South Australia - state of Australia
South Australia is a state of Australia in the south of the country between Western Australia to the west and Queensland, New South Wales and Victoria to the east, and south of the Northern Territory and is the only state to border all the mainland states.
South Australia isn't particularly known much, and is the least internationally significant state in mainland Australia, but has some world famous wine, and where most internationally famous Australian wine comes from.
The state is somewhat a very varied state when it comes to perspective. Some people associate the state with the outback, some with culture, others with mining, and some with wine.
Regions
South Australia covers a vast amount of area, from coastal towns to arid desert. The more settled areas are in the southeast of the state, hence the smaller regions around that area.
Adelaide, the state's capital and its surrounds have plenty to offer for tourists and travellers. The Adelaide Hills surround Adelaide on the eastern side and have small villages with lots of history and lots of natural wonders.
South of Adelaide, the gateway to Kangaroo Island and home to coastal villages where you can escape to.
The home of some of Australia's best wines, the Barossa Valley is the reason why many travel to South Australia. Besides wines, there's lots of history to see here too.
Where South Australians go for their holidays. Enjoy beaches, national parks, and more.
The area surrounding the winding Murray River; South Australia's fruit-growing areas.
Off the coast of mainland Australia, Australia's third-biggest island contains a vast amount of natural beauty unique to this part of Australia.
The south-eastern part of the state, home to the city of Mount Gambier. Also home to the well-renowned wine region of Coonawarra.
Where 2,000 kilometres of coastline and spectacular scenery meet treeless plains and desert. Home to the cities of Port Lincoln and Whyalla.
The Flinders Ranges are home to Wilpena Pound, a spectacular natural amphitheatre and a great base for walking and exploring. The Southern Flinders Ranges extend down toward the east of the city of Port Augusta and include the 6,000 hectare Mount Remarkable National Park. In the north the Simpson Desert also presents its own adventures and opportunities.
Cities
- Adelaide — the state capital
- Coober Pedy — opal mining and underground houses
- Mount Gambier — in the south-east of the state, home to the famous Blue Lake
- Murray Bridge — centre of South Australia's farming area
- Port Augusta — at the top of Spencer Gulf at the very east of the Eyre Peninsula, gateway to the Flinders Ranges
- Port Lincoln — at the bottom of the Eyre Peninsula and a good base for seeing this part of the state
- Oodnadatta — desert frontier town, the old Ghan railway use to pass through here
- Victor Harbor — coastal playground to the south of Adelaide
- Whyalla — mining town halfway down the Eyre Peninsula
Other destinations
- Nullarbor Wilderness Protection Area – this wilderness protection area has almost nothing for kilometres on end
- The Coorong — the mouth of the Murray River, the world's longest beach and a significant place for the local indigenous people
- Innamincka – dry, desolate town, far from any civilization with less than 50 people, this town holds a secret gem
- Naracoorte Caves National Park – UNESCO World Heritage Site home to some of the largest collections of mammalian fossils, most which are not seen anywhere outside Australia or New Guinea
- Kati Thanda-Lake Eyre National Park – one of the most important reserves of Australasian wildlife and a dry lake that occasionally fills up
- Ikara-Flinders Ranges National Park – the most visited park in South Australia's most iconic mountain range
- Great Australian Bight Marine Park – home to Australia's largest sea lion populations and one of the most magnificent spots for whale watching
Understand
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History
South Australia's colonial history is a bit of a weird and unusual one, because unlike all other states of Australia, it was not a convict settlement, and all early European residents were free settlers, not convicts. Similarly, terra nullius was not claimed in South Australia, but it was recognised from the start that Aboriginal people had lived in South Australia for a long time. It was first split off from New South Wales and proclaimed a colony in 1834. Besides Great Britain, the white settlers in South Australia also hailed from many other parts of Europe, most notably Ireland, Germany, Italy, Greece, Poland, Serbia and Albania.
Geography
South Australia covers a large territory in the lower middle part of the country, with a small population of 1.7 million. Of that population, around 80% live in the state capital of Adelaide and its surrounding areas. Most of the state is arid, although the southern part hosts a great deal of agriculture. With nearly 1.6 million people, however, the state comprises less than 10% of the Australian population and ranks fifth in population among the states and territories. However, the state covers a vast amount of land area, including some of the most arid parts of the country. With a total land area of 983,482 square kilometres (379,725 sq mi), it is the fourth largest of Australia's six states and two territories. The state also includes Kangaroo Island, Australia's third largest island which lies off the coast of the mainland in the southeast of the state.
South Australia is a state that has remained culturally vibrant throughout its history and is known for its festivals and fine produce. While South Australia is not the tourist magnet that its northern neighbour is, South Australia offers a different perspective on Australia from many of its different parts. With world-class wine and other produce, friendly people, unspoilt environment and a very relaxed pace of life, it offers the break in Australia that you may have been looking for.
Time zone
South Australia is half an hour behind the east coast cities. It is 9 hours and 30 minutes ahead of the Universal Time Coordinated (UTC). Daylight Savings time is 10 hr 30 minutes ahead and is observed from the first Sunday of October to the first Sunday of April the following year.
The only exception is the western most village of Border Village, in where it follows UTC+08:45 and UTC+09:45 in the summer.
Climate
South Australia is too big of a state to exactly explain the climate of, but it's generally characterised by being a hot, and dry climate all year around. It rarely rains in South Australia, and snow is only found on Mt. Lofty – and that's not every winter. However, flooding can occur, often once every 10 or so years, and it's the only time when dry Lake Eyre fills up.
Get in
By plane
South Australia's main air gateway is Adelaide Airport, (IATA: ADL), which has most domestic and all international flights direct into the state. International flights direct into Adelaide include those from Denpasar in Indonesia, Singapore, Kuala Lumpur in Malaysia and Auckland in New Zealand. There are regular domestic flights into Adelaide from all Australian capital cities and some interstate regional centres such as Mildura in Victoria, Broken Hill, Kalgoorlie-Boulder airport and Broome in Western Australia, Alice Springs and Darwin in the Northern Territory.
Mount Gambier Airport, (IATA: MGB) in the far south-east of the state has services from Melbourne in Victoria, flown by Regional Express (REX).
By train
Adelaide is a hub for Great Southern Railways which runs long-distance train services. Note that GSR's services are aimed at tourists and are a trip in themselves rather a means of transportation. All GSR's services pass through or depart from Adelaide. Train services include:
- The Indian Pacific, (between Perth & Sydney, normally once a week in each direction)
- The Ghan, (between Darwin & Adelaide, twice a week in each direction)
- The Overland, (between Melbourne & Adelaide, three times a week in each direction)
From Adelaide, Brisbane can be accessed by the Indian Pacific to Sydney and changing for the XPT service to Brisbane. To get to Cairns, you will need to change trains a second time in Brisbane, this time onto the Spirit of Queensland.
V/Line have a daily coach service from Adelaide connecting to the NSW Trainlink XPT Service in Albury to Sydney.
By bus
Interstate bus services are provided by Greyhound Australia, Firefly and VLine, these services also serve multiple intrastate destinations on route.
Transfers are available to Adelaide airport and Adelaide Parklands interstate rail terminal from the Adelaide Central Bus Station.
Quarantine
You cannot bring fruit and vegetables into South Australia. There are disposal bins on roads and at airports, and checks are made - including dogs at airports and on trains and inspection stations on the roads. You will notice the signs and announcements. On-the-spot fines of around $400 are payable if you are caught with fruit or vegetables. The main routes from New South Wales, Victoria and Western Australia into the state have checkpoints where you may be asked to stop and have your vehicle searched. Officers have the power to seize any prohibited item.
By car
There are main road connections through to the other states and territories. The main routes are:
- From New South Wales:
- via the Barrier Highway (A32), west of Broken Hill
- Crossings from Victoria but are mainly used by motorists from NSW:
- via the Sturt Highway (A20), east of Yamba
- via the Mallee Highway (B12), east of Pinnaroo
- From Victoria:
- via the Dukes Highway (A8), east of Bordertown
- via the Princes Highway (A1), east of Mount Gambier (coastal road)
- From the Northern Territory:
- via the Stuart Highway (A87)
- From Western Australia:
- via the Eyre Highway (A1)
Note that South Australia has a very large land area with most settlements in the south-east of the state. Driving to the Northern Territory and Western Australia are very long drives. From Adelaide to Perth is 2,700 km and will take at least 2 days, probably 3. It is the sort of trip that even most locals only do once or twice in their lifetime. Driving from Adelaide to Darwin is just over 3,000 km and travels through some very remote parts of Australia. A minimum of 4 days is recommended. Sydney to Adelaide takes about 14-15 hours to drive, and Adelaide to Melbourne is around 8-11 hours depending on the route taken. Allow 2 days to admire the towns on the way.
By ship
Adelaide's Overseas Passenger Terminal is at Outer Harbor on the LeFevre Peninsula in the north of Adelaide. Visiting cruise ships often dock here.
Get around
By car
The state has a well developed highway system; however, in the northern and western regions many roads are gravel or dirt roads and extra care must be taken, but very few actually drive these roads. The article on driving in Australia has some useful information and guidance. Road traffic laws and regulations, including speed limits, are vigorously policed in South Australia and visitors should familiarise themselves with the local conditions and requirements prior to planning a trip by road in South Australia.
Though the state has a good network of highways, the state's freeway network (or expressway network) is well under par compared to other states, both in the metropolitan areas of Adelaide, and in regional South Australia. It has the least kilometres of freeways of any state, including Tasmania. All up, it has less than 200 km of freeways, and all freeways are centred around Adelaide – for comparison, the length is comparable to tiny countries like Singapore or Cyprus. Due to the state's limited freeway network, there are only two major freeways that head well out of Adelaide: the M1 South Eastern Freeway towards the southeast of the state and towards Victoria but only for 70 km before it becomes a two-lane undivided highway (single carriageway) and the M2 Northern Expressway/A20 Sturt Highway northeast towards NSW and Mildura, and that too, only for around 65 km before it becomes a two-lane undivided highway. There is also a third road that is not exactly a freeway, but a four-lane undivided highway (dual carriageway): the A1 Port Wakefield Highway northwest from the outer north of Adelaide to Port Wakefield which is about 70 km. A third freeway, called the M2 Southern Expressway, runs for 18.5 km through the southern suburbs of Adelaide, and is useful for getting to Victor Harbor and Kangaroo Island but ends just before the Onkaparinga River.
While the state's freeway network is limited, it shouldn't significantly affect your travel times. Outside the Fleurieu Peninsula, nearly all rural roads have a speed limit of 110 km/h (including roads on Kangaroo Island), which is the same that you would find on freeways, and most roads have barely any traffic on them, so not going on a freeway does not necessarily mean you're going slower.
School zones are 25 km/h, regardless of where you are. This is contrary to all other states and territories where most school zones are 40 km/h (and sometimes higher in rural areas). Speed limits are strictly enforced and speeding in a school zone can land you with a hefty fine.
By bus
Statewide regional and intrastate routes are provided by several bus companies and they serve the Adelaide Hills, Mid and Far North, Mid North, Barossa, Murray Bridge, Eyre Peninsula and Far West, Riverland, Fleurieu Peninsula, South East, Kangaroo Island and Yorke Peninsula.
- Premier Stateliner Operates to Adelaide Central Bus Station, Ceduna on the west coast, Port Augusta, Port Pirie, Whyalla, in the Iron Triangle, Port Lincoln, Eyre Peninsula, Murray Bridge, Berri, Renmark, and Loxton in the Riverland, Keith, Bordertown, Kingston, Robe, Millicent, Naracoorte and Mount Gambier in the South East, Victor Harbor and Goolwa on the Fleurieu Peninsula.
- Link SA. Operates to Adelaide Central Bus Station, Murray Bridge, Mid Murray and Barossa Valley
- Mid North Passenger Services, (operated by Yorke Peninsular Coaches), . Operates to Adelaide Central Bus Station and destinations in the Mid North of the state including Clare, Burra, Peterborough, Orroroo, Blyth, and Gladestone.
- Yorke Peninsula Coach Services. Operates to Adelaide Central Bus Station, throughout Yorke Peninsula, Copper Coast, Balaklava, Mid North, Southern YP-Intertown, Upper North YP-Intertown, Port Pirie, Port Augusta and Peterborough.
- VLine, neighbouring Victoria's bus and rail system also connects some South Australian centres, including Adelaide Central Bus Station, Adelaide Hills Bordertown, Broken Hill (NSW), Geranium, Murray Bridge, Mount Barker, Mount Gambier, Pinnaroo and Tailem Bend.
By train
The state is served by a limited passenger rail network with services only provided to limited stops within South Australia that fall on the interstate routes. Interstate services from Adelaide such as the Overland to Melbourne railmaps, The Ghan to Alice Springs and Darwin and the Indian Pacific that links Perth, Adelaide, Broken Hill and Sydney do stop to set down and pick up passengers at some regional centres on route on request. Great Southern Rail operate all these services, 13 21 47 (in country only) or +61 8 8213-4592 .
Adelaide Metro operate the suburban and local train and tram services in and around the capital city and details are available in the Adelaide article.
Several historic rail journeys are available. The SteamRanger preservation group in the Adelaide Hills has restored a number of steam and diesel locomotives for tourist services, and the Pichi Richi Railway based in Quorn operates on part of the former Central Australia Railway.
- SteamRanger Heritage Railway, +618 8263 5621, bookings@steamranger.org.au. 8:30AM-5:30PM, M-F, 9AM-5PM, Sat. This historical society operates a number of different heritage steam and diesel hauled tourist trains between Mt Barker in the Adelaide Hills, the southern Mt Lofty Ranges, Strathalbyn and the coastal holiday towns of Goolwa, Port Elliot and Victor Harbor. The trains run for up to 140 days a year and are operated by volunteers from the Australian Railway Historical Society, who are also responsible for maintenance of the rail line and the heritage locomotives and carriages. Cockle Train, Bugle Ranger and Strathlink services do not require pre-booking, and tickets can be purchased at the station on the day of travel.
- The Cockle Train operates year-round between Goolwa and Victor Harbor along the route of Australia's first railway. It operates with a steam locomotive in school holidays, and historic diesel locomotives or railcars on all other weekends.
- The Southern Encounter runs from Mount Barker to Victor Harbor during winter, utilising most of the remaining broad gauge branch from the main Adelaide to Melbourne line.
- The Bugle Ranger runs from Mount Barker to Bugle Ranges using a Redhen railcar set. Services operate one Sunday each month from late April to October
- The Highlander operates from Mount Barker to Strathalbyn using steam locomotives when possible. Operates on the second Sunday of each month from June until the end of November (excluding October).
- StrathLink, from Goolwa to Strathalbyn using a restored heritage "Brill" railcar. Operates during school holiday periods.
- Pichi Richi Railway Society, Railway Station, Railway Terrace Quorn, +61 8 8648-6598. Historic railway and preservation society in the Mid North or South Australia. Phone the Quorn Railway Station.
- Transcontinental, Quorn to Woolshed Flat. After a brief stop, on to Port Augusta, arriving in time for lunch. There is ample time for a stroll around the nearby area, including a range of food outlets, before the 2:30PM departure back to Quorn.
- Pichi Richi Explorer, Quorn to Woolshed Flat (32 km) and return. Uses a historic Barwell Bull railcar 106, built in 1928 that spent most of its working life based at Peterborough working services between Terowie and Quorn., as well as steam services during school holidays and long weekends using historic South Australian Railways carriages, some dating from the 19th century.
- Afghan Express turns the clock back to the 1930s when the famous old Ghan travelled through the Pichi Richi Pass. Wherever possible, the Afghan Express uses distinctive timber-bodied carriages built in the late 1920s for the narrow gauge old Ghan train service, and restored old Ghan steam locomotive NM25. The Afghan Express is the name railwaymen gave to the passenger train that ran from Terowie to Oodnadatta, through Quorn, in 1923.
Note: The National Railway Museum is the largest undercover railway museum in Australia and is situated in Port Adelaide.
By plane
Scheduled air services go to several major regional centres in South Australia. The main destinations are Port Lincoln, Whyalla, Port Augusta, Ceduna, Mount Gambier, Coober Pedy and Broken Hill (NSW). (note: many support services for Broken Hill in western New South Wales are supplied from South Australia)
The two main regional operators in South Australia are Rex Regional express and QantasLink.
The state also has a General Aviation sector including charter operators and wet lease operators such as National Jet Systems Cobham (dead link: January 2023) and other smaller operators that service the airline industry, private individuals, tourism and the fly-in, fly-out services for the mining, oil and gas production industries active in the state.
Parafield Airport is the state's principal general aviation airport. General aviation services including charter operations are operated from both Adelaide Airport (IATA: ADL) in West Beach and Parafield Airport in the suburb of Parafield, 18 km north of the Adelaide Central business district (CBD) and adjacent to the Mawson Lakes campus of the University of South Australia. Parafield Airport is Adelaide's second airport and the fifth busiest airport in Australia by aircraft movements.
By ship
Fleurieu Peninsula, Kangaroo Island, Yorke Peninsula and Eyre Peninsula have, or have planned ferry operations.
- __[Sealink](http://www.sealink.com.au/)__ to Kangaroo Island connects [Cape Jervis](Cape_Jervis) on the Fleurieu Peninsula, and Penneshaw on Kangaroo Island. Ferries carry cars and passengers. Bus links are provided to [Adelaide](Adelaide) on the mainland and to [Kingscote](Kingscote) on Kangaroo Island.
- __SeaSA__, (_Sea SA Car & Passenger Ferries_), [](http://www.seasa.com.au), ferry service between [Wallaroo](Wallaroo) on Yorke Peninsula and [Lucky Bay](Lucky_Bay) on Eyre Peninsula is again suspended. Check local guides.
By bicycle
South Australia has a vibrant bicycle culture and the capital city of Adelaide has many established cycle paths and bicycle travel networks and regional trails. Adelaide and regional cities have well stocked bicycle shops and many clubs and associations. In Adelaide the City Council provide at several locations.
By taxi
South Australia has a number of taxi companies that serve both the main city of Adelaide, regional cities and regional areas.
See
South Australia is home to Kangaroo Island, an internationally renowned wildlife haven.
It is also known for its wine. The Barossa Valley is Australia’s richest and best-known wine region. Premium wines, five-star restaurants and cellar doors abound among the hills and vineyards. Local winemakers include household names such as Seppelt, Penfolds and Peter Lehmann. South Australia also offers other world-class wine regions, including the Clare Valley (dead link: January 2023), McLaren Vale and Coonawarra.
Visit the world-heritage listed Naracoorte Caves, or awesome Wilpena Pound in the Flinders Ranges – one of Australia's first official national landscapes.
Swim with wild sea lions at Baird Bay on Eyre Peninsula and with dolphins at Glenelg, and cage dive with Great White Sharks at the Neptune Islands.
South Australia is also known for its exciting events, like the international cycling race Tour Down Under. Lance Armstrong made it his comeback race in 2009. Adelaide hosts the Clipsal 500 , a thrilling V8 race through a city circuit. The Adelaide Fringe (dead link: January 2023) is an annual feast of comedy, music, theatre and fun. And the fabulous and captivating Adelaide Festival of Arts takes place every second year.
In Adelaide, South Australia's capital city, you will find stylish architecture, boutique shopping, sandy swimming beaches, fabulous arts events, nightlife, fine dining, and some of Australia's best café strips.
It is easy to navigate your way around South Australia, with most of the regions just an hour or two drive from Adelaide.
There are about 28 South Australian national parks in the state. Each protect something unique in their own right.
Itineraries
- Highways and tracks:
Do
Diving
Main article: Diving in South Australia
While tropical dives sites like the Great Barrier Reef or those in Southeast Asia are more popular, those who are more adventurous should consider diving in South Australia, which offers some very good temperate dive sites. Those of particular interest include Rapid Bay, which home to leafy sea dragons, a type of seahorse which is only found in the temperate waters of Australia.
Wine tasting
South Australia is the largest wine producer among Australia's states, and it is known for some of the best wines in Australia. Wine regions in the state which are well known among wine connoisseurs include the Barossa Valley, McLaren Vale, Clare Valley and Coonawarra.
Eat
South Australia has a good reputation for high quality fresh food and produce.
The Adelaide Central Market has an enduring reputation for fresh market produce as well as cheeses, smallgoods, fresh seafood, fresh butchered as well as processed meats and a huge range of culinary specialty items bearing an Australian, European and Asian food heritage. The Central Market precinct is the location of Adelaide's small Chinatown and has many Asian food outlets and restaurants. Many cafes, restaurants and retail food outlets line the streets around the Market complex.
The state produces citrus fruits such as oranges, lemons, grapefruit, stone fruits such a nectarines, peaches and plums, apples, pears, and table grapes such as sultana and muscatel.
Wheat, barley and oats are staple grain crops, legumes such as peas and many bean varieties are also produced. The state has an extensive market garden industry growing a wide range of vegetables in all seasons. Nuts such as almonds and walnuts are grown near Adelaide and the state has a vibrant high quality olive oil industry.
Seafood is both farmed in sea-water pens, grown in onshore tanks and caught in the wild by line fishing, trolling and trawling. South Australia has a well developed tuna, scale fish, oyster, crayfish (lobster) and abalone industry. The cold fresh waters of the Southern Ocean and the two gulfs has historically been bountiful but due to overfishing stringent controls have been brought to bear upon both commercial and recreational fishing. Historically, inland waterways such as the Murray river and the Coorong were also highly productive but have declined drastically due to environmental impacts and degradation.
The state also has a highly developed viticulture and wine making tradition. The industry produces many wine varieties for local, national and international markets.
South Australia also has a good reputation for rearing beef cattle for veal and beef meats, dairy production including milks, yoghurts, fresh and matured cheeses. The state has a strong history of sheep meat production including mutton and lamb. Local game meats include kangaroo and rabbits, which are wild harvested, normally in the mid-north and far north of the state. The poultry industry is well developed and provides both battery farm, free range and 'organic' eggs, chicken, ducks and turkeys.
Adelaide especially has a good reputation for restaurant and cafe dining. Other areas, including the Clare Valley, Barossa Valley and Kangaroo Island have strong regional cafe and restaurant industries that exploit the high quality fresh produce available in those areas.
The ethnic culinary influences and production skills borne by many generations of immigration has helped the development of the food and produce industry in South Australia. Italian, Greek, Polish, German, Malaysian, Chinese and Vietnamese immigrants to the state have had particularly strong influence on the state's food culture.
Drink
The legal drinking age is 18 years. It is illegal either to purchase alcohol for yourself if you are under 18 years of age or to purchase alcohol on behalf of someone who is under 18 years of age. The only legally acceptable proof-of-age is an Australian drivers licence, state-issued proof-of-age card, Keypass card or a passport, and it would be wise to carry one if you want to purchase alcohol or tobacco and look under 25 - vendors will frequently ask for ID for anybody who looks to be 25 or younger. In South Australia, foreign drivers licences and foreign ID cards are NOT legally acceptable as proof of age documentation, and people who are unable to produce a passport or valid Australian ID will be refused service. Only actual ID documents will be accepted - photographs or photocopies will NOT be accepted.
Beer
- Coopers Beer is an icon of South Australia. It is often described as the biggest small brewery in Australia. It is still family-owned. All Coopers products claim to be made by "natural" methods. There is a range of products from crisp lager styles to dark stout. South Australian pubs will often have Coopers Pale Ale on tap, which while not as distinctive as a craft beer, certainly gives the beer aficionado a tasty beer option not widely available in other states.
- West End is the local mass-produced lager, on tap just about everywhere.
- Southwark Premium is also produced by mass-produced Lion Nathan, but at a smaller brewery in Thebarton. Arguably one of the best brews produced in Australia by the mega-brewers.
Beer measures in South Australia are the schooner and the pint. A schooner is a smaller measure, known variously as a middy or a pot elsewhere in Australia. A pint isn't a pint at all, and is a larger size known as a schooner everywhere else in Australia. In most pubs in SA a pint of pale will return you a reasonable measure of Coopers Pale Ale.
Wine
South Australia is particularly known for its world-class wine. Most wineries provide free tastings of their wines in expectation of a sale. Many also have restaurants on their properties where you can have lunch overlooking the vineyard. There is still one winery within the Adelaide metropolitan area, operated by Penfolds, which produces an expensive premium red wine, and is home to a posh fine dining restaurant. The following wine regions are of particular note:
Stay safe
While South Australia is relatively safe, make sure you stay hydrated. It can get hot in the outback sometimes, and water is crucial.
Go next
- Barrier Highway to Broken Hill and on to western New South Wales
- Birdsville Track to Birdsville and on to Queensland and the Simpson Desert
- Eyre Highway (A1) to the Nullarbor Plain, Eucla and on to Western Australia
- Eyre Peninsula and on to the Great Australian Bight
- Ouyen Highway to Victoria and on to Albury/Wodonga
- Princes Highway (B1) to the southeast of the state, the Coonawarra wine region in the south east of the state, Mount Gambier and on to Victoria
- Stuart Highway, Coober Pedy with its opal mining and underground houses, and on to Alice Springs and the Northern Territory
- Sturt Highway (A87) and on to the Riverland, Mildura, Victoria and New South Wales
- Dukes Highway (A8) (Western Highway) to Bordertown and on to Ballarat and Melbourne
- The Coorong at the mouth of the Murray River and on to the Limestone Coast including the Coonawarra, Robe and Mount Gambier then on to the Great Ocean Road in Victoria
- Kangaroo Island, Australia's 3rd largest island, due south from Yorke Peninsula and accessed by aircraft from Adelaide or by ferry across the Backstairs passage from Cape Jervis on Fleurieu Peninsula