| The Adelaide Hills | Short Escape
 Travel east from Adelaide and head up to the hills and the town of Crafers: this is the location of the delightful Mount Lofty Botanic Garden with its temperate climate plants, Cleland Wildlife Park, and 727 metre-high Mount Lofty - from where there is a superb panorama of Adelaide and the coast.
Stop off at nearby Stirling to visit the Adelaide Hills Wine Centre, then take a side trip to famous Warrawong Sanctuary near Mylor - with its 14 hectares of natural bushland and wide range of animals, this is one of the best places to view native wildlife. Then stop off in Bridgewater to visit the 1860s Petaluma’s Bridgewater Mill - now an acclaimed winery and restaurant.
Founded by German Lutherans in the late 1830s, charming Hahndorf is full of German-style timber-framed houses and leafy streets, and the ideal base for your Adelaide Hills stay. There are some great restaurants here, and attractions include The Cedars, the former home of artist Sir Hans Heysen; the Hahndorf Academy, which features many Heysen paintings; and the Antique Clock Museum, with the world’s biggest cuckoo clock!
You can then travel north into the scenic Onkaparinga Valley via Oakbank, famous for its Easter Picnic Races, and Lobethal, settled in 1842 by German migrants, to Birdwood, home of the acclaimed National Motor Museum. From here, either continue to the Barossa Valley, or return to Adelaide via the scenic Torrens Gorge district - visiting Gumeracha’s Toy Factory and Cudlee Creek, home of the excellent Gorge Wildlife Park, en route.
Where to Stay
Time required: 2-3 days are recommended | | |
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