Coronavirus Australia: Why travel-starved NSW and ACT residents are rushing for South Australian holidays as borders open
The rush for flights and holidays to SA is on now that NSW and ACT residents are allowed in. And there are plenty of reasons why.
“We can’t wait to welcome people from NSW ... and with open arms,” says South Australian Premier Steven Marshall. And let’s add the ACT to the scenario, as South Australia’s border reopens with the federal capital.
The welcome mat has barely been brushed off and the rush is on already, according to Virgin Australia. The airline has had limited “essential” services between Sydney and Adelaide since July, but will reintroduce daily return flights on October 2, up to double daily from November 2. Virgin Australia’s Canberra-Adelaide route, suspended since March, will relaunch on October 12, with three return services a week.
The carrier reports that interest has been “massive” since news of the respective border reopenings.
“In the hours after the SA-NSW announcement, we saw an increase of more than 700 per cent in flight searches and an even greater increase in bookings,” says Virgin Australia spokesperson Caroline Stanley. She adds that on Tuesday the route between Adelaide and Sydney was the “most booked” across the national network. Searches and bookings have also risen dramatically for Canberra-Queensland services.
School holiday spike
“These [spikes] really goes to show the pent-up demand that Australians have for domestic travel,” Stanley tells The Australian. It also proves South Australia is consolidating its popularity among those leisure travellers. Online flight aggregator Skyscanner reports that the SA capital is among the top domestic destinations booked for this year’s September-October school holidays, along with Queensland’s Hamilton Island and northern NSW’s Ballina, gateway to Byron Bay.
Qantas, which has not operated Sydney-Adelaide services since July, will reintroduce a daily return service on the route from Thursday aboard a 176-seater Boeing 737-800, with fares from $213 one-way. From October 1, Jetstar will fly twice-daily on the same route and three times a day from November 1 and is poised to announce a 24-hour flash sale of seats on its website for travel between the two cities. Qantas indicates ongoing demand for its Sydney-Adelaide flights will be monitored and more capacity could be added.
Qantas also has connections between the ACT and Queensland firmly in its sights. From September 25, flights between Canberra and Brisbane will be upped from four to 14 a week, adding an extra 2200 seats each seven-day period. In line with the upcoming school holidays period, QantasLink is starting a four-week Canberra-Gold Coast service aboard a Boeing 717 with business and economy seats from September 25, with flights Thursday-Monday inclusive. QantasLink chief executive John Gissing says, “We’ll monitor demand on the route and, if it proves successful, we could also look to operating flights over the summer school holiday period.”
So why are all these travellers rushing to get on a plane? Here’s a quick-stop guide to South Australia’s many delights.
New accommodation
The capital has a newcomer on the accommodation scene, the Adelaide Oval Hotel, a 138-guestroom property that opens on Friday. The hotel has been integrated into the cricket and AFL stadium’s eastern stand via two elevated pods, and affords guests spectacular views over St Peter’s Cathedral, the Adelaide Parklands and city skyline. While you’re there, get a bird’s eye view of the hallowed turf and surrounds on a roof climb, do a stadium tour and see the Bradman collection of cricket memorabilia. Crowne Plaza Adelaide, in the city’s tallest building, is scheduled to open in November, while EOS by Skycity in Adelaide Casino is taking bookings for stays later this year. Slightly further afield, the elegant Mount Lofty estate has a new luxury lodge, Sequoia, with 14 suites featuring sandstone-clad fireplaces and decks with broad vistas. By February, an onsen terrace and infinity pool will complete the picture. On Yorke Peninsula, the new Seafire luxury holiday house has views over the Gulf of St Vincent to Kangaroo Island.
Wine
From McLaren Vale, the Adelaide Hills and the Fleurieu Peninsula to the Clare and Barossa valleys and the Coonawarra — not forgetting Penfolds Magill Estate just 8km from the CBD — wine lovers are spoiled for choice in South Australia. Henschke, Wynns Coonawarra, Tyrell’s, Hardy’s, Wolf Blass, Yalumba, Jim Barry and D’Arenberg, with its spectacular Cube, are among the big names producing the state’s famed hearty shiraz and crisp riesling, among other varietals, but there are plenty of smaller operators to be found down side roads. It’s all about the joy of discovery. Stay in luxurious comfort at the likes of The Louise and Wilsford House in the Barossa and The Vineyard in McLaren Vale. For visitors short on time, the National Wine Centre on the edge of the city Botanic Gardens offers group tours and tastings, and is hosting a sparkling wine festival on October 11.
Luxury tours
A host of high-end operators are looking to give travellers an exclusive taste of South Australia. Abercrombie & Kent has an eight-day Outback Adventure by Private Aircraft ($14,900 a person) that takes a maximum seven guests from Adelaide to the Flinders Ranges, Parachilna, Lake Eyre, Coober Pedy and the Eyre Peninsula. Captain’s Choice has a two-day private plane journey ($3750 a person) for 48 passengers that departs Sydney next year, visiting Broken Hill, Coober Pedy, Lake Eyre and Birdsville. When Victorians are able to travel, they can opt for a three-day trip ($4500 a person) from Melbourne to Port Augusta, Wilpena Pound and the Flinders Ranges. Bespoke operator The Tailor has a six-night South Australian Flying tour ($8990 a person) that goes from the Eyre Peninsula to the Flinders Ranges and the Barossa by private jet. At Rawnsley Park Station in the Flinders, guests can have a heli-camping overnight adventure ($725 a personb) atop the remote Chace Range, with staggering views to the Elder Range and Wilpena Pound.
Food
South Australia’s reputation for top-quality fresh produce and fine dining is well deserved. A trip to Adelaide Central Market to stock up or simply graze is a must. There’s superb dining at some of the wineries — Hardy’s Verandah Restaurant in the Adelaide Hills; Penfolds Magill Estate Restaurant; d’Arry’s Verandah Restaurant, McLaren Vale and, at Adelaide Oval, Henschke’s Hill of Grace. Other city options include the Botanic Gardens Restaurant, Osteria Oggi and Africola. In the Barossa Valley, drop in to Maggie Beer’s Farm Shop and Cafe at Tanunda, where you can sample the celebrity chef’s wares, watch demonstrations and even stay on site at the charming Orchard House. For seafood, it’s hard to beat Eyre Peninsula, where garfish, King George whiting, kingfish, tuna and prawns are the catch of the day, along with farmed oysters from Streaky Bay and Coffin Bay. At the latter, guests can don dungarees to wade and taste with Oyster Farm Tours.
Flinders Ranges and outback
Arkaba Conservancy, a Luxury Lodges of Australia and Wild Bush Luxury member, remains closed until March 31, but 2021 bookings are open for this exclusive property amid an expansive privately held wildlife conservancy in the Flinders Ranges. Tour operator Outback Spirit has opened bookings, with early-bird discounts of $600 a person, for its 11-day, small-group trips in 2021, with inclusions such as Wilpena Pound, Flinders Ranges, a two-hour scenic flight over Lake Eyre, Coober Pedy’s opal fields and a 4WD ridgetop tour of Arkaroola Wilderness Sanctuary. The Tailor touring company can organise customised experiences for cashed-up travellers, including three-day private charter plane itineraries through the Flinders Ranges that follow in the footsteps and personal history of RM Williams, creator of the quintessentially Australian clothing brand. Typical itineraries include accommodation at The Prairie Hotel, a gourmet outback pub at Parachilna; visits to working sheep stations; and a tour of the original RM Williams workshop and store to be fitted for a pair of those legendary boots.
Murray River
The 120-passenger Murray Princess paddle steamer has been back in business out of the Riverland ports of Renmark and Mannum since late June, employing COVID-safe measures and offering a range of upcoming cruises. Departing November 27, a seven-night voyage on the Murray River between Mannum and Renmark, covering 420km and navigating five locks, includes Ngaut Ngaut Aboriginal Reserve’s archaeological sites, food and wine tastings ashore, visits to heritage villages, optional bush tucker breakfast in a nature setting and an early Christmas peep at the merry and bright Loxton Lights Festival, featuring festive illuminations and displays. From $2270 a person, twin-share, for a lower-deck inside cabin; $3455 for an outside category with picture windows and open walkway access. Passengers receive complimentary transfers in both directions from selected Adelaide CBD pick-up and drop-off points.
Kangaroo Island
After a torrid bushfire season, Kangaroo Island is keen to welcome visitors back and help tourism operators get back on their feet. Sealink has a number of deals on its ferry service, including free travel for children up to age 14 when accompanied by one paying adult and a vehicle (applies to travel from October 12 to December 10). Kangaroo Island Odysseys is taking visitors on road to recovery tours to see the regeneration of the environment and learn about island ecology (from $650 a person, including return ferry and one night’s accommodation). New kid on the island accommodation block is Oceanview Eco Villas at Nepean Bay; two spacious, self-contained modernist pavilions with sweeping sea views. Southern Ocean Lodge, which was destroyed in January’s fires, is being rebuilt.
Gardens
South Australia is considered one of the best places in the world to grow roses and Adelaide will host the World Roses Convention in 2022. Spring sees the state’s best garden beds in full bloom. The Clare Valley’s Heritage Garden is staging numerous open days next month. The riverland town of Renmark has held a rose festival for 26 years and although COVID has curtailed the 2020 event somewhat, it’s still taking place (October 16-19). Anlaby Station in the Barossa opens its garden to the public on October 10-11 and the Burra Districts Open Gardens in the Clare Valley will be held October 17-18.
Indigenous culture
South Australia has many significant Indigenous sites, including Arkaroo Rock and Sacred Canyon in the Flinders Ranges, the Coorong, Point Pierce on Yorke Peninsula and the Ngaut Ngaut archaeological site near the Murray River. Eyre Peninsula’s Indigenous Tourism Trail explores Aboriginal culture and heritage from Poonindie near Port Lincoln to Head of Bight. In the far northwest of the state, on Anangu Pitjantjatjara Yankunytjatjara land is Ernabella Arts, established in 1948 and the oldest Indigenous arts centre in Australia. Ernabella works can be found in Adelaide at the Art Gallery of SA store and the JamFactory.
Beaches
Take your pick from a host of fabulous sandy stretches, from city-side Glenelg and Henley to the wild surf that pounds the 2000km of coastline on Eyre Peninsula. On the under-the-radar Fleurieu Peninsula, just 45 minutes’ drive from Adelaide, Boomer Beach is good for an energetic dip in the dumpers, while Maslin is favoured by the nudist brigade. Dolphin Beach, in Innes National Park on Yorke Peninsula, is a protected 800m arc of gleaming white sand that has been compared with Whitehaven in Queensland’s Whitsundays.
Villages
South Australia is dotted with the shells of hamlets that didn’t withstand the test of time and distance. Melrose is not one of them. Founded in 1847 in the shadow of Mount Remarkable, the village has a population of only about 350 but has become a popular destination for day-trippers, weekend explorers and mountain bikers. There are two 19th-century pubs, iron-lace verandas, cute pine and pug cottages and the impressive Jacka Brothers Brewery, housed in a five-storey stone tower. You’ll find great coffee at main street eatery Over the Edge, the proprietors of which are responsible for establishing the annual Fat Tyre mountain-biking festival.