Barossa & Clare Valleys

So much of our previous memorable experiences in South Australia had been due to our times visiting the wine regions. We packed up early and traveled to the Barossa and then the Clare Valley to pop into a couple of our favourite wineries.

Our first stop was Rockfords in the Barossa Valley. In their stone clad builds, we savoured our old favourite reds and purchased one for the road. 

Rockfords - awesome winery!

 Next stop was the Grant Burge, where we succumbed to temptation and bought nearly a dozen bargain wines... honestly they were a bargain! It was his Krondorf wine cellar, next to his home. The odd bins are sold at a great price – for example some terrific Riesling with a Chinese label for under $5. The staff were very informative and helpful – one providing a cake recipe that even I should not fail on!

Barossa Valley, view from Grant Burge winery

 From Grant Burge it was off to the Clare Valley to visit the beautifully set Skillogelee winery. It was hot chocolate and ice cream for the kids in their gardens and then off to find a free camp site. 

 

Hot chocolate and ice-cream at Skillogalee

Robyn found a spot at White Cliffs Reserve an hour north of Clare Valley. It was a small spot near a creek with a couple of grey nomads already parked. We camped quickly, chopped wood and cooked over a fire and played the guitar. After I had completed 80% of the chopping, one of the grey nomads came over with the others chuckling with his chainsaw. As dusk approached, we found the local wildlife came out - which consisted of 10's of mice running around. We made sure we zipped the tent really, really well that night. Apparently the warmer than normal weather has meant that the field mice population had been increasing!

Getting good at collecting firewood!

In the morning the friendly grey nomads showed me how to use an axe properly – so I wouldn't chop my head or others off in the process. My children and wife thank them. Now off to the Eyre Peninsula.

How not to swing an axe!

Getting axe lessons from the experts!