Road trip to recovery: touring KI and the Adelaide Hills

How a weekend away could help rebuild a region.

By Samuel Smith
Published: Wednesday, February 5, 2020

Balmy days, stunning scenery and backseat drivers – there’s nothing like an Aussie road trip.

Whether you’re looking to spend your days chilling by the coast or sipping world-famous wine, South Australia’s regions boast an abundance of beauty.

But now, more than ever, 2 need your help.

Kangaroo Island – known as South Australia’s zoo without the fences – and the Adelaide Hills – home to some of the country’s best cool-climate wine – were ravaged by bushfires in December and January.

Koalas in the Adelaide Hills. Image: SATC
Koalas in the Adelaide Hills. Image: SATC

But as both regions’ economies rely heavily on tourism, helping out couldn’t be easier – or more inviting. Simply load up your car, hit the road and spend a weekend exploring, indulging and relaxing in your own backyard.

Your next weekend away could do a world of good.

A weekend on Kangaroo Island

Tragically, December and January’s fires scorched more than 215,000 hectares of bushland on Kangaroo Island, but plenty of experiences and attractions are still open for business.

Explore

Kangaroo Island is one of the best places in Australia to spot dolphins, sea lions, whales and a huge array of birdlife. Witness them all in stunning coastal surrounds with Kangaroo Island Ocean Safari.

Back on land, hit the trails with Kangaroo Island Outdoor Action, riding through 500 acres of winding bush trails, open grassland and rocky terrain. If you’re feeling daring, hop on a sandboard and surf the massive dunes at Little Sahara.

Kangaroo Island Outdoor Action. Image: SATC
Kangaroo Island Outdoor Action. Image: SATC

Kangaroo Island Wildlife Park is where the wild things really are. Hand-feed kangaroos and wallabies, cuddle koalas and get up-close to dingoes, reptiles, echidnas and wombats. The wildlife park has even set up a fundraiser to help buy medication and care for animals hurt in the fires.

Indulge

Grab a glass of liquid gold at Kangaroo Island Spirits – South Australia’s first boutique distillery. Take your pick from 8 liqueurs, 4 vodkas and 5 premium gins, many of which have won major international awards.

Mouth-watering food isn’t hard to find on Kangaroo Island. Sink your teeth into the best of the best at Sunset Food and Wine – recipients of a prestigious Chef Hat from the Australian Good Food Guide in 2017.

Kangaroo Island Spirits. Image: SATC
Kangaroo Island Spirits. Image: SATC

Over in Penneshaw, Millie Mae’s Pantry is a guaranteed great feed, while False Cape Wines offers indulgent drinking and dining and an exciting nature playground for kids.

Relax

If you’re visiting Kangaroo Island in summer, you’re going to want to bring your bathers. Pennington Bay and Emu Bay’s waters are as crystal-clear as ever, while the powdery white sands of Vivonne Bay – once voted Australia’s best beach – remain irresistible.

Seal Bay is a natural treasure and one of the few places in the world where you can walk among sea lions. Still open to the public, witness these creatures up close as they bask on the sand.

Tired from all the exploring? Get some shut eye at Emu Bay Holiday Homes; a range of fully self-contained holiday houses with stunning coastal views.

Relaxing at Seal Bay. Image: SATC
Relaxing at Seal Bay. Image: SATC

A weekend in the Adelaide Hills

Fire ripped through the Adelaide Hills in December and January, but the region is still bursting with life. For the most part, it’s business as usual.

Explore

See iconic Mount Lofty from a new perspective on an Escapegoat Adventures Lofty Descents by Bike tour. Grab a coffee at the summit, then ride down to Adelaide, whizzing through stunning native bushland.

Make a pit stop at Cleland Wildlife Park. Feed lazing kangaroos, cuddle koalas and wander the massive 35-hectare park, encountering free-roaming furry friends along the way.

Mountain biking at Mount Lofty. Image: SATC
Mountain biking at Mount Lofty. Image: SATC

The Adelaide Hills’ towns are as charming as ever. Stirling, Hahndorf, Crafers and Bridgewater are packed with lively restaurants and pubs as well as unique boutiques and galleries. After you’re done exploring, make a stop at the Mount Lofty Botanic Garden – trust us, you won’t find a better picnic spot in SA.

Indulge

The Adelaide Hills are still very much alive with the sounds of bottles popping and pouring. Indulgent, yet accessible, Hahndorf Hill, Anderson Hill and Shaw & Smith wineries are all open for business. Pour yourself a glass and let the afternoon linger in beautiful, lush surrounds.

Anderson Hill cellar door. Image: SATC
Anderson Hill cellar door. Image: SATC

Those wanting to dine, and well as wine, can dig into the region’s famous produce at Maximilian’s Restaurant, Mt Lofty Ranges Vineyard and Woodside Cheese Wrights.

Relax

Little known fact: the home of world-famous skincare brand, Jurlique, is just 10 minutes from South Australia’s second largest city – Mount Barker. Jurlique’s biodynamic Farm is well worth a visit, with doors open to the public every weekday. Stroll around the property, learning more about the herbs, flowers and plants that have made the beauty brand an international sensation. Take a tour through the fields, relax in the garden, or head straight to the shop to stock up.

Mount Lofty Ranges Vineyard. Image: SATC
Mount Lofty Ranges Vineyard. Image: SATC

As day blends into night, settle in at the cosy Aldgate Creek Cottage – chalet-style accommodation, complete with garden surrounds in the heart of the Adelaide Hills.

See SA shine

Explore our beautiful Adelaide Hills and Kangaroo Island and let’s #BookThemOut.

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