South Australia
South Australia is more than its Barossa Valley shiraz or McLaren Vale Grenache. While swilling your way through lauded wine regions is an undisputed highlight, this oft-overlooked state offers much more. Its gracious capital, Adelaide, is one of the country’s most sophisticated cities, its on-point bars, restaurants and arts festivals wrapped up in one relaxed, easy-to-navigate package.
Further north, refinement gives way to the raw, enigmatic beauty of the Flinders Ranges, famed for their sweeping desert landscapes and ever-shifting colours.
Air: Adelaide Airport serves all major Australian airlines, with connections to other major Australian cities and a handful of international destinations. Handy regional airports include Kingscote (Kangaroo Island), Port Lincoln, Ceduna and Cooper Pedy.
Bus: Greyhound Australia runs from Adelaide to Alice Springs via Cooper Pedy. Connecting services continue north to Darwin. Stateliner runs limited services from Adelaide to numerous destinations in South Australia, including Nuriootpa (Barossa Valley), Robe and Penola (Coonawarra Wine Region).
Train: From Adelaide, The Overland runs to Melbourne, The Ghan runs to Alice Springs and Darwin, while the Indian Pacific heads west to Perth and east to Sydney.
Car: The best way to explore South Australia is by car or campervan. Major interstate routes include the Dukes Hwy (A8) to Melbourne and the longer but more scenic Princes Hwy (B1/A1), which leads to Victoria’s Great Ocean Road. The Mallee Hwy (B12) heads towards Sydney, the Stuart Hwy (A87) towards the Northern Territory, and the Eyre Hwy (A1) to Perth.