Daily Itinerary

Day 1
Arrive in Adelaide in the morning and collect your rental car. Head to Yankalilla for a stop and visit at The Yankalilla Historical museum. This is a must-visit attraction in the Fleurieu. The kids will love seeing all the odd household and other items that are a reminder of our colonial past.  Exhibitions include a real church relocated from Inman Valley, early settlers’ cottage, blacksmiths shop, nursery, shop, multiple sheds of farm machinery and much more. There are farming, mining, and maritime displays as well as area memorabilia and photographs depicting early life in the district. Perhaps pop into the Yankalilla Bakery for a refuel before you head on to Victor Harbor and your 3 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms Beachfront accommodation.  Local shops are just a short stroll away when you need to grab provisions.   

Day 2
Wake the kids up for a very exciting day! The tuna swim at Victor Harbor is considered one of the best wildlife experiences in South Australia. Imagine an 80kg Bluefin tuna rocketing past you and snatching a pilchard gently from your hand! Hot damn! This is a whole family experience and the kids will most likely talk about it for a while. Oceanic Victor is an in-sea aquarium off Granite Island. Walk to Granite Island along a 650-metre causeway or ride on the horse drawn tram. The tram takes you to the café which is also where you find the Oceanic Victor office. On the short Catamaran ride to the Aquarium you might be lucky enough to have some Bottlenose Dolphins swim along with you.

There are about 40 other species in the Sea Aquarium so settle in and enjoy the spectacle of Australia’s marine life – all in the safety of a purpose-built enclosure in the lee of uninhabited Granite Island. You can even get to have a cuddle with the sweetest sharks in the ocean… the gorgeous Port Jackson Sharks who are like puppy dogs of the sea. South Australia enjoys some of the cleanest and most pristine oceans in the world, hosting a greater diversity of marine life than the Great Barrier Reef. South Australia’s ocean waters are home to seven and a half thousand different species of plants and animals – and over 80 per cent of them are found nowhere else in the world. Late in the afternoon, you can all take a Camel Ride along the Victor Harbor foreshore. 

Day 3
Join in the fun of riding on a Steam Train. The Cockle Train runs between Victor Harbor and Goolwa three times a day. You will enjoy fabulous views, the iconic sounds of a steam train and waving crowds at the crossings. The return journey is just on an hour and is $46.00 for a family. If you take off at 11.00 am, you will be back in plenty of time to re-visit Granite Island and do the sculptures walk or Kaiki Walk. It is an easy trail of about 2 kilometres and there are plenty of sculptures the kids will love as well. Time your walk back, so that you are halfway along causeway just before dusk. You can then do the Granite Island Penguin Tour. The island is home to little Penguins. Numbers have dropped significantly, there are about 40 little Penguins that call the island home. 

Day 4
Middleton is a prime location for whale watching. Basham Beach and Middleton Point are terrific spots for seeing adult southern right whales with their calves. The area boasts a purpose-built viewing area at Basham Beach with tiered platforms, information, and binoculars. If the Whales are around you can also often see them from the beach. If you make an early start, you can watch the whales for a while then head to Port Elliot for lunch at the famous Port Elliot Bakery. The Big Duck Tours Boat Tours is located halfway along the causeway at Victor Harbor and offers 90minute wildlife discovery tours in their rigid inflatable that holds 18. Some of you may prefer this option for whale watching.  

Day 5
Leave Victor Harbor and drive to Meningie, stopping along the way at Strathalbyn, the second oldest town in South Australia.  This little town exudes history and charm and is a great stop to stretch the legs with a wander through the historic main street. Maybe Dad might like to stop in at Gilbert’s Motor Museum which is home to quite a few vintage cars and motorbikes. It is about 95 kilometres from Strathalbyn to Meningie and your accommodation will be ready for check-in from 2 pm.

Days 6- 8
Welcome to Storm Boy country. The Coorong is a great place to relax and unwind.  Spend your days Fishing, Kayaking, swimming, and eating in an area of renown and unique natural beauty. This is perfect for family re-connect time after toiling away and school and work.

Your waterfront retreat holiday home has landscaped native gardens and an herb garden to supplement kitchen creations. Pack a picnic and explore the walking trails of the Coorong National Park. Use the free kayaks provided and head across the water (2kms) to the sand dunes where you can trek (1km) through wilderness to the ocean beach. Take a stroll along Meningie's Pelican Path and learn about Aboriginal culture, history, and the environment in the region.

Day 9
Pack some sandwiches and drinks and check out of the Coorong home before 10 am.  Consider leaving early and stopping at Murray Bridge for a  visit to Camp Coorong.  Established in 1985, the Ngarrindjeri’s believed a place where people can come to learn about their heritage and culture would lead to a better understanding of traditions and relationships to the land, waters, trees, plants and animals. They tell their traditions and way of life before the European invasion and teach the ways the ancestors lived. You can view a midden site and talk about burial grounds, learn the art of basket weaving or about the environment, animals, medicine, and food plants of the Coorong by going on a nature walk with Ngarrindjeri elders. The drive to Murray Bridge is under one hour and then 3 hours on to Renmark. As soon as you arrive in Renmark head for your fabulous moored Houseboat accommodation which is just a short stroll to the town and shops. You will love the experience of being right on the mighty Murray River.

Day 10
Travel is indeed the university of life and today why not visit two iconic Renmark sites that really help understand travel on the river. Walk to the Paringa Bridge before 9.30 am. This historic bridge opened in 1927  on a sensational stretch of the Murray River. A section of the bridge raises twice a day to allow houseboats under it. 9.30 am and 2.30 pm are the times to arm for.  Following a visit to the bridge, you can head to Loch 5 which is situated in Paringa, here you can see the lock in action. Learning how a lock works will be very interesting for the kids (and grownups) as they marvel at water lowering or lifting boats so they can continue to traverse the river. You can walk right alongside the gates, getting very close to the action. Once you have got the measure of the lock workings, jump into the car and head to Headings Cliff. This is one of the area’s most photographed natural attractions and a key location on the epic Murray River Walk, one of Australia’s Great Walks. The look-out boasts a purpose-built tower to get that bit higher and the view is stunning. 360 degrees, looking over the Murray and rich red landscape. On the way back to town drop in at the Woolshed Brewery, located on the riverbanks in a converted shearing shed. They have lovely lawns down to the river and a tasting deck. There are free BBQ facilities and you can bring your own picnic. This is a perfect spot for a late and long relaxing lunch before you head back to town.    

Day 11
Meet your guide at 8 am for a whole day to forget about everything else and explore the backwaters and wetlands. Experience the rich biodiversity of the RAMSAR recognized Riverland Biosphere wetlands as you glide through serene waterways. The guided full-day trip gives opportunities to visit more remote areas and include short walks. Tour includes a picnic lunch and morning/afternoon tea plus Canoe, Paddles & PFDs (life jackets), Dry Bags, Stools, Paddling instruction and of course your qualified instructor. Suitable for all ages, in calm and slow-moving waters and never far from the banks.

Day 12
Renmark is a picturesque and vibrant community. On your last full day take a wander around the galleries and gift shops. The late Frank Harding built two stunning galleries in Renmark. Gallery 1 has a 3,000 square metre ceiling mural of bushrangers and their exploits; many paintings showing the diversity of Frank's ability and a large collection of Australian memorabilia. Gallery 2 houses the unique "They Flew for the King" collection of aircraft paintings. Each painting depicts an actual event and has been authenticated and signed by Pilots. Do not forget to allow time to visit Ruston's Rose Garden, which is the largest rose garden in the southern hemisphere. September is a good time to visit with preparation underway for the town's nine-day Rose Festival in October. Olivewood Estate in Renmark is a historical homestead's history was the development of the irrigation schemes in the late 1880s that turned this countryside into Australia's food bowl. The Canadian-born Chaffey brothers are often called the founders of Renmark. Their original home, Olivewood, is now a National Trust museum and the estate still showcases rows of Olive Trees. Just after Sunset make sure you are opposite the Renmark Hotel for the evening Possum Parade. We’ll leave it as a lovely surprise for you to discover.

Day 13
Today is your last day in South Australia. Leave Renmark at 7.30 am after an early breakfast and head to Mannum, 200 kilometres toward Adelaide. Mannum is home to The PW Mayflower, the oldest paddle wheeler in South Australia. The Mayflower cruises bi-weekly from the Mannum Dock Museum. Today, she will depart at 10.30 am for a 90-minute heritage river cruise. The Mayflower is listed on the Australian Register of Historic Vessels.  What a perfect way to end a visit to the Riverland and South Australia.  When you jump off the Mayflower and continue onto Adelaide Airport, your “SA Soiree ” Quest comes to an end. “Don’t cry because it’s over, smile because it happened.” Dr Seuss.