South Australia

South Australia, or “SA” as it is almost universally known, is a state of extraordinary contrasts. After a week in its capital, Adelaide, I’ve had a very enjoyable couple of days touring the state and exploring its alluring and varied landscapes.

SA is painted in a glorious and distinctly Australian palette: the soft blue of the sky, the rusty red of the soil, the pale yellow of the parched grass, the white of the eucalyptus bark, the various shades of green from the leaves and the vines, and the grey of the open road, which ripples in the heat haze. My photos don’t really do it justice, but I can assure you it was spectacular!

The highlight of my touring was a visit to Red Banks Conservation Park. A two hour drive from Adelaide, it only came to my attention due to a picture on the cover of the map I used to plan my trip (not from a jigsaw puzzle this time)! I’d thought the picture was of the deep Outback, so was excited to discover such scenery was accessible from a location already on my itinerary.

The park was reached down a 10km gravel track from the former copper-mining town of Burra, from where I picked up an information sheet. I didn’t see another human in the park, but was excited to spot two kangaroos and plenty of birds, including kingfishers. I was also spotted very quickly by legions of flies, so I spent most of my time there swotting these away!

I took a more scenic route back to Adelaide, through the Clare Valley wine region. The bright colour of the vines really stood out from the paler shades around them.

Yesterday, I joined a bus tour of another wine region, arguably Australia’s best known: the Barossa Valley (home of Jacob’s Creek)! This was greener, and the Adelaide Hills to its south even more so.

In Barossa we stopped at two wineries: Chateau Tanunda and Kies. At the latter we enjoyed a locally-sourced lunch, and at both we were treated to wine tastings that showcased the fine liquid produce of the region – and I discovered why South Australians rave about their sparkling reds!

Back in Adelaide, I experienced some altogether different landscapes: mangrove forests in a dolphin sanctuary and the rich flora of the botanic gardens.

I have now arrived in the fifth and final new state/territory of my stay in Australia: Victoria, where I will be spending the festive period. I will report back soon on a Melbourne Christmas, but in the meantime I wish everyone following my travels a very Merry Christmas: in the UK, Argentina, France, or indeed wherever in the world you may be!