South Australia
See also:
Kati-Thanda-Lake Eyre, William Creek, Painted Hills & Coober Pedy
Flinders Ranges
South Australia is renowned for world-class wineries, wildlife and magnificent scenery. Visit the sea lions on Kangaroo Island, see the end of the Murray River at Goolwa, indulge in the freshest seafood in Port Lincoln and Coffin Bay, spend a lazy afternoon wine-tasting in the Clare Valley, or camp in luxury under the Eyre Peninsula stars. So many choices!
Renmark
Renmark features an impressive range of wineries, distilleries and eateries around the Murray River. Redgum forests, wetlands and abundant wildlife provide photo opportunities, while scar trees and ring trees illustrate the region's 30,000+ years of indigenous habitation. Enjoy a tasting paddle at the Woolshed Brewery, a small winemaker Oaks Works tour, and then to 23rd Street Distillery for a tasting and lunch. Drop into St Agnes Distillery, established in 1925, for artisan spirits and wine tastings. A selection of wonderful restaurants rounds out your day.
Tours featuring Renmark:
Cultural Feast
Murray River Air Cruise
Wildflowers & Wilderness
Pike River, Renmark
Sustainable, luxury accommodation with views out over the Pike River, a tributary of the mighty Murray, Pike River’s villas are individual decorated, with slightly different layouts. Each villa includes a BBQ on the deck for a wonderful way to end your day, with glorious views of the surrounding bush or river, full kitchen facilities, a spa, some with open or gas fires. Onsite, there’s the Riverland Wine Centre where you can purchase wine and other essentials.
Tours featuring Pike River:
Cultural Feast
Murray River Air Cruise
Wildflowers & Wilderness
Port Lincoln and Coffin Bay
Port Lincoln is known, with good reason, as the seafood capital of Australia. Take a tour on the water to learn about the tuna and oyster industries, and of course taste their wares. Dine at the foodie heaven of Line & Label, or join renowned local chef Kris Bunder in his home for an exclusive seafood masterclass. Nearby Coffin Bay is famous for oysters and emus on the beach. Stay at the Port Lincoln Hotel, with glorious ocean views, right in the centre of town.
Tours featuring Port Lincoln and Coffin Bay:
Seafood Lovers’ Weekend
Clare Valley
Clare Valley, north of Adelaide, is home to some of the best Rieslings in the world.
It's not just wine - there's something here for everyone. A flight lunch at Paulletts; a tasting at Sevenhill Cellars, the first winery established in the region, in 1851; a degustation dinner at Watervale Hotel; a wander around Martindale Hall, the extravagant Georgian mansion built in the 1880s and The Heritage Garden, one of the best private gardens in Australia.
Tours featuring Clare Valley:
Outback Gourmet Safari
Goolwa
Goolwa is where the mighty Murray River meets the Southern Ocean after its long journey from the NSW Snowy Mountains. Visit the Goolwa Barrages and the Coorong National Park on a cruise, with beautiful scenery and wildlife.
Meet a local Ngarrindjeri artist to learn some of the indigenous history of this sacred area and try out some native bush food snacks.
Tours featuring Goolwa:
Murray River Air Cruise
Eyre Peninsula / Gawler Ranges Wilderness Safaris
Gawler Ranges Wilderness Safaris are the experts on their patch of the Eyre Peninsula. Your hosts Geoff & Rene will take you through diverse vegetation and landscapes, from farmland to a sandy track through the bush to Yandinga Valley. View staggering 1600-million-year-old cigar-shaped volcanic rock formations, the magnificent Organ Pipes Amphitheatre and spectacular Lake Gairdner, with its glistening white salt pan set in the red landscape.
Accommodation at the remote Kangaluna Camp, on the south side of Sturt’s Lakes is in eco-friendly, ensuite glamping tents. Dinner in the camp dining room offers kangaroos and emus as a noticeable distraction as you dine. Photo opportunities abound; you may see emus, yellow-footed rock wallabies, red, western grey and euro kangaroos. Get your camera ready and immerse yourself in this magnificent outback destination. Various itineraries are available to suit your interests.
Tours featuring Gawler Ranges Safaris:
Wildflowers & Wilderness
Kangaroo Island
Claimed as Australia’s Galapagos, Kangaroo Island is home to diverse wildlife. Get up close to the sea lions in Seal Bay; explore Flinders Chase National Park at the western end of the islands and its kangaroos, wallabies, echidnas and platypus; get snap-happy at the striking Remarkable Rocks. And for something different, visit a honey farm, eucalyptus oil distillery and KI Spirits gin distillery.
Tours featuring Kangaroo Island:
Great Southern Islands
Southern Ocean Lodge, Kangaroo Island
Rebuilt and reopened in December 2023, Baillie Lodges’ Southern Ocean Lodge offers ultimate luxury on the cliffs overlooking the southern ocean on Kangaroo Island. The all-inclusive tariff features local and regional produce – allow the attentive staff to serve you their daily changing menus, paired with premium South Australian wines. Signature Experiences will have you exploring the wonders of this island in small groups of your fellow travellers. Or tailor your itinerary around special interests at an extra charge.
