Australia 17 - Adelaide & South Australia (Chapter)

(Darren Dugan) #1

Adel Aide & South Au


Str Ali A


ADELAIDE


Adel Aide & South Au


Str Ali A


GETTING


THERE


&AROUND


Adel Aide & South Au


Str Ali A


ADELAIDE


Regional Express(Rex; www �regionalexpress�
com �au) Flies from Adelaideto regionalcentres
aroundSA, includingKingscote(from$110,35
minutes),CooberPedy (from$235,two hours),
Ceduna(from$180,1½ hours),MountGambier
(from$200,1¼ hours),Port Lincoln(from$100,
50 minutes)and Whyalla($135,50 minutes)�
Tiger Airways(www�tigerairways�com �au)
DirectflightsbetweenAdelaideand Melbourne�
Virgin Australia(www�virginaustralia�com)
DirectflightsbetweenAdelaideand Perth,
Brisbane,Sydney,Canberraand Melbourne�

BUS
Busesareusuallythecheapestwayofgetting
fromAtoBinSA,andthebuscompanieshave
morecomprehensivenetworksthantherail
system�AdelaideCentralBusStation(p739)
hasticketofficesandterminalsforallmajor
interstateandstatewideservices�Foronlinebus
timetablesseetheBus SA(www�bussa�com �
au)website�
Themajorlong-hauloperators:
Firefly Express(%1300 730 740; www �
fireflyexpress�com �au) BusesbetweenAdelaide
and Melbourne(from$65, 11 hours),continuing
to Sydney�
Greyhound Australia(%1300 473 946; www �
greyhound�com �au) ServicesbetweenAdelaide
and Melbourne(from$56, 11 hours)continu-
ing to Sydney;and Adelaideand Alice Springs
(from$190,20 hours)continuingto Darwin�

Premier Stateliner(%08-84155555;www �
premierstateliner�com �au) State-widebus
services�
V/Line(%1800 800 007; www �vline �com �au)
Bus and bus/trainservicesbetweenAdelaide
and Melbourne(from$50, 12 hours)�

CAR & MOTORCYCLE
Ifyou’redrivingbetweenAdelaideandMel-
bourne,makesureyougoviatheGreatOcean
Road(www�visitvictoria�com)betweenTorquay
andWarrnamboolinVictoria−oneofthebest
coastaldrivesintheworld,withawesomeviews
andmoretwistsandturnsthanaHitchcockplot�
Tohitcharide(sharingpetrolcosts)orbuya
secondhandcar,checkouthostelnoticeboards�
TheGreatOceanRoadrouteisconsider-
ablylongerthantheinlandrouteviaHorsham
(around960kmand12hoursversus730kmand
eighthours),butit’sworthit�

TRAIN
InterstatetrainsrunbyGreat Southern Rail
(%132147;www�gsr �com �au)grindintothe
AdelaideParklandsTerminal(p739),1kmsouth-
westofthecitycentre�Thefollowingtrains
departfromAdelaideregularly:
The GhanTo Alice Springs(seat/sleeper
$431/1190,19 hours)
The GhanTo Darwin($842/2290,47 hours)
The Indian PacificTo Perth($553/1750,39
hours)
The Indian PacificTo Sydney($375/850,25
hours)
The OverlandTo Melbourne(from$116,11
hours)

ADELAIDE
POP 1.29 MILLION
Sophisticated, cultured, neat casual − this
is the self-image Adelaide projects, a nod
to the days of free colonisation without the
‘penal colony’ taint. Adelaidians may remind
you of their convict-free status, but the city’s
stuffy, affluent origins did more to inhibit
development than promote it. Bogged down
in the old-school doldrums and painfully
short on charisma, this was a pious, intro-
spective place.
But these days things are different. Mul-
ticultural flavours infuse Adelaide’s restau-
rants; there’s a pumping pub, arts and live-
music scene; and the city’s festival calendar
has vanquished dull Saturday nights. And,
of course, there’s the local wine. Residents
flush with hedonism at the prospect of a
punchy McLaren Vale shiraz or summer-
scented Clare riesling.

TAKE ̈THE ̈LONG ̈WAY ̈HOME

South Australia has three epic long-
distance trails for hiking and cycling:
Heysen ̈Trail (www�heysentrail�asn�
au) Australia’s longest walking trail:
1200km between Cape Jervis on the
Fleurieu Peninsula and Parachilna
Gorge in the Flinders Ranges. Access
points along the way make it ideal for
half- and full-day walks. Note that due
to fire restrictions, some sections of
the trail are closed between December
and April.
Kidman ̈Trail (www�kidmantrail�org �
au) A 10-section cycling and walking
trail between Willunga on the Fleurieu
Peninsula and Kapunda north of the
Barossa Valley.
Mawson ̈Trail (www�southaustralian
trails �com) A 900km bike trail between
Adelaide and Blinman in the Flinders
Ranges, via the Adelaide Hills and Clare
Valley.
Free download pdf