South Australia (SA)
Adelaide is the capital city of South Australia, and is known for its relaxed lifestyle and beautiful park surroundings. The small city is situated beside the Torrens River. It offers lots of attractions with a large food-lovers market (called Central Market), beautiful city beaches, museums, art galleries, shopping and much more.
South Australia is also known as the Festival State. It hosts festivals for arts, wine, food and music throughout the year. The music festival WOMADelaide, which is held in Adelaide each year, features musicians from around the world and is a not-to-be-missed event. South Australia also hosts golf tournaments, cycling tours, and much more.
Just 20 minutes from the city are the Adelaide Hills, an excellent destination for a day or weekend trip. The hills are known as ‘Adelaide’s pantry’ due to the extensive variety of fresh foods that come from the region. You can visit the market gardens nestled between areas of scenic Australian bushland.
North of Adelaide is the Barossa Valley, which produces over half of Australia’s wine. A large number of German immigrants settled in this area in the 1840s and their fascinating history can be explored through the local museum, the architecture, and the food on offer.
Another famous export from South Australia is its opals. The largest opal supply town is Coober Pedy, which is a fascinating place to visit, not just for the insight it provides into opal mining and the opportunity to buy opals direct from the source, but for its surprising living arrangements. Due to the extreme climate of the area many residents have built their homes underground to escape the fierce summer temperatures. There are examples of this interesting form of architecture open for display. You can even stay in the underground accommodation available.
Another outback (remote, country area) attraction of South Australia are the Flinders Ranges. Apart from the large numbers of native animals that can be seen here, the ranges also provide a unique example of the rugged beauty that defines outback Australia. There are three national parks in the area making it easily accessible.