A drink to good health

The Barossa is Australia's most famed wine region.

It's a tidy, pastoral landscape dotted with German and English-style villages, churches and chateaux. It's easy to explore and accommodation ranges from luxurious colonial mansions (with dinner, bed and breakfast) to historic settlers' and miners' cottages, small motels and fully serviced caravan and tent sites.

Restaurants (and there are many) vary from country-house hotels to modern bistros and rural cottages. Shops sell delicacies such as venison, blutwurst, mettwurst, leberwurst, bratwurst, sauerkraut and German pastries made to traditional recipes.

Driving is easy in the Barossa and distances are short.Visit the 350-hectare Kaiser Stuhl Conservation Park, about 10 kilometres east of Tanunda. As well as river red gum trees, golden wattles and silver banksias, it's home to many rare and threatened species. Kangaroos, possums and echidnas live with some 70 species of bird, including wedge-tailed eagles, robins, honeyeaters, parrots and finches. Walkers delight in the Heyson walking trail which passes through here, while cyclists pedal the Mawson cycling trail.

A feast of festivals

The Barossa - less than an hour's drive north of Adelaide - is Australia's major premium wine-producing region. Blessed with hot dry summers, loamy soil and reliable winter rains, the Barossa produces about a quarter of Australia's total vintage. Here, 60 wineries nestle alongside villages like Bethany, a German settlement founded by Lutherans in 1842 and mapped out along Prussian lines.

Tanunda (population 3,000), the valley's cultural heart, displays mementoes of the valley's German heritage in its museum. The town offers offbeat attractions such as Norm's Coolie Sheep Dog Performance, with 28 handsome collie dogs and a large number of sheep. Mengler Hill Lookout at Tanunda provides sweeping views over most of the Barossa. Even better views are available on the balloon flights that operate every day, weather permitting. The Barossa Wine Centre tells the story of the valley, its people and its culture. Its part of the Barossa Information Centre, which serves 70,000 visitors a year and is open seven days a week.

The rollicking Barossa Vintage Festival has been held every two years since 1947. You can tread on grapes at sunset, wave at scarecrows in vineyards or watch festive floats trundle down Tanunda's main street. Tens of thousands of visitors attend more than 100 events throughout the festival, which includes everything from mushroom hunting and grape picking to comedy acts, a festival ball and fair.

Cellar doors and company stores

A good introduction to Barossa is the Lyndoch Bakery, where you'll get a good taste of the European influences on the region. From Lyndoch there is an endless choice of attractions and wineries, including no less than 60 cellar doors. Highlights include the Jacobs Creek Visitor Centre which pays homeage to Orlando Wines' most successful global brand - and the wine and roses of Chateau Barrosa. Nearby you'll find the Grant Burge cellar door and Rockford Winery, a boutique winery producing high quality traditional wines.

The town of Tanunda is a delight - take a stroll to soak up its historic charms. Recommended wineries on the outskirts of town include Chateau Tanunda, Peter Lehmann Wines, Richmond Grove and Langmeil Winery. Travel through Seppeltsfield along the imposing avenue of date palms and climb the steps to the Seppelt family mausoleum, which sits on a hill and provides wonderful views over Seppeltsfield. Seppelts Winery, one of Australias most magnificent wineries is set within extensive grounds and faithfully preserved buildings.

Heading back towards Nuriootpa take in Barossa Valley Estate and Maggie Beers Farm Shop before visiting Penfolds, one of Australias biggest wine producing companies and the Barossas largest winery complex. Near Nuriootpa you'll also find the Wolf Blass cellar door, celebrating the life of this iconic winemaker and his wines enjoyed the world over.

In Angaston, visit Angas Park Fruits and the South Australian Company Store to select some of South Australias best dried fruits, jams, preserves, chocolates and sauces. And if you're visiting on the weekend, don't miss the Barossa Farmers Market, held every Saturday in Angaston. And finish off the trip with a visit to Yalumba, Australias oldest family-owned winery.

Home of Australian wine

Blessed with an ideal climate and soil, the Barossa has become one of the world's great wine-producing areas. Its 500 grape growers and 80 wineries produce about one quarter of Australian wines. It started in the 1840s with the arrival of hard-working German peasant farmers and middle class English settlers with a dream of a 'country gentleman's lifestyle'.

Self-sufficiency was important and along with an appreciation of fine music they used centuries-old traditions in winemaking, smoked meats, preserved fruits, cheeses and handicraft. The community flourished and today the landscape is an artist's palette of delightful small towns, stone buildings, churches with pipe organs, orchards and vine-patterned hills. The valley breathes of vintage winein autumn, stone fruits in summer and log fires in winter. Wander among the galleries and craft shops to the tantalising aromas from delicatessens, bakeries and cafes brewing freshly ground coffee. Takea special tour from Adelaide for a day, or stay in one of the beautifully maintained stately homes, cottages, farmhouses, hotels, motels or a bushy hideaway with sites for caravans and tents.

Visit a lavender farm or learn about mohair andalpaca, and working sheep dogs. Festivals to celebrate ballooning, vintage, music and the joys of life are exuberant affairs with gourmet food and wine and rousing music. Visit the winemakers who love to chat about the history of their families, some going back six generations on this land.