Destination:
South Australia

Hahndorf

Just an easy 20-minute drive along the six-lane South Eastern Freeway from the city centre of Adelaide is the scenic Adelaide Hills region. The most popular tourist destination in the area is Australia's oldest surviving German settlement, Hahndorf. The town was settled in 1839 by Prussian and East German immigrants, and today is a flourishing community that attracts visitors from all over the world. They come to admire the many historic buildings, the 100-year-old elm and plane trees that line the main street, to shop for crafts, and to enjoy legendary hospitality in the many restaurants and accommodation establishments. Hahndorf is surrounded by many wineries and there are two cellars in the main street offering tastings and meals. The three local hotels have traditional German beers on tap. Just outside the town is the famous Beerenberg Strawberry Farm where visitors can pick their own in season. Hahndorf makes a perfect base for exploring the other delights of the Adelaide Hills, which include the Mt Lofty area, Norton Summit, the Torrens Valley and Onkaparinga Valley.

Kangaroo Island

Australia's third largest island is home to colonies of sea lions, fairy penguins, pelicans, marine life and, of course, kangaroos, and provides so much to do and discover that visitors are advised to stay for at least two days. Kangaroo Island is situated eight miles (13km) from the mainland of South Australia. It is inhabited by a small farming community that produces speciality foods - this, combined with the fact that the fishing is excellent, means it is worth visiting for the food alone. The island separated from the mainland during the last Ice Age, and has many plants and animals no longer found elsewhere. A third of the island is protected to preserve the natural heritage. Organised tours visit the parks and protected waterways, or visitors can 'do-it-yourself' with the aid of a walking trails brochure available at the tourist office and many of the hotels. Walking close to wildlife is a unique experience - glance around at kangaroos, wallabies, goannas, echidnas, possums and platypus; along the coast watch dolphins and seals frolic while penguins come to roost.

Flinders Ranges

The Flinders Ranges, one of the few elevated landmasses in South Australia, is the gateway to the State's outback, offering rugged and spectacular scenery best seen at daybreak or sunset when the colours come alive. At the southern end of the ranges, about 25 miles (40km) from Port Agusta, is the town of Quorn which is the jumping off point for four-wheel-drive and adventure tours of the region. A vintage train runs through the nearby Pichi Richi Pass, and visitors can try rock-climbing at Warren Gorge. Further north is the small township of Hawker, which is the main point for access to the main attraction of the Flinders, Wilpena Pound. Wilpena is one of Australia's most significant Aboriginal heritage areas, enclosed in the Flinders Ranges National Park. Rock engravings can be viewed at Sacred Canyon and there are many bushwalks to be followed.

Coober Pedy

Coober Pedy, the opal mining town located in the harsh outback of South Australia about 540 miles (850km) north of Adelaide, operates largely underground. Homes, a church, a pottery studio and various businesses consist of 'dugouts', which have been built by the locals to escape the intense heat of this harsh region. Coober Pedy is recognised as the largest producer of opals in the world, and more than 100,000 tourists from around the world make the long pilgrimage to this unique town every year. The town features a working mine with a museum and shop for visitors, who can opt to stay in the 'Desert Cave Hotel' underground. The town is located beside the Stuart Highway, Highway 87, which provides plenty of refuelling spots on the route from Adelaide in the south or Alice Springs in the north. It is also possible to reach the town by air with Kendell Airlines, or by coach.

Barossa Valley

An hour's ride from Adelaide, to the northeast, is the Barossa Valley, Australia's premier winemaking region. Fifty-four wineries operate here in an area blessed with hot dry summers, loamy soil and good winter rainfall. The heart of the valley is the town of Tanunda, which features relics of the valley's German heritage in its museum. A lookout at Mengler's Hill near the town provides spectacular views of the valley, or visitors can opt for a balloon flight when weather permits. The Barossa Wine Centre serves 70,000 visitors a year and is the perfect place to find out the story of the valley, its people and culture. A bi-annual festival, the Barossa Vintage Festival offers visitors the opportunity for some off-beat entertainment like treading grapes, waving at scarecrows, mushroom-hunting and watching floats travel down Tanunda's main street. Other events and festivals are held throughout the year.

Art Gallery of South Australia

Originally established in 1881 and located on the cultural boulevard of North Terrace in Adelaide, the Art Gallery of South Australia (AGSA) is the leading arts institution in South Australia. It has the second largest state collection in Australia. With more than 35,000 pieces, the AGSA is renowned for its principal collections of Australian works, especially Indigenous Australian and colonial art. It also houses European and Asian pieces, and has innovative exhibitions.

Adelaide Festival Centre

The Adelaide Festival Centre is the city's first multi-purpose art centre. The Festival Centre is located near the banks of the River Torrens and adjacent to Elder Park. Aside from being home to South Australia's performing arts, other points of interest include the building's three silvery dome roofs and its plaza with lego-style structures.

Shark Cage Diving

When visiting a new country, sometimes it's a good idea to do something completely out of the realm of regular experience. Calypso Star Charter's Shark Cage Diving Experience offers travellers to South Australia just that - the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to go deep beneath the sea, and observe the most fearsome of predators, the Great White shark, in its natural habitat off Neptune Island. Boasting an impeccable safety record, a top-quality vessel (complete with hot showers for after your dive), and a dependable crew, the folks at Calypso Star run a high-quality, professional operation - and all visitors who are brave enough to undertake the cage dive, will certainly not be disappointed.