To reach Shady Grove, take the Hahndorf exit from the freeway and go down the main street of Hahndorf.

At the end of the main street, turn left into Windsor Avenue and continue for 3 km to a junction, turn left and then immediately right into a lane with a Unitarian Church sign (small) at the entrance. The chapel and cemetery are 200m down the lane through the woodland paddock.

This charming one-room stone Unitarian Church that has been in use in the Adelaide Hills since 1858.

Tucked away on three and a half acres of native bushland, the Shady Grove Unitarian Church, Balhannah, still in use today, was built by hand in 1858 by John Monks and his son. Stone for the building was quarried on the property, and all the timber used was cut by cross cut saw over a pit. 

The floor was originally dirt and there was no ceiling.  The inside walls were whitewashed and the lower windows were whitened, probably to make sure the students, and later, the congregation were not distracted by the fine views into the bushland.

In 1865 Mr. Monks gave this land, the schoolhouse and the cemetery to the Unitarian Church in Adelaide.

The building officially became a Unitarian Church at a service in 1865 on December 24 - twenty six years to the day that John Monks, Francis , Alice and William Duffield had disembarked from their ship on arrival at Port Misery in Adelaide.

The picturesque little cemetery adjoining contains those pioneering first family members, along with many of their descendants. The first five burials were of young children from the Monks and Duffield families.  The first adult burial was that of Alice Duffield, one of the founders.

Appreciation of this lovely chapel, cemetery, hostel and heritage bush property continues to grow, enhanced by its having gracefully reached the historical milestone of 150 years.