Auburn and surrounds

Auburn

Visitors often begin their visit to the Clare Valley wine lands in the southern town of Auburn. Open, friendly and retaining an historic magic, Auburn is also home to a splendid array of guesthouses, great dining options and of course, a collection of renowned cellar doors.

It was initially named Tateham's Waterhole in 1849, after the town's first settler, William of Tateham, who reputably lived in a dugout (literally a hole in the ground) on the north side of the river. His name lives on through Tateham's Restaurant, situated in what was once a general store.

Auburn's magnificent bluestone buildings line the quiet streets, many of them listed on the National Trust and State Heritage Registers, and not a few offering excellent Bed and Breakfast accommodation.

Be sure to take the time to wander along St Vincent Street. Stone cottages or old stores stand on every corner, with many now converted into contemporary restaurants, antique shops, gourmet coffee shops and heritage-style accommodation. Sit to enjoy the atmosphere - and imagine life 120 years ago, a time when the young poet CJ Dennis played in the streets.

A visit to the historic Rising Sun Hotel is a must; as well as serving a genial ale, the hotel has garnered a reputation for its fine dining. The restored Railway Station a few streets back is the Mount Horrocks cellar door outlet where lunches are served on weekends; winemaker Stephanie Toole was labelled by The Australian wine critic Max Allen as among the 'ten most exciting names to watch for'. The town is also home to the richly-accoladed winery, Grosset Wines, and a little way to the east is Taylors Wines, winner of the prestigious international award, 'Red Wine of the Year'.

Auburn is the southern start (or end!) of the Riesling Trail. Following a disused railway line, the trail is mostly flat and ideal for walkers and cyclists of all ages and fitness levels. It trails 25 kilometres to Clare, through picturesque countryside and past a dozen cellar doors. More ambitious cyclists and walkers can visit from among some 40 outlets.

Attractions:

- Antique shops

- Riesling Trail (Cycling / Walking Trail)

- Cellar Doors

- Rising Sun Hotel

- Mount Horrocks

Tarlee

North on the Barrier Highway you come upon the farming community of Tarlee, a great place to stop for antiques, arts and crafts. Stone from the Tarlee quarries was used in the foundations for many of Adelaide's grandest buildings, notably the Adelaide General Post Office, Museum and Railway Station. Stroll down the main street to admire some of Tarlee's buildings and stop for a while at the picnic area. Four Leaf Milling at the southern end of town is a specialist flour producer, one of very few using granite mills to grind their grain. Organic wholegrain products are available from the mill shop.

If you plan to stay over, there's a range of accommodation including a bed and breakfast, motel and nearby farm stay. If you're in the Clare Valley for the Gourmet Weekend, drop into Tarlee for the annual Country Market held on the Monday morning of the May weekend.

Riverton

Up the Barrier Highway you will come to Riverton. This charming town continues to thrive as the commercial centre of a rich farming district. The local community has preserved many of the significant heritage buildings.

The Riverton Railway Station is undoubtedly a highlight. It gained some notoriety as the site of Australia's first 'political assassination', though in fact a crazed passenger began shooting wildly and a visiting MP from Broken Hill was shot while trying to overpower him. Bullet holes can still be seen in the walls of the station.

Riverton was the first station building in the region to be constructed in stone and is one of the finest examples of rural railway architecture in South Australia. A tiny cottage on the main street was owned by August Scholz, within which he established a wheelwright business in 1872. In 1886 he bought the blacksmith's shop next door and the complex is now located in a pleasant park and serves as a museum. Access to the collection of historic machinery can be had by enquiring at the Information and History Centre.

McCaw Creek Winery is the only winery in the Gilbert Valley, located midway between Riverton and Rhynie along a very pleasant drive.

Rhynie

Rhynie, is well known for its historic pub. The Rhynie Hotel was the first pub north of Adelaide that was made 'bona fide' - in other words it could serve liquor and food after 1800 only if drinkers could present themselves as 'bona fide' travellers. Needless to say there were a lot of local 'travellers' about.

Saddleworth and Manoora

Stop in at Saddleworth to experience a traditional country town atmosphere and to wander through the shops. The old Catholic Church cemetery atop the hill has interesting epitaphs as well as a nice view over the town. A heritage walk brochure is available from the Saddleworth Institute.

The town was settled and named after 'Saddleworth Lodge' in Yorkshire by pastoralist James Masters and, like many others, it thrived during the copper-mining boom.

Further north on the highway you come to the small railway town of Manoora, the gateway to the heritage town of Mintaro and the start of an especially lovely drive.

Marrabel

The small town of Marrabel is renowned for its annual rodeo on the October long weekend, an event that has been drawing enthusiastic crowds since 1935. At the crossroads, look out for Curio the unrideable mare; this large statue of a bucking horse and rider has plenty of life in it.

Event - Annual Rodeo.

* The prices displayed on this website are in Australian Dollars (AUD) and are per person prices, unless otherwise indicated, these prices are intended as a guide only and are subject to variation without notice. All prices are quoted inclusive of a Goods and Services Tax if applicable.