South Australia (Adelaide Region)

Torrens River Gorge and upper valley
Barely 50km east of Adelaide, the Torrens River Gorge and upper valley is one of the loveliest areas of the Adelaide Hills. You can get here with ABM Coaches, from the Central bus (Mon–Fri twice daily; tel 08/8347 3336), along a route that passes through the hills to the Murray River at Mannum.

This scenic route takes in Cudlee Creek, location of the Gorge Wildlife Park (daily 8am–5pm; koala holding 11.30am, 1.30pm & 3.30pm; $7), a private park with mainly native birds and animals housed in walk-through enclosures; and GUMERACHA, where The Toy Factory, 389 Birdwood Rd (daily 9am–5pm), sells wholesale wooden toys, games and puzzles to the public and has a tacky eighteen-metre-high rocking-horse – children (and adults) can climb up it for kicks, and good views of the countryside. 

The bus also passes BIRDWOOD, which is home to the National Motor Museum on Shannon Street (daily 9am–5pm; $8.50) – Australia’s largest collection of veteran, vintage and classic cars, trucks and motorcycles.