South Australia
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Across Australia are natural wonders second to none. Ancient sites echo the time of our indigenous people and land and sea formations forged over time are humbling in their grandeur.
Collections of fine art and fascinating exhibits in the many galleries and museums illustrate Australia's passion for the beautiful and unusual. While the abundance of amusement parks and zoos show Aussies take their recreation time very seriously!
There's a lot more to Australia than perfect beaches and cute wildlife! When it comes to Australian tourist attractions consider some of the featured attractions.
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Adelaide
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The charming city of Adelaide, capital of South Australia, has a quiet style that betrays its size. This modern city has the upbeat feel of a buzzing metropolis with the culture and atmosphere of a relaxed big town.
Culture is important in Adelaide and the Indigenous heritage of the area has been celebrated with the largest collection of Aboriginal artifacts in the world. Visit the many galleries and museums for an insight into the people and the history that has helped form Adelaide into an elegant city. |
Built up around the pretty River Torrens and on the bay of Gulf St Vincent, there are many ways to while away an afternoon. Take a cruise offshore and be ready to spot resident dolphins. Boat tour operators take passengers from the city centre to where the dolphins play and even encourage you to take a dip with them!
One of the nice things about Adelaide is that you don't have to go far for a real mix of sightseeing and activities. Enjoy a leisurely stroll along the sandy beaches or browse the shops and grab a bite to eat at the many cafes and restaurants overlooking inner city parklands. A walk down the main street of Adelaide will charm you as many of the city's heritage buildings have beautiful architecture.
At many times of the year a festival of one kind or another is bringing the city to life. The Festival of Arts celebrates art in all its forms while the Adelaide Fringe Festival is a musical tidal wave of entertainment from all over the world. Motor racing and cycling tours are also big draw cards.
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| Situated on the Great Australian Bight to the south, Adelaide is flanked by five other states and territories and is the driest of them all.
Built on the Torrens River, the region's landscape is mostly gentle parklands with a clean white stretch of beach and blue waters only a few kilometres away at Gulf St Vincent.
This fresh terrain contrasts markedly with the inhospitable arid areas nearby. Rising suddenly out of the landscape to the north of Adelaide, the Flinders Ranges stretches beyond into the Outback regions of South Australia. |
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Adelaide Hills
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Oh so close to the city yet with a cozy country feel, Adelaide Hills is the perfect romantic getaway. Spend an afternoon touring the vineyards and enjoy some of Victoria's prettiest countryside along the way.
Driving through the Adelaide Hills you will pass rolling green pastures and pockets of native bushland. Enjoy the colours of the landscape as each season brings a new phase of life to the environment. The reds and golds of autumn leaves, a profusion of pastel wildflowers in spring and the greens and purples of the grapes vines ensure the countryside is always alive with colours.
Many vineyards and wineries offer wine tasting and some also offer a sumptuous selection of foods to complement their wines. No need to hurry anywhere, find a cozy little b&b nearby and wake up to the sounds and smells of the country. With charming antique shops and local markets in many of the quaint country villages your morning will fill up very quickly. |
A prominent landmark, Mt Lofty offers a stunning vista across the Adelaide Hills where the surrounding valleys of fertile farmlands and orchards show an undulating and lush landscape.
The terrain is a mix of traditional Australian bushland and rich pasturelands, while the gentle hills and valleys are perfectly suited to vineyards and display gardens.
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Clare Valley
| There is something so appealing about taking a leisurely bicycle ride through the countryside with a loved one visiting the pretty vineyards. And with over 40 cellar doors to visit there is no better place to do it than the Clare Valley.
The Reisling Trail has been created for just this very purpose. At a length of 27km the trail would more than satisfy most people's idea of a leisurely afternoon's bike ride. But for those who like to take their time you will find a host of restaurants and places to stay along the way.
Charming villages and towns in the Valley are rich with heritage. One building in particular can't be missed, the grand Martindale Hall with its elegant Georgian architecture is a real treat to visit, and you can even stay the night.
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| Also a superb wine region, the Clare Valley has hills up to 500 metres high. Surrounded by pretty green farmlands, the grand hills have a majestic presence.
Within the valleys, pockets of native bushland are interspersed among the hills, while to the north rolling pastures spread across vast areas of the land.
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Limestone Coast
| Acclaimed for its fine wines, this region owes its successful harvests to the rich limestone foundation that it was named after. As this bedrock decays the soils become nutrient rich and aerated, perfect for grapevines.
This substratum of limestone has also created a system of underground caves whose uniqueness has seen them listed as World Heritage sites. Fossilised remains of pre-historic animal life have been found in the limestone and are a fascinating insight into the evolution of the region.
Present-day animal populations include migratory birds that inhabit the wetland areas. Some fly from as far away as Europe to make the Limestone Coast and its reserves their home for the season. |
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Once covered by the waters of the Southern Ocean, the Limestone Coast is a bed of sediment formed from the deposited remains of marine life forms over millions of years.
This rich limestone foundation is both an excellent base for the surrounding wine growing region, and also has a quantity of finely filtered aquifers (permeable rock) that rise into Blue Lake at Mt Gambier.
The bedrock also hosts an intricate network of caves as well as a glut of amazing fossils from long-gone eras.
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Murraylands
Centred around the Murray River and its river wetland systems, the Murraylands region takes full advantage of the waterways for travel, relaxation, fun and food!
Taking a holiday in the Murraylands has never been more relaxing. Go in style and hire a houseboat - perfect for small families and large groups. Cruise past giant gum forests and towering sandstone cliffs as the River winds its way through the region.
Cruising the river with you will be the trademark Murray paddle steamers, once used for trade along the river they now transport people through the ports and towns of the region. For a bit of fun grab a canoe and go exploring under your own steam. If you pack your fishing rod and pull up on the banks of the river you might even catch your own dinner - cod, yabbies and redfin are all local freshwater delicacies.
Away from the water there is a lot to see and do for all the family. Visit an amusement park or a wildlife sanctuary with the kids or stroll the streets of a pioneer village and see what life was like in the old days. There are many heritage trails that take you to historical sites, museums and galleries. |
The dominant feature of this region is of course the mighty Murray River. Churning its place in the terrain amongst giant gum forests, wetlands and dramatic sandstone cliffs, it is the lifeblood of the region and many around it.
Surrounding landscapes include the Murray Mallee with its traditional farming and agricultural belt and neighbouring nature reserves. Ngarkat Conservation Park covers over 200 000 hectares of the Mallee area.
Mostly one expansive lagoon, the Swanport Wetlands covers an area of nearly 20 ha, more than half of which is open water.
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Riverland
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Focused on the mighty Murray River, the Riverland region covers nearly 300kms of its length. It has a past rich with Indigenous heritage and an interesting pioneer history.
Having settled around the river for the past 40 000 years, local Aboriginal tribes and their descendents lived off an abundance of food from the Murray River itself and the surrounding wetland systems. European settlers brought paddle-steamer engineering with them and turned the River into a busy trading thoroughfare.
Around the Riverland region are many opportunities to take advantage of the tranquil lifestyle. Superb golf courses are a big draw card and provide a sporting yet relaxing way to while away an afternoon.
The farmlands around the Riverland region flourish, with the local vineyards and orchards being the some of the biggest producers of wines and fruits in the state.
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Incorporating 300 kilometres of the great Murray River, the Riverland itself is a combination of fertile crop-growing land and rich floodplains. Leading into the Mallee Wilderness, the landscape supports many forms of harvest and grazing purposes.
The Banrock Station Wetlands adds a new dimension to the terrain and incorporates limestone bedrock foundations that are millions of years old.
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Photo courtesy South Australia Tourist Commission
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