Adelaide Hills

A 20-minute drive from the city centre brings you to the Adelaide Hills – a region where bushland, vineyards and orchards combine to make stunning scenery. Its rich heritage is evident in its charming villages. In ever-popular Hahndorf, history and hospitality come together on its main street where settlers cottages, shops and pubs welcome the many visitors that flock to the town.

Hahndorf was the home of one of Australia’s most celebrated artists, Sir Hans Heysen, famous for capturing the beauty of South Australian landscapes. Visit Heysen’s home and studio ‘The Cedars’ with its collection of priceless Heysen originals.

Those wanting to experience the wildlife need look no further than Cleland Wildlife Park or Warrawong Wildlife Sanctuary. Visitors to the Cleland Wildlife Park can hold the sleepy, cuddly creatures and see many other animals in their bushland habitat. Bilbies, bettongs and other rare species can be seen first hand at Warrawong Wildlife Sanctuary to the east.

Fleurieu Peninsula – McLaren Vale and Victor Harbor

Just a 45-minute drive south of Adelaide, McLaren Vale is famous for its wines, almonds, olives and wine and cheese trail. Further south on the other side of the Fleurieu Peninsula is Victor Harbor, a popular seaside town, and Granite Island, home to a colony of little (fairy) penguins. You can travel to the island by horse-drawn tram over the long causeway. The sea views from the island are spectacular, and a relaxing lunch at the island café is a must.

A short drive along the coast from Victor Harbor brings you to the historic river port of Goolwa, where the Murray River meets the Southern Ocean. The Murray mouth and sand dunes of the Coorong can be reached on a river cruise from the Goolwa wharf.

The Barossa

While Barossa wines are world-famous, this region also offers a peaceful rural setting where each season accentuates the beauty of the vineyards. An hour’s drive from the city takes you to the heart of the Barossa, but a stop along the way at the Whispering Wall near Williamstown is fun. An engineering feat when it was built, the wall gets its name from the acoustic phenomenon that enables messages whispered at one end to be heard at the other, 140 metres (152 yards) away.

On the other side of the valley, Mengler Hill lookout provides inspiring views across the Barossa. Nineteenth century European influences are reflected in the churches, shops and homes in each of the pretty towns. Settled mainly by immigrant Lutherans, the Barossa is passionate about celebrating its heritage and traditions. Its culinary traditions are obvious at the numerous butchers, bakeries, restaurants, farmers’ market and wineries. A great champion of these food traditions is resident Maggie Beer, one of Australia’s most famous chefs. At her Farm Shop, she sells her own range of produce and serves lunches that focus on the food of the region. Food traditions are also celebrated during the biennial Barossa Vintage Festival, held at the end of vintage in late summer and at the Barossa Gourmet Weekend in August.

Clare Valley

The Clare Valley is 134 kilometres (84 miles) north of Adelaide. The Valley’s 27 kilometre (17 mile) Riesling Trail is a cycling and walking route that provides a unique link between heritage townships, cellar doors and its richly varied landscapes.

Sevenhill Cellars, founded by Jesuit settlers in the mid- nineteenth century to provide sacramental wine for religious use, offers an interesting history into the early winemaking days of the region. Today the winery offers tastings and sales in the old monastery cellars, as well as tours of the beautiful St Aloysius church.

The valley is regarded as the home of Australian Riesling, while the principal red varieties are Cabernet Sauvignon and Shiraz. The region has more than 30 wineries, the majority of them small, premium winemakers.