6 Nicest Small Towns In South Australia
Why do some small towns feel more complete than cities? South Australia sits between the Great Australian Bight and the arid interior, bordered by every mainland state except the Australian Capital Territory. Once a self-governing British colony without a convict stain, the new territory drew German Lutherans, Cornish miners and men of fortune. It is still possible in its smaller towns to see the one activity or traditional industry that made the town: a seaport, a vineyard estate or a mission church. If you are looking for places where nothing seems artificial and everything comes from what is at hand, these towns will fulfil your requirements. Pack your bag for a short time’s illusion to South Australia’s own, our most real places.
Port Elliot
For a few brief years, this was the main port of South Australia, but it suffered the ill-fame of having seven shipwrecks between 1853 and 1864, which led to the trade of the Murray being diverted to Victor Harbor. Start your exploration through the Port Elliot Railway Heritage Trail, which is divided into two sections. On the Blue Walk, you will pass Hotham Memorial Church, dating from the mid-1800s, and the Royal Family Hotel, opened in 1880. The Red Walk takes you to the Council Chambers, opened in 1879, and into the Harbour Masters Reserve, which overlooks the sea from a rocky knoll.
Take a break at the Port Elliot Bakery, where the locals line up for the changing Donut of the Month, which draws long lines of local patrons. Then go to Freeman Knob, where granite boulders spring into the sea, and southern right whales occasionally appear. If you want something unusual, time your visit for the Port Elliot Showgrounds Festival. Here, locals meet for miniature goat contests and sheep judging.
Victor Harbor
Did you know that since 1914 Victor Harbor has had its name spelled incorrectly? Called at first Victoria Harbour, then Port Victor, the town adopted the permanent name Victor Harbor, acquiring the American spelling by mistake. On your visit, you should first make it a point to see Urimbirra Wildlife Park where visitors can hand-feed kangaroos and see wombats in shaded enclosures. Next, visit Victor Harbor Farmers’ Market, held on Saturday mornings near the esplanade, when local growers and producers set up under tents on the beachfront.
After this, take a stroll down to Nakurami Kondoli, the whale lookout at Encounter Bay, to see southern right whales at play in season, which is usually from about the end of May to the end of October. If you want a deeper insight into whale life, visit the South Australian Whale Centre, where there are exhibits on marine life and local conservation. Cross to Granite Island on the Victor Harbor Horse Drawn Tram, then follow the Kaiki Walking Trail, which circumnavigates the island, going past boulder fields and the different habitats of penguins.
Hahndorf
Hahndorf is Australia’s oldest surviving German settlement. Kick things off with the Hahndorf Heritage Walk, where signs guide you past significant locations such as the Hahndorf Academy, which is now a centre for the arts. Turn right towards Saint Martin’s Lutheran Church, a stone building with a cemetery dating back to the early settlement. Continue into the main street, where you can take a break at the German Arms Hotel, one of South Australia’s most famous hotels, built in 1839.
Next, visit the Hahndorf Farm Barn where the children may bottle-feed lambs, see camels and enjoy farm life. Then head uphill to Hans Heysen: The Cedars, where the artist’s studio and house are still preserved amid bushland pathways. In December, venture back into the village for the Hahndorf Christkindlmarkt, a German-style Christmas market where the town square is filled with stalls, lights and music.
Robe
Robe became a key landing point in the 1850s for Chinese gold miners who entered South Australia to avoid Victorian taxes. Strat your adventure at the Robe Customs House Maritime Museum, which depicts the copious collection of maritime documentation and relics of Robe’s history as a busy colonial port. A step along this route leads to the Cape Dombey Obelisk, constructed in 1852 to warn ships on this rocky coast. Then, from the Coastal Trail, follow the marked path to Long Beach, a twelve-kilometer stretch of white sand and gentle surf. The surf is gentle at First and Second Ramps and stronger from Third Ramp onwards.
In town, make your way towards Robe Town Brewery, a charming small brewery, well known for its small quantity, wood-fired, craft beers. In November, the town hosts the Blessing of the Fleet, when the rock lobster season is blessed with prayers for safety.
Burra
This town used to be the copper capital of Australia, exporting the ore to Swansea, Wales, even before Adelaide had a train. Start at the visitor centre and pick up a Burra Heritage Passport, which includes a key to 11 locked heritage sites. Follow the trail to the Monster Mine Site, walk among the ruins of the huge engine house that used to drive the copper boom. Morphett’s Engine House shows the size of 19th-century machinery used to extract ore, while Redruth Gaol, later a girls’ reformatory, shows a grim aspect of colonial justice.
Make sure not to miss the Burra Regional Art Gallery, based in a former telegraph station, followed by a visit to World’s End Gorge (Burra Creek) for its natural scenery and peaceful walks.
Tanunda
German settlers created Tanunda by establishing a string of Lutheran villages in the Barossa. Start at Goat Square, a former trading centre for horse-drawn carts and livestock. Follow the Tanunda Town Walk, which passes 21 sites of interest. At St John’s Lutheran Church, you will see the original 1860s stonework and spire, which still characterize the skyline. Next, the Tanunda Hotel, which is still serving first-rate meals under stained-glass windows and pressed-tin ceilings; it is nearly 160 years old.
Visit the Barossa Regional Gallery, where the current exhibition VISIONING explores how art has shaped views of the Barossa. In the afternoon, relax at Chateau Tanunda for a wine tasting or a stroll through the vineyard, and walk the ridge-top tracks in Kaiserstuhl Conservation Park, which is home to rare plants and affords panoramic views of the valley. In May, the Barossa Marathon Festival brings together locals and visitors and sees the vineyards used as a backdrop for a community race through wine country.
Worth a Stop, Worth Your Time
The reason each town began still shapes how it works today. Victor Harbor capitalizes on its shoreline and whale season. Hahndorf continues its German culture and heritage streets. Robe is still linked to its fishing port and local catch. Burra opens up its mines and museums to visitors. Port Elliot has walks, markets and livestock shows. Tanunda keeps to vineyards and Lutheran churches in regional art. They are far apart and small. They pursue an active part. They did not disappear or turn into suburbs. They kept their title, their form and their story. They are part of the present South Australia and not simply of the past. If you want towns that know themselves today, six worth visiting are these.
