South Australia — Overview
Sun-baked South Australia encompasses the outback wonders of the Flinders Ranges, the sandy dunes of Simpson Desert and the stunning ‘salt sink' landscape of Lake Eyre National Park.
This is known as Australia's ‘festival state' and state capital Adelaide is packed full of cultural delights. From the huge state library and South Australian Museum to the Oval cricket ground and Festival Center close to the River Torrens, there is much to see; the buzzing atmosphere of the Central Market on Gouger Street contrasts well with the European-styled cafés and bars centerd around the wide boulevard streets in North Adelaide.
Kangaroo Island, which lies south of Adelaide, is home to koalas, sea lions and kangaroos, and the Murray River's life-giving waters ensure agriculture such as orchards and vineyards flourish in seemingly inhospitable territory. Visit the Barossa Valley, McLaren Vale and Coonawarra for a taste of the state's prized wine-growing regions.
Geography
Except for the state capital of Adelaide, South Australia is sparsely inhabited. It is four times the area of the UK. It is the country's driest state, a region of rocky plains and desert landscape broken by the fertile wine-growing areas, which include the Barossa Valley.
South Australia stretches upwards to the Northern Territory, eastwards to Queensland, New South Wales and Victoria, and westwards to Western Australia. The countryside ranges from the beach resorts of the Adelaide suburbs including Henley and Glenelg to the vast expanses of isolated, semi-desert outback; from the craggy mountains of Flinders Ranges to the meandering Murray River. Offshore is the popular Kangaroo Island. Adelaide nestles in the foothills of Mount Lofty Ranges.
Featured Tours to South Australia
iExplore Sydney Rock and Reef
Australia's biggest attraction is its natural beauty. The landscape varies from endless sun-baked horizons to dense tropical rainforest to chilly…
