Fleurieu Peninsula

The Fleurieu Peninsula is one of South Australia’s most popular tourist spots. There are fine wineries, great scenery and coastline, and it’s handy enough to Adelaide to be a day trip and rewarding enough to be a destination.

McLaren Vale is the heart of the wine-growing region. It’s a bit more ‘business-like’ than the Barossa, but the cellar doors are welcoming. There are 53 wineries in the area from big names to boutiques, and red drinkers should go for the shiraz. An example of a boutique winery is Shottesbrooke Vineyards at McLaren Flat. It’s a small, family-owned winery in the foothills of the Southern Mount Lofty Ranges. It offers friendly, non-threatening tastings and a nice spot for a picnic among the vines in the restored pickers’ hut that has a fireplace for cooler days. There’s the Sea and Vines Festival in June and the Wine Bushing Festival in October.

Inland is the picturesque and historic town of Strathalbyn. ‘Strath’, as the locals call it, has a Scottish history dating back to 1839 and there are some 30 heritage-listed buildings. It’s another of those towns that tells you immediately that the residents are proud of where they live. There are some terrific little shops selling antiques, bric-a-brac and art and craft. Port Elliot and Willunga are also recommended for those on the arty-crafty trail.

Goolwa, on the last bend of the Murray, has charm, lots of historic buildings and a family-holiday feel. For a cheap thrill, grab a couple of fishing lines and some bread, and head to the river. It’s full of large, inedible carp, which are classified as pests (you can be fined for throwing them back!). You get the thrill of pulling in a good fish, then making friends with the local pelicans. Watching a pelican tackle a large fish is amazing. It turns the fish around in its bill to get the gills pointing in a smooth entry position, then swallows the fish whole.

You can drive on Goolwa beach in a four-wheel-drive (or with a car, a shovel and a few hefty blokes to give a push through the sandy entrance). If you want to try cockling, go to the shoreline and do a little twist with your feet. Mind you, chances are you will also strike the odd angry crab so be prepared for a wee nip. Cocklefest happens each November. Cafes, pubs and restaurants serve a variety of cuisine from fresh, local produce (Goolwa mussels, Galloway yabbies), as well as fine local wines.

Goolwa is popular with anglers, boaties and surfers and there’s some living history. You can take a Clydesdale wagon ride or hop on the Cockle Train (Steam Ranger) to Victor Harbour. There are river cruises to the mouth of the Murray River and there are a number of conservation parks for bushwalks, including the beginning of the Heysen Trail (1900km). The first horse-drawn railway in South Australia is on display in Cadell Street. It ran from Goolwa to Port Elliot in 1954.

Port Elliot is a charming little town that invites you in. Horseshoe Bay is a popular beach and, as the name suggests, is pretty sheltered. You can fish from the pier or the rocks and there’s a delightful café. The pie shop in town is also guaranteed to have a queue in the busier months. The pie shop in nearby Middleton consistently wins prizes for the State’s best pies. The one in Port Elliot doesn’t bother entering, so for some reason the locals think it’s better. For 10 minutes of high-speed fun you can drop into the go-kart track, if it’s still there. At the time of writing, the track’s insurance had risen from $2000 to $18 000 a year, even though there’d never been a claim, which could be enough to see the business close. There are good surf beaches at Middleton, Port Elliot, Goolwa and Newland Head.

It’s only 5 kilometres from Port Elliot to the much busier Victor Harbour. ‘Victor’ was the centre for whaling and sealing in the early 1800s. It’s now a popular holiday spot in summer and when southern right whales are migrating off the coast (June to October). You can walk or take the horse-drawn tram across the causeway to Granite Island where Little penguins have their rookeries.

Tours can be taken at sunset. It’s 70 kilometres from here to Cape Jervis, at the toe of the peninsula, to hop a ferry to Kangaroo Island.

More Information

For more information about South Australia:

• Events And Festivals
• Accommodation
• To See And Do
• Adelaide
• Barossa Valley
• Clare and beyond
• Kangaroo Island
• The Outback
• From Andamooka to Woomera

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