Who we are

Peninsula Records & Books is an independent record and bookshop in Stansbury on South Australia's Yorke Peninsula. We specialise in new vinyl records, new books, puzzles, board games, cards and gifts, alongside a growing range of second-hand vinyl available in store. Our shelves place a strong emphasis on Australian music and Australian authors while also celebrating international new releases, bestsellers, timeless classics and hidden gems. We're not just a shop.

We're the kind of people at a party who'll ask what your first concert was, then tell you ours (Bryan Adams, by the way). We're curious by nature, nostalgic without living in the past, and we still believe some of life's best conversations begin with, "You have to hear this," or "You have to read this."

Music and books have always been part of our lives. We can't always remember what we had for lunch last week, but we can remember every word to songs we first heard decades ago, and the books that stayed with us long after we turned the final page. Those stories and songs become part of who we are. They mark different chapters of our lives, spark conversations and connect us with other people in ways that streaming playlists and endless scrolling never quite can.

We also don't believe you're ever too old to discover something new. We still get excited by a debut novel, a new album release or an artist we've somehow never listened to before. That curiosity shapes every decision we make about what goes on our shelves.

Why we built Peninsula Records & Books

After spending more than two decades working together, we reached a point where we wanted to build something that reflected who we were. Neil had always dreamed of owning a record shop. I'd always imagined opening a bookshop. The more we talked about it, the more we realised those two dreams belonged together.

When we bought our little cottage in Stansbury, we never imagined the garage would eventually become a shop. At first, it was simply a way of sharing the books and music we loved with locals and visitors. Then something unexpected happened. We realised we loved opening the doors, meeting people and helping them discover something they didn't know they were looking for.

Whenever we travel, one of the first places we look for is an independent record shop or bookshop. We love wandering the shelves, chatting with people who genuinely know their stock and finding something unexpected. We realised there wasn't a place like that on the southern Yorke Peninsula, so we decided to create the kind of shop we'd always hoped to find ourselves.

Why Stansbury?

We're proud South Australians and both grew up in coastal country towns, so building Peninsula Records & Books anywhere else never really felt right. Stansbury offered the slower pace, strong sense of community and genuine welcome that we were looking for, and today we're proud to call it home.

We hope our shop gives visitors one more reason to include Stansbury on their Yorke Peninsula itinerary, and gives locals a place where they can browse, discover and come back time and again.

Meet Kate & Neil

Neil's background spans commercial radio and retail management, combining a lifelong love of music with years spent helping customers find what they were looking for. His collection is built on the albums that shaped his life, and he's the first to tell you why a classic record deserves another listen.

I grew up in a house where books were simply part of everyday life, thanks to my mum, who was a librarian. That love of reading eventually led to a career in marketing, communications and digital strategy, before finding its way back to books through Peninsula Records & Books. I'm also the one constantly bringing new music home, whether it's a debut artist, a new Australian release or an album Neil insists he doesn't need... until he hears it.

Together we choose every record, every book and every product that makes it onto our shelves. We don't try to stock everything. We'd rather help you discover something you'll genuinely enjoy.

Whether you visit us in Stansbury or online

Whether you discover us while exploring the Yorke Peninsula or find us online from somewhere else in Australia, we hope you enjoy browsing as much as we do.

Every order is packed with care from our shop in Stansbury. Every order is packed with care from our shop in Stansbury, and every recommendation comes from the conversations we've had, the music we've loved and the books we've enjoyed ourselves. And every customer, whether they're visiting for the first time or returning years later, is part of the story we're continuing to build.

Thanks for supporting independent retail.

We hope to see you soon.

Worth the detour.