Only 20 minutes from the city streets of Adelaide, there is room to roam and relax at Mount Lofty House.
In the years following European settlement, the Adelaide Hills were home to the sprawling summer estates of the city’s elite. The grandest of them all was Mount Lofty House, now a boutique 33-room hotel just 20 minutes from the Adelaide CBD.
Walking through the imposing three-metre-high front door, I’m offered a glass of local sparkling on arrival and it sets the tone for a stay full of pleasant surprises. Cookies and a handwritten welcome note await me in my room, along with an invitation to join a tour of the property at 5pm.
Mount Lofty’s grand exterior and expansive views
The rooms
The entry-level room is compact but well designed. High ceilings create a sense of space, and the bathroom is discreetly hidden behind the king-size four-poster bed. The louvred windows
are best left closed; they open onto a corridor, making this just about the only spot on the property without expansive views.
Fortunately, I can look out over the fertile Piccadilly Valley from the fine-dining restaurant inside and the terraced lawns below the house, both of which have seen more wedding parties than the staff can count. Lush farmland sparkles emerald green in the afternoon sun, and there’s a hint of Tuscany in the houses and vineyards set between chequerboard patches of trees. But this is a uniquely Australian scene and, just a short walk away, mobs of roos loll about while kookaburras swoop through the open eucalypt woodland forest of the upper Mount Lofty Botanic Gardens.
The Conservatory Suite
The property
The freedom to wander the grounds and house is one of the great delights of a stay at Mount Lofty House, and soon I find myself in the open atrium of the library for the daily tour. Over mulled wine, I learn that the solid walls are made of sandstone from local quarries, and remain the only part of the original 1882 building after the devastating Ash Wednesday bushfires. Fortunately the rebuild and subsequent refurbishments have been tastefully done, and the newer elements blend well.
A refined offering at Hardy’s Verandah Restaurant
Despite its size, Mount Lofty House feels cosy and warm. There’s a sense of old-school grandeur, especially in the Arthur Waterhouse Lounge, where I spot a vacant seat by the black marble fireplace. But I’ve barely sunk into the brass-studded leather armchair before I’m up again – I’ve spotted a jar of marshmallows on the mantle and a set of roasting sticks nearby.
As night falls, a blanket of mist envelops the property and spindly tree-branch shadows create a distinctly Gothic atmosphere.
Thinking of the solid front door and carefully manicured grounds, it occurs to me that Mount Lofty House would make the perfect setting for a murder mystery. As I slowly turn my marshmallow over the glowing chunks of red gum, I conclude that there are worse ways to go.
Get cosy in the Arthur Waterhouse Lounge
Verdict
A beautiful heritage property that provides a welcome escape from the city.
We rated
Feeling welcome to explore the house and property, and to make ourselves at home.
We’d change
With filtered spring water on tap, plastic bottles of water in the rooms seem unnecessary.
Notes
Classic rooms start at $449, but regular accommodation packages begin at $399 with a bottle of sparkling wine and a restaurant voucher included.
Alexis Buxton-Collins spent his twenties working as a music journalist and beer taster before somehow landing an even dreamier job as a freelance travel writer. Now he travels the world from his base in Adelaide and contributes to publications including Qantas, Escape, The Guardian and Lonely Planet. Alexis has never seen a hill he didn't want to climb and specialises in outdoor adventures (he won the 2022 ASTW award for best nature/wildlife story for a feature on Kangaroo Island). When he's not scouring South Australia for the newest wineries and hikes, he's looking for excuses to get back to spots like Karijini and Ningaloo.
Spend a few days visiting the real-life Central Australian locations that inspired the new film everyone is talking about, and discover why Alice Springs is such an important part of Australian culture.
In the credits of the new Australian film Kangaroo, the first name under ‘cast’ should read ‘The Northern Territory ’. Not only is Alice Springs (and the surrounding landscape) integral to the movie itself, but the spiritual heart of Australia and its local Indigenous owners also inform the look and feel of every frame, explains Producer Trisha Morton-Thomas of Brindle Films, who also plays Charlie’s grandmother Gwennie.
“By setting Kangaroo in Alice Springs (Mparntwe), the film embraces how visible Aboriginal people are here, and the living Aboriginal culture that is woven through this community,” she explains.
See Kangaroo, then visit the real-life filming locations.
And while shooting in such a sacred part of the Northern Territory required extra planning, it was something the cast and crew were highly invested in.
“There are incredibly significant sacred sites and places of deep cultural stories in the area, that at times are very gender-specific, which we’ve kept out of the production,” she explains. “Even if overhead drone footage captures a sacred site that isn’t meant to be seen by other people outside of that clan, we’ve made sure to omit it from the film.”
If Kangaroo piqued your interest in a Central Australian holiday, we don’t blame you. Read on to discover eight places featured in the movie that you can visit in real life – and get planning. Don’t forget to pack sunscreen and a hat.
1. Alice Springs/ Mparntwe
Visit the galleries of Alice Springs, like Many Hands Art Centre. (Image: Tourism NT/ Helen Orr/ Many Hands Art Centre)
2. The Kangaroo Sanctuary & Kangaroo Rescue Centre
Visit the movie’s inspiration at Kangaroo Sanctuary. (Image: Tourism NT/ Kangaroo Sanctuary)
Kangaroo was inspired by the journey of Chris ‘Brolga’ Barns, who founded the now world-renowned Kangaroo Sanctuary based in Alice Springs. For lead actor, Aussie Ryan Corr, the animals were central to the movie, alongside the landscapes.
“The animals in this story were a real calling point for me,” he explains. “What this story tries to tell us about the connection between humans and animals is beautiful.”
To gain a real insight into the fauna and flora of the Red Centre, you can visit the Kangaroo Sanctuary on a sunset tour, where you might even get the chance to hold a baby kangaroo.
3. Ormiston Gorge
Take a dip in Ormiston Gorge. (Image: Tourism NT/ @domandjesso)
The film captures the raw beauty of the West MacDonnell Ranges, known in the Arrernte language as Tjoritja. This national park is rich in Indigenous culture and stark geological wonders.
Only a 15-minute drive from Alice Springs, Tjoritja offers visitors the chance to camp, hike and swim among ancient landscapes (most attractions are less than a three-hour drive away).
Ormiston Gorge , a cooling oasis in among the red desert sands, is one of the most popular destinations, no doubt because of the permanent swimming hole and towering red cliffs. From here, visitors can also embark on the beautiful Ormiston Pound Walk and the shorter – more accessible – Ghost Gum Walk. Bring your bathers – it’s safe for swimming.
4. Standley Chasm
Wander through Standley Chasm. (Image: Tourism NT)
The 1.2-kilometre walk to nearby Standley Chasm will be a highlight for any visitor as the imposing 40 metre-high chasm walls project strength and ancient wisdom.
Visit at midday to experience the path illumined by the midday sun. Not only will you fill your camera roll with vibrant red images of the gorge and its intoxicating shadows, but you can also camp nearby in a powered or unpowered site so you can watch the brilliance of the desert stars fill the night sky after dusk.
5. Simpsons Gap
Walk the trails of Simpson’s Gap. (Image: Tourism NT/ Helen Orr)
Closer to Alice Springs, the photogenic Simpsons Gap is the perfect place to spot the endangered Black-footed Rock wallaby near the permanent watering hole. While swimming isn’t permitted, soaking up the sun and views certainly is.
Explore the area’s numerous walking trails, appreciate the soaring cliffs on either side of the ‘gap’ and pick out the shooting locations of Kangaroo in the area.
6. Ellery Creek Big Hole
Dive into Ellery Creek Big Hole. (Image: Tourism NT/ Tourism Australia)
When it comes to classic Northern Territory landscapes, you can’t go past Ellery Creek Big Hole/ Udepata : tall gum trees sidling up to a refreshing watering hole (fed by the West MacDonnell Ranges and surrounded by rugged red cliffs.
Swim in the cooling waters, hike the cliff tops, watch for birds and even stargaze as you camp here overnight. It’s locations like this that attracted the film’s director Kate Woods to the project.
“It humbles you to be in this environment: it’s so beautiful, so old and so vast,” she explains. “I was thrilled to get a chance to … shoot such a beautiful story in the incredible landscape of the Northern Territory.”
7. Larapinta Drive
Drive along Larapinta Drive. (Image: Tourism NT)
There is no better way to get a feel for how the characters arrived at the fictional Central Australian town of Silvergum than to travel along the iconic state road, Larapinta Drive.
Connecting Alice Springs to the mighty King’s Canyon in the west, via the historic community of Hermannsburg, this road takes in the West MacDonnell National Park, Alice Springs Desert Park and artist Albert Namatjira’s house, among other attractions. Take your time, bring a camera and prepare for numerous stops along the way.
8. Todd River
Join in the fun of the quirky Henley on Todd Regatta. (Image: Tourism NT/ TImparja Creative)
Meandering through Alice Springs like a lazy Western Brown snake, the Todd River is a central part of Alice Springs culture. Known as an ‘intermittent river’, the Todd can go from a dry dusty riverbed to a flowing waterscape in less than 15 minutes after heavy rainfall.
When it’s dry, the famous Henley on Todd Regatta fills the sandy riverbed with handmade ‘boats’ carried by sailors. This is the world’s only dry river boating event, and it’s referenced in the ‘Silvergum Boat Race’ in the movie. Inspired by the real-life event, the characters built quirky “Flintstones-style boats” and competed in teams.
