Lonely Planet South Australia & Northern Territory

South Australia & Northern Territory

Contents

Plan Your Trip

Welcome to South Australia & Northern Territory

South Australia & Northern Territory’s Top Experiences

Need to Know

First Time

Month by Month

Itineraries

South Australian Food & Wine

Your Outback Trip

Family Travel

Regions at a Glance

On The Road

Adelaide & Around

Adelaide

Adelaide Hills

Hahndorf

Stirling Area

Gumeracha, Birdwood & Lobethal

Mt Barker

Fleurieu Peninsula

McLaren Vale

Willunga

Gulf St Vincent Beaches

Victor Harbor

Port Elliot

Goolwa

Kangaroo Island

Penneshaw & Dudley Peninsula

American River

Kingscote

North Coast Road

South Coast Road

Flinders Chase National Park

Barossa Valley & Southeastern South Australia

Barossa Valley

Tanunda

Nuriootpa

Angaston

Clare Valley

Auburn

Mintaro

Clare

Murray River

Murray Bridge

Mannum

Waikerie

Barmera & Around

Loxton

Berri

Renmark & Paringa

Limestone Coast

Robe

Meningie & Coorong National Park

Mount Gambier

Penola & the Coonawarra Wine Region

Western South Australia

Yorke Peninsula

West Coast

East Coast

South Coast & Innes National Park

Eyre Peninsula & the West Coast

Port Augusta

Port Lincoln

Coffin Bay

Streaky Bay & Around

Ceduna

Ceduna to the Western Australia Border

Outback South Australia

Flinders Ranges

Southern Ranges

Quorn

Hawker

Flinders Ranges National Park

Blinman & Parachilna

Leigh Creek & Copley

The Outback

Woomera & Around

Coober Pedy

Oodnadatta Track

Birdsville & Strzelecki Tracks

Darwin & the Top End

Darwin

Tiwi Islands

Arnhem Highway

Berry Springs

Batchelor

Litchfield National Park

Daly River

Pine Creek

Kakadu National Park

Ubirr & Around

Jabiru

Nourlangie

Jim Jim Falls & Twin Falls

Cooinda & Yellow Water

Southwestern Kakadu

Arnhem Land

Gunbalanya (Oenpelli)

Cobourg Peninsula

Eastern Arnhem Land

Uluru & Outback Northern Territory

Katherine

Nitmiluk (Katherine Gorge) National Park

Katherine to Western Australia

Mataranka

Beswick (Wugularr)

Barkly Tableland & Gulf Country

Roper Highway

Carpentaria & Tablelands Highways

Borroloola

Central Northern Territory

Daly Waters

Tennant Creek

Devil’s Marbles & Around

Tanami Track

Alice Springs

MacDonnell Ranges

East MacDonnell Ranges

West MacDonnell Ranges

Northern Territory’s Far South

Old South Road

Rainbow Valley Conservation Reserve

Ernest Giles Road

Lasseter Highway

Watarrka National Park & Kings Canyon

Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park

Yulara

Uluru (Ayers Rock)

Kata Tjuta (The Olgas)

UNDERSTAND

History

Aboriginal Australia

Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Visual Art

The Outback Environment

SURVIVAL GUIDE

Deadly & Dangerous

Environmental Hazards

Infectious Diseases

Directory A–Z

Accessible Travel

Accommodation

Customs Regulations

Discount Cards

Electricity

Food

Health

Insurance

Internet Access

Legal Matters

LGBTIQ+ Travellers

Maps

Money

Opening Hours

Post

Public Holidays

Safe Travel

Telephone

Time

Toilets

Tourist Information

Visas

Volunteering

Women Travellers

Work

Transport

GETTING THERE & AWAY

Entering the Country

Air

Land

Sea

GETTING AROUND

Air

Bicycle

Boat

Bus

Car & Motorcycle

Hitching & Ride-Sharing

Local Transport

Train

Behind the Scenes

Our Writers

COVID-19

We have re-checked every business in this book before publication to ensure that it is still open after the COVID-19 outbreak. However, the economic and social impacts of COVID-19 will continue to be felt long after the outbreak has been contained, and many businesses, services and events referenced in this guide may experience ongoing restrictions. Some businesses may be temporarily closed, have changed their opening hours and services, or require bookings; some unfortunately could have closed permanently. We suggest you check with venues before visiting for the latest information.

Welcome to South Australia & Northern Territory

I fell in love with the outback the first time I laid eyes on her, and no matter how many times I return, I still find new adventures to discover. This love affair takes me to red sands and red-rock escarpments. It revels in soulful encounters with Aboriginal elders and artists. And I adore the warm welcome of country towns and the tall tales told in outback pubs. Down south, I never tire of quietly sophisticated Adelaide, world-class wineries, and the wildly beautiful coast. What a wonderful land this is.

Indigenous artist shows her work to visitors, Uluru | TOURISM NT/DAVID KIRKLAND ©

By Anthony Ham, Writer

twitterpng twitter @AnthonyHamWrite instagram anthonyham 2002

For more about Our Writers

South Australia & Northern Territory’s Top Experiences

1THE RED CENTRE

Australia’s Red Centre is the heart of the nation. This is a land rich in symbolism and sacred sites, and standing in its red sands and amid its ochre-hued escarpments is a soul-stirring experience. Visiting here means quiet encounters with Aboriginal custodians of the land, opportunities to commune with Australia’s signature wildlife, and immersing yourself in a world of wild and desolate beauty.

Uluru at sunrise | TOURISM NT/SHAANA MCNAUGHT ©

Uluru

Australia’s most recognized natural wonder, Uluru (Ayers Rock) draws pilgrims from around the world. No matter how many postcard images you have seen, nothing prepares you for Uluru’s immense presence, character-pitted formations, and unrivalled spiritual gravitas.

Uluru camel tours | TOURISM NT/HELEN ORR ©

Kata Tjuta

West of Uluru, a mystical clutch of stone siblings known as Kata Tjuta (The Olgas) rises from the desert. Deeply cleaved with narrow gorges, these 36 pink-red domes majestically flaunt their curves and blush intensely at sunset.

Kata Tjuta | TOURISM NT/COLBY BROWN ©

Kings Canyon

Part of Watarrka National Park, dramatic Kings Canyon is a jaw-dropping spectacle. Atop the 100m-high cliffs, hewn from the red sandstone by the elements, are fascinating ‘beehive’ formations. Down below, permanent waterholes nourish beautiful plants and animals. Extraordinary views are everywhere.

Kings Canyon, Watarrka National Park | TOURISM NT/SHAANA MCNAUGHT ©

Top Experiences

2WINE COUNTRY

If you’re into wine, get into South Australia. Persecuted Lutherans on the run from Prussia and Silesia first had the bright idea of planting vines here. Lo and behold – one of the world’s great wine societies was born! The quality is sky-high, and the experience of moving between cellar doors and their restaurants is an indulgent delight. Put simply, it’s one of Australia’s premier wine regions and a pleasure to visit.

McLaren Vale winery | WENDY MEDER/SHUTTERSTOCK ©

Barossa Valley

Like an outpost of Germany on the cusp of Adelaide, the Barossa Valley is among the world’s premier wine-producing regions. It’s especially known for its shiraz, but you’ll discover so much more here as you go from cellar door to winery restaurant.

Wines from the Barossa Valley | EKATERINA KAMENETSKY/SHUTTERSTOCK ©

McLaren Vale

McLaren Vale has many fans among wine experts and ordinary drinkers alike. There are excellent cafes and restaurants to go with the wineries, and the views here – of the Willunga Scarp and of vineyards stretching to the horizon – are as good as the wines.

Coonawarra vineyard | CORNFIELD/SHUTTERSTOCK ©

Coonawarra

Out in the state’s east, just inland from the Limestone Coast, Coonawarra is famous for its cabernet sauvignon reds. Leading the honour roll are two of Australia’s most celebrated labels, Wynns and Penfolds.

Barossa grapes | DARREN TIERNEY/SHUTTERSTOCK ©

Top Experiences

3TOP END PARKS

Northern Territory’s Top End has it all, from countless landmarks that tell the deep-time story of Aboriginal history to stunning landscapes that shelter diverse and charismatic wildlife. Contemplate the wisdom of the ancients at mysterious rock-art sites, take a boat ride with Aboriginal guides, swim in croc-free rock pools, hike the escarpments, and spend time just admiring the view. It’s all possible and more up here in the Top End.

Waterhole at Maguk | TOURISM NT/KYLE HUNTER & HAYLEY ANDERSON ©

Kakadu National Park

Kakadu is an adventure into a natural and cultural landscape like no other. Weathered by endless cycles of Wet and Dry, the sandstone ramparts of Kakadu and neighbouring Arnhem Land have sheltered humans for aeons. An extraordinary legacy of rock art remains at Kakadu’s Ubirr and Nourlangie galleries. The wildlife here, too, is simply astonishing, with abundant birdlife, crocs, and more.

Comb-crested jacana | JORDI PRAT PUIG/SHUTTERSTOCK ©

Litchfield National Park

Litchfield National Park is renowned for shimmering cascades and Eden-like rock pools surrounded by sheer cliffs. And it’s so close to Darwin you can be back in town by nightfall. Other stirring rock formations make this one of the Top End’s most beautiful corners.

Florence Falls | DBA MOUNTAINEER/500PX ©

Top Experiences

4URBAN FOOD & CULTURE

Adelaide is a real cultural star, and certainly no city in Australia has as many first-class festivals throughout its jam-packed year. The city is also emerging as a culinary capital, while its temples to sports and high culture rank among Australia’s most rewarding. Adelaide is like that: it seems quiet and then all of sudden you realise just how much good stuff is going on around you.

Adelaide Central Market

Lift the lid on multicultural Adelaide with a visit to the city’s world-class food market. Beneath one roof you’ll find cheese wrights, pasta stalls, delis, locally farmed fruit and veg, yoghurt shops, family-run seafood vendors and sausage stands.

Adelaide Central Market | OLGA KASHUBIN/SHUTTERSTOCK ©

Festival City

It’s impossible to overstate the richness of Adelaide’s festival calendar, which draws world-renowned artists and performers from around the world. Adelaide Festival of Arts, Adelaide Fringe, WOMADelaide, Tasting Australia, the Adelaide Film Festival, the Tour Down Under... It really is the most wonderful line-up.

Adelaide Oval | PUYALROYO/SHUTTERSTOCK ©

Museums & Sport

Adelaide caters to every cultural taste. See Rodin sculptures and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander art at the Art Gallery of South Australia, learn about Indigenous history at the South Australian Museum, then learn about the cricket and footy at Adelaide Oval.

Performers at Adelaide Fringe | GREYBOOTS40/SHUTTERSTOCK ©

Top Experiences

5ABORIGINAL ART & LANDSCAPES

The Northern Territory’s numerous art centres are vital focal points for Aboriginal culture and among the easiest entry points into the Indigenous world. Both the paintings themselves and meeting the artists make for experiences of great power and beauty. And as so often in the world of Aboriginal culture, art emanates from, and represents, a deep connection to the land itself. Nowhere is this more true than in the West MacDonnell Ranges.

Alice Springs

If you can’t visit the art centres in remote Aboriginal communities, and even if you can, spend time exploring the fabulous art galleries in Alice Springs. Papunya Tula and Araluen Art Centre are highlights.

Araluen Arts Centre | TOURISM NT/KWP! ©

West MacDonnell Ranges

Rich in symbolism and creation stories of the local Arrernte and other Aboriginal peoples, the West MacDonnell Ranges are a superb day trip from Alice Springs.

Pyndan Camel Tracks tour, West MacDonnell Ranges | TOURISM NT ©

Injalak Arts

There are outstanding Indigenous art centres across the Northern Territory, but there’s none better than Injalak Arts & Crafts Centre, in Gunbalanya in western Arnhem Land.

Artwork at Injalak Arts & Crafts Centre, Gunbalanya (Oenpelli) | TOURISM NT/FELIX BAKER ©

Top Experiences

6KANGAROO ISLAND

‘KI’ makes a delightful detour from mainland SA’s established tourist trail. Just a 45-minute ferry across the Backstairs Passage from Cape Jervis, the island (about half the size of Crete) is a haven for wildlife, wineries, weird rock formations and wild ocean beaches. Fires in 2020 cast a cloud over the island, but they’re bouncing back and KI remains unspoiled, untouristy and unsophisticated in the best possible way.

Flinders Chase National Park

It may have suffered terribly during the 2020 fires, but Flinders Chase National Park, at the western end of the island, is a symbol of the resilience and renewal of wild Australia. Coastal mallee scrub, sugar-gum forests, deep ravines, and windswept coastal stretches provide the backdrop for uplifting bush walks. Watch for wildlife making a reappearance along the way.

Oysters | TRAPPY76/SHUTTERSTOCK ©

Culinary Appeal

KI was riding the wave of farm-to-table culinary excellence long before it became a thing elsewhere. Everything here, from the organic meats and dairy products to honey and wine, benefits from the pollution-free, clean ocean air that bathes the island. Don’t miss Penneshaw’s fantastic Kangaroo Island Farmers Market, and the island’s restaurants serve it all, especially in Kingscote.

Koala | MARCO TALIANI DE MARCHIO/SHUTTERSTOCK ©

Top Experiences

7SOUTH AUSTRALIAN OUTBACK

Desert envelopes the vast majority of South Australia, yet it’s anything but empty. Everything out here happens on a vast scale – big horizons, big outback personalities, and views that can seem to go on forever. Here in the state’s north, you can experience iconic outback trails, character-filled towns, and isolated mountain ranges ‘close’ to mysterious salt lakes. It’s another world, and it’s very beautiful.

Flinders Ranges

Stunning and accessible, the Flinders Rangers is one beautiful desert mountain range. At its heart, Ikara (Wilpena Pound) is a glorious formation of purple-brown rock escarpments encircling a vast, dusty bowl full of arid scrub.

Highway, Flinders Ranges | GREG BRAVE/SHUTTERSTOCK ©

Oodnadatta Track

Take a two-day 4WD trip along SA’s Oodnadatta Track, an unsealed 615km desert drive between the Flinders Ranges and the Adelaide–Darwin Stuart Hwy. Expect threadbare railway towns, remarkable old pubs, natural springs, and astonishing Lake Eyre.

Oodnadatta Track | PHOTODIGITAAL.NL/SHUTTERSTOCK ©

Coober Pedy

A desert town where most of the inhabitants live underground, Coober Pedy is quirky and filled with outback charm. They’ve mined opals for generations, and there’s no place quite like it anywhere else on earth.

Underground church, Coober Pedy | VOLODYMYR DVORNYK/SHUTTERSTOCK ©

Top Experiences

8GORGES & REMOTE RIVERS

Big desert horizons are a major highlight of visiting the Northern Territory. But here in the outback, you’re just as likely to find yourself spellbound by a hidden canyon filled with water or a forgotten river snaking through magnificent escarpment country. Close to Katherine, it’s possible to do both. The charms of Nitmiluk National Park are well-known and well-deserved. But you could have the country around Victoria River all to yourself.

Nitmiluk National Park

Nitmiluk National Park is perfect for explorers. Paddle a canoe upstream, through one gorge after another, and you’ll be drawn into the silence of the towering cliffs. Rest on a sandy river beach, walk up to a viewpoint or take a helicopter flight for an eagle’s-eye view. The surrounding Nitmiluk National Park also boasts the Jatbula Trail, a five-day walk from the gorge to wonderful Leliyn (Edith Falls).

Barrawei Lookout, Nitmiluk National Park | TOURISM NT/BACKYARD BANDITS ©

Victoria River

Between Katherine and the Western Australian border lies one of Australia’s least-known treasures. The Victoria River cuts through drama-filled escarpments that evoke the more-famous Kimberleys. Nearby, remote and rugged national parks like Keep River and Judburra-Gregory are perfect for those who like to explore off-road without the crowds.

Need to Know

For more information, see Survival Guide

Currency

Australian dollar ($)

Language

English

Visas

All visitors to Australia need a visa (except New Zealanders). Apply online for a three-month ETA or eVisitor Visa, or standard 12-month Tourist Visa.

Money

ATMs widely available, especially in larger cities and towns. Credit card and Eftpos purchases accepted in most hotels and restaurants.

Mobile Phones

European phones will work on Australia’s network, but most American or Japanese phones won’t. Use global roaming or a local SIM card and prepaid account.

Time

Central Standard Time (GMT/UTC plus 9½ hours)

When to Go

High Season

A In the south, summer (Dec–Feb) is high season. SA accommodation prices jump as much as 25%.

A In the deserts and tropical north, winter (Jun–Aug) is high season: warm days, low humidity. Uluru and Kakadu accommodation prices leap 25%.

Shoulder

A March, April and May bring clear skies and shorter queues.

A Spring (Sep–Nov) is particularly atmospheric around Adelaide, but can still be wet in the Top End.

A Local business people are relaxed, gearing up for (SA) or recovering from (NT) peak tourist trade.

Low Season

A In the south, winter (Jun–Aug) brings cool rainy days, meaning few tourists. Restaurants and attractions keep slightly shorter hours.

A Up in the tropical north, summer (Dec–Feb) brings the Wet and its heavy rains. Most unpaved roads are impassable.

Useful Websites

Lonely Planet (www.lonelyplanet.com/australia) Destination information, hotel reviews, traveller forum and more.

Bureau of Meteorology (www.bom.gov.au) Weather forecasts and warnings.

South Australian Tourism Commission (www.southaustralia.com) Accommodation, activities, events and tours.

Travel NT (www.northernterritory.com) NT travel guide.

Department of Environment, Water & Natural Resources (www.environment.sa.gov.au/parks/Home) SA national parks .

Parks & Wildlife (www.nt.gov.au/leisure/parks-reserves) NT national parks.

Important Numbers

Australian phone numbers have two-digit area codes followed by eight-digit numbers. Drop the initial 0 when calling Australia from overseas.

Exchange Rates

For current exchange rates see www.xe.com.

Daily Costs

Budget: Less than $150

A Dorm bed: $25−35 per night

A Double room in pub/budget hotel: $80

A Budget pizza or pasta main course: $15

A Adelaide or Darwin bus ride: $3–5

Midrange: $150−275

A Double room in midrange hotel/motel: $130–250

A Midrange restaurant main course with glass of wine: $35

A Small-car hire per day: $35

A Short taxi ride: $25

Top End: More than $275

A Double room in top-end hotel: more than $250

A Top-end restaurant main course with glass of wine: $50

A Tickets to a show: $20–150

A 4WD hire per day: from $100

Opening Hours

Banks 9.30am to 4pm Monday to Thursday; until 5pm on Friday

Cafes 7am to 5pm

Petrol stations & roadhouses 8am to 10pm; some 24 hours

Post offices 9am to 5pm Monday to Friday; some from 9am to noon on Saturdays

Pubs & bars Open for drinking from lunchtime until late; food from noon to 2pm and 6pm to 8pm

Restaurants Noon to 2pm and 6pm to 9pm, often later

Shops & businesses 9am to 5pm Monday to Friday; until noon or 5pm on Saturday

Supermarkets 7am until at least 8pm

Arriving in South Australia & Northern Territory

Adelaide Airport (ADL) Prebooked private Adelaide Airport Flyer minibuses connect the airport with the city ($35; 6am to 11.30pm). Public Adelaide Metro JetBuses ply the same route ($3.20 to $5.10; 6:30am to 11pm). Taxis charge around $30 into the city (15 minutes).

Darwin Airport (DRW) Private Darwin City Airport Shuttle minibuses connect the airport with the city ($15; 24 hours); prebooking recommended. Taxis charge around $40 into the city (15 minutes).

Getting Around

Outback Australia is vast: buses and trains can shuttle you between the major centres, but you’ll be getting behind the wheel for most other destinations.

Car & 4WD To explore SA and the NT properly you’ll need your own wheels (4WDs for outback tracks). There are car-hire outlets in cities and most large towns. Drive on the left.

Bus Useful, affordable, regular connections between major centres: good for covering long distances on a budget.

Train Expensive, infrequent long-distance routes: more for romance and scenery than expedience.

For much more on Getting Around

First Time

For more information, see Survival Guide

Checklist

A Sign up for a local roadside-assistance network.

A Buy one of the excellent Hema Maps that cover outback roads and tracks.

A Inform your debit-/credit-card company.

A Arrange for appropriate travel insurance.

A Check if you can use your mobile/cell phone.

A Check weather and road conditions before setting out.

What to Pack

A Sturdy walking shoes – there are many excellent walks, long and short.

A Warm clothes – the desert nights are surprisingly cold in winter.

A Hat, sunglasses and sunscreen.

A Water bottle.

A Australian electrical adaptor.

A Binoculars and wildlife field guides.

Top Tips for Your Trip

A Don’t be too ambitious – outback Australia is a big place, and trying to see everything can lead to frustration (and exhaustion).

A Weather matters out here – pay close attention to the forecasts.

A On long drives don’t forget to stop regularly to reboot the brain.

A Avoid driving at night. The empty landscape teems with car-wrecking kangaroos, while cattle find the sun-warmed roads a fine place to rest on a cold desert night.

A Book well in advance if you need accommodation (and/or rental vehicles) for any of the festivals in Adelaide or remote communities.

A If booking a rental vehicle, especially in Darwin, and you want unlimited kilometres, you may need to book through a travel agency or the local tourist office.

What to Wear

It will be no surprise to learn that the theme is casual; however, it is not ‘anything goes’ and many dining and entertainment venues will require covered shoes or sandals (no flip-flops or singlets). The central deserts are very cold in winter, with subzero temperatures at night. As soon as the sun sets winter woollies are needed. Sensible and stylish under the outback sun is the broad-brimmed hat and, if you are travelling in summer, bring a bathing costume to cool off in the waterholes and swimming pools.

Sleeping

There are excellent accommodation possibilities, but choice is limited outside major towns and tourist sites.

Hotels, motels and pubs Hotels are often restricted to major cities. Pub accommodation is usually very basic and motels are typically clean, convenient, conventional and everywhere.

Roadhouses One-stop shops along the highways; from camp sites to basic dongas (small, transportable buildings) with shared facilities to modern motel rooms.

Caravan parks Most caravan parks have cabins as well as caravan and camping sites. Many have swimming pools and restaurants.

Hostels Found in the more major towns, hostels tend to be highly social affairs ideal for young travellers.

Bargaining

Gentle haggling is fairly common in weekend markets, secondhand shops and often when purchasing arts and crafts from the artist, but it’s not the done thing in most Indigenous art centres, where prices are fixed. It’s common practice to ask for a discount on expensive items when paying cash (not that you are guaranteed to get one). In most other instances you are expected to pay the stated price.

Tipping

Tipping is far from ingrained in Australian society, and most people in the outback don’t bother. The only place where tipping is considered normal is restaurants; taxi drivers also appreciate you rounding up the fare.

Hotels Not usually expected.

Restaurants For excellent table service tip 5% to 10%.

Taxis Not expected, but the drivers will appreciate you rounding up the fare

Alcohol

Check whether alcohol rules apply when visiting an outback community. You may be breaking the law even with unopened bottles in your vehicle.

Smoking

Smoking is banned in many public places, including on public transport and in pubs, bars and eateries.

Cathedral-termite mound, Litchfield National Park | TOURISM NT/SHAANA MCNAUGHT©

Etiquette

Greetings Usually a simple ‘G’day’ or ‘Howzitgoin?’ suffices. Shake hands with men or women when meeting for the first time. Australians expect a firm handshake with eye contact. However, when visiting an Aboriginal community this can be seen as overbearing. Here, a soft clasp with little arm movement, and virtually no eye contact can be expected. The best advice is to take it as it comes and respond in like manner.

Shout Australians like to take it in turn to buy (‘shout’) a round of drinks for the group and everyone is expected to take part.

Eating

Eating in outback Australia can be as pricey or prudent as you like: a roadhouse hamburger can taste just as good as a fine-dining morsel in a haughty winery bistro. Bookings are really only necessary in Adelaide’s or Darwin’s top restaurants.

Restaurants Adelaide, SA’s wine regions and Darwin have excellent restaurants. Elsewhere, pickings are slim. The Centre has a small selection of fine-dining restaurants found within the better hotels in Alice Springs and Yulara.

Roadhouses More of a necessity than a recommendation, roadhouse fare (think burgers and steaks) suffers from the tyranny of distance, whereby fresh ingredients and reliable cooks are hard to source. Nevertheless, there are some pearls.

Pubs Pubs serve a similar purpose to roadhouses (hearty, no-nonsense meals); the food is generally secondary to the beverages.

Month by Month

TOP EVENTS

Adelaide Fringe, Feb

WOMADelaide, Mar

Tjungu Festival, Apr

Garma Festival, Aug

Henley-on-Todd Regatta, Sep

January

South Australia and the central deserts are hot and dry; the Top End is hot and wet with many tourism-related business and even some hotels closed. In SA, locals head to the cricket.

3 Tour Down Under

SA’s six-stage version of the Tour de France. People line the streets to watch the lycra-clad lads whizz past, with picnic rugs, champagne and Euro vibes.

February

February is central Australia’s warmest month: hot and sticky in the Wet up north, while central regions swelter in dry desert heat. Many roads are impassable in the north, especially Arnhem Land. Locals go back to work.

z Adelaide Fringe

All the acts that don’t make the cut (or don’t want to) for the highbrow Adelaide Festival come to the Fringe. Comedy, music, theatre, buskers and the hyperactive Garden of Unearthly Delights. Second only to the Edinburgh Fringe. It’s that good.

March

March is harvest time in SA’s vineyards and festival time in Adelaide: international visitors drag the city onto the world stage. It’s still wet up north and the countryside is sodden; many unsealed roads remain impassable.

z Adelaide Festival

Culture vultures absorb international and Australian dance, drama, opera and theatre performances at this ultra classy annual event. Australia’s biggest multiarts event.

z WOMADelaide

Annual festival of world music, arts, food and dance, held over four days in Adelaide’s luscious Botanic Park. Eight stages and more than 400 world-music acts: very family friendly, and you can get a cold beer too.

3 Tiwi Grand Final

Proof that life very much continues in the Wet comes at one of rural Australia’s most celebrated footy finals. It’s a real local event with plenty of visitors from the mainland and art exhibitions as well.

April

The Adelaide Hills are atmospheric as European trees turn golden then maroon. Up north the rain is abating and the desert temperatures are becoming manageable, but it’s still low season. Easter = pricey accommodation everywhere.

z Barossa Vintage Festival

Biennial festival held in odd-numbered years that has processions, maypole dancing, traditional dinners and much Barossa Valley wine (… shoot for a sip of Penfolds’ famous ‘Grange’).

z Tjungu Festival

April sees the dynamic Tjungu Festival take over Yulara with a focus on local Aboriginal culture.

May

The Dry begins in the Northern Territory bringing relief from humidity and returning tourists. This is a great time to visit Uluru, before the tour buses arrive in droves.

3 Alice Springs Cup Carnival

Five days of racing and an abundance of social activities is a good excuse to dust off the old suit/frock and sink a few cold ones under a shady marquee while the horses do their stuff.

6 Clare Valley Gourmet Weekend

Long-running food-and-wine festival run by local wineries and some of SA’s top restaurants. Book your B&B early!

2 Whale Watching

Along the South Australian coast, migrating southern right and humpback whales come close to shore to feed, breed and calf. The whales are here between May and October; see them at Victor Harbor and west of Ceduna.

3 Country Music in Katherine

Country music finds a temporary spiritual home in Katherine with live performances and plenty of big hats. It’s usually in May but sometimes moseys on into June.

3 Uluru Camel Cup

Camel races within sight of Uluru are a fabulous if rather ungainly sight at this festival that never takes itself too seriously.

June

Winter brings peak season in the tropical Top End and central deserts. Many hotels and tour operators reopen after a long hiatus. Waterfalls and outback tracks are accessible (accommodation prices less so). Chilly across South Australia.

z Adelaide Cabaret Festival

Unique cabaret festival supporting local and interstate music and theatre. Everything from stockings-and-suspenders burlesque shows to intimate concerts by top crooners.

z Barunga Festival

Fabulous Aboriginal cultural and sports festival. Music (battle of the bands!), dance, arts, storytelling, crafts, football, athletics and spear throwing. Camp or day-trip from Katherine. (barungafestival.com.au)

3 Finke Desert Race

Two-day, off-road bike, car and dune-buggy race through the desert from Alice Springs to the Apatula Community. It draws all sorts and brings remote communities to life.

6 Sea & Vines Festival

Wine, seafood and live music in McLaren Vale wineries over the June long weekend. Can get insanely crowded: book your transport and accommodation many moons in advance.

July

Pubs with open fires, cosy coffee shops and empty beaches down south; packed markets, tours and accommodation up north. Pack warm clothes for anywhere south of Alice Springs.

3 Alice Springs Camel Cup

Unpredictable camel racing and beer drinking kicks up the dust in Alice Springs. This is Alice at its most rambunctious best.

3 Darwin Cup Carnival

Darwin’s Fannie Bay racecourse erupts with six days of thundering hoofs and fine-lookin’ folk. Wear your shiny shoes and your best hat.

z Darwin Fringe Festival

Offbeat culture in the Top End: theatre, visual arts, dance, music and poetry fill the city’s streets.

z NAIDOC Week

The National Aboriginal & Islander Day Observance Committee conducts performances, exhibitions and talks in communities around SA and the NT (www.naidoc.org.au).

3 Royal Darwin Show

Darwin’s show is when rural Northern Territory comes to the city with farm animals at every turn and much entertainment tacked on to broaden the appeal. (www.darwinshow.com.au)

z Walking with Spirits

One of the outback’s best festivals with an Indigenous focus. The waterfalls near Beswick are a fab setting for this explosion of traditional dance and music and other entertainment.

3 Beer Can Regatta

Sandy high jinks and beer-can boats at Darwin’s Mindil Beach. Help the locals empty a few cans to build the boats for next year.

Beer Can Regatta | EA GIVEN/SHUTTERSTOCK ©

Royal Adelaide Show | GREYBOOTS40/SHUTTERSTOCK ©

August

Southerners, sick of winter’s grey-sky drear, head north for some sun. Last chance to visit the outback and tropical Top End before things get too hot or wet (or both). Kakadu, anyone?

z Darwin Festival

Two weeks of theatre, comedy, cabaret, dance, music, food and workshops – an artistic cavalcade! A focus on Aboriginal, Asian and outdoor events.

z Garma Festival

Out in remote East Arnhem Land, Yirrkala launches the Garma Festival, one of the largest and most vibrant celebrations of Indigenous culture in the Top End.

z SALA Festival

The South Australian Living Artists Festival zooms in on contemporary art (no dusty old canvasses here). Look for SALA posters in cafes/bars/theatres/pubs around the state.

September

Spring heralds a rampant bloom of wildflowers and mild temperatures across the outback, especially in the Flinders Ranges. It’s cool and windy down south; starting to get hot and sticky up north.

z Alice Desert Festival

Central Australian visual arts, music, dancing, exhibitions and street performers. Runs right through September, spilling into August and October.

2 City to Bay

A sweaty, heart-pumping 12km dash from downtown Adelaide to the beach at Glenelg. Bettser start training!

3 Henley-on-Todd Regatta

Alice Springs’ iconic ‘boat’ races on the (usually) bone-dry Todd River. Watch from the riverbanks, or build your own boat and join in.

3 Royal Adelaide Show

A major seven-day agricultural festa. How many prize bulls, tattooed carnies and blue-singleted sheep shearers can you handle? (theshow.com.au)

z Mahbilil Festival

Early in September, the Mahbilil Festival in Jabiru gets Kakadu rocking with local bands, performances and plenty of bush tucker – magpie goose anyone?

October

Everyone in the Top End scans the horizon waiting for rain as the build-up to the Wet brings sweltering humidity. Many tours take last orders. Down south, the weather avoids extremes everywhere.

6 Riverland Wine & Food Festival

Sample Riverland food and drink in Berri, on the banks of the mighty, meandering Murray River (Australia’s Mississippi).

z Malandarri Festival

Way out near the Gulf of Carpentaria, Borroloola hosts the Malandarri Festival, a memorable two-day spectacle with traditional dance and artistic creativity at the heart of everything.

November

The rains have arrived in the north – rivers swell, tourist businesses close and much of Arnhem Land becomes inaccessible. Warm spring South Australian days tease city workers with a hint of summer.

z Feast Festival

Annual gay-and-lesbian festival in Adelaide, with film, cabaret, music, forums, theatre and literature (and a few feasts).

2 Barra Fishing

The best months to go fishing for barramundi tend to be either side of the Wet and Dry – November is nearly guaranteed to be good, but there’s also March, April and October in case you miss out.

December

Ring the bell, school’s out! Holidays begin two weeks before Christmas. Darwin, Alice and Adelaide fill with shoppers and the weather is hot. Up north it’s low season and monsoon season: afternoon thunderstorms bring pelting rain.

1 Lights of Lobethal

Get a wholesome dose of Christmas with a dusk drive through Lobethal, a Germanic Adelaide Hills’ town festooned with fairy lights.

Itineraries

The Best of SA & NT

2 WEEKS

To cover such vast terrain in two weeks might be bordering on insanity, but if you’ve only got two weeks to spare and a passion to explore the Australian outback, this is the way to do it. To make it work, you’ll need to take an internal flight.

Begin in Adelaide, one of Australia’s coolest and most culturally rich cities, and spend two nights here. Pick up a car and head north, pausing overnight in Port Augusta – long enough to visit the Wadlata Outback Centre and Australian Arid Lands Botanic Garden. The next morning drive on to Coober Pedy, precisely the sort of disconcerting remote outpost you’d expect to find at the end of a long outback drive. The next morning, buckle up for the longest drive of your trip, a nine-hour paved-road desert traverse to Yulara, your base for exploring Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park. After three nights, drive to Watarrka National Park for a night, then on to Alice Springs the following day. From Alice, fly to Darwin from where you could take a whirlwind three- or (better) four-day tour that takes in Kakadu National Park and Litchfield National Park. Return to Darwin for a great meal, art galleries and your flight home.

Itineraries

Southeastern SA to Alice Springs

4 WEEKS

This month-long epic is like traversing the soul of a continent, from the verdant green vineyards of South Australia’s wine regions to the searing red heart of the outback. You’ll need your own wheels to take this one on.

Begin your journey in the Coonawarra wine region. From here explore the dunes and lagoons of Coorong National Park, sip your way through McLaren Vale wine region, hop over to Kangaroo Island for a few days of wildlife watching, then roll into festival-frenzied Adelaide. Don’t miss a trip to Adelaide Central Market for lunch, and a night eating and drinking on Rundle St.

More wine! About an hour north of Adelaide is the old-school Barossa Valley (big reds); and about two hours north is the boutiquey Clare Valley with its world-class riesling, cottagey B&Bs and old stone mining towns.

You’re a couple of weeks in already – time to put some serious kilometres under your belt. Continuing north, raggedy Flinders Ranges National Park jags up from the semi-desert like a rust-coloured mirage. Rich in Indigenous culture, the Flinders – the heart of which is the amazing Ikara (Wilpena Pound) – will sear itself into your memory. Hit the Stuart Hwy and journey north to the mildly spooky rocket-testing town Woomera and the opal-tinged dugouts of Coober Pedy.

Trucking north, you’ll enter the Simpson Desert and cross into the Northern Territory. The Lasseter Hwy turn-off takes you to peerless Uluru and the mesmerising Kata Tjuta rock formations. No matter how many times you’ve seen a photo, there’s nothing quite like seeing an Uluru sunset firsthand.

About 300km north of Uluru, the spectacular, vertigo-inducing Kings Canyon, in Watarrka National Park, rewards intrepid travellers with scenic walks into and around the rim of the gaping desert chasm. Finish up in the desert oasis of Alice Springs, in the heart of the steep-sided MacDonnell Ranges. Alice has plenty to keep you busy for a few days: the excellent Alice Springs Desert Park, some classy restaurants or just a soak in a swimming pool as