Fleurieu peninsula
The fleurieu (floor-ee-oh) peninsula has rolling hills and sweeping valleys to justify its sing-songy name. The kauma tell the story of tjilbruke, who carried the body of his slain nephew down the coast to cape jervis from where the adelaide suburb Marion now sits. Each time that tjilbruke stopped along the way and wept for his nephew, a spring welled up from the ground. From these tears grew the lush section of South Australia that stretches southeast from adelaide, encompassing the hills and wineries of Mclaren vale. The fleurieu peninsula also boasts the small-town attractions of victor harbor and miles of coastline that include some of the best beaches in South Australia.
Related Travel Information
YORKE PENINSULA
On this peninsula west of Adelaide, rolling farmland is punctuated by sandy coves, and sheer cliffs plunge into sheltered bays of the Southern Ocean. The northern half of the Yorke primarily features copper mining history. The towns of Kadina, Moonta, and Wallaroo comprise the Copper Triangle, about a 90-minute drive from Ade¬laide's center. These towns offer the most to see and do, with beach access for when you get tired of mining lore. Many travelers head further south, however, for the spectacular ocean views, pleasant surfing beaches, and gorgeous camping of Innes National Park. The Yorke's southern tip is
Eyre Peninsula
In the driest state on the driest continent on Earth, the Eyre Peninsula provides a welcome belt of lush countryside, sandy white coves, and pounding, fish-filled surf—all uncrowded and removed from anything resembling urban bustle. A popular vacation spot for South Australian residents in the know, the population burgeons during vacation times. The peninsula covers a huge area stretching nearly 1000km from Port Augusta and Whyalla in the east to the border with Western Australia. Projecting into the Southern Ocean and circumscribed to the north by the Gawler Ranges, the main, genuinely peninsular part of the Eyre is traversed
Port Phillip And Westernport Bays
Two semicircular stretches of bayside land curve south from Melbourne to circumscribe Port Phillip and Westernport Bays: the Bellarine Peninsula to the east and the Momington Peninsula to the west. This was the site of the first white settlement in Victoria, a squalid effort that failed within a few years. By the later 19th century, however, its spectacular bay views and sunny, temperate climate made it the site of choice for summer homes of the goldfield-spawned nouveau riche. With the exception of Phillip Island and its way-popular fairy penguins, this area remains largely a haunt of
South Australia
South Australia exists in a state of sublime schizophrenia. Alongside vast kilometers of harshest, most uncompromising terrain on the continent, peaceful vineyards sleep lazily and a sophisticated city basks under a steady sun. Capital Adelaide is a stately, serene oasis, well-fed and well-watered by some of the best cuisine and finest wines in the country. Gracious buildings line its streets, world-class festivals crowd its boulevards, and hip cafes occupy its East End. As if in defiance. Adelaide's green parklands challenge the searing heat of the encroaching desert.
This is the driest state in Australia, but also the most urbanized, precisely
THE PILBARA
Red dust and iron ore are the stuff the Pilbara is made of. Miles of flat, hot coastal plain are populated by a handful of mining and port towns. The region has a tropical climate: wet in the summer, dry in the winter, and hot year-round. The dramatic Hammersley Ranges add spice to the otherwise monotonous landscape. Its roads are surrounded by prickly spinifex grass and gum trees, and is often festooned with kan¬garoo carcasses. Heat, floods, cyclones, winds, and mosquito-bourne disease are just some of the impediments to settlement in the region. But despite all this, the Pilbara
