Barossa Valley, South Australia

In June of this year, I travelled with family for a short stay in the Barossa Valley, located just about one hour drive from Adelaide in South Australia. June is winter time in Australia and this winter was particularly cold by Australian standards though there was no frost. We stayed in a small house called Tungali Cottage. Located just off a main road amongst sheep and cattle farms, it made for the perfect getaway. 

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The cottage comprises of two bedrooms and can easily accommodated four adults. The best feature is the open fire in the living room. The owner ensures there is an ample supply of firewood and every night we had a roaring fire; perfect for sitting by and winding down at the end of a day's sightseeing. Of course, if you visit in summer, you won't be needing a fire to keep yourself warm. 

The Barossa Valley is home to some of Australia's most premium wineries. A  must visit is Jacobs Creek Winery which comprises of a modern building, housing a wine tasting area, restaurant and museum. In fact there are so many wineries in these region, one could spend all day driving from one winery to another. 

The cottage is perfectly located near native bush and the famous Heysen trail. In the early morning, kangaroos can be seen in the distance coming down from the bush to graze. The sounds of birdlife is especially noticeable in the early mornings, cockatoos, magpies and kookaburras are very prominent. 

The only way to do justice to the beauty of this area of South Australia is to present it in visual form. So for this post I have put in a slideshow, along with a movie I made called Road Trips. 

This truly is the perfect getaway. I went in winter. Each season would present a different perspective but would just as memorable.