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Sport & Activities
Wine tasting: Over 70 per cent of Australia’s wine exports come from South Australia, where many of the region’s wineries and cellars are open for tastings. The famous Tasting Australia wine and food festival is held bi-annually. For further information on the main wine-growing areas, see the Resorts & Excursions section.
Bushwalking: The remote Flinders Ranges, a vast area of plains, gorges and desert, located some 450km (280 miles) north of Adelaide, provides one of Australia’s best gateways to the outback. The well-known Heysen Trail, which begins at Cape Jervis, winds its way north through scenic coastal areas to the Flinders Ranges. Bushwalkers can also head to the Wilpena Pound, a natural amphitheatre 16km (10 miles) long and 6km (3.7 miles) wide, with a possible two-day itinerary along well-marked tracks; or on a one-day climbing expedition to St Mary’s Peak, a trek best tackled between May and October, when temperatures are milder and water more readily available (permits can be obtained from the ranger on site). More experienced walkers can embark on longer walks to the Gammon Ranges National Park, further north; the Flinders Chase National Park on Kangaroo Island; or the Deep Creek Conservation Park south of Adelaide. Further information can be obtained from the Department of Environment and Heritage, GPO Box 1047, Adelaide SA 5001 (tel: (8) 8204 1910; fax: (8) 8204 1919; e-mail: environmentshop@saugov.sa.gov.au; website: www.environment.sa.gov.au).
Watersports: The third-largest river in the world, the River Murray, winds its way through South Australia, providing opportunities for cruises, houseboat hire, sailing and water-skiing. The coast offers good diving facilities, with the best sites located near Adelaide, Port Lincoln, Kangaroo Island, Yorke Peninsula, Eyre Peninsula and several offshore islands and reefs. The best time for diving is between December and May. Whale watching is possible on the Fleurieu Peninsula around Victor Harbor and on the Nullarbor coast, where large colonies of Southern Right whales breed from June to October. Fishing is also good, and South Australia has a particularly abundant population of large snapper (with Whyalla, 397km/247 miles northwest of Adelaide, being the best region). Freshwater fishing can be undertaken on the Murray and Wakefield rivers. Game fishing is best around Kangaroo Island and Port Lincoln, the latter being known for its large concentration of giant great white pointer sharks. For surfing enthusiasts, South Australia offers uncrowded beaches and excellent waves, particularly at Victor Harbor, Kangaroo Island and the more remote Yorke and Eyre peninsulas (with Eyre’s Cactus Beach attracting surfers from all over the world). The many deserted islands and beaches throughout the Spencer Gulf offer plenty of opportunities for sailing cruises.
Adventure sports: Ballooning is popular in the Barossa Valley, while the coast south of Adelaide is one of the country’s major regions for hang-gliding.
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