73 Best Sights in South Australia, Australia

A sliver of land stretching southeast of the Fleurieu Peninsula, this park hugs the coast for more than 150 km (94 miles). Many Australians became aware of the Coorong's beauty from the 1970s film Storm Boy, which told the story of a boy's friendship with a pelican. These curious birds are one reason why the Coorong is a wetland area of world standing.

Get to know one of the newer boutique wineries in the Adelaide Hills by visiting the CRFT Wines cellar door. Located on a beautiful country road with one vineyard after another, it's built from a converted shearing shed and horse stable. CRFT offers a range of unique, single vineyard wines, made by a couple of married winemakers, Candice Helbig and Frewin Ries. Their aim in forming CRFT was to champion the incredible diversity of soils and climates in the subregions of the Adelaide Hills. The tasting room is open to the public every weekend for wine flights (starting from A$15 per person), wines by the glass or bottle, and take-home bottle sales. Complimentary olives are served with each wine flight, and there’s a cheese plate you can opt for as well. The fireplace roars on chilly days.

Winemaker Chester Osborn is known for powerful reds and fortified wines as well as quality whites with eye-catching names (the Cenosilicaphobic Cat, anyone?). The winery, family run since 1912, is dominated by the stunning architecture of the d'Arenburg Cube, which is an attraction in itself and overlooks the vineyards, the valley, and the sea, as well as d'Arry's Verandah Restaurant. The tempting seasonal lunch-only menu uses local produce for its Modern Australian dishes.

Set sail from here for daily tour cruises upon the Spirit of the Coorong, a fully equipped motorboat that offers a 90 minute (A$40) cruise to the Murray Mouth and a 3½-hour (A$95) or 6-hour cruise (A$125) that explore further into Coorong National Park. The 3½-hour tour runs from October to May and both longer cruises include guided walks, lunch, and afternoon tea. Visitors can also enjoy locally brewed craft beer and whiskey at Fleurieu Distillery located in the old railway goods shed on the wharf or go shopping at the Goolwa Wharf Markets on the first and third Sunday of each month.

This island is linked to the mainland by a 650-yard causeway, along which Clydesdales pull a double-decker tram. Within Granite Island Nature Park a self-guided walk leads around the island, which is filled with sculptures.

Look out for seals in the shallows.

This is one of the most successful of the Barossa's younger wine labels. Wines include impressive Chardonnays, crisp Rieslings, and powerful reds such as Meshach Shiraz. Don't miss the Holy Trinity—a highly acclaimed Rhône blend of Grenache, Shiraz, and Mourvedre. The cellar door overlooks the vines at Krondorf, 5 km (3 miles) south of Tanunda and offers regional grazing platters in addition to tastings. Tastings from A$10.

A narrow, winding, unsealed road off South Coast Road, 46 km (29 miles) west of Seal Bay Road, ends at this perfect little sandy cove. Rocky headlands on either side protect the gently sloping beach so swimming is safe. To the east are several secluded beaches; these are more exposed, though, and riptides make swimming dangerous. Amenities: parking; toilets. Best for: swimming; walking; surfing.

This beach is off the beaten path. A narrow, winding, unsealed road off South Coast Road, 46 km (29 miles) west of Seal Bay Road, ends at this perfect little sandy cove. Rocky headlands on either side protect the gently sloping beach so swimming is safe. To the east are several secluded beaches; these are more exposed, though, and riptides make swimming dangerous. Amenities: parking; toilets. Best for: surfing; swimming; walking.

The beach in this quiet coastal suburb offers white sand, gently lapping waves, summer entertainment, and a square known for popular dining spots. You'll find families spread out along the sand, and there's plenty of space on the wide lawns to enjoy a picnic or fish-and-chips. The jetty is perfect for walking or fishing—drop a line in the water and try your luck. During summer, Henley Beach Square comes alive with live music and festivals while eateries along Henley Beach Road bring the world to your plate—Asian, African, Mediterranean, and Indian mix with local cuisine and incredible gelato. Amenities: food and drink; parking; toilets. Best for: swimming; sunrise; sunset; walking; windsurfing.

This wide, sandy beach faces east at the short jetty and swings round to face south against Commodore Point. Because the bay is well protected on either side the waves are relatively low, making this a great swimming destination. However, waves can be heavy during a high swell and surge up the steep beach. The safest swimming is at the western end near the Surf Life Saving Club that also houses a busy restaurant and café. Fishing is popular around the jetty and boundary rocks. Amenities: parking; toilets. Best for: swimming; walking.

Known locally as Millionaires' Row for its fabulous real estate, Island Beach is the quintessential beach holiday location. Framed by dense bushland, the sandy beach is secluded, stretches almost as far as the eye can see, and provides very safe swimming. Walking along the coast toward American River yields plenty of bird-watching opportunities. Amenities: food and drink; parking. Best for: solitude; swimming; walking.

An impressive block of glass, steel, and recycled timber, Jacob's Creek Visitor Centre overlooks the creek whose name is familiar to wine drinkers around the world. It can sometimes be overrun with large groups, but the informative staff members make it well worth a visit—it's certainly more than your run-of-the-mill visitor center. Inside the building, plasma screens and pictorial displays tell the history of the label. Five tasting flights have themes, including "light & fresh," "low alcohol & organic," and limited release, or staff can tailor a selection of wines for you. The sprawling lawns edged with towering eucalyptus trees are perfect for a picnic, and you can bring your own hamper or purchase one at the cellar door. Tastings from A$5.

This striking series of buttes and jagged hills centered on the Moon Plain is of great cultural and spiritual significance to the traditional owners but to the untrained eye is reminiscent of most spectacular parts of the American West. There are fossils and patches of petrified forest in this strange landscape, which has appealed to makers of apocalyptic films; Mad Max 3—Beyond Thunderdome was filmed here, as was Ground Zero. The scenery is especially evocative early in the morning or at sunset when the colors come alive, and can get very windy so be sure to bring appropriate clothing. Kanku-Breakaways Conservation Park is 30 km (19 miles) northeast of Coober Pedy.

Permits to explore the area cost A$10 per vehicle and can be purchased at the Coober Pedy Tourist Information Centre in the District Council Office on Hutchinson Street or from Underground Books.

Award-winning and internationally known Kilikanoon produces multilayered reds such as the dense, richly colored Oracle Shiraz that has been named best in the world; Prodigal Grenache is another beauty. Tiered tastings allow you to choose 7 or 14 wines highlighting the diversity of soils and microclimates in the Clare Valley, or book ahead for the premium Revelation Experience (A$60) that steps things up a notch with access to Kilikanoon's most exclusive wines including the ultrapremium Revelation Shiraz.

One of the most recognizable and popular wineries in the Clare Valley, Knappstein is located in the original 19th-century Enterprise Brewery, a Heritage-listed building and a well-known landmark of a township that's oozing with history. The four Rieslings are consistently excellent, and the same could be said for the Cabernet and Shiraz wines lovingly handcrafted here.

A family-friendly tribute to the purple flower that adorns the hills, Lyndoch Lavender Farm grows more than 80 varieties on 6 lush acres high above Lyndoch. Light café meals are available, and the farm shop sells essential oils, creams, and other products, including wine from the surrounding vineyards. The most spectacular time to visit is during flowering season from August to September. 

Just outside the slate-mining hamlet of Mintaro, 10 km (6 miles) southeast of Sevenhill, wealthy bachelor Edmund Bowman built this gracious 32 room manor house in 1879—as legend has it, to lure his fiancée from England to the colonies. He failed, but continued to spend lavishly. In 1891 a near-bankrupt Bowman sold the grand house to the Mortlock family, who in 1965 willed it—and its contents—to the University of Adelaide. Now privately leased, Martindale Hall is a museum of late-19th- and early-20th-century rural life, filled with the Mortlocks' books, beds, furniture, crockery, glassware, and billiard table, The house, which is open for self-guided tours, was featured in director Peter Weir's first film, Picnic at Hanging Rock.

One of South Australia's most popular beaches for beginner and intermediate surfers, Middleton is known for waves that roll in gently rather than breaking violently. As a result it’s perfect for those still honing their technique, and several companies offer surf lessons here year-round. The entire beach is composed of fine sand that slopes very gently resulting in predictable, even sets that also suit bodyboarding. Thanks to the very wide surf zone, it is moderately safe to swim in the inner surf zone on the bar, but swimmers are advised not to venture beyond the first line of breakers as strong currents occupy the trough between the sand bars. Amenities: parking; toilets. Best for: surfing; walking.

Chronicled in this converted 19th-century Destitute Asylum, which later in the 19th century served as a school where Aboriginal children were forced to train as servants to the British, are the origins, hopes, and fates of some of the millions of immigrants who settled in Australia during the past two centuries. The museum is starkly realistic, and the bleak welcome that awaited many migrants is graphically illustrated, while temporary exhibitions point to a more hopeful future.

With its rhododendrons, magnolias, ferns, and native and exotic trees, these gardens are glorious in fall and spring; free guided walks leave the lower parking lot on Thursday at 10:30 am year-round except on extreme fire danger days when the forecast is above 35°C (95°F).

Steam-train buffs will love this collection of locomotives and rolling stock in the former Port Adelaide railway yard. The largest of its kind in Australia, the collection includes enormous "mountain"-class engines and the "Tea and Sugar" train, once the lifeline for camps scattered across the deserts of South and Western Australia. For an additional cost take a ride on the historic Semaphore to Fort Glanville Tourist Railway; it runs every Sunday and public holiday from October to end of April and more frequently during school holidays. There are covered outdoor eating areas with tables and chairs at the museum, where visitors may bring their own food and drink.

Timber, steel, and glass evoke the ribs of a huge wine barrel, and a soaring, open-plan concourse make this a spectacular showcase for Australian wines set on the edge of the Botanic Gardens. The A$15 Wine Discovery Journey, offered daily at 11 am, takes you from Neolithic pottery jars to a stainless-steel tank; you can even make your own virtual wine on a touch-screen computer. The center's guided tastings start at A$25 per person. In the Wined Bar, 120 wines drawn from all over Australia can be tasted in flights from state-of-the-art enomatic servers with iconic drops including Penfold's Grange and Henschke's Hill of Grace making regular appearances. The Wined Bar has a good all-day menu, including a great selection of local cheeses and smoked meats.

This is a genuine opal mine turned into a museum. Two fully furnished underground houses give some idea of what an opal miner’s life must have been like, while mining memorabilia is exhibited in an extensive network of hand-dug tunnels and shafts. Self-guided tours include the chance to noodle in nearby pits and see a selection of valuable opals under natural and UV light.

Goolwa is the home port of paddle-steamer Oscar W. Built in 1908, it's one of the few remaining wood-fired boiler ships and after plying the river as a trading boat was converted into a tourist attraction in the 1960s. When not participating in commemorative cruises and paddleboat races, the boat is open for inspection and, in warmer weather, one-hour cruises and longer trips that include a lunch stop—check the website for upcoming dates.

Ten Corinthian columns are the most striking features of this classical parliament building. It was completed in two stages 50 years apart: the west wing in 1889 and the east wing in 1939. Alongside is Old Parliament House, which dates from 1843. There's a free guided tour of both houses weekdays at 10 and 2 during nonsitting days. The viewing gallery is open to the public when parliament is sitting.

A very big brother to the 19th-century Magill Estate in Adelaide, this massive wine-making outfit in the center of Nuriootpa lets you taste Shiraz, Cabernet, Merlot, Chardonnay, and Riesling blends—but not the celebrated Grange—at the cellar door. To savor the flagship wine and other premium vintages, book a Taste of Grange Tour (A$150 per person, minimum of two, 24-hour advance notice needed). There are also 90-minute blending workshops for A$85 per person.

There are now only around 15 pairs of the delightful little (formerly called fairy) penguins in the colony here at Penneshaw. From the indoor interpretive center, where you can read about bird activity—including mating, nesting, and feeding—a boardwalk leads to a viewing platform above rocks and sand riddled with burrows. Because the penguins spend most of the day fishing at sea or inside their burrows, the best viewing is after sunset. The informative guided tours leave from the center after sunset daily except Wednesday and Thursday. You might see penguins waddling ashore, chicks emerging from their burrows to feed, or scruffy adults molting. Although sometimes you may not see any at all. Bookings essential.

On a quiet, unpaved back road, boutique winery Pertaringa (meaning "belonging to the hills") makes limited quantities of mouth-filling reds and several whites. At the cellar door facing the vines, you can sip Two Gentlemen's Grenache and Scarecrow Sauvignon Blanc, a great accompaniment to a bring-your-own picnic, or make up a platter from the selection of cheese and other goodies sold at the cellar door. If you want to try something a little more exclusive, the A$15 Icons Tasting features a super premium Shiraz and Cabernet.

This winery was founded by a larger-than-life Barossa character who had an influence on just about every winemaker in the valley. Art-hung stonework and a wood-burning fireplace make the tasting room one of the most pleasant in the valley and it is the only place to find the Black Queen Sparkling Shiraz. Wooden tables on a shady lawn encourage picnicking on the Weighbridge platter, a selection of local smoked meats, cheeses, and condiments that's big enough for two. Tastings from A$10.

Known for its excellent Riesling, Gewürztraminer, and Shiraz, this boutique winery also has an excellent, if slightly dated, restaurant on-site. Wine tasting takes place in a small room in the 1850s cottage. Don't miss the sparkling Riesling.

There's also an on-site, self-contained cottage for rent.