Town History of Crafers

Crafers is a small settlement beside the South East Expressway and was named after David Crafers who kept an Inn in the area,  known at the time as 'The Tiers'. David Crafers was a great entrepreneur who, in competition with a number of grog shops spread throughout the Adelaide Hills, managed the subtle art of publicity. For example, in the Southern Australian newspaper of 17 July 1839 he put an advertisement: 'Some impudent insinuations having been made respecting my having slaughtered a bullock at my house in the Tiers, I beg leave to inform the public that I have done so, and that the hide may be viewed by any inquisitive person who desires it. And I further give notice that I am about just now to slaughter another, and will be happy to furnish any person with such portions of it as they may require, for adequate remuneration.'

By 1840 his inn was known as the Norfolk Hotel, Stringy Bark Forest, Mt Barker Road and it was attracting a rather unsavoury clientele made up of ex-convicts, thieves, loggers and ex-sailors.