South Australia is vast state and contains a portion almost everything that makes Australian so unique and recognisable. From the great stretching vastness of the wild Australian Outback to the charm of wine valleys and beaches of silver sand, your stay will be a memorable one.

The capital of South Australia is Adelaide, a charming city that has developed differently from the rest of Australia’s major settlements due to it being founded as the planned capital of freely-settled British province in 1836. Regency and Victorian architectural styles are reflected in many of the historic buildings that line the streets and also in the museums, art galleries and other cultural centres. Sporting a Mediterranean climate, it is no stranger to warm summer sunshine and as such offers the cooling respite of spots such as Glenelg Beach, its waves ideal for a day out and a refreshing dip.

The city is a gateway to the Barossa Valley, an area that has become a famous wine region ever since Germans settlers brought grapes over to grow in this perfect climate. Now world-renowned, its lush green valleys and bountiful vineyards send guests into a pastoral dreamland. Boutique wineries and old cellars provide tastings in this, one of Australia’s oldest wine-producing regions. It is also filled with culinary delights such as artisanal cheese farmers, organic garden produce and fruit orchards, the many gourmet food markets proving to be a great way to interact with the laidback locals and your fellow visitors.

Alternatively, the Flinders Ranges to the state’s north are stark and picturesque, their heights reaching out from the green savannahs and red ochre stone of the great Outback. Gentle foothills lead up to remarkable mountains, the surrounding wilderness filled with trademark wildlife and flora. Learn about the ancient past and culture of the indigenous Aboriginal people through a local guide while journeying to the barren Lake Eyre or travelling to the thermal waters of Dalhousie Springs, used for millennia by native tribes.

When to go

South Australia has a Mediterranean climate with warm, dry summers and mild winters. The coast and outback heat up more than other areas in the summer. Spring and autumn are particularly pleasant, the former bringing with it wildflowers and flourishing wildlife.

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South Australia travel guides