What to See in South Australia

UNESCO World Heritage Sites

South Australia has one site inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage list:

Naracoorte Caves National Park ★ (1994)
Near the town of the same name, this park is home to several caves whose paleontological value earned it UNESCO World Heritage status. The site is designed for the general public and attracts a fair number of visitors.

Cities and Cultural Heritage

Adelaide ★★
The state capital is a lively city with beautiful architecture. Surrounding it are wine regions (McLaren Vale, Barossa Valley, Clare Valley) that can be visited from the city, along with some small parks for hikers and beaches for swimming.

Coober Pedy ★★
Now known beyond its borders, Coober Pedy is a mining town almost entirely underground, lost in the heart of the Outback. It thrives on opal mining and, secondarily, tourism.

Hahndorf ★
This is one of the towns founded by German migrants around Adelaide in the 19th century. Hahndorf is where this heritage is still most evident through architectural examples and tourist attractions.

Kangaroo Island ★★★
A large island at the exit of Adelaide Bay. Kangaroo Island is highly popular and tourist-friendly for its landscapes, beaches, dunes, and rich wildlife (kangaroos, koalas, birds, penguins, sea lions...).

Mount Gambier ★★
It's the second-largest city in South Australia, on the border with Victoria. Tourism is well developed here thanks to the surrounding area, including the Blue Lake in its volcanic crater, several small parks, and especially caves—some of which are submerged and attract divers. To the north of the city, the Coonawarra region is renowned for its vineyards.

Eyre Peninsula ★★★★
Large peninsula west of Adelaide. Like the facing Yorke Peninsula, it’s a locally popular tourist area with its landscapes, beaches, numerous nature reserves (Lincoln, Coffin Bay...), and especially its opportunities for boat trips, sea fishing, diving (including with sharks in Port Lincoln), surfing, or marine wildlife observation (sea lions, sharks...).

Fleurieu Peninsula ★★
South of Adelaide, a rather pretty coastal and wine-growing area. Whales can be seen near Victor Harbor. It's also from the tip of the peninsula that ferries depart for Kangaroo Island.

Yorke Peninsula ★★
West of Adelaide, this is the other peninsula (along with Fleurieu) that forms Gulf St Vincent. Yorke is a locally popular tourist area with its beaches, a few small nature reserves (including Innes), and above all its opportunities for boat trips, sea fishing, diving, or surfing.

Port Augusta ★
A small town at the entrance to the Eyre Peninsula, Port Augusta is primarily a major transport hub no matter which direction you choose.

Natural Heritage

Simpson Desert ★★
At the heart of Australia, spanning three states, this vast arid expanse is a prime destination for adventure tourism by motorbike and 4x4. Camel treks are also possible here.

Flinders Ranges ★★★
This is a long semi-arid mountain range stretching toward the country’s centre. It offers some stunning landscapes, particularly in the national park of the same name, and opportunities for hiking, mountain biking, or horseback riding. It’s also home to numerous small Aboriginal sites.

Murray River ★
Australia’s longest river forms the border between New South Wales and Victoria before flowing into the sea in South Australia. Paddle steamers and canoe trips are offered, particularly from Mildura or Echuca.

Coorong National Park ★★
This long, narrow park along the coastline of dunes and deserted beaches between Adelaide and Mount Gambier is a bird sanctuary. The area is popular with fishermen.

Naracoorte Caves National Park ★
Near the town of the same name, this park is home to several caves whose paleontological value earned it UNESCO World Heritage status. The site is designed for the general public and attracts a fair number of visitors.

Innamincka Regional Reserve ★
This vast reserve lost in the Australian outback offers trekking and "adventure" opportunities.