Helpful Travel Information - South Australia

Landscape doesn't come much more diverse than what you see in South Australia. The graceful picturesque city of Adelaide is a far cry from the vastness of the Simpson Desert, the height of the spectacular Flinders Ranges or Lake Eyre - the lowest point in Australia.

Adelaide (South Australia's capital) is not only a great destination in itself, but a popular spot for travellers to rest after a long haul trip from Western Australia or the Red Centre. It's also an ideal base to explore the nearby native wilderness of Kangaroo Island and the patchwork of vineyards in the Barossa Valley and the Adelaide Hills.

Head north toward the Northern Territory and you'll hit the Flinders Ranges, the wetlands of the Coongie Lakes System, the underground mining town of Coober Pedy and the massive emptiness of the Outback. The great Nullarbor Plain in South Australia's west (a big lump of limestone!) makes for one of the world's greatest and straightest road journeys.

SAFARI PETE'S 'DON'T MISS' LIST'

Hit the Barossa:

No trip to South Australia would be complete without a day at Australia's premier wine region - the Barossa Valley. Be driven around on a day tour, take in the lush scenery and tantalise your taste buds along the way.

Kangaroo Island:

Kangaroo Island has unrivalled natural beauty. It has 21 national parks, stacks of adventure activities, heaps of native wildlife (including seals, koalas and black cockatoos) fantastic surf and the renowned Remarkable Rocks.

Glenelg:

Hire a bike down on the Torrens River and go on a scenic ride to Glenelg along the linear park track. If you're feeling less energetic, jump on Adelaide's vintage tram for a 30 minute tram ride. Whichever you choose, make sure you have a beer (or three) at the Grand Hotel in Glenelg afterward...ahhhh!

Discover Aboriginal Dreaming:

The South Australia Museum has the largest Aboriginal display in the world - its open 7 days a week and it's FREE! Adelaide's museum, art gallery and library can also be found on the tree line boulevard of North Terrace.

SAFARI PETE'S QUICK FACTS

Size:

984 277 sq km (of which 3700 km is coastline).

Telephone Area Code:

Time:

GMT plus 9.5 hours. South Australia operates on Central Standard Time (CST) and has Daylight Savings from October to March (clocks go forward an hour).

Population:

1 495 000

Capital City:

Adelaide is South Australia's capital with a population of 1 085 000.

Climate:

Adelaide enjoys a Mediterranean climate with warm dry summers and cool winters. The average daily maximum temperature is 29.6 degrees celcius in January and 15 degrees in July.

GETTING ABOUT

Getting to South Australia

Train/Coach: Adelaide is a long way from Australia's other capitals so be prepared for a lengthy journey. The cheapest (but often dullest) option is to catch a bus. The Great Southern Railway has some good value historic rail journeys between Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide Alice Springs and Perth. An alternative is to join a one way backpacker bus tour - they are a great scenic way to get you where you want to go and see all the sights along the way.
All interstate and country SA trains arrive at the Adelaide Rail Passenger Terminal, Keswick. The airport bus calls here before heading to the Franklin Street Coach Terminal. The Adelaide Central YHA is just a short walk from here.
Plane: Adelaide's airport is 8km west of the city and has both international and domestic flights. The best way to get into Adelaide is on the airport bus which runs from the airport to the interstate train station and coach terminal (which is right beside the Adelaide YHA). It operates 7 days a week from both domestic and international terminals and leaves every 30 minutes weekdays and hourly on weekends.

Getting Around South Australia

There are numerous options for getting around South Australia ranging from driving yourself to catching buses or trains. Bus travel is the cheapest way to get around, but can be tedious. The trains are much more pleasant, but the routes are often less extensive.
Info and links to trains, buses and timetables can be found on South Australia's public transport website: www.sacentral.sa.gov.au/tourism/transport.