Penneshaw to Glenelg
Leaving Kangaroo Island is never easy, but a feast of fresh scenery awaits you on the drive north up the Fleurieu Peninsula. Where the hills roll down to the sea, you'll find picturesque valleys, villages and vineyards.
Heading towards Adelaide along Main South Road, you'll find the Yankalilla Bay. This is the site of the Fleurieu Reef, an artificial diving reef, formed by the scuttling of the former naval vessel HMAS Hobart.
Yankalilla is also the name of a town just a short drive inland, which made international headlines a few years ago when the local Anglican parish priest discovered what he describes as an apparition of the Mother Mary on the church walls.
There are several boutique wineries near Yankalilla and Normanville. From Yankalilla to Myponga the road dips inland, where old gum trees dot the grassy hillsides and the winding road hits the coast again at Sellicks Beach with spectacular sweeping views to the north.
The Victory Hotel at Sellicks Hill offers unrivalled views across the southern vales and beaches to Adelaide's southern suburbs. Stop at Port Willunga's character-filled Star of Greece restaurant, converted from the original clifftop corrugated iron kiosk. Jetty piles from the old port are still visible along the beach.
The McLaren Vale district has more than 40 cellar doors offereing tastings and the region is especially known for its Shiraz. McLaren Vale also has excellent restaurants, many with views of the Willunga Hills, sea and vines.
Take the beach-side roads into Adelaide and you'll pass a number of good surf and swimming beaches, including Maslin, Australia's first "unclad" beach.
Port Noarlunga has a shallow reef running parallel to the shoreline, just at the end of the jetty, which is popular with scuba divers and snorkellers.
Glenelg is Adelaide's most popular suburban beach and a year-round magnet for locals and visitors. Walk along the jetty or in Moseley Square, sample the dozens of good restaurants and browse in the shops along the village-like Jetty Road.
Historic walking trails weave through this beachside suburb and feature the Old Gum Tree, which commemorates the esablishment of government in South Australia.
Maps
Download a Fleurieu Peninsula map for an overview of the region. You'll also find interactive Google maps of the Fleurieu Peninsula and Adelaide home pages of SouthAustralia.com.
