Barossa Guides Attractions Events in South Australia

Angaston is a gracious tree-lined town, offering a reminder of the things of the past, and also a vibrant community in tune with today, with a firm focus on welcoming visitors and providing for your comfort.

A leisurely stroll through Angaston is all it takes to find some of the best food on offer in the Barossa - choose from intimate surrounds to alfresco dining.

Start the day with a visit to Blond Coffee, a tasting at the Barossa Valley Cheese Company, browse through Antiques and More and other speciality and craft shops. Do lunch or dinner at Vintners Bar & Grill, awarded ‘Best Regional Restaurant’ in South Australia at the 2005 + 2006 SA Restaurant & Catering Awards.

The Barossa Farmers Market on a Saturday morning is famous for fresh, locally grown and made produce, an absolute must. Get there early, you won’t be disappointed. Australia’s oldest family owned winery, Yalumba, is here and in Angaston's main street you’ll find the cellar door for Small Fry Wines and a regional showcase at ‘Taste Eden Valley’.

The Barossa Rose & Flower Show is held each year in Angaston, which is also home to The Barossa Old Rose Repository. Here, old rose varieties found in local gardens, on roadsides and in cemeteries are propagated and growing. Old plant treasures are continually being assembled in this public garden that is open to the public to enjoy, just off Hannay Crescent. There is a terrific selection of B&Bs as you’ll need a rest after all of the activity Angaston has to offer.

The Barossa offers everything you'd expect from Australia's most famous wine region. On your Barossa holiday, you can encounter winemakers waiting to share their secrets at the cellar door; landscapes etched with manicured vineyards; passionate food producers proffering their wares at country markets; and grand chateaux surrounded by ornate gardens. And it's all just an hour from Adelaide.

The Barossa owes much of its appeal to the European peasant farmers and English free settlers who made the place home from the 1850s. You'll get a taste of their rich cultural legacy in superb Barossa specialty foods, dozens of festivals and events, historic architecture and inspiring arts and antique galleries.

Take a winery tour in a limousine or vintage car, or float above the valley in a hot-air balloon. Wake up in the Barossa Valley after spending the night in a restored settler's cottage, a resort suite, a luxurious country house or a shady caravan park - the Barossa offers a wealth of accommodation options. Sample German wursts and cakes in heritage bakeries and butcher stores as you follow the Barossa's Butcher, Baker, Winemaker Trail. And get right into the swing of things at one of the 100 events making up the biennial Barossa Vintage Festival.

Home of Australian Wine:
During your Barossa holiday, enjoy driving among vines tended by the Barossa's 500 grape growing families (many sixth-generation). Stop at tiny boutique wineries where top drops are sold out within weeks of their launch. Have your photo taken beside the real Jacob's Creek. Visit the new $5 million Wolf Blass Visitor Centre, or any of the 60 sensational cellar doors with household names like Peter Lehmann, Henschke, Seppelt, Yaldara and Yalumba.

Chateaux Boxing:
What’s a wine region without a chateau or three? The divine buildings and grounds of Chateau Yaldara house a new cafe and larder; the magnificently restored Chateau Tanunda has a gorgeous cricket oval and croquet lawn, and is also home to the Barossa Small Winemakers Centre; Seppeltsfield, one of Australia's grandest wine chateaux, began life as a dairy in 1851; and Chateau Barossa’s parklands feature more than 20,000 rose bushes of more than 2000 varieties.

Get a taste of Maggie Beer:
Marvel at the magic of Maggie Beer, one of Australia’s favourite cooks and writers, and a pioneering champion of Barossa regional cuisine. In her Farm Shop near Nuriootpa, you'll find Maggie's gourmet products and award-winning books, and enjoy great coffee and lunch overlooking the lake.

The lie of the Land:
See the patchwork of vineyards and farms from the lookout on Mengler Hill. The many spires that punctuate the landscape remind you just how important worship was (and still is) to the Barossa community. The road continues as the scenic route to Angaston. Mengler Hill Lookout is located east of Tanunda and west of Angaston.

Barossa Farmers Market:
Rise and shine with the Barossa Farmers Market, held every Saturday morning from 7.30am to 11.30am and boasting 'real food from the homes and farms of the Barossa'. Located just behind Vintners Bar & Grill near Angaston, it's a food-only market reflecting the heritage and traditions of the region.

Events Aplenty:
The Barossa has a calendar of events large and small. The biennial vintage festival celebrates the harvest in every town. Barossa under the Stars features a top international performer (past stars include Rod Stewart and Elton John) and fine local hospitality. And the Barossa Gourmet Weekend unites cooks, chefs and restaurants with wineries to present the best of each. Search for Barossa events on our events listing.

Whisper at a Wall:
Whisper sweet nothings on the Whispering Wall, just outside the quaint little town of Williamstown. An engineering marvel, the wall is a perfect ellipse and allows messages whispered at one end to be heard 140 metres away at the other. Built in 1902, the wall is 39 metres high and the top concrete section is reinforced with old tram rails.

The small village of Bethany is the site of the first German settlement in the Barossa. It is one of the few surviving examples of a ‘hufendorf’, a democratic form of Silesian village layout, where each family had its own long strip of land stretching from the main street in front of the cottage to a common pasture bordered by a creek. Beautiful Herberge Christi Church is a focal point, alongside the old school buildings and opposite the pioneer cemetery with its distinctive 18th century revivalist ornamentation. The street is still lined with many early cottages (most now private residences), with some faithful examples of early German peasant architecture. Towards the hills is Bethany Reserve, a popular, peaceful and shady picnic location. The Bethany Vineyard, owned by the fifth generation of the Schrapel family is nestled into the ranges at the top of Bethany Road and offers sweeping valley views.

The original settlement of Arno Vale was settled by John Hallett in 1840 on the fringe of where the current settlement lies. It was later named for the flocks of cockatoos that congregated in the ancient old gums surrounding the town. Its convenient rural location – only 8km from Gawler – has seen recent land subdivisions for people seeking a country lifestyle. Sandy Creek and Para Wirra Conservation Parks and Barossa Goldfields are a short drive away, and the local general store can provide fuel and provisions seven days a week.

Known as the Garden of Grapes and Gums, Eden Valley is one of the Barossa’s most picturesque small townships. Stands of magnificent old redgums are a feature of this area, interweaving the numerous small vineyards which produce some of the world’s finest Riesling and Merlot. Take a peaceful view across the town and vineyards from the Scenic Lookout, admire the lovely stonework of the photogenic St Petri Lutheran Church, and sample some of Irvine’s wines from the unique pub-cum-cellar door, The Eden Valley Hotel. Take a walk through the nearby Kaiser Stuhl National Park…it's just a couple of kilometres up the road and you’re bound to see a roo or two!

Wheat and women have put the town of Freeling firmly on the map, cementing its place in both reflective and modern history.

Freeling was the 'home' of Australian TV show McLeod's Daughters and the Gungellan Hotel. It's a quaint rural town with many historical buildings. You can wander the heritage streets at leisure, or follow the walking trail and learn about Freeling's rich farming history.

A growing number of visitors are heading straight for the Gungellan Hotel - as seen by fans of McLeod's Daughters in some 100 countries. The pub and streets of Freeling featured regularly in the McLeod shooting schedules, with nearby Kapunda and Roseworthy occasionally being called into the action. The proprietors of the Gungellan Hotel (formerly The Railway) are well used to answering questions from the series' many fans; souvenirs are available to purchase.

If you're wondering, the McLeod's station 'Drover's Run' lay some 15 kilometres to the south-west, filmed on a real property called Kingsford. But the local countryside is one of the major stars of the show - and free for everyone to enjoy!

Freeling is set on gently rolling hills and in the early 1900s it was the largest hay producing centre in the state, with haystacks so large they could be seen for miles. Nowadays, although the haystacks have diminished in size, the town’s popularity has boomed as it is the main setting for the award-winning television series, McLeod’s Daughters.

Gawler is a picturesque well-planned country town, delightfully located below the Mount Lofty Ranges where the rivers of the North Para and South Para join.

Gawler is the oldest country town in South Australia, established in 1839, and contains the Church Hill State Heritage Area and majestic historic buildings. The town is, and has been since earliest colonial times, the hub of a prosperous agriculture region with its idyllic location just 43km north of Adelaide and on the main metropolitan train line.

While in Gawler, enjoy the largest and most diverse service and shopping experience in the Barossa tourism region with modern shopping complexes, boutique retail outlets, commercial services, arts, crafts and gourmet food. Whether you’re looking for the region’s cinema, indoor swimming pool or a meander through manicured parklands which abound with family playgrounds, then Gawler is the place for you.

As the sun sets Gawler continues to thrive with 10 historic hotels offering Adelaide’s finest live bands and attractions. Community markets, galleries, micro-lights, gliders, horse-racing, local and major events, it is all here in the one town. Gawler’s Visitor Information Centre on Lyndoch Road is open seven days, phone (08) 8522 9260.

Nestled in the heart of western Barossa, Greenock is a picturesque village sometimes referred to as a ‘little Scotland in the Barossa’. The name Greenock literally means ‘sunny hill’ and is derived from the Gaelic, Grain (meaning sun) and Cnoc (which means hill). The town’s oval, with its magnificent restored grandstand hosts some of the region’s most competitive cricket and soccer matches and the shady recreation park is a popular spot for picnics and gatherings. The village green is a popular spot in the centre of town where once a year the town comes alive with the energy and power of the Tour Down Under which races by, giving the world a glimpse of this beautiful piece of the Barossa. The silos, mill and wheat store are still standing, reminiscent of the days when Greenock served as a hub for the grain trade and farming community. Time has passed, but Greenock still has a comfortable village feel, with the local tavern being the regular meeting place for many locals. Travellers are guaranteed a warm welcome whether or not they are staying in the region or just passing through. In recent years, Greenock has developed into a popular destination for those wanting to experience something a little different with ‘olde worlde’ charm. Greenock is home to a new boutique beer brewery, the Barossa Brewing Company. Located in the historic 1860s wheat store it is open for tastings and sales on weekends, with the owners happy to give visitors a tour, if they are interested. Another great place to visit and linger is Murray Street Vineyards; its cellar door is set in the centre of a working winery and opens onto a decking with vineyards so close you could reach out and touch them. For most days of the year, visitors can taste some of their unique wines and indulge in delicious local produce and cheese platters or a freshly brewed coffee; it is total decadence!

Set amidst big gum country on the road to the Murray River, Keyneton is a pretty country village of just a dozen or so buildings - most of them dating from the mid-late 1800s. The town was named after English pastoralist Joseph Keynes, who had taken up the land in the early 1840s and whose descendants still continue to live and farm in the area. Keyneton's newest attraction is Brasserie Moustache. The eccentric name appropriately prepares you for the idiosyncrasies of the brasserie, from the Gallic paraphernalia garnishing the interior of the 128-year-old building, to the French inspired ever-changing menu. Bookings are recommended. A short four kilometre drive away is the historic C.A. Henschke winery, home to the world- famous Hill of Grace Shiraz.

Surrounded by lush vineyards on the flats east of Nuriootpa, the hamlet of Light Pass has some of the most authentic buildings remaining in the region. The mud and straw schoolhouse built in 1846 still stands, along with a group of wattle and daub farm buildings and thatched-roofed barns dating from the 1860s. In the centre of the settlement is Luhrs Cottage, an original German settler’s home built in 1848 for the town’s fi rst Lutheran schoolteacher. The cottage has been painstakingly restored as a local museum and is open to the public seven days a week. A regular and popular event on the Barossa Calendar is ‘Sunday Funday’ at Gibson Wines, a short drive from the main street on Willows Road. Be entertained by live music that will get your feet tapping, play petanque, or lounge around and enjoy the atmosphere. Scrumptious Barossa platters are available to complement Gibson wine. Call the Barossa Visitor Information Centre to check dates.

If your quest is to experience a country town that has evolved with the times into a mecca of contemporary ambience, but maintained its English foundations and strong German influences, then Lyndoch is the place for you. Nestled at the fertile base of the Barossa Ranges, the town once featured the first flour mill north of Adelaide. This rich soil today boasts several of the Barossa’s finest wineries. Be tempted by Yaldara, equipped with cellar door, café, larder, wine tunnel and brewery, or Kies Winery, famous for not just the wine, but also the Monkey Nut Café & Tea Rooms. If nature is more your thing then roam through and enjoy the aromatic smells of the Lyndoch Lavender Farm. To see it all from the sky let Barossa Helicopters satisfy that little thrill seeker in us all. Wander the heritage walk, see the historical society display, or visit the arts centre. Get your traditional German bread at the local bakery, pick up a stick of South Australia’s award-winning best smoky mettwurst and breathe the fresh air on the village green.

If you’re after a pleasant drive through picturesque open countryside, it's hard to beat the 12 kilometre journey from Angaston north-east to Moculta. Sweeping cropping and grazing land studded with gum trees is interspersed with vineyards as the road winds gently to the rural settlement.

Admire Moculta's heritage buildings including the original blacksmith shop, Lutheran school and former post office and general store.

Moculta sits within one of the most recognised regions in Australia - the Barossa - home to premium wine and food. To visit the Barossa is to taste the good things in life. Come for a romantic escape, to relax and unwind, or for some outdoor adventure.

Sheep, cattle, horses, goats, alpacas … if they’ve got four legs and eat grass they thrive on the gum-studded hills surrounding the town of Mount Pleasant.

Mount Pleasant is a bustling Barossa country town servicing a grazing and cropping region. It's home to one of South Australia's largest annual agricultural shows - the Mount Pleasant Show. It's complete with stock judging, sideshows and local produce.

A little more horse-power comes to town each August, as Mount Pleasant oval becomes the service park for the Toyota Rally SA motor event. The base for the team service crews, you’ll see engines changed in the blink of an eye, and have a chance to get up close and personal with the cars and their drivers.

If you’re just out for a quiet meander, however, you can’t beat a wander through the fascinating antique shops in Mount Pleasant’s leafy main street.

The Barossa region itself is the wine capital of Australia, a place where you can get a real taste for the finer things in life.

It's a place where you can enjoy world-class cuisine and the globally-awarded wines at the region's luxury hotels and top restaurants. You can visit the famous Barossa Farmer's Markets, and discover a new drop at boutique cellar doors. And you can learn a few gourmet cooking tips yourself at cooking classes hosted by some of the nation's most accomplished chefs.

Once you've satisfied your tastebuds, take the opportunity to explore the Barossa countryside. Get in touch with nature with a hiking adventure in its national parks, or test your golfing skills on one of the top greens.

The Barossa is also home to a thriving arts culture. You can learn about this rich history at the region's museums, or see the best contemporary work at art stores and galleries - the perfect chance to take a piece of the Barossa back home.

Nuriootpa means ‘the meeting place’ and there is no better place to meet and start exploring the Barossa than here.

Surrounded by vineyards the town with its vine-lined main street is an amazing array of colours during autumn. This is the business centre of the Barossa with an impressive range of facilities and services, including the Barossa Community Store. Nuriootpa is home to some of the region’s best-known cellar doors including Penfolds, Elderton and, just a few kilometres from the town, Wolf Blass Visitor Centre.

Dine in at one of the many eateries or ‘dine out’ and enjoy a delicious picnic of local produce - there are some great spots to relax and soak up the fresh country air including Coulthard and Tolley Reserves, or take a leisurely stroll along the Linear Path. If you have a green thumb, be sure to visit Barossa Bushgardens to see how you can use local plant species and native Australian plants to create a stunning garden at home.

Originally known as German Pass, Penrice was settled by Cornish migrants and named after their homeland. Its elevated position provides exceptional views over the Barossa Valley and while land has been highly sought after for residential use grazing sheep and majestic gums still dot the landscape. The Union Chapel on Penrice Road was completed in 1844 and is claimed to be the oldest surviving church in the Barossa. Sponsored by George Fife Angas himself, in the hope that all Christians would form a single church, the chapel has, at various times, been a dance hall, fruit storehouse, home and shearing shed. It has now been restored by the local community and is a popular venue for weddings, christenings and regular Sunday church services.

Many of Australia’s best-known winemakers learned their art at Roseworthy Agricultural College, a 1600ha working farm and university north of Gawler. Established in 1883, the college was the first of its kind in Australia, teaching oenology (winemaking), viticulture (grape growing) and agricultural studies. Wine industry education has now moved to the Waite Campus of the University of Adelaide and Roseworthy Campus has become internationally renowned as a centre for excellence in dryland farming and animal production.

This small town rests in a landscape of low hills on the valley floor between Lyndoch and Tanunda.

See the contrast between historical buildings and farmhouse and the modern facilities of the impressive Orlando Wyndham Winery. Established in 1877, the winery is the home to one of Australia’s best-known wine brands, Jacob’s Creek. The famous creek is nearby and is where Johann Gramp first planted vines in 1847.

Learn more about the wine at the modern Jacob’s Creek Visitor Centre on the road between Rowland Flat and Tanunda. There is an interactive display on winemaking, viticulture and the region’s history, which complements the wine tasting experience.

The region’s largest accommodation property, the Novotel Barossa Valley Resort is located at Rowland Flat, adjacent to the Tanunda Pines Golf Club - there are magnificant vineyard and rural views from both.

Drive along Seppeltsfield Road and discover why it’s often called Palm Avenue. Luxury accommodation and a variety of vineyards offering cellar door and winery tours make Seppeltsfield Road the place to wine, dine, play and stay in the Barossa. Seppeltsfield and Marananga are home to one of the region’s most scenic drives. The huge date palms lining the road were planted to provide work for local families during the depression and now provide a stunning landscape popular with photographers. The Seppelt Family Mausoleum, built on the highest hill overlooking the Seppeltsfi eld Valley, was completed in 1927 by the employees of B Seppelt & Sons. It is now the repository for a majority of the Seppelt Family descendants. You can learn the fascinating story of the family by taking one of the tours at nearby Seppelt Winery. Another landmark, Gnadenfrei Lutheran Church has been servicing the community of Marananga for 130 years and visitors are welcome to Sunday morning services and community events. This part of the Barossa is home to Maggie Beer’s Farm Shop where you can sample and buy the locally made produce and books of this well-known Australian food identity. If you get there in the afternoon, don’t miss the cooking demonstration at 2pm – there’s one on everyday. For lovers of events, Shakespeare in the Vines has become an annual midsummer performing arts treat on the Barossa calendar each January at the Seppelt Winery. And equally as popular are the Australia Day (January 26) celebrations at multi-award winning Whistler Wines.

A sleepy hamlet in the hills east of the Barossa Ranges, Springton is renowned for two very different beverages – milk and wine. The high rainfall produces lush green pastures and dairy farming has been the backbone of the region’s economy since the 1850s. Herds of Holstein-Fresian cows are still run on the land today.

The rich soil – said to be similar to that on the Rhine – and elevated position is also excellent for viticulture, with white varieties, in particular, gaining an outstanding reputation. Modern vignerons in the region are among the Barossa’s most adventurous, and are keenly experimenting with Viognier and other lesser-known varietals.

Intersperse your exploration of local wines with visits to the Herbig Family Tree, a huge old hollow gum tree which was the first home of the Herbig family, and historic Friedensberg Church with its fascinating pioneer cemetery.

Silos and a towering church spire rising high above golden wheat fields mark the hamlet of Stockwell, at the base of the Barossa Range.

The local hotel is a friendly place for travellers to relax over a good pub meal and drink.

Stockwell sits within one of Australia's most recognised regions - the Barossa. Come here for a romantic escape, to relax and unwind, or for some outdoor adventure. Explore the wineries throughout the region, strike out on walking trails through rich landscapes, or enjoy a meal in one of the region's acclaimed restaurants.

Historically, picturesque Tanunda has always been the heart of the Barossa region, and its history is only a small part of its charms.

Tanunda is a vibrant and growing community and is home to some of Australia’s and the world’s best-loved wines. There’s also a thriving café culture, some great eateries and a happy pub scene to tempt visitors.

Explore the magnificently restored Chateau Tanunda, now home to a modern function centre, as well as a showcase for the Barossa’s boutique wineries. You can even get a sporting fix in Tanunda. Join the locals cheering for the Tanunda Magpies football club on weekends, discover the old German sport of kegel, or see the Tour Down Under, Australia’s premier cycling classic.

If you’re looking for history, great food, memorable wines, fun times and friendly faces, you’ll find a brilliant blend in Tanunda. You’ll also find the Barossa Visitor Information Centre right in the centre of Tanunda’s main street, where you can get friendly advice on everything you want to know about the Barossa.

The gateway of the Barossa from the northeastern end of the region, Truro lies in the ranges 14km northeast of Nuriootpa. The town was settled in 1850 by Cornish miners keen to make their fortunes from copper found nearby, but the unsuccessful mines were soon abandoned for cereal farming and grazing. The town has recently become a Mecca for lovers of olives – a thriving new Barossa industry – and, with the Sturt Highway running straight up the main street, it is a convenient stop for visitors travelling to or from the Barossa. Visitors can stay overnight in the lovingly restored Maison Cottages. History buffs can visit the Sturt Memorial Cairn, one of a chain of commemorative cairns erected in 1944 along the route of the famous expedition to Central Australia led by Captain Charles Sturt, or explore the interesting buildings dating back to the 1850s.

A pretty little hamlet at the southern edge of the Barossa, Williamstown is better known for its timber than its wine, being at the centre of the local pine forest industry. Many of the original stone buildings in the town centre are still in use, including the hotel, first licensed in 1854, and Cundy’s Bridge, built in 1867 over Victoria Creek. Nearby Mount Crawford Forest is a major attraction with walking, cycling and horse riding trails. Of special interest is the Whispering Wall, the huge curved retaining\ wall of the Barossa Reservoir that’s about 140 metres long and an acoustic miracle. You can speak in a normal voice and people at the other end of the wall can hear you clearly – of course, you’ll need someone to hear you do it, so go with a friend. Fishing in the South Para Reservoir requires a permit which can be purchased at the local newsagency and general store. New to the town is Dragonfly Antiques which brings a taste of Asia to the Barossa through an eclectic collection of imported gifts and furniture. Williamstown offers a choice of bed and breakfast and caravan park accommodation and is an ideal base for exploring the vineyards, wineries, walking trails and beautiful parks of the Barossa.