Barossa - A drink to good health

The Barossa is Australia's most famed wine region.

It's a tidy, pastoral landscape dotted with German and English-style villages, churches and chateaux. It's easy to explore and accommodation ranges from luxurious colonial mansions (with dinner, bed and breakfast) to historic settlers' and miners' cottages, small motels and fully serviced caravan and tent sites.

Restaurants (and there are many) vary from country-house hotels to modern bistros and rural cottages. Shops sell delicacies such as venison, blutwurst, mettwurst, leberwurst, bratwurst, sauerkraut and German pastries made to traditional recipes.

Driving is easy in the Barossa and distances are short. Visit the 350-hectare Kaiser Stuhl Conservation Park, about 10 kilometres east of Tanunda. As well as river red gum trees, golden wattles and silver banksias, it's home to many rare and threatened species. Kangaroos, possums and echidnas live with some 70 species of bird, including wedge-tailed eagles, robins, honeyeaters, parrots and finches. Walkers delight in the Heyson walking trail which passes through here, while cyclists pedal the Mawson cycling trail.

Articles

A feast of festivals

The valley is renowned for its eclectic variety of festivals: gourmet food, vintage fairs, music under the stars and more. The locals love a party and they're not afraid to indulge in great food and wine. Events not to be missed include the Barossa Vintage Festival, Barossa Under the Stars and the Barossa Gourmet Weekend. more

Cellar doors and company stores

Taste and buy from the small winegrowers at the magnificent Chateau Tanunda, a 110-year-old property set on 13 hectares with a croquet lawn, formal gardens and slate terraces. In the Barossa all roads lead to a cellar door. more

Food Barossa

Great Australian foodies like Maggie Beer have made the Barossa home, attracted by its thriving and diverse food culture. The dining diva is one of the forces behind Food Barossa, a regional brand celebrating the unique history and culture of the region. Taste the best of the Barossa at Maggie Beer's Farm Shop, the South Australian Company Store, the Barossa Farmers Market in Angaston and the famed Apex Bakery in Tanunda.

Home of Australian wine

The wine industry here has a long history and an unsurpassed reputation. Share the enthusiasm of the 80 or so winemakers as they explain their specialities. Taste and buy limited release varietals or a single bottle to go with gourmet dishes like pate, wild hare, pigeon, corn-fed chicken and fresh yabbies. more