About South Australia
Vast swathes of ochre outback, dramatic coastline, world-class wineries and historic towns and cities – you’ll find it all in South Australia.
South Australia is a melting pot of cultures from all over the globe. Besides being the home of world famous wines such as Penfolds and Henschke, South Australia boasts the best oysters, lobsters and fresh fish in the country – as well as premium lamb and beef – cooked in the Aussie-Asian fusion style. We offer unique and exciting Aboriginal cooking, known as bush-tucker, and any number of new and tasty cuisine. South Australian food has become the benchmark for the Australian restaurant culture. Rich multicultural influences often push the foodie envelope.
Wine Regions
The home of Australian wine is South Australia, where unique combinations of soil, rainfall and temperature have created some of the world’s best reds and stunning whites. South Australian wine is fruity, rich and complex – making it a pleasure to drink. South Australia has five major wine regions. Adelaide, South Australia’s capital city, is less than an hour’s drive from three wine regions: Adelaide Hills, the Barossa Valley, including the Eden Valley and McLaren Vale. Clare Valley is a two-hours drive north of Adelaide. For travelers who want to delve deeper in to South Australia’s wine and culture there’s the Coonawarra (Limestone Coast), which is a four-hours drive south east of Adelaide.
Each region has unique regional variations in taste and quality, which makes wine tours in South Australia a fascinating journey of discovery.
Visit our Interactive Wine Regions Map
Kangaroo Island
Adelaide is the closest city in Australia to the famed Kangaroo Island, which is rated as one of the top wildlife experiences in the world by prestigious publications, including National Geographic. Over a third of the island is protected and home to native wildlife like sea lions, koalas and diverse bird species.
Flinders Ranges
Adelaide is also the departure city for the Flinders Ranges mountain range, which offers some of South Australia’s most spectacular outback scenery. It is a truly ancient landscape molded by hundreds of millions of years of geological activity and tens of thousands of years of Aboriginal history and well worth the visit if you have time to delve deeper into the region.
The Riverland
As the largest wine-producing region in Australia, the Riverland is located a little over two hours north east of Adelaide and stretches west along the Murray River. The region features traditional volume wineries but also of small, alternative, handcrafted boutique wines.
South Australia Events
Adelaide, known as the ‘Festival City’ knows how to celebrate, with events showcasing exceptional food and wine, sport, art and vibrant city life. In the space of a few months, Adelaide is host to the massive Adelaide Fringe, Tasting Australia, Adelaide Festival, WOMADelaide, Santos Tour Down Under, National Pharmacies Christmas Pageant and Superloop Adelaide 500. The party doesn’t stop in Adelaide though. Adelaide locals will find any excuse for a celebration, with events and festivals showing-off the best of our state’s food, wine, fashion, art and design all year-round.
Calendar of Events