Just south of Adelaide, the Fleurieu Peninsula makes an easy day trip from the city.

McLaren Vale

There are around 50 wineries in the region around the small town.

Victor Harbour (population 6000) (83km south of Adelaide)

Touist information is at 10 railway Tce. Open 10am to 4pm, 5pm in summer. Phone 8552 5739.

Apart from a few historic buildings there is a causeway to Granite Island. A horse drawn tram crosses the causeway or you can walk. There is a penguin colony on the island. After dark they come ashore after a day catching fish at sea. There are guided tours. The Pengiun Interpretive Centre has excellent audio-visual displays. Phone 8552 7555.

Between June and October you might see southern wright whales migrating with powerful binoculars.

Sundays and daily in summer a historic train runs from Victor Harbour to Goolwa along the coast. $14.

A bike path runs 32km along the coast to the mouth of Australia’s great Murray River. The river system allows irrigation of vast tracts of land in the dry interior of New South Wales and southern Queensland. For road access to the view the mouth go to Goolwa catch a free vehicular ferry to Hindmarsh Island.

Budget accomodation in Victor Harbour is:

Anchorage Guest House 21 Flinders Pde. Phone 8552 5970. Dorm $17.50, single $35, double $60.

Grosvenor Hotel Ocean St. Phone 8552 1011. Dorm 420, single $25, double $49.

Premier Buses runs twice daily between Victor Harbour and Adelaide. Phone 8415 5555.

Goolwa (population 3000) (83km south of Adelaide)

The tourist information office is downtown in the Signal Point River Murray Interpretive Centre. Open daily 9am to 5pm. Phone 8555 1144.

Located near the mouth of the Murray River.

A free vehicle ferry runs to Hindmarsh Island 24 hours a day. The proposed bridge was very controversial and was stalled for years by Aboriginal claims in the High Court of Australia that it would destroy a women’s sacred site. The proposed bridge regularly made news headlines about the battle between development and secret Aboriginal culture, especially after queries about the authenticity of the Aboriginal claim were made. The Aboriginal cultural claim, being secret and known only to a select group of local Aborigines, was difficult to verify.

Sundays and daily in summer a historic train runs from Goolwa to Victor Harbour along the coast. $14.

Budget accomodation is at the Corio Hotel in Railway Tce. Phone 8555 1136. Single $25, double $50. Includes light breakfast.

Premier Buses runs daily to Adelaide. $11.60. Phone 8415 5555.

Where to Go Next

Kangaroo Island, access from Cape Jervis.

Return to Adelaide.

Join the Princes Hwy at Murray Bridge and head east to Victoria.