South Australia, Australia

Occupying Australia ‘s central and southern regions, South Australia is Australia‘s fourth largest, and fifth most populous state. Covering an area roughly 5 times the size of the U.K, or about one and a half times larger than Texas, South Australia is home to approximately 1.7 million people, over three quarters of which reside in the state’s capital city, Adelaide. South Australia plays host to a variety of landscapes and climates, and is in the unique position of bordering every other mainland state along its borders, excepting the ACT. The south eastern coastline has a warm Mediterranean climate, and houses much of the state’s inhabited region, with the climate transitioning to a hotter desert landscape as you head further north or west into the Australian outback. Some of the main geographic features in the state include the limestone coast of the Great Australian Bight along the states south coast and the Southern ocean, this is stunning coastal scenery. The sparse Nullarbor plain in the states west, and the great Murray River in the east, which punctuates the more temperate and fertile parts of the state. The Eyre Peninsula tours show the wildlife of the Sea lion, such as the Australian sea lion South Australia is well known as a popular Australian wine region, with areas such as the Barossa Valley, Clare Valley, and the Adelaide Hills all producing some of the most notable South Australian wines, as well as being popular cellar doors for wine tasting for those taking a wine tour.

South Australia also is famous for the Opal Mining town of Coober pedy and the active Opal field and Opal mines that remain today supplemented by curiosities such as the underground hotel out here in Outback South Australia on the road to Alice Springs. To the east in the South Australian outback is Oodnadatta and Lake Eyre and Flinders range with Wilpena pound reknowned tourist attraction in the state.

History

South Australia ‘s earliest history traces back to its Indigenous people , with a history that predates European colonizationin the region by almost 20,000 years, with Aboriginal settlement thought to have begun on the continent as early as 60,000 years ago. The first European contact in the region came in the year 1624, with Dutch explorer François Thijssen coming across Australia ‘s southern shore after straying off course on his route to Batavia in the Dutch East Indies. He made it as far as Nuyts Archipelago , just north of the Eyre Peninsula , before eventually heading back. Despite this early contact, more prolonged European contact would come about until 1836, a full 212 years later. Building on Matthew Flinders ‘ legacy, namely the mapping and circumnavigation of the Australian Continent, the colonization of South Australia began, with the passage of the South Australia Act in British Parliament in the year 1834. Unlike other Australian colonies, such as those in New South Wales, Moreton Bay, and Van Diemen’s Land, the South Australia Act specifically forbade the transportation and use of convict labour in establishing the colony, instead touting the colony as one embodying humanist values, and promoting political, religious, and economic freedoms.

After an eight month voyage across the globe, the first settlers reached Kangaroo Island off the coast of South Australia , which they used as an initial base while surveys of the mainland were conducted, searching to find a suitable location to establish the colony. Eventually the land around the Adelaide plains was decided as the site, and settlement of the mainland began in earnest. Following a tumultuous few decades, characterized by land speculation, bankruptcy, and a labour shortage caused by gold rushes in other states, South Australia eventually became a self governing colony in the year 1856, with its own constitution that was at the time very progressive, guaranteeing the male right to vote, as well as suffrage for propertied women. It also grew economically in the ensuing years, developing thriving industries in wool, wheat, copper and wine, with immigrants coming from across Europe, particularly Germany, bringing with them their skills and expertise. South Australia joined with the rest of Australia in the year 1901, when the country officially became a Federation, and continued to grow, with its mining sector in particular thriving with discoveries of gold, silver, and uranium. Though South Australia has grown at a slower rate than most other Australian states, it remains a progressive and forward thinking state, historically adopting social justice legislation years before other states, as well as currently being Australia‘s leader in renewable energy.

Travelling to South Australia

A guided tour of South Australia as part of an Australian outback tour can offer an experience that is rich in the states natural, and gastronomic heritage, with travellers on a South Australian tour able to enjoy the iconic limestone coast , the rugged outback beauty, and the verdant wine country that give southern Australia its distinctive character. For Seniors travel Australia tour beginning a South Australia tour, a good place to begin would be the state’s capital, Adelaide . Home to more than three-quarters of the state’s population, this quasi city-state is the hub of commercial and cultural life in the state, bustling with theatres, museums, cafes, restaurants. A few of the places you may want to visit while in Adelaideinclude the South Australian Art Gallery, which houses the second largest state collection after New South Wales, the South Australian Museum, and the Royal Botanic Gardens. A feature is the William Morris Adelaide collection. This is an arts and crafts collection of William Morris Wallpaper, Stained glass windows, furniture textiles and ceramics. Excellent iconic works refelecting handmade craftsmanship of decorative art in the nineteenth century, the William Morris’ designs show him as a truly innovative designer and a unique collection in Adelaide. If you come at the right time of year you may even be able to catch the Royal Adelaide show , which is held annually and features an agricultural show as well as shops, fun fairs, and rides. For those looking for a short trip from the city, an ideal spot for a day tour is the AdelaideHills. The Adelaide Hills is a cool wine region just 20 minutes drive from the capital, growing predominantly Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, and Shiraz varieties. Its altitude, ranging between 150-700m above sea level, gives the region a cooler and wetter climate than the surrounding region, making it ideal for viticulture and wine tasting just a stone’s throw from Adelaide city .

Continuing on the theme of a wine tour , some other popular South Australian wine regions include the McLaren Vale , found on the stunning Fleurieu Peninsula , the Clare Valley , and of course the most famous among them, the historic Barossa Valley . The Barossa Valley in particular is synonymous internationally with Australian wine, with some of the country’s most famous, and prolific producers having their homes in the region. The history of the Barossa Valley hails back to the period of German settlement in the mid 19th century, the legacy of which can still be visibly seen in the historic architecture of many of the region’s Lutheran style churches, as well as the towns’ names such as Langmeil and Krondorf. These settlers, mostly from the fertile Silesian region, brought with them vine clippings with which to begin production, bringing centuries of accumulated wisdom and viticulture knowledge to Australian shores. With such a rich and storied heritage, a day tour or visit to the Barossa Valley, or some of South Australia ‘s other winery ‘s and regions, is both a fantastic way to learn about the heritage of the state, as well as a thoroughly enjoyable wine tasting experience.

For a more rugged experience of outback South Australia older Travellers, head south to Kangaroo Island, or venturing north through the Flinders Range into the deep outback is a great way to fully experience the scale and brutal beauty the larger part of the state has to offer. While not as quintessentially ‘ outback ‘ as the Flinders and beyond, Kangaroo island is a good place to start for a delve into the natural heritage of South Australia . Kangaroo Island is the third largest in Australia, after Tasmania and Melville Island, and is home to numerous conservation parks for its endemic wildlife, and rich marine ecosystem. A popular destination for travellers to Kangaroo Island is Flinders Chase National Park, where you can spot much of the island ‘s wildlife, as well as its remarkable rocks, shaped by the unique environmental conditions on the island.

Delving deeper into the outback proper, head north from Adelaide city, past Port Augusta until you come upon FlindersRange. Flinders Ranges National Park marks the gateway into the real Australian outback, running all the way from the South Australian coast to Lake Eyre 600km north. The fascinating indigenous history of the Aboriginal people, impressive geological features, colossal scale, and abundant native wildlife make the 95,000 hectare ‘Ikara’ Flindersranges national park one of South Australia ‘s most popular tourist destinations, with locations such as Wilpena Poundbeing truly awe inspiring in their enormous scale. Past the Flinders you’ll eventually make your way to Lake Eyre National Park , surrounded by flat desert as far as the eye can see, Lake Eyre is a rare outback jewel. At 15.2m below, Lake Eyre is the lowest point of the Australian mainland, as well as the largest saltwater lake in the country. Though it only ever fills completely about twice a century, it will often be at least partially filled, attracting birdlife from countless kilometres around and aweing the senses with the scale of this stark landscape. While on an outback tour of South Australia, there are plenty of towns and stops along the way that help give an outback tour its distinct vibrancy and character with your tour guide. To this end, some towns to consider along your route could include Woomera, Coober Pedy, Oodnadatta, Maree, Burra, Farina, or Curdimurka. Taking stops along the way is also a great way to visit some of South Australia ‘s other outback adventures, such as the Strzelecki Track, or the Gawler Range.

South Australia‘s southern shore, and the limestone cliffs around the Great Australian Bight are as iconic an Australian landmark as the Sydney Opera House or Uluru, and a must see stop on any tour to South Australia. To this end, one of the best places to take in Australia‘s rich southern shores is on the Eyre Peninsula. Located due west of Adelaide on the other side of the Spencer Gulf, the Eyre Peninsula is home to some of South Australia‘s best coastal landscapes, and is particularly notable for its white sand beaches, and rich marine ecosystem. This marine abundance makes the Eyre Peninsula a popular destination for eco-tourism, with activities like cage diving with the infamous great white shark attracting the curious and daring alike. Aside from the occasional shark, you’ll also find Australian fur seals, dolphins, whales, and giant cuttlefish on Australia‘s southern shore, the latter of which congregate in huge numbers to breed annually around the Spencer Gulf. Lincoln National Park is a great spot to take in the Peninsula‘s natural beauty, found just south of the town of Port Lincoln, the National Park is plentiful in tracks ideal for a walking tour, as well as beaches, caves, and spectacular views of the cerulean blue coast. Heading about an hour away from Port Lincoln, you can also find Cummings monument. Similar to the twelve apostles, this towering limestone stack rises from the ocean for a majestic view, and makes for one of the best photo opportunities for travellers to Eyre Peninsula. One of the best way to experience what South Australia has to offer is with a small group tour. Odyssey specialises in this kind of tour, offering an engaged and intimate tour of South Australia ideal for seniors, solo travellers, and couples heading to Australia and South Australia.

South Australia ‘s southern shore, and the limestone cliffs around the Great Australia n Bight are as iconic an Australian landmark as the Sydney Opera House or Uluru, and a must see stop on any South Australia tours offered as a escorted tour for seniors. To this end, one of the best places to take in Australia ‘s rich southern shores is on the Eyre Peninsula tours offered. Located due west of Adelaide on the other side of the Spencer Gulf, the Eyre Peninsula is home to some of South Australia ‘s best coastal landscapes, and is particularly notable for its white sand beaches, and rich marine ecosystem. This marine abundance makes the Eyre Peninsula a popular destination for eco-tourism, with activities like cage diving with the infamous great white shark attracting the curious and daring alike. Aside from the occasional shark, you’ll also find Australian fur seals, dolphins, whales, and giant cuttlefish on Australia ‘s southern shore, the latter of which congregate in huge numbers to breed annually around the Spencer Gulf. Lincoln National Park is a great spot to take in the Peninsula’s natural beauty, found just south of the town of Port Lincoln, the National Park is plentiful in tracks ideal for a walking tour, as well as beaches, caves, and spectacular views of the cerulean blue coast. Heading about an hour away from Port Lincoln, you can also find Cummings monument. Similar to the twelve apostles, this towering limestone stack rises from the ocean for a majestic view, and makes for one of the best photo opportunities for travellers to Eyre Peninsula. Though Odyssey’s portfolio of Small group tours for seniors will also take you into the Adelaide hills on the Adelaide tour for seniors or to Flinders ranges attractions such as Wilpena pound, or to Marree, Lake Eyre, Oodnadatta, William Creek, the Strzelecki track within Southern Australia.

The collection of Seniors holiday packages is diverse, from a city break in Adelaide that includes time studying the collection of William Morris Adelaide to the Flinders ranges attractions and the oodnadatta track with Lake Eyre and the Marree area with a preserved railway station, the Marree roadhouse, and Mosque.

Odyssey’s collection of Australia tour packages with a tour manager enable you to explore each state with Odyssey’s escorted tours Australia 2022 portfolio as a city based tour or a Australia holidays package into the Western Australiaoutback of the Kimberley or South Australia ‘s Flinders range or just spend a week on holiday in Hobart learning about a range of subjects on Odyssey’s Summer Schools tour package. This collection of some 70 scheduled small group holiday departures provides plenty of choice for an Australian holiday . You can make your booking direct for your Australia escorted tour with us or via your travel agent or travel consultant .

A small group tour of Australia is a journey between cities with up to 250 years of settlement history and an outback, which has some of the oldest known geologic material on earth. But importantly, it has one of the longest and truly fascinating known periods of human settlement. Indigenous Australians settled via a land bridge on the continent from Southeast Asia at least 85,000 years before the first Europeans from Portugal and Spain began exploration in the 17th century. For senior and mature travellers, a small group tour of Australia is a unique experience.

Responsible travel tips for Australia

• Before departing, make sure you have a number of AU dollars in a range of denominations. You don’t want to be carrying around enormous amounts of cash, but take enough to make it easy to pay in locations that might not accept credit card. It will also help you avoid card transaction fees, and it makes tipping a breeze.
• Carry a card in your wallet or purse from your local hotel, to assist you with the return journey if you do become lost.
• As a senior traveler ensure that you are covered by travel insurance. If you need advice on this feel free to contact Odyssey and we’ll be able to help.
• Before departing, make sure you have a number of AUD in a range of denominations. You don’t want to be carrying around enormous amounts of cash, but take enough to make it easy to pay in locations that might not accept credit card. It will also help you avoid card transaction fees, and it makes tipping a breeze.
• When travelling independently, make sure you check the opening hours of shops and museums so that you don’t miss out! Also be certain to check whether your trip coincides with any public holidays, so you can plan accordingly.
• Before departing on your trip, contact your bank to inform them that you may be making purchases overseas. Otherwise, they may flag any activity on your account as suspicious. Also, check which ATMs and banks are compatible with your cards, to ensure you can withdraw cash with minimal fees.