After a long drive in the car, the little ones will have energy to burn. Wear them out for the drive home with these fun regional activities.

Words Melissa Keogh, Bridget Laucke, Gretel Sneath, Christine Webster and Belinda Willis

Adelaide Hills: Hahndorf Farm Barn
There’s endless fun to be had at the Hahndorf Farm Barn, with tractor rides, pony rides and lots of opportunities to get up close and personal with the animals. Show the little ones where milk comes from, with the cow milking demonstrations, and let them have a go themselves. There are plenty of lovely spots for a picnic next to the playground. Just don’t forget to purchase your animal feed on the way in!

Fleurieu: Kaiki Walk Granite Island
Making the journey across the bridge from the mainland to Granite Island is almost a South Australian rite of passage. But those wanting to explore the island in more depth, famous for its penguins, can undertake the two-kilometre Kaiki Trail with views of Encounter Bay and the Bluff. Spot the wildlife and learn more about the history and geology of Granite Island through the interpretive signage.

Barossa: Barossa Adventure Station
Barossa Adventure Station in Angaston is fun for the whole family and suitable for children of all ages (even the big ones). You can spend the whole day or just an hour there. Features include a multi-level play space including a mega tower and play deck, one-kilometre mountain bike loop, heritage elements, attractive open spaces, skate ramp, fitness stations and plenty of picnic spots. The Barossa Adventure Station is close to cafes, cellar doors, restaurants and providores. The $2.5m development at Angaston Railway Precinct is part of The Barossa Council’s Big Project.

Barossa: Barossa Valley Chocolate Company
The Barossa Valley Chocolate Company at Tanunda produces more than 250 handmade artisan products in white, milk, dark and ruby chocolate. Wide, expansive viewing windows into the “Chocolate Kitchen’’ allow visitors to watch the chocolatiers at work. The selection includes pralines with high-quality, artisan chocolate and velvety fillings. A chocolate and wine tasting experience is also on offer, curated by the head chocolatier. Their delicious chocolates are also available online.

Riverland: Loveday 4X4 Adventure Park
Loveday 4×4 Adventure Park south of Barmera is on more than 3000 hectares of private property and a perfect place for four-wheel driving adventures. The property also has great campsites near the river banks, which are two-wheel drive, caravan and boat friendly. Rally and buggy driving experiences and jet ski tours are also on offer.

Flinders & Outback: Old Timers Mine
Head back to the year 1916 and explore what life might have been like living in an underground dugout. Visitors to the Old Timers Mine in Coober Pedy can explore the hand-dug opal mine, museum and underground home, and marvel over the colourful gemstones in the opal showroom. Kids will enjoy noodling around for opals in the pit. The Old Timers Mine also showcases fascinating bits of cultural history, including journals dating back to 1916, an accordion used to entertain the miners, Coober Pedy racing ribbons and the original projector from the town’s drive-in. 

Kangaroo Island: Flinders Chase National Park
After the recent bushfires burnt 96 per cent of Flinders Chase National Park, a portion has reopened to the public. A safe area of Cape du Couedic Road is open, allowing visits to Remarkable Rocks, Weirs Cove, Cape du Couedic lighthouse and Admirals Arch. Allow around two hours to stop at the sights – make sure you’re all finished up during the day, because campgrounds are unavailable at the moment. Be sure to look out for the park’s wildlife, which has been bouncing back. There have been sightings of goannas, koalas, eagles, kangaroos and echidnas.

Kangaroo Island: Kangaroo Island Outdoor Action
Kangaroo Island Outdoor Action’s new Surf and Sand Buggy Adventure is all about the island’s spectacular scenery. Hop on the Yamaha Viking UTV buggy and ride along the banks of the Eleanor River, through the 500-year-old gums and sample seasonal bush foods along the way. Then, it’s over to the coast to visit an otherwise-inaccessible beach, with nothing between you and Antarctica but the Southern Ocean. Finish with a ride through the desert-like landscape of Little Sahara.

Limestone Coast: Adventure Caving
Some of the Limestone Coast’s most unforgettable visitor experiences are hidden from sight. Naracoorte Caves National Park is South Australia’s only World Heritage site, and contains a priceless fossil record of the ancient animals that once roamed the local landscape. Four caves are open to the public for guided or solo tours, while the rest are used for scientific research, with palaeontologists still unearthing stories from our past.

Eyre Peninsula: Fishing
Eyre Peninsula is an angler’s paradise, good fishing can be found simply by dropping a line into the water from local jetties, casting from superb surf beaches for salmon and monster mulloway or by taking a charter boat off the coastline. There are sheltered spots like Boston Bay, Proper Bay and Coffin Bay where even the smallest boaties can get their oars wet and fish for whiting, garfish, mullet and trevally. Cowell Fishing Adventures can help you reel in a snapper or King George whiting on full or half-day sessions with the added bonus of birds and dolphins visiting the boats leaving from Arno and Lucky Bays.

 

This information first appeared in The SALIFE Food & Wine List 2020.