Barossa Valley History

Pre 20th Century

The Barossa Valley was named in 1837 by South Australia's first surveyor general, Colonel William Light. Named after Barrosa in Spain, it was settled by Germans (and a handful of English, Scottish and Irish) around 1842. Fleeing religious persecution in Prussia and Silesia, the predominately German settlers quickly created a Lutheran heartland with a culture and lifestyle that persists today. The physical signs of this early settlement are everywhere. The valley is dotted with the steeples of distinctive Lutheran churches, and many town streets are lined with tiny cottages.

Modern

From the moment Johann Gramp planted the valley's first grapes on his property at Jacob's Creek in 1847, the Barossa Valley was destined to become a major Australian wine region. Apart from a flurry of gold prospectors that descended upon the area in the 1850s, not much has changed for the valley since, and the vineyards - Penfolds, Seppelt, Wolf Blass - to name but a few, continue to produce high quality wines.

Recent

Today the valley has around 80 wineries from boutiques to huge complexes, the latter mostly owned by multinationals; more than 60 of these have cellar doors offering public tastings. The valley is best known for Shiraz, with Riesling the most important of its whites.