds from the honesty stall are then used to help maintain and enhance the gardens buying plants and garden furniture from local businesses;
  • We support local businesses and charities with sponsorship for concerts and other events.
   
Our Property

​We strive to ensure that our accommodation facilities operate in a sustainable manner by asserting that: Energy, waste and water use are continually addressed and better ways sought to provide the best outcome.  We aim to minimise our environmental impact through the following practices:  
 
Energy:
  • The mud brick property design takes full advantage of passive solar heating and cooling and ensures adequate ventilation throughout the house;
  • The formal lounge gardens were planted to enhance the solar passive aspect of the house with silver birch trees providing shade in summer and in winter after leaf drop allowing the low winter sun into the property
  • A glory vine in front of the lounges provides shade in summer and in winter allows the winter sun into the property to provide warmth;
  • 2 x Inverter heat pumps/air conditioning units are situated throughout the house and make for economical and flexible heating and cooling;
  • The ceiling fans in each room improve efficiency of the heating/cooling system; Signage in our rooms reminds guests to turn off lights and fans when leaving the property;
  • We have draught seals on doors and windows and natural ventilation available;
  • Slate floors store heat providing passive solar heating in winter and the floors stay cool in summer;
  • Use of outside clothesline for drying laundry;
  • New generation LED light units are being used to replace existing light units as they expire and guests are asked to turn off lighting. Heating is on a timer.
 
Waste
  • We use recycling bins;
  • Our indoor green waste is composted and excess garden green waste is burned rather than sent to local landfill.
  • There are environmentally friendly refillable hand-wash, bath gel, shampoo and moisturiser in guest rooms to reduce waste. 
  • All waste cardboard, paper, metal cans, plastic and glass are kept separate and are collected weekly;
  • We send our used N'espresso coffee pods and printer cartridges for recycling..  
 
Water
  • We utilise filtered rainwater wherever possible within the property.  The property has water tanks to store 165,000 lt and with a roof area of 500m2, we are able to collect around 250,000 lt annually.
  • All water that is used in the property – grey and black – is treated in a bio-cycle unit and the treated water is then used to irrigate the gardens;
  • Water usage is reduced with controlled water-flow shower heads in all showers;
  • We encourage our guests to assist through towel re-use option, linen no change options to save both on water and energy.

Garden
  • We only use organic fertiliser, compost and bark mulches on an ongoing basis in the garden;
  • We use organic sprays predominantly in the ornamental gardens, no sprays are used on the edibles;
  • We have several birdbaths around the property to encourage native bird life;
  • We organically grow our own seasonal fresh herbs, fruits and vegetables which we utilise for guest breakfasts, picnics and dinners;
  • We make marmalade and jams from the fruit which are used for  guest breakfasts and offered for sale locally.
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