The best road trips in SA

Australian TravellerBy Australian Traveller
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Explore sinkholes, glowing pink and blue lakes, iconic wine regions and more as you journey through South Australia along the state’s best road trip routes.

The Great Southern Journey, SA

If you love to mix wine and adventure (not necessarily at the same time), then a trip down the Southern Ocean Drive Road could be just the ticket.

 

Starting at Mount Gambier, drive 30 minutes, passing the Blue Lake and Umpherston Sinkhole to arrive at Coonawarra. Be sure to stop in at a couple of the cellar doors while you’re there. From there, head to Robe, where Long Beach is situated – the main street is great for shopping.

 

Head almost five hours to Victor Harbor, and en route you can visit Jack Point Pelican Observatory, Meningie Cheese Factory Museum and once you’ve arrived, even take a horse drawn tram to Granite Island. From there it’s a short trip to Kangaroo Island, where you can explore Flinders Chase National Park before heading back to Adelaide.

Revisit Kangaroo Island
Take a short trip to Kangaroo Island.

Epicurean Way road trip, SA

This road trip links together the four iconic wine regions of South Australia; McLaren Vale, Adelaide Hills, Barossa and Clare Valley. If you’re a lover of great food and wine, this is definitely one for you.

 

First stop McLaren Vale is just 40 minutes from Adelaide, and has many incredible destinations worth pulling over for. None more so that the incredible d’Arenberg Cube, which resembles Willy Wonka’s chocolate factory inside, housed in what looks like a giant Rubik’s cube – and you blend your own wine.

 

From there, head on to Adelaide Hills, where you can try Hahndorf Hill’s ChocoVino, a delicious combination of chocolate and wine. You should also stop in for cheese tastings at Udder Delights. From there, the Barossa is on the menu, where you can stop in Jacob’s Creek vineyard and Maggie Beer’s Farm Shop, where you can pick up some amazing goodies to take home.

 

Next, it’s the Clare Valley. Stop at Skillogalee for a tasting or two. You can also follow the 35km Riesling Trail (by bike is your best bet!), past scenic landscapes and spectacular places to eat. From there, extending on to the Southern Flinders Ranges; a young wine region with around 20 growers, known for its Riesling.

Coriole Wines
Coriole is one of the many wineries to visit while in McLaren Vale.

Road-tripping to South Australia’s bright pink lakes

You may not know it, but scattered across the beautiful state of South Australia, are spectacular pink lakes, varying in florescent hues.

 

Travelling from Adelaide, the lakes (Lake MacDonnell, Lake Eyre, Lake Bumbunga, Lake Hart and Lake Albert) are located varying hours away. From a mere hour-and-40-minutes’ drive to Lake Bumbunga, to a short plane ride and 45 minutes by car to stunning Lake Eyre.

 

The bright pink hue is achieved thanks to a salt-loving algae, attracted to the high salinity levels found in the lakes – and voila, we’re pretty in pink!

Lake Bumbunga
Lake Bumbunga is one of South Australia’s most impressive pink lakes.

READ MORE: Everything you need to know about SA’s pink lakes

Stuart Highway, SA to NT

Caution, this has been labelled ‘the mother of all road trips’ – and we’re sure it’s not for the faint hearted. First set by John McDouall Stuart over 150 years ago, his journey took nine months north and another five months back to Adelaide – but yours won’t take nearly that long.

 

With a recommended driving time of 16 hours, and at least one recommended overnight stop, the trip down Stuart Highway is probably best enjoyed leisurely over two or three days. Why? With quirky outback towns, vast horizons and blue skies to take in, it’s not the kind of trip you want to rush. Major highlights include a dip at the Berry Springs National Park – and a drink at the Daly Waters Pub, which has been pouring lager since 1893.

 

With vast landscapes and limited reception, it’s the ultimate drive for self-reflection – just make sure to fill up your tank!

Stuart Hwy SA to NT
The famous Stuart Highway passing through the MacDonell Ranges in the Northern Territories.

Adelaide to The Prairie Hotel, SA

Food is undoubtedly the big reason many Australians make roads 470 kilometres north of Adelaide to South Australia’s Prairie Hotel. The menu changes seasonally, but obscurely, for 15 years passers-by have always been able to get the ‘Feral Mixed Grill.’

 

If you can kill it, they’ll grill it: kangaroo fillet, camel sausage and emu fillet mignon are piled high on a mound of gravy and mashed potato. Yep. Sir David Attenborough, Kate Winslet and Rachel Ward have all come by for a taste. However, for those who are about the scenery, the lookout to the Flinders Ranges is a sight to be seen.

 

Winter is said to be the best time to make the drive, due to the crisp, crystal clean air and perfect driving conditions. Make sure you stop for a tasting or two in the Clare Valley wine region on your travels – you can also walk or cycle along the Riesling Trail.

South Australia's iconic Prairie Hotel
Make your way to South Australia’s iconic Prairie Hotel.
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Mornington Peninsula’s storied past: war, shipwrecks and a runaway convict 

    Kellie FloydBy Kellie Floyd
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    The Mornington Peninsula is a coastline of contrasts, where convict and military history meets shipwrecks, wild seas and adventures above and below the surface.

    The Mornington Peninsula can be the kind of place where salt-tangled hair feels like a badge of honour – proof you’ve been somewhere wild, raw and real. Peel back the layers and you’ll discover stories that anchor this region to something other than its famed food and wine.

    This land is the traditional Sea Country of the Bunurong/Boon Wurrung people. Long before grapevines were planted and artisanal goods were crafted, the Bunurong Traditional Owners lived in deep connection with the land and sea. Today, places such as Mushroom Reef Marine Sanctuary echo that tradition, with families exploring its rockpools in search of colourful sea stars and crabs at low tide and learning how these fragile ecosystems have been cared for across countless generations.

    a group of people visiting the Port Nepean National Park
    Take in the rugged coastal landscape at Port Nepean National Park. (Image: Tourism Australia)

    A visit to Point Nepean National Park feels like stepping back through time. The fort, built in 1882, protected the narrow entrance to Port Phillip Bay until the end of the Second World War. It was here that the first Allied shot of the First World War was fired – at a German cargo ship trying to escape just hours after war was declared. Nearby, the old Quarantine Station, one of Australia’s first permanent quarantine facilities, established in 1852, still stands. Walking through the hospital and disinfecting complex evokes stories of those who arrived from faraway shores.

    Not far from here is a story of survival that inspired the Aussie phrase ‘you’ve got Buckley’s chance’. In 1803, escaped convict William Buckley vanished into the bush near what’s now Sorrento. Everyone thought he had no hope of surviving, but he reappeared 32 years later, having lived with local Aboriginal people.

    Even the waters here hold history. The infamous stretch known as The Rip, just three kilometres wide at the entrance of Port Phillip Bay, is among the most treacherous waterways. Countless ships were lost here in the 19th and early 20th centuries, and in 1967, Australia’s own Prime Minister Harold Holt disappeared while swimming off the coast, never to be found.

    a seal swimming in Port Phillip Bay
    A seal swimming in Port Phillip Bay. (Image: Tourism Australia/Two Palms/Harry Pope)

    But for all its danger, the sea here also holds extraordinary beauty. Dolphins are often seen near Sorrento’s cliffs, while below the surface, seagrass meadows and rocky reefs teem with life. Marine tours offer a viewing to this underwater wonderland, while back on terra firma, walking trails lead along beaches, through coastal scrub, and over rock pools.

    And if you think you’ll forget about the Mornington Peninsula once you’ve left? You’ve got Buckley’s chance.

    A traveller’s checklist

    Staying there

    the suite interior at InterContinental Sorrento
    Luxury interiors at the historic InterContinental Sorrento. (Image: Greg Elms)

    Point Nepean Discovery Tents is immersive glamping beside the historic Quarantine Station. Or upgrade to luxury at the 1875-built InterContinental Sorrento .

    Playing there

    an aerial view of Cape Schanck Lighthouse
    Make your way to the Cape Schanck Lighthouse. (Image: Tourism Australia/Two Palms/Harry Pope)

    Bayplay Adventure Tours offer eco-adventures from snorkelling with sea dragons to kayaking with dolphins and cycling Point Nepean. Cape Schanck Lighthouse is fascinating to explore on a guided tour, which takes you into the lighthouse and keeper’s cottage.

    Eating there

    Portsea Hotel is a beautifully restored 1876 Tudor-style pub right on the beach, serving seasonal local fare.