South Australia - Where to go/stay? What to do/see?

[Lily House]

Hi all,

Currently my hubby and I are planning our mid-year road trip around Australia - taking advantage of some Long Service Leave to realise one of our dreams.

We live in Melbourne, and our rough itinery is to head, via Mildura, to South Australia, up the outback to Alice Springs etc, up to Darwin, then across to the Queensland coast and back home (via the coast).

We will be travelling in the family car (so need to keep to decent roads, unless joining a short tour), and will have our two young daughters with us - then aged 3 and nearly 7. We have 3-4 months available.

So to all those who live in South Australia, or who have travelled there, we would love some advice. What are the must see places to go to/things to do? Any suggestions for reasonable family accomodation (would prefer 2 bedroom, though not luxery accomodation as we want to return home without a massive debt).

We can't wait to experience so much of this wonderful country. Any ideas would be most appreciated.

Thanks

Lily

 

[Pushka]

Hi Lily
I would take the car across on the ferry to Kangaroo Island. And then tour around to see the seals, kangaroos, koalas etc on the island. Maybe stay for 2-3 days.
In Adelaide proper, if you dont have time to do Kangaroo Island, then certainly visit Cleland Wildlife in the hills. Only takes 30 minutes to get there from the CBD.
Lots of 2 bedroom appartments around - or why not try the beach areas usually used for summer holidays, say around West Beach - there is also a caravan park there. It will be cold but you can always rug up.

Our zoo in the city is supposed to be really good - havent been there for a few years as my kids are all grown up.

Victor Harbor (1 hours drive CBD) should have whales at that time - maybe stay there for a night or so? Nice wild beaches at that time of the year - Middleton and Goolwa area. The steam train from Goolwa to Victor would also be running then - that is a real fun trip to add in. At Goolwa is the Murray Mouth - take a look at this and you will see why SAussies are so angry about what the NSW QLD farmers are doing to destroy the river. You can walk across the barrage which means you walk across the river mouth. You could combine this trip with one to the Southern Vales Winery area - I think these wines are better than ones in the Barossa Valley.

Maybe let us know what your kids like doing and we can go from there.
Cheers

 

[Macca]

Hi Lili,

We toured SA a couple of years ago.

We liked :

Staying underground in a Coober Pedy Motel

Flinders Ranges, Wilpena Pound.

Woomera & Museum (best for boys though I suppose)

In NT

Uluru, Kings Canyon & Alice Springs all worth visiting

Katherine Gorge, Litchfield Park, Kakadu were nice.

Take plenty of things to entertain the kids in the car as distances are very long and the landscape is boring (for kids)

Just a note, if any of you suffer from asthma be sure to take plenty of medication with you as a lot of the water has a sulphur smell to it and when having a shower can cause breathing problems for asthmatics.

 

[our obsession]

Mildura-Adelaide

That all sounds good fun Lily House!

From Mildura you will head out the Sturt Highway (out past the airport, toward Adelaide then)...three quarters of an hour out there is a little community called Lake Cullulleraine:

www.millewapioneerpark.org.au/lake.htm and

www.millewapioneerpark.org.au/attractions.htm

www.visitmildura.com.au/quicksite/?id=accommodation&_action=profile&op_id=66

if you wanted to break the trip to Adelaide up, and didn't want to stay in the bigger touristy eg Renmark (but it's beautiful too!) and wanted to see Millewa country, settled and pioneered "bushland" rural farming community...it's your place, plus close to the Sunset Country, (but not that with little ones), Lake Cullulleraine has good facilities, not 4 star but still very popular...(no, no shares in it...just love it)
You may even strike it all to yourself if the kids camps aren't on...(so it's set up great for kids).

You will be not far from the Murray River....Ned's Corner!

www.tfn.org.au/Neds.html

You wont get any more than Australian bush and river and history than any of these, lotta fun. Perhaps even more if you love to camp out?
So, ha, I haven't even got you an hour and a half out of Mildura yet!

Maybe I should cease and desist, after all there is more ground to cover...don't forget where the Murray runs into the sea...(head off through Murray Bridge, Lake Alexandrina, to Goolwa).

We have such a beautiful harsh ugly beautiful country. You will love your travels. You may even be on some of the routes that some explorers first took too.

I love the Adelaide Zoo...well worth the visit, big kids and little

Safe travelling.

 

[Sim]

Rather than heading inland to Mildura (lovely area though - as is the Riverland area across the border in SA) ... have you done the Great Ocean Road ? The trip along the coast all the way to Robe is spectacular - some great places to stay as well.

If you like zoos, in addition to Adelaide Zoo, also check out Monarto Zoo - it has really expanded in recent years and is a fantastic open range zoo now. Lots of great places to stay in the Adelaide Hills - Cleland consevation park is nice to visit (lots of Koalas and other native animals).

There's a heap of good suggestions at http://www.southaustralia.com/

 

[Pushka]

Yes, agree the Great Ocean Road is really worth doing, then on through to Mt Gambier (Blue Lake) Robe (fantastic for Seafood) then up through to Adelaide.

The Monarto zoo is about an hour's drive up the freeway. You can then go back through Callington, off the freeway to the wineries of Bleasdale and then through Milang, Clayton then onto Currency Creek (where they were originally going to settle Adelaide) then Goolwa as above!

 

[Lily House]

Thanks everyone - appreciate your ideas.
I havn't heard of half these places - so can't wait to see them for myself.

We decided to go via Mildura, rather than Great Ocean Road, as we have never been up Mildura way before. Although the girls have yet to see the Great Ocean Rd, that is close enough for us to do another time as a weekend-type trip from Melbourne.

Thanks again,

Lily

 

[quoll]

KI cheap accomodation

We stayed in the national park in KI, at the the homestead next to postmans cottage, $110 per night so fairly cheap (2 adults and 3 kids) and you get unlimited access to the national parks, the platapus walk is very close, saw a couple but little daughter had fallen asleep. KI is fantastic. Must see.

Mclaren vale is great if you like wine but the kids might get a bit bored.

Caravan park accomadation is always good value, as is backpacker hostels. Have stayed in cabins at coffin bay and robe, always seem to be good.

2nd SIMs vote for the Adelaide Zoo and Monarto, the bus tour around Monarto is great.

Victor Harbour is nice, have a walk around the bluff, check out the fairy pengiuns and seals. Goolwas as a wharf and the cockle train and river boats.

Monash playground in the riverland was always a favourite when we where kids haven't been there since late 70's maybe 79/80 still gets good coments from those that have been recently.

Toy factory at gumeracha, and motor museum at birdwood are worth a visit.

cheers
quoll

 

[our obsession]

More...possibly doubling up on some links/info but wanted to make sure you got lots of choices on the Murray River, the limestone cliffs in Riverland make for beautiful photography...and you may be a long time inland without sea or river(s)

www.sightseeing.com.au/riverland/

www.breakloose.com.au/html/adventure_articles/regional/sa/riverland.php

if you don't have your own boat ...you could catch a paddle steamer cruise at Mildura before you head across state, the river and the banks can alter quite a lot..(the PS Melbourne has been running cruises for years)

www.murrayriver.com.au/menus/cruises.htm

...and I don't mean to be a worry wart pants, but please watch the kids around the river if you get near it, it can have steep banks, snags, and water edge drop away to be quite deep quickly.

 

[Lily House]

Thanks again Our Obsession. You certainly know the area well - it might take us a while to get out of Victoria by the looks of it LOL.
Neither of the girls can swim confidently so we are very water consious - appreciate your concern.

Thanks Quoll - all sounds good. Looks like Kangaroo Island is worth more than a day trip. I'll check out those cabins you suggested - they sound very reasonable. Thanks so much.


Lily