With a population of around 1,459,000 and covering an area of 984,277 square kilometres, South Australia is very sparsely settled and it is the driest of states with a large proportion of desert.

The capital city Adelaide is often referred to as “the city of churches”.  It is a vibrant, modern city which has a certain colonial elegance about it. Famous for its Australian cuisine, Adelaide is lined with cafes, bars and restaurants.  It has a superb setting, with the city centre surrounded by green parklands and the metropolitan area bounded by the Adelaide Hills, all against the backdrop of the sea. And being mainly flat, Adelaide is a very easy city for walking and cycling.

South Australia is renowned for its vineyards and wineries.  The Barossa Valley is probably the best known wine producing area in Australia however there are also the excellent Clare and Coonawarra valleys and McLaren Vale which are only a short drive from the city.

The far north and west of the state hold some of the most inhospitable land in Australia.  The rugged Flinders Ranges in the north offer spectacular scenery and superb bushwalking.  Most of the north is a vast area of desert and dry salt lakes with only scattered tiny settlements while the long stretch west across the Nullarbor Plain runs close to dramatic cliffs that follow the Great Australian Bight.

Mount Gambier lies in the south east region along with the long coastal lake of the Coorong and further north the big river country of the Murray River.  Then of course there is Kangaroo Island – a place of rugged cliffs, roaring surf, pristine beaches and an abundance of native flora and fauna. 

One of Australia’s true wilderness areas.