18 Unique Things To Do In The Barossa Valley- Australian Traveller

This article was originally written by Kristie Lau-Adams with updates by Megan Arkinstall.

Shake off dusty morning-after brain with our list of fun things to do in the Barossa Valley that don’t include (too much) wine.

While almost 100 cellar doors, each pouring their own version of the world’s finest liquid gold, are this region’s shining stars, the Barossa Valley also doubles as a playground for gourmands, creatives and outdoorsy types. These 18 things to do in the Barossa Valley will keep your entire group happy – even kids – from art galleries to walking tracks and wellness experiences (with a few sips of wine for good measure).  

1. Natural Perfumery Workshop at Vasse Virgin

Vasse Virgin Workshops — Book in for a Natural Perfumery Workshop at Vasse Virgin. (Image: Josie Withers)

While most Barossans dabble in the art of winemaking, Louis and Edwina Scherini played around with skincare. Striking the perfect blend of sensitivity and luxury through a base of quality extra virgin olive oil, the couple launched a successful product range which eventually broadened to gourmet foods and a couple of stores.

Today, they offer a 60-minute Natural Perfumery Workshop at their Vasse Virgin Soap Factory on Seppeltsfield Road where the team share their know-how in layering scents to find your own winner. Priced at $100 per person, the class includes a 15ml bottle of your creation, plus the detailed recipe to take home with you.

2. Barossa Sculpture Park

Allow a series of arresting marble and granite sculptures to steal your gaze from vineyards – and the bottom of a glass – momentarily. The Barossa Sculpture Park on Mengler Hill Road in Bethany is home to a collection of 17 locally crafted abstract artworks that each glisten against the region’s rugged landscape.

They’re a captivating sight, almost as though they’ve slowly risen from the ground to further beautify the magical region, so visiting even for a few minutes is a surprisingly rewarding thing to do in the Barossa Valley.

The earliest sculptures date back to 1988 and standouts include ‘A Memory of the Keyhole’, reminiscent of Egyptian hieroglyphics, and ‘Persephone’ complete with a beautiful lounging woman carved atop.

3. Mengler Hill Lookout

While you’re parked in the car park servicing the Sculpture Park, head on up to the Mengler Hill Lookout for sweeping, panoramic views of the Barossa Valley. A popular pit-stop on many of the region’s top-rated wine tours, this vantage point offers the best of the area in just a single glance – rows of vines, rich farmland, 50 shades of greenery and those signature rolling hills. The Sculpture Park is located right at the base of the lookout, so you can double-dip without any hassle.

4. Gardens at Barossa Valley Estate

Glorious scenery can also be spied at Barossa Valley Estate’s rainbow-hued gardens , a soothing, joyful thing to do in the Barossa Valley all on its own. Claiming the title of “Australia’s largest perennial gardens", the space was designed by legendary Australian landscape designer and author Paul Bangay, and it’s utterly delightful.

Whether you’re a lover of landscape artistry or not, there’s no denying the charms of this heavenly design. Throwing an entire colour wheel of shades as the seasons rotate, it’s a photographer’s dream, even if your skills extend as far as social media. It’s also the perfect backdrop to the brand’s contemporary cellar door, and you’ll marvel and meander much longer than you initially plan.

5. Barossa Arts Centre

Time your visit to the region with a performance at the Barossa Arts Centre , located in central Tanunda, a venue that’s also hired out for intimate events such as local school services and forums. Home to a range of regular shows that span musicals, comedy, rock, orchestras, choirs and theatre, the centre offers a constant string of entertainment. Past events have included Elvis Presley tribute nights, country music acts such as Adam Harvey and Beccy Cole, and operatic royalty Marina Prior and David Hobson. Check out the website for ticketing information and dates.

6. Barossa Valley Golf Club

kangaroos on a golf course, Barossa Valley — Meet the resident roos at the Barossa Valley Golf Club.

Grip it and rip it surrounded by the region’s distinct natural beauty at the Barossa Valley Golf Club . This luscious 18-hole golf course is in Nuriootpa, home to a superb range of Barossa Valley accommodation options plus a scattering of the finest wineries, so teeing off in the early morning (as early as 6am on Saturdays) should be nice and convenient.

Its popular competition days are staged every Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday and visitors are always welcome. Snap up 18 holes for $45 per adult, or just 9 holes for $35, and golf buggies can be hired with prices starting at $30.

There’s also a strict heat policy so when the mercury hits 41 degrees, the club shuts its doors to ensure guest safety, so your experience should be comfortable (albeit dotted with the odd visit from a local kangaroo) every time.

7. Beyond Wellness

Soothe yourself with a scenic yoga session at Beyond Wellness. (Image: South Australian Tourism Commission)

Turning your Barossa adventure into a wellness makeover is easy, too, thanks to the team at Beyond Wellness . Whether you’re after a scenic yoga session, sunrise hiking or a multi-day health retreat, they’ll have you at your sparkling best before you toast to the new you with a bottle of shiraz.

Family experiences are also available, such as Forest Foraging and a Family Adventure, which includes activities such as bushwalking and kayaking, all aimed at fostering bonds and exploration with your family.

Wellness retreats are held across the Barossa, from Seppeltsfield Estate to Kingsford The Barossa, and include the perfect balance between nourishing your body with exercise and mindful activities and enjoying some beautiful wine and food, for which the region is known.

8. Barossa Bike Hire

Bike Hire Jacobs Creek Barossa — Cycle to some of Barossa’s top wineries. (Image: Tourism Australia)

Keen to tackle Barossa on a set of wheels? Barossa Bike Hire not only has a wide range of e-bikes, helping you see the best of the area without breaking a sweat, but it also offers tours for every kind of cyclist.

The six-hour ‘Barista, Brewer, Wine Cycle Tour’ runs Wednesday, Thursday and Friday and circles 20 kilometres of the northern end of the region through Nuriootpa, home to some of the Barossa Valley’s best foodie experiences including Maggie Beer’s farm and her daughter’s The Farm Eatery restaurant.

It includes coffee, thank goodness, three cellar-door wine tastings and lunch. The ultra-romantic, self-guided ‘Sunset and Sparkles Cycle Tour’ is also available. Its three-hour itinerary kicks off with a care package of local sparkling wine before winding through many of the Barossa’s busiest towns along mostly flat terrain.

9. Barossa Valley Chocolate Company

Delight the kids in tow, plus your own inner child, with a visit to the famous Barossa Valley Chocolate Company , a must-experience for sweet tooths of all ages. The multi-award-winning team handcrafts more than 250 delicious creations from locally sourced ingredients, blending them with high-quality Aussie and Belgian chocolate.

But there’s so much more than the stash of goodies you’ll take home. Offering irresistible chocolate pairings with wine or cheese, plus a cafe serving up lunch on a beautiful waterfront deck and an ice creamery, this culinary hot spot ticks a lot of boxes.

10. Seppeltsfield Road Distillers

Switch out the vino for some excellent gin at Seppeltsfield Road Distillers , a mover and shaker on the Barossa scene. Not only are the spirits themselves exceptional, with the brand’s ‘Barossa Shiraz Gin’ a standout among critics, but the space itself is also relaxed and full of good times.

Take a seat in an alcove amongst the venue’s outdoor multi-level deck or sink into a comfy chair on the lush lawn. If it’s miserable out, the indoor space is equally inviting as clever cocktails roll out around you. Make it a day to remember by grabbing a gin flight to sample the best in stock, and pair it with one of their small and simple, yet sensational, charcuterie platters.

11. Lyndoch Lavender Farm and Cafe

While the on-site cafe is one of the best Barossa Valley destinations for an epic lunch of lavender-infused treats, Lyndoch Lavender Farm and Cafe is worth a journey to inspect the grounds alone. More than two hectares of the pretty purple blooms spread right across the landscape, as does the odd sprinkling of herbs including sage, basil and rosemary.

You can learn more about the working farm on one of their tours, available within groups or as self-guided expeditions. Scones, plus tea and coffee are also included, but the real take-home will be one of their outstanding lavender cookies. Consider us lavender converts.

12. Barossa Valley winery cellar doors

We held off as long as we could. While the Barossa Valley’s wonderful cellar doors are obviously primely positioned for a day of wine tasting, plenty of the Barossa Valley’s finest cellar doors offer an incredible amount more.

Frequented by the region’s best-rated winery tours, the likes of Yalumba, which offers a tour of its personal cooperage, the only winery cooperage in the country, and Jacob’s Creek, which offers table tennis and gourmet group picnics on its picture-perfect lawn, deserve quality time to be explored in full.

13. Barossa Valley Ballooning’s hot air balloons

a hot air balloon over the Barossa Valley — Admire the landscape from up above in a hot air balloon over the Barossa. (Image: South Australian Tourism Commission)

What better way to soak in the region’s most spectacular vistas than in a gentle-moving, hour-long hot air balloon ride at sunrise, courtesy of Barossa Valley Ballooning ? Meeting you at the Novotel Barossa Valley Resort in Rowland Flat around an hour before the sun commences its ascent, the expert team will have you sensationally soaring before landing you safely back at the resort. There, you’ll be treated to a champagne breakfast with a generous side of views out across the Barossa Ranges. A morning for the ages, it’s priced at $395 per person.

14. Small Batch Wine Tours

a tasting platter at Small Batch Wine Tours, Barossa Valley — Don’t miss out on indulgent tastings with Small Batch Wine Tours. (Image: Duy Dash)

With more than 90 cellar doors across the Barossa Valley, it can be overwhelming to know which to visit. Small Batch Wine Tours is like your private wine concierge, opening doors to bespoke cellar doors that you may otherwise overlook in Australia’s most famous wine region, as well as neighbouring McLaren Vale and Adelaide Hills.

There’s a premium shared group tour and a private flexible tour option, both of which include wine tastings and lunch. Oenophiles should consider the Barossa Shiraz Subregion Tour on which you’ll learn about and taste some of the region’s most rare and collective shirazes. If you’re more interested in the iconic heavyweights that put Barossa Valley wine on the world map – Penfolds and Henschke – book the Ultimate Barossa Wine Tour, which is the only tour that has access to tastings of both Penfold’s Grange and Henschke’s Hill of Grace in one day.

15. Kaiserstuhl Conservation Park

western grey kangaroos at Kaiserstuhl Conservation Park — Kaiserstuhl Conservation Park is a lush haven for western grey kangaroos. (Image: South Australian Tourism Commission)

Stretch your legs with a visit to Kaiserstuhl Conservation Park , just 12 kilometres south-east of Tanunda and home to two walking tracks. The 4.7-kilometre Wallowa Hike leads to a lookout at the top of a granite rock outcrop for panoramic views of the Barossa ranges and the valley floor below.

While the shorter two-kilometre Stringybark Hike is a flat and easy walk through dense stringybark forest, perfect for families to do together. Watch for western grey kangaroos and native birds such as honeyeaters, tree-creepers, rosellas and lorikeets.

16. Third Space Float & Wellness Studio

a look inside Third Space Float & Wellness Studio — Spend a wellness weekend with friends at Third Space Float & Wellness Studio.

The Barossa is known for its delectable food and wine offerings. But when it’s time for a break from the indulgence, focus on your body and mind at Third Space Float & Wellness Studio .

Located within Tanunda, this studio offers naturopathy, massage, reiki, kinesiology and a float studio, where you can completely switch off and experience weightlessness. It’s a calming space to zen out after a few days of cellar-door-hopping.

17. Wonderground

This immersive contemporary art gallery and cellar door is worth seeking out if you’re an art and wine lover.

Located at the new Mirus Vineyards in Marananga, the Wondergound gallery is housed within an old farmhouse and comprises five rooms of art, showcasing both local and interstate artists. You’re welcome to enjoy a glass of wine as you browse the artworks and linger longer at the cellar door, which has views of the rolling vineyards of Seppeltsfield and Marananga.

There are plenty of experiences to be had, too, with twice-weekly yoga classes, bespoke art workshops and platters available to purchase and enjoy on the lawns, terrace or by the fire pit in the cooler months.

18. Barossa Bowland

the bowling centre at Barossa Bowland — Gear up for a memorable bowl time. (Image: Barossa Bowland)

Adults can’t have all the fun. Families can offset the energy of their little ones between winery visits at Barossa Bowland , which has dinosaur-themed mini golf, a maze and dinosaur walk, and a ten-pin bowling centre.

The 18-hole mini golf features giant prehistoric creatures such as T-rex and triceratops, while the good old-fashioned ten-pin bowling arcade is the perfect activity for rainy days (or simply when you’ve had your fill of vino).

This article was originally written by Kristie Lau-Adams with updates by Megan Arkinstall.

Need somewhere to stay? Discover the best accommodation in the Barossa Valley

Located just an hour north-west of Melbourne, the largely undiscovered Macedon Ranges quietly pours some of Australia’s finest cool-climate wines and serves up some of Victoria’s best food.

Mention the Macedon Ranges and most people will think of day spas and mineral springs around Daylesford, cosy weekends away in the countryside or the famous Hanging Rock (of enigmatic picnic fame). Or they won’t have heard of the Macedon Ranges at all.

But this cool-climate destination has been inconspicuously building a profile as a high-quality food and wine region and is beginning to draw serious attention from oenophiles and epicureans alike.

The rise of Macedon Ranges wine

liquid gold barrels at Kyneton Ridge Estate Winery — Barrels of liquid gold at Kyneton Ridge Estate Winery. (Image: Chloe Smith Photography)

With elevations ranging from 300 to 800 metres, Macedon Ranges vineyards are among the highest in the country. This altitude, combined with significant day/night temperature swings, makes for a slow ripening season, in turn nurturing wines that embody elegance and structure. Think crisp chardonnays, subtle yet complex pinot noirs and delicate sparkling wines, along with niche varietals, such as gamay and nebbiolo.

Despite the region’s natural advantages – which vary from estate to estate, as each site embodies unique terroir depending on its position in relation to the Great Dividing Range, soil make-up and altitude – the Macedon Ranges has remained something of an insider’s secret. Unlike Victoria’s Yarra Valley or Mornington Peninsula, you won’t find large tour buses here and there’s no mass marketing drawing crowds.

Many of the 40-odd wineries are family-run operations with modest yields, meaning the wineries maintain a personal touch (if you visit a cellar door, you’ll likely chat to the owner or winemaker themselves) and a tight sales circle that often doesn’t go far beyond said cellar door. And that’s part of the charm.

Though wines from the Macedon Ranges are just starting to gain more widespread recognition in Australia, the first vines were planted in the 1860s, with a handful of operators then setting up business in the 1970s and ’80s. The industry surged again in the 1990s and early 2000s with the entry of wineries, such as Mount Towrong, which has an Italian slant in both its wine and food offering, and Curly Flat , now one of the largest estates.

Meet the new generation of local winemakers

the Clydesdale barn at Paramoor. — The Clydesdale barn at Paramoor. (Image: Chloe Smith Photography)

Then, within the last 15 years, a new crop of vignerons like Andrew Wood at Kyneton Ridge Estate , whose vineyard in 2024 was the first in the Macedon Ranges to be certified by Sustainable Winegrowing Australia; Geoff Plahn and Samantha Reid at Paramoor , who have an impressive cellar door with a roaring fire and studded leather couches in an old Clydesdale barn; and Ollie Rapson and Renata Morello at Lyons Will , who rapidly expanded a small vineyard to focus on top-shelf riesling, gamay, pinot noir and chardonnay, have taken ownership of local estates.

Going back to the early days, Llew Knight’s family was one of the pioneers of the 1970s, replacing sheep with vines at Granite Hills when the wool industry dwindled. Knight is proud of the fact that all their wines are made with grapes from their estate, including a light, peppery shiraz (some Macedon wineries purchase fruit from nearby warmer areas, such as Heathcote, particularly to make shiraz) and a European-style grüner veltliner. And, as many other wineries in the region do, he relies on natural acid for balance, rather than an additive, which is often required in warmer regions. “It’s all about understanding and respecting your climate to get the best out of your wines,” he says.

farm animals atKyneton Ridge Estate — Curious residents at Kyneton Ridge Estate. (Image: Chloe Smith Photography)

Throughout the Macedon Ranges, there’s a growing focus on sustainability and natural and low-intervention wines, with producers, such as Brian Martin at Hunter Gatherer making waves in regenerative viticulture. Martin previously worked in senior roles at Australia’s largest sparkling winemaking facility, and now applies that expertise and his own nous to natural, hands‑off, wild-fermented wines, including pét‑nat, riesling and pinot noir. “Wild fermentation brings more complexity,” he says. “Instead of introducing one species of yeast, you can have thousands and they add different characteristics to the wine.”

the vineyard at Kyneton Ridge Estate Winery — The estate’s vineyard, where cool-climate grapes are grown. (Image: Chloe Smith Photography)

Most producers also focus on nurturing their grapes in-field and prune and pick by hand, thus avoiding the introduction of impurities and the need to meddle too much in the winery. “The better the quality of the fruit, the less you have to interfere with the natural winemaking process,” says Wood.

Given the small yields, there’s also little room for error, meaning producers place immense focus on quality. “You’re never going to compete in the middle [in a small region] – you’ve got to aim for the top,” says Curly Flat owner Jeni Kolkka. “Big wineries try to do things as fast as possible, but we’re in no rush,” adds Troy Walsh, owner and winemaker at Attwoods . “We don’t use commercial yeasts; everything is hand-harvested and everything is bottled here, so we bottle only when we’re ready, not when a big truck arrives.” That’s why, when you do see a Macedon Ranges product on a restaurant wine list, it’s usually towards the pointy end.

Come for the wine, stay for the food

pouring sauce onto a dish at Lake HouseDaylesford — Dining at Lake House Daylesford is a treat. (Image: Chloe Smith Photography)

If wine is the quiet achiever of the Macedon Ranges, then food is its not-so-secret weapon. In fact, the area has more hatted restaurants than any other region in Victoria. A pioneer of the area’s gourmet food movement is region cheerleader Alla Wolf-Tasker, culinary icon and founder of Daylesford’s Lake House.

For more than three decades, Wolf-Tasker has championed local producers and helped define what regional fine dining can look like in Australia. Her influence is palpable, not just in the two-hatted Lake House kitchen, but in the broader ethos of the region’s dining scene, as a wave of high-quality restaurants have followed her lead to become true destination diners.

the Midnight Starling restaurant in Kyneton Ridge Estate Winery — The hatted Midnight Starling restaurant is located in Kyneton. (Image: Chloe Smith Photography)

It’s easy to eat well, whether at other hatted restaurants, such as Midnight Starling in the quaint town of Kyneton, or at the wineries themselves, like Le Bouchon at Attwoods, where Walsh is inspired by his time working in France in both his food offering and winemaking.

The beauty of dining and wine touring in the Macedon Ranges is that it feels intimate and unhurried. You’re likely to meet the winemaker, hear about the trials of the latest vintage firsthand, and taste wines that never make it to city shelves. And that’s worth getting out of the city for – even if it is just an hour down the road.

Delicate dishes on the menu at Midnight Starling. (Image: Chloe Smith Photography)

A traveller’s checklist

Staying there

the accommodation at Cleveland Estate, Macedon Ranges — Stay at the Cleveland Estate. (Image: Chloe Smith Photography)

Soak up vineyard views from Cleveland Estate near Lancefield , embrace retro charm at Kyneton Springs Motel or indulge in lakeside luxury at the Lake House .

Eating there

Enjoy a four-course menu at the one-hatted Surly Goat in Hepburn Springs, Japanese-inspired fare at Kuzu in Woodend or unpretentious fine dining at Mount Monument , which also has a sculpture park.

Drinking there

wine tasting at PassingClouds Winery, Macedon Ranges — A tasting at Passing Clouds Winery. (Image: Chloe Smith Photography)

Settle in for a tasting at Boomtown in Castlemaine, sample local drops at the cosy Woodend Cellar & Bar or wine-hop around the many cellar doors, such as Passing Clouds .

the Boomtown Winery and Cellar Bar signage — Boomtown Winery and Cellar Bar. (Image: Chloe Smith Photography)

Playing there

a scenic river in Castlemaine — Idyllic scenes at Castlemaine. (Image: Chloe Smith Photography)

Wander through the seasonal splendour of Forest Glade Gardens , hike to the summit of Hanging Rock, or stroll around the tranquil Sanatorium Lake.

purple flowers hanging from a tree — Purple flowers hanging from a tree. (Image: Chloe Smith Photography)

18 fun things to do in the Barossa Valley