ABOUT US
Adelaide Hills Destination Garden, Bed and Breakfast and Wedding and Events Venue
Our Story
Established by Ruth and Alan Irving in 1979, Al Ru Farm has become a landmark in the South Australian garden and event industry arenas. Just 40 minutes from the CBD and nestled between the Barossa Valley and the Adelaide Hills, Al Ru Farm offers all the charm of a country estate in a truly convenient location.
Purchased as a modest home on cleared pasture land, Ruth set about creating the garden that 40 years on, now sprawls across ten glorious acres. As the garden grew so too did the homestead and surrounding buildings. The first wedding was held on the property in 1990 and since then the offerings have gradually been extended, with establishing ‘The Barn’ as the main reception space, and more recently further event spaces have been added. It has been a labour of love that is constantly evolving and seeing improvements.
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The farm continues to breed Charolais cows, produces premium olive oil and runs a small plant nursery. Ruth and Alan (the Al and Ru of Al Ru) love sharing Al Ru Farm with guests, be they holiday makers, party goers, foodies or garden lovers and they hope to welcome you soon.
Meet The Team
Tobi Verhoef
Venue Manager
Tobi has been working in the event management industry for over 10 years. After completing her business and event management qualification she started her career in music festivals. However, after becoming executive director of a wedding fair she realised she could use her analytical and creative sides for both wedding fairs & weddings.
Working in Adelaide and Sydney whilst balancing her time between weddings and fashion festivals her passion for the industry grew stronger. Tobi enjoys curating and styling events that reflect the couple’s personality. With her wealth of experience and eye for detail Tobi puts her clients at the centre of all that she does.
Tobi likes being outdoors which is one of the reasons she considers herself lucky to work at Al Ru Farm. She enjoys eating delicious food and spending time with her Husband Hayden, son Logan and dog Lily.
Carrie Bishop
Marketing Manager, Sponsorships
and Events
Carrie has qualifications in Event Management, Business Management, Tourism and is currently completing a Bachelor's degree in Marketing and Communications. After completing her qualifications in Event Management, Carrie worked as an Event Coordinator and Functions Manager of two reputable Adelaide hotel chains. She then spent ten years working in the travel industry, managing a number of retail travel agencies; but her passion for events never left her.
As an avid fundraiser, Carrie continued to coordinate events for a number of not-for-profits such as Plan International, of which Carrie and the rest of the 'International Day of the Girl' Committee were awarded a 'Premier's Certificate' by Steven Marshall MP for their contribution.
Carrie is passionate about building client relationships and marketing successful and sustainable events. She maintains excellent attention to detail, ensuring every couple is in safe hands. When she is not coordinating and marketing events, she loves spending time at Adelaide Hills wineries and playgrounds with her family consisting of her partner, three year old son, and two pugs.
