| Just an hour’s drive north of Adelaide lies the Barossa- the heart of Australia’s wine industry, a gourmet lover’s paradise and an area enriched in a strong cultural heritage. Some of the oldest and purest Shiraz cuttings on the planet, nurtured by early settlers from the old world, still produce grapes for local wineries in the Barossa. The 100-year-old vines are highly treasured not only for their age, but because many of the original species were almost wiped out by the phylloxera virus overseas during the 19th Century. The Barossa is today one of the most famous wine regions in the world, with more than 60 wineries ranging from some of Australia’s largest companies through to small independent vignerons – and most offer tastings at their cellar doors. Settled in 1842 by Silesian and Prussian refugees on the invitation of local English landowner and entrepreneur George Fife Angas, Barossa townships today retain an audible trace of their heritage with a form of German called "Barossa Deutsch" still spoken in some circles. Many descendants of original settlers still live and work on the same family plot of land and the preservation of local culture and activities is vigorously maintained with a diverse range of small and large festivals and special events held throughout the year, including the biennial Barossa Vintage Festival (held every odd year), Barossa Slow and Barossa Under the Stars to name a few. The region has a rich European culture with German and English-style villages and chateaux dotted throughout the valley and church spires rising amid the vineyards. Local restaurants and cafes reflect this heritage and butchers and bakers offer traditional wursts, breads and German-style cakes. Few Australian regions boast a food and wine culture to rival the Barossa and local restaurants and cafes specialize in serving regional foods, accompanied by fine local wines. The Barossa is also home to top Australian chef Maggie Beer and her tantalizing array of fine foods, produced and sold at her farm shop just outside Tanunda. Her produce includes Pheasant Farm pate, quince paste, olive oil and verjuice. The Barossa is a patchwork of small villages and townships including Lyndoch, Rowland Flat, Tanunda, Bethany, Angaston, Marananga, Seppeltsfield, Nuriootpa and Greenock. Accommodation in the Barossa ranges from hotels, motels and resorts to cottages, farmhouses and stately homes offering traditional bed and breakfast or self-contained facilities. |
Visitor
Information
Centres
Barossa
66-68 Murray Street, Tanunda, 5352
Telephone: 1300 852 982 (within Australia only) or +61 8 8563 0600
Gawler
2 Lyndoch Road, Gawler, 5118
Telephone: +61 8 8522 9260
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