From scenic retreats to picturesque properties found among the state's rolling hills, South Australia's short-break offerings are legendary – and often boast some of the country's finest produce.
Cadole Avalon swaps a rustic shed for a gleaming pod.
Cadole Avalon
165 Whitings Rd, Blewitt Springs; 0420 370 310; thevineyardmv.com.au
THE LOCATION This vineyard retreat is in a sweet section of McLaren Vale (the region), 10 kilometres from McLaren Vale (the town). After a 45-minute drive from Adelaide airport, you’ll be
on the estate amid lines of vines.
THE PLACE A “cadole” is a rough hut among French vines where one scoffs a little wine on the quiet; Cadole Avalon is similar in outlook and intent, only the hut is in fact an ultra-modern pod. Futuristic and sumptuous, it uses just 55 square metres to prove the concept that “less is more”. Four log cabins are also on site, along with the owner’s residence.
THE EXPERIENCE Food and wine are the focus here, as evidenced by the generous local provisions included as part of the tariff, including wines, cheeses and red-gum-smoked bacon. Days often involve beautiful walks to lunch appointments at top local restaurants such as The Salopian Inn or d’Arenberg Cube.
DON’T MISS Sitting in the al fresco spa on the other side of the vineyard to watch the sunset; you’ll likely be sharing with other guests, but everyone will be clutching their complimentary cabin vino, which makes for a pretty congenial atmosphere.
FROM $450 a night; two-night minimum stay. – Max Anderson
Naiko Retreat
Naiko Inlet, Deep Creek; 0439 575 822; naikoretreat.com.au
There are great views towards Kangaroo Island at Naiko Retreat, Deep Creek.
THE LOCATION Naiko sits isolated on a rugged piece of coast at the bottom of the Fleurieu Peninsula. It’s a scenic two-hour drive from Adelaide airport; a 4WD will cope best with the last five kilometres of undulating dirt road.
THE PLACE Architect Max Pritchard has installed a steel wave – or is it a wing? – on a cliff looking out to Kangaroo Island. Inside, there are polished concrete floors, lush furnishings and three suites, each with a resin bath. Outside, there are dolphins and seals gambolling in your own private cove. Three couples can share self-catering duties: the kitchen is amply stocked with breakfast provisions, and brilliant pre-cooked dinners can be ordered from local nonna Maria.
THE EXPERIENCE
Naiko could qualify as “Southern Ocean Lodge lite”, packing wow and wilderness in equal measure. Explore the coves on foot, take the car into local conservation parks or use Off-Piste 4WD Tours to fill your days. Note: Naiko has no TV, though there is Wi-Fi to serve your portable tech.
DON’T MISS A long lunch in Leonard’s Mill, 20 minutes away. The 1849 mill uses ingredients farmed and foraged locally.
FROM $990 a night; two-night minimum stay. – Max Anderson
At Mount Lofty House, enjoy majestic rural views just a short drive from Adelaide.
Mount Lofty House
1 Mawson Dr, Crafers; (08) 8339 6777; mtloftyhouse.com.au
THE LOCATION The 1850s summer home of the Hardy family and the site of the first vineyards in the Adelaide Hills is on the highest peak in the Mount Lofty Ranges, affording astounding views – and all just 15 kilometres east of the Adelaide CBD.
THE PLACE Since 2009, owners David Horbelt and Malcolm Bean have incrementally updated this historic home (meticulously rebuilt by a previous owner after the 1983 bushfires), which is part of the MGallery by Sofitel family. The Adelaide wedding favourite has had a $6 million final push, with the 32 guest rooms sparkling anew and the fabulous Hardy’s Veranda Restaurant taking the box seat for those incredible vistas.
THE EXPERIENCE Heritage and contemporary combine for a manor house-style stay. Polished wood, leather lounges, crystal vases and big fireplaces sit in harmony with modern art.
There’s a fine restaurant, excellent wine list and cocktails at the Arthur Waterhouse Lounge, while four-poster beds await in the rooms.
DON’T MISS The property’s gardens are glorious, but the 97-hectare Mount Lofty Botanic Garden is right next door.
FROM $349 a night. – Julietta Jameson
Earthship Ironbank
462 Ironbank Rd, Ironbank; 0450 555 719; earthshipironbank.com.au
Hobbiton moves to Mykonos is the look of Earthship Ironback.
THE LOCATION The quiet Adelaide Hills hamlet of Cherry Gardens is 35 minutes’ drive
from the airport. If you’re not self-catering, Stirling’s restaurants, 20 minutes away, will beckon.
THE PLACE Hobbiton moves to Mykonos is the look of Earthship Ironback, owner-builder Martin Feeny’s blueprint for off-grid living. The aspect north into the little valley is lovely, but it also warms the front-of-house conservatory. The earth-plastered walls are a treat for the eye, but they’re also a low-cost building alternative and conceal more than a thousand repurposed car tyres.
THE EXPERIENCE The house and its principles are the experience. It’s affordable, the experience is simple, the breakfast eggs are laid on the property. Take your own digital entertainment if you must (Wi-Fi is provided), or tune out and drop into the beautiful bathtub, where you can watch sunlight pass through the coloured bottles set into the wall.
DON’T MISS The five-minute drive to Deviation Road cellar door, home to methode champenoise doyenne Kate Laurie.
FROM $387 for two nights; two-night minimum stay. – Max Anderson
The Garden Cottage at The Olives
227 Salt Creek Rd, Yankalilla; 0419 605 606; theolives.com.au
The setting for Garden Cottage at The Olives evokes thoughts of golden afternoons in Tuscany and Provence.
THE LOCATION It’s a lovely one-hour drive from Adelaide airport to the small township of Yankalilla, hidden Brigadoon-like among steep green hills.
THE PLACE Behind some 200 aged olive trees on a 1.6-hectare plot, you’ll find an 1840s stone property with handsome gardens that effortlessly evoke thoughts of golden afternoons in Tuscany and Provence. Set at the rear is the Garden Cottage, a modern four-person dwelling given some rustic panache (and extra privacy) via sliding plantation screens.
THE EXPERIENCE The cottage is both hideaway and base camp. Throw open the sliding doors and let the smell of lavender and fruit trees fill your idle hours. Take a swim in the pool. Or head out to experience the beaches of Carrickalinga, the stunning Links Lady Bay golf course or the lunchtime indulgences of nearby McLaren Vale.
DON’T MISS A wander through the gardens. The owners are veteran journalist Mark Day, who has a green thumb to go with his inky fingers, and his wife, Wendy. If they’re in residence, grab a glass of McLaren Vale shiraz and let them show you around.
FROM $264 a night; two-night minimum stay. – Max Anderson
TO READ WHILE YOU’RE HERE by Nicole Abadee
Salt Creek by Lucy Treloar, Don Dunstan by Angela Woollacott, and The Crow Eaters by Ben Stubbs.Credit:
Lucy Treloar’s prize-winning 2015 debut novel, Salt Creek, set in SA’s Coorong coastal region in the 1850s, is rich in historical detail and beautifully written. Through the story of 15-year-old Hester Finch and her family, Treloar demonstrates the impact European settlement had on the traditional owners of the land. For a more contemporary perspective on SA, read the new biography of Don Dunstan, state premier in the 1960s and ’70s, in which history professor Angela Woollacott pays tribute to the Labor leader who championed Aboriginal land rights, equal opportunity, civil liberties and the arts. And if you’re planning a longer SA tour, you’ll find inspiration in The Crow Eaters, a 2019 book in which Ben Stubbs explores the state, stopping at Coober Pedy, Maralinga, Kangaroo Island and elsewhere, swapping stories with locals along the way.
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