South Australia (Barossa Valley)
Angaston
Angaston is perhaps the most uncharacteristic of the Barossa's major towns. Nestled in the Barossa Ranges at the eastern end of the valley, it has two beautiful parks a small creek flows through its centre and good examples of colonial architecture are dotted throughout the town. Its main industries are wine and dried fruit, principally apricots and other stone fruit. It boasts two of the Barossa's oldest wineries, and a dried fruit outlet. The valley's German influence is over shadowed here by the character of George Fife Angas, a founder of South Australia and sponsor of many of the valley's early German settlers.
ANGASTON, southeast of Nuriootpa, is a pretty little town situated in the Barossa Ranges, an area of predominantly grazing land, red gums and rolling hills, although a few of the Barossa’s oldest wine makers have been here for more than a century. This is the side of the Barossa that attracted the British pioneers, including George Fife Angas, the Scotsman after whom the town is named. The Collingrove Homestead (Mon–Fri 1–4.30pm, Sat & Sun 11am–4.30pm; closed Fri July–Sept; $3), 6km from town on Eden Valley Road, was one of his homes. Owned by the National Trust, it’s surrounded by lush gardens and offers accommodation. Angas also lived at nearby Lindsay Park, now the private Lindsay Park Stud, Australia’s leading racehorse breeding and training complex.

At SPRINGTON, 20km south of Angaston, the major attraction is the Herbig family tree, a hollowed-out gum tree in which a pioneer German couple began their married life and had two of their sixteen children, living there for five years from 1855. Inevitably, Springton’s old buildings have undergone the “boutiquing” process: the blacksmith shop is now a winery, and the old post office has been transformed into an arts and crafts gallery.