Adelaide Hills Guides Attractions Events in South Australia

Drive Adelaide Hills's many scenic routes and you'll find picture postcard views at every turn. Enjoy some of the best cool climate wines in Australia. See koalas, kangaroos and enough cute native animals to melt your heart. Find gorgeous places to rest your head at the end of a gentle day of discovery.

Visit charming villages:

- Hahndorf for German heritage
- Woodside for antiques
- Stirling for the organic market and excellent shops
- Gumeracha for the Big Rocking Horse (voted best “Big Thing” in Australia)
- Bridgewater for the award-winning cellar door and restaurant at Bridgewater Mill
- Birdwood for the National Motor Museum
- Macclesfield for its Sunday market
- Norton Summit for the Scenic Hotel

Wine country

The cool climate wines of the Adelaide Hills are among the most prestigious in Australia. The region is home to more than 200 grape growers and 50 wine labels. Look out for famous names and cellar doors like Petaluma, Nepenthe, Shaw & Smith, Ashton Hills and Chain of Ponds.

Must visit:

Festivals and events

Experience the best of the hills at one of many great regional events. Try the Adelaide Hills Harvest Festival in February, the Oakbank Easter Racing Carnival, the Heysen Festival in October and the Lobethal Lights Christmas extravaganza.

Warrawong

At Warrawong Wildlife Sanctuary, Mylor, enjoy a self-guided walk between 9am and sunset. Take a guided nocturnal tour to see bilbies, brush-tailed bettongs, tammar wallabies and the shy platypus. The sanctuary is less than 30 minutes from Adelaide. It has a family picnic area, Bilby Café, accommodation and convention facilities.

Hills’ food trail

Adelaide Hills’ producers and chefs show off their skills on the Taste the Adelaide Hills Trail at restaurants, wineries, pubs and cafés. You’ll find local specialties at farmers’ markets throughout the region.

Hans Heysen's The Cedars

The Cedars is the former home of landscape artist, Sir Hans Heysen. The gardens and studio remain much the same as when Heysen lived there. It’s just outside the much loved heritage town of Hahndorf.

Aldgate has retained a historic feel, with the town's buildings now home to a selection of art and craft shops and restaurants. This Adelaide Hills village grew following the construction of the Aldgate Inn in 1864, now the Aldgate Pump.

Stangate House, built in 1840, features an extensive camelia garden and the town's deciduous trees are a delight in both spring and autumn.

And there's more to discover in the Adelaide Hills.

It's the home of boutique wineries, country markets, art galleries and charming villages. It's also the place for romantic weekends away, cosy pub meals, scenic drives and nature walks.

Children love the Adelaide Hills's giant rocking horse, National Motor Museum and wildlife parks.

Located only 20 minutes from Adelaide's central business district, the Adelaide Hills provide a wonderfully refreshing change from the pace of the city.

Balhannah is a pleasant Adelaide Hills village, popular for its roadside stalls, such as the Olde Apple Shed.

Balhannah boasts a renowned chocolate shop for pure indulgence. If wine tasting is your thing, be sure to visit Nepenthe Wines and Shaw and Smith, just out of town. The Balhannah Hotel is popular with locals. The Stanley Bridge Hotel and Maximilian’s Restaurant can be found nearby at Verdun.

Balhannah was founded by a Scottish immigrant named James Turnbull Thomas. There has long been controversy about the name he gave the village, since it may have been known at one time as Belhannah. His mother’s name was Belle and his sister was Hannah and Bel is Gaelic for village.

There is so much more to discover in the Adelaide Hills.

It's the home of boutique wineries, country markets, art galleries and charming villages. It's also the place for romantic weekends away, cosy pub meals, scenic drives and nature walks.

Children love the Adelaide Hills's giant rocking horse, National Motor Museum and wildlife parks.

Located only 20 minutes from Adelaide's central business district, the Adelaide Hills provide a wonderfully refreshing change from the pace of the city.

Birdwood is an attractive Adelaide Hills village that's home to the popular National Motor Museum.

This museum tells the history of motoring in Australia and has an excellent collection of vintage cars - more than 300 in fact. It’s set in a beautiful complex by the River Torrens. The museum hosts special events each year including the Bay to Birdwood "Run" vintage event, held in September on even years. This is one of the world's great historic motoring events, with a spectacular list of more than 1800 vintage vehicles, complete with passengers in period dress.

The Bay to Birdwood "Classic" is held in September on odd years. More than 2,000 classic motor vehicles follow the route from Glenelg to Birdwood, followed by a day of pure classic entertainment at the museum.

Birdwood is the major town in the eastern Adelaide Hills. You'll find a traditional Australian pub and gallery that displays work by local artists, plus several cafes you can stop in. There are some good bushwalking and cycling trails in the area, including the famous Mawson Trail which is over 900 kilometres in length.

Birdwood was initially named Blumberg by the German settlers who farmed the area in the late 1840s.

Nestled within the Adelaide Hills, Bridgewater provides a pleasant village retreat.

Delight in Bridgewater's European gardens and lines of deciduous trees along the creek.

Grab the brochure, "Two Walks in Bridgewater", which covers most of the historic buildings in Bridgewater including the Millers Cottage (1860), the Bridgewater Mill, the Bridgewater Inn, the General Store (1877) and the Old Police Station. Both walks are ideal ways to experience the beauty of the area.

The elegant Bridgewater Mill Restaurant provides exquisite meals and fine wine at this restored flour mill, where the giant waterwheel still turns. The Bridgewater Mill also houses the cellar door for Petaluma's famous wines and the cellars where the company's sparkling wines are made. Enjoy wine tasting and sit outside to dine while overlooking the spectacular waterwheel or inside the renovated historic building.

There is more to discover in the Adelaide Hills.

It's the home of boutique wineries, country markets, art galleries and charming villages. It's also the place for romantic weekends away, cosy pub meals, scenic drives and nature walks.

Children love the Adelaide Hills's giant rocking horse, National Motor Museum and wildlife parks.

Located only 20 minutes from Adelaide's central business district, the Adelaide Hills provide a wonderfully refreshing change from the pace of the city.

Largely regarded as the gateway to the Adelaide Hills, Crafers is one of the oldest towns in the region.

Adelaide’s highest peak, Mount Lofty Summit (710 metres), is a three minute drive from Crafers and there is an excellent Visitor Information Centre and cafe at its peak.

Other Crafers attractions include the Mount Lofty Botanic Gardens - which has an extensive collection of deciduous trees, rhododendrons and a fern gully - and wonderful Cleland Wildlife Park, where you can see and interact with South Australian wildlife, including koalas and kangaroos.

The nearby market gardens and vineyards of Piccadilly and Summertown provide an ideal backdrop for a scenic drive, and the picturesque Mount Lofty Golf Course is nearby.

Crafer's first building was the Sawyers Hotel, built by David Crafer in 1839 – just three years after South Australia was settled. The gathering place of ‘tiersmen’ (timber cutters) who worked the Stringy Bark forests that covered the hills, the pub was a popular haunt for the colony’s cattle thieves, sly grog merchants and bushrangers, who took refuge in the relative isolation of the Hills.

A village quickly grew around the pub and, in 1840, Crafers built a second inn – the Norfolk Hotel, but this burnt down in 1926. In 1880 the Crafers Inn was built and it has remained a popular watering hole to this day.

Once the most important gold fossicking area in South Australia, today Echunga is a pleasant farming town with historic buildings to admire.

The Jupiter Creek Heritage Trail interprets the mining craze that took place in the mid to late 1800s and includes visits to the 80 metre New Phoenix Tunnel and several old shafts. Don’t forget to take your torch! There’s also a heritage walk available in town, and a treasure market on the first Saturday of each month.

Surrounded by rich farmland and natural bushland, the 18 hole Echunga Golf Club is another attraction.

Echunga Golf Course covers 5,403 metres of well watered fairways in an Australian setting among large gum trees. 18 greens complement the par 70 course that will suit the average golfer, while providing a challenge to the more experienced. The course is available for play everyday with an honesty box available when the clubhouse is closed.

And there's more to discover in the Adelaide Hills.

It's the home of boutique wineries, country markets, art galleries and charming villages. It's also the place for romantic weekends away, cosy pub meals, scenic drives and nature walks.

Children love the Adelaide Hills's giant rocking horse, National Motor Museum and wildlife parks.

Located only 20 minutes from Adelaide's central business district, the Adelaide Hills provide a wonderfully refreshing change from the pace of the city.

Gumeracha in the Adelaide Hills is famed for its 18-metre high Giant Rocking Horse, which visitors can climb to survey the leafy surroundings.

Afterwards, wander through the toy factory featuring a wealth of charming wooden creations. Continue through the toy factory and into the adjoining wilderness park, where you can see (and feed) a variety of birds and animals.

Gumeracha is a town that is proud of its history. See beautifully restored buildings, including two churches. The Gumeracha and District History Centre holds a collection of photographs and paraphernalia.

There are also craft and antique shops, two winery cellar doors with restaurants at nearby Chain of Ponds, and various accommodation options.

And there's more to discover in the Adelaide Hills.

It's the home of boutique wineries, country markets, art galleries and charming villages. It's also the place for romantic weekends away, cosy pub meals, scenic drives and nature walks. Wander through the National Motor Museum and explore the local wildlife parks.

Located only 20 minutes from Adelaide's central business district, the Adelaide Hills provide a wonderfully refreshing change from the pace of the city.

One of the Adelaide Hills' most famous towns, Hahndorf is Australia’s oldest surviving German settlement. Old and new combine to present you a brilliant blend of activities.

There is still a strong German flavour in Hahndorf, most evident in the smallgoods outlets and German bakeries that line the bustling main street. Several boutique cellar doors have recently opened in the main street, and trendy eateries serve the freshest and best local produce.

Visit the former home and studio of artist Sir Hans Heysen - The Cedars. Take a guided tour of this gracious old home, still owned by the Heysen family. It houses a fine collection of paintings and drawings displaying Heysen's remarkable versatility in subject and medium. Also on the grounds, see Heysen's working studio, his painting materials and tools, sketches, notes and more.

Hahndorf has plenty of souvenir shops, craft outlets and galleries, including the Hahndorf Academy - a regional centre for the arts and heritage based in a charming 150-year-old building. Walk through its four galleries, migration museum, artist's studios, art classes and retail gallery.

Near Hahndorf, you can pick your own strawberries (in season) at Beerenberg and take the children to the Hahndorf Farm Barn, a combination of a children's farmyard and a nature wildlife park. You can interact with a wide variety of tame and friendly animals.

Just out of town you will also find several wineries producing magnificent examples of the cool climate wines the Adelaide Hills is famous for. No matter what you are after Hahndorf has it all.

Littlehampton is a charming small town in the Adelaide Hills of South Australia.

Littlehampton was laid out in 1849 by Benjamin Gray who named it after his native town in Sussex. By 1890 Littlehampton had become a busy industrial area. There were factories producing bricks, jam, sauces, bacon, wattle extract, a brewery and a sawmill supplementing the surrounding farming industry.

You will still find Littlehampton Bricks in operation on the main street, manufacturing high quality clay building bricks and pavers, as well as a range of refractory and insulating bricks which are distributed as far afield as Japan.

Make sure you are in Littlehampton on the second Saturday of each month when the Littlehampton market is held in the War Memorial Hall. Boasting over 25 stalls as well as Devonshire teas, drinks, a children’s playground and more, there is something for every-one.

Kids young and old will delight in the Platform One Heritage Farm Railway, where they can ride a miniature railway and learn about life on a farm.
For a peaceful walk and picnic spot look no further than Coppins Bush, the last reserve of actual native flora and fauna in Littlehampton.

Lobethal is famous for its Christmas spirit but you will find any-time is a great time to visit this picturesque town in the Adelaide Hills.

The Onkaparinga Woollen Mill, for which the town was once well known, is now a small business centre that is home to three local boutique winery cellar doors.

Co–located in The Mill you will find The Lobethal Bierhaus, a micro brewery, cellar door and restaurant. All of the brewery’s equipment is on display together with detailed descriptions of how its beer is made and the considerable history of brewing in Lobethal, which dates back to 1851. The restaurant serves an excellent range of dishes designed around local produce in a casual family friendly environment. In addition to its own award winning handcrafted beers (available on both draught and in bottle to take home), a selection of locally made wines, tea, coffee and soft drinks are also available.

Families will also enjoy Fairyland Village, which depicts fairy tales in life-sized displays and the National Costume Museum, which holds an amazing collection of clothing and accessories from the past two centuries.

Whilst in Lobethal, discover the fascinating Lobethal Archives and Historical Museum. It tells the story of both the German and English history of South Australia through displays and exhibits. Entry is via donation.

Of course every December Lobethal lights up when locals decorate homes and businesses with a myriad of coloured lights. Join thousands of visitors each year who come to celebrate the festive season.

Macclesfield is a small town in the leafy Adelaide Hills of South Australia.

You can wander the town with its historic buildings and old village feeling and enjoy a meal and a drink at one of the local historic hotels.

It still has wonderful examples of early stone architecture that remain as dwellings to this day and there are an abundance of good walks both in and around the village.

The Macclesfield Weekly Market is operated by the Battunga Country Growers' Market, held every Sunday. Grab fabulous home-grown, handmade, organic and fair trade produce.

You can drive to Macclesfield on the beautiful Angus River Scenic Drive (route B33). It takes about 45 minutes from the city of Adelaide.

And there's more to discover in the Adelaide Hills.

It's the home of boutique wineries, country markets, art galleries and charming villages. It's also the place for romantic weekends away, cosy pub meals, scenic drives and nature walks.

Children love the Adelaide Hills's giant rocking horse, National Motor Museum and wildlife parks.

Located only 20 minutes from Adelaide's central business district, the Adelaide Hills provide a wonderfully refreshing change from the pace of the city.

One of the fastest growing regional centres in Australia, Mount Barker is the retail hub of the Adelaide Hills.

Mount Barker is also a town rich in history. The Mount Barker Council Heritage Walk offers an insight into the history of the town, taking in the heritage buildings of Murray Street and Auchendarroch, built in 1878 by prominent South Australian Robert Barr Smith as the family’s summer residence. Restored to its former glory, it is now part of the Wallis entertainment complex.

Looming over the town is Mount Barker Summit, which has excellent views of the surrounding area. The Mount Barker Summit Scenic Drive takes in the Summit Conservation Park as well as the Laratinga Wetlands, where there is a good linear walk. Families will enjoy a visit to Keith Stephenson Park, which has picnic facilities and South Australia’s largest skate park.

Mount Barker is also the home of Steamranger - a vintage steam-powered train that travels to Strathalbyn, Goolwa and Victor Harbor - and a tree-lined 18-hole golf course. And more recently, the town has become known as the home of leading natural skincare company Jurlique.

Pubs, restaurants, petrol stations, supermarkets and speciality shops can all be found here, as well as sporting facilities, a hospital and several banks.

Mount Torrens is one of the Adelaide Hills's most well preserved historic towns.

Declared a State Heritage town by the South Australian government, Mount Torrens's main street is lined with picture perfect 19th century buildings including an old inn, flour mill and several private homes. Today small acre farming, dairying and grape growing are the main industries and there is also a Clydesdale Stud near the town.

Mount Torrens is halfway between Adelaide and the Murray River, which saw it become a popular staging point for bullock teams travelling from the river. It was settled in 1853 by George Dunn. In the 1860s gold was discovered and this led to a population boom.

And there's more to discover in the Adelaide Hills.

It's the home of boutique wineries, country markets, art galleries and charming villages. It's also the place for romantic weekends away, cosy pub meals, scenic drives and nature walks.

Children love the Adelaide Hills's giant rocking horse, National Motor Museum and wildlife parks.

Located only 20 minutes from Adelaide's central business district, the Adelaide Hills provide a wonderfully refreshing change from the pace of the city.

Visit Mylor in the Adelaide Hills. The fully licenced Mylor Cafe is a nice spot to stop for meal.

Don't miss the nearby Warrawong Wildlife Sanctuary, set on 14 hectares of natural bushland. Take a guided dawn or dusk walk, enjoy the restaurant, or even stay overnight in its bush cabin accommodation. Depending on the time of day, you might see bettongs, potteroos, native birds, wallabies, reptiles and platypus.

Selected as the ideal spot for a town development by former Surveyor-General, Sir George Woodroffe Goyder, Mylor was established in 1891. Initially referred to as Warrakilla, the town’s name changed to Mylor after the Acting Governor’s Cornish birthplace. Interestingly, it was perhaps the only town in the Adelaide Hills not to have a pub – its largely Methodist population resisting the temptation.

There is more to discover in the Adelaide Hills.

It's the home of boutique wineries, country markets, art galleries and charming villages. It's also the place for romantic weekends away, cosy pub meals, scenic drives and nature walks.

Children love the Adelaide Hills's giant rocking horse, National Motor Museum and wildlife parks.

Located only 20 minutes from Adelaide's central business district, the Adelaide Hills provide a wonderfully refreshing change from the pace of the city.

Nairne, in the scenic Adelaide Hills, has historic buildings lining the main street, including the town’s first school which opened in 1851, and the Miller’s Arms Hotel.

There’s a good antique shop and a blacksmith shop selling wrought iron wares in Nairne, along with an excellent nursery, which specialises in roses and hydrangeas on the outskirts of town.

Named after founder Matthew Smillie’s wife, Elizabeth Nairne, this is a rapidly growing town with a rich history. Famous as a wheat growing area, the old Albert Mill is an impressive structure, showcasing historical architecture. In the late 19th century the Chapman’s Smallgoods Factory became a major employer and continued to be until its closure in 2002.

There is more to discover in the Adelaide Hills.

It is the home of boutique wineries, country markets, art galleries and charming villages. It's also the place for romantic weekends away, cosy pub meals, scenic drives and nature walks.

Children love the Adelaide Hills's giant rocking horse, National Motor Museum and wildlife parks.

Located only 20 minutes from Adelaide's central business district, the Adelaide Hills provide a wonderfully refreshing change from the pace of the city.

Surrounded by apple and cherry orchards, Norton Summit is home to beautiful 19th century homes and quaint cottages, some of which offer bed and breakfast accommodation.

At the centre of the Norton Summit is the Scenic Hotel. Its balcony offers stunning views over the Hills to Adelaide.

At nearby Ashton, Marble Hill is now privately owned and there are plans for it to be rebuilt. There are several public open days each year, including the gourmet food and wine picnic at Marble Hill in November. For more information please see the Marble Hill website.

Further afield, bushwalkers will enjoy a visit to the Horsnell Gully Conservation Park, while Morialta Conservation Park is popular with rock climbers. More information on what to see and do in the area can be found at the Adelaide Hills Natural Resource Centre in Norton Summit.

One of the oldest towns in South Australia, Norton Summit was settled in 1837 just months after European settlement by Englishman Robert Norton. The town is also a family home of former South Australian Premier Sir Thomas Playford.

Oakbank is the site of the biggest picnic race meeting in the southern hemisphere, the Oakbank Easter Racing Carnival.

Oakbank is an attractive Adelaide Hills town housing two historical breweries – one now selling cordials and soft drinks to the public and the other home to the Oakbank Weaver, where hand woven textiles and tapestries are produced on eight large looms.

Every Easter, the Oakbank racecourse brings thousands to the town to see the Great Eastern Steeplechase.

The Oakbank Heritage Walk takes in all the historic sights, including a 130-year-old oak tree that is listed on the National Trust’s Register of Significant Trees. There’s also a nine-hole golf course, said to be one of the best of its kind in the country.

During the two days of the Oakbank Easter Racing Carnival, the racecourse erupts with an explosion of racing, sideshows, fashion, picnics, friends and families. It attracts thousands of people. The centre of the course becomes a "Disneyland", a place of fun and fantasia for the young and not so young.

There is more to discover in the Adelaide Hills.

It's the home of boutique wineries, country markets, art galleries and charming villages. It's also the place for romantic weekends away, cosy pub meals, scenic drives and nature walks.

Children love the Adelaide Hills's giant rocking horse, National Motor Museum and wildlife parks.

Located only 20 minutes from Adelaide's central business district, the Adelaide Hills provide a wonderfully refreshing change from the pace of the city.

Pretty Stirling, in the Adelaide Hills, is home to some of South Australia’s most beautiful homes.

Stirling became popular with Adelaide’s wealthy residents in the 1800s, who built summer houses to escape the heat of the plains in the late nineteenth century. A walk through Stirling will reveal many of these homes, including some that have been converted to bed and breakfast accommodation.

The tree-lined main street, a riot of colour in both spring and autumn, has a good collection of cafes, restaurants and shops. Many of Stirling's magnificent ‘English’ gardens are accessible to visitors via the Open Garden Scheme.

On the fourth Sunday of each month Druids Avenue is closed off for the Stirling Market, with local produce, plants and homemade wares, the atmosphere is relaxed and enjoyable.

There is more to discover in the Adelaide Hills.

It's the home of boutique wineries, country markets, art galleries and charming villages. It's also the place for romantic weekends away, cosy pub meals, scenic drives and nature walks.

Children love the Adelaide Hills's giant rocking horse, National Motor Museum and wildlife parks.

Located only 20 minutes from Adelaide's central business district, the Adelaide Hills provide a wonderfully refreshing change from the pace of the city.

Woodside is a popular town with plenty on offer, including several pubs, antique shops, cafes and accommodation. A country market is held on the third Sunday of each month.

A kilometre or so out of town, Heritage Park houses several interesting attractions, including Melba’s Chocolate Factory and Woodside Chees Wrights. Melba's offers tastings and demonstrations of chocolate and lolly-making using antique equipment.

Details on what to see and do in the area can be found at the Woodside Visitor Information outlet in the main street.