South Australia
Clare Valley & the Mid-north 
The area north of the Sturt Highway, bounded by Port AugustaP and the south Flinders Ranges, is a fertile agricultural region known as the mid-north. Kapunda, only 16km northwest of Nurioopta, became the country’s first mining town when copper was discovered in 1842. It can also be reached as a short detour from the Barrier Highway en route to Broken Hill in New South Wales, a route that continues through the larger mining town of Burra, and then to Peterborough, the self-proclaimed “frontier to the Outback”. 
The centre of the mid-north’s wine area, Clare, is 45km southwest of Burra, on the Main North Road, the alternative route to Port Augusta. The Heysen Trail runs through Kapunda, Burra and then, via Crystal Brook, into the foothills of the Flinders. Heading north to Port Augusta on Highway 1 for the Northern Territory or Western Australia, you’ll pass through the ugly lead-smelting city of Port Pirie, and thence on to the south Flinders Ranges.

Clare Valley
The wine industry in the Clare Valley, west of the Barrier Highway between Kapunda and Burra, was pioneered by Jesuit priests at Seven Hilll in the 1850s. There’s no tourist overkill here: bus trips are not encouraged, and because it’s a small area with just over 25 wineries, you can learn a lot about the local styles of wine; the area is recognized especially for its fine Rieslings. Often, too, you’ll get personal treatment, with the wine maker presiding at the cellar door. In the cool uplands of the North Mount Lofty Ranges, Clare Valley is really a series of gum-fringed ridges and valleys running roughly 30km north from Auburn to the main township of Clare, on either side of the Main North Road.

Huge sheep runs were established here in the nineteenth century and the area, which is prime Merino land, still has an obvious pastoral feel; several stations can be visited. There are also beautiful old villages and some well-preserved mansions on view, plenty of charming B&B accommodation and some superb restaurants attached to wineries. The big event of the year is the Clare Valley Gourmet Weekend, held in May at local wineries.

Between Clare and Auburn, the old railway line has been transformed into a 27km cycling path, the Reisling Trail; to cycle one way takes about two hours. Mountain bikes can be hired from Clare Valley Cycle Hire, 32 Victoria Rd, Clare (tel 08/8842 2782), who will deliver to anywhere in the valley, and Mid-North Sports Centre, 300 Main North Rd, Clare (tel 08/8842 2013).

Copper-mining towns
In 1841 South Australia was in serious economic trouble; the discovery of copper at Kapunda the following year rescued the young colony and put it at the forefront of Australia’s mining boom. The early finds were soon overshadowed by those at Burra 65km north: the Burra “Monster Mine” was the largest in Australia until 1860, creating fabulous wealth and attracting huge numbers of Cornish miners in particular. The boom ended as suddenly as it began, as resources were exhausted – mining finished at Burra in 1877 and Kapunda in 1878.

Getting around
Getting around the area by bus is problematic: while most of the major towns have transport links to Adelaide, there are virtually no buses between towns, however close they might be. Greyhound Pioneer, on its Adelaide–Broken Hill route, goes via the Clare Valley (Auburn, Watervale, Sevenhill, Clare), Jamestown and Peterborough, while its Adelaide–Sydney service stops at Burra.

The Mid North Passenger Service (tel 08/8826 2346) from Adelaide takes in Burra and the main Clare Valley settlements, while the Barossa–Adelaide Passenger Service (tel 08/8564 3022) has a weekday service from Gawler – which can be reached by train – to Kapunda. All interstate buses to Darwin or Perth take Highway 1 through Port Pirie; if you get off 27km before this, it’s only a couple of kilometres walk to Crystal Brook and the Heysen Trail.

Hotel Accommodation
Area: Name of Hotel/Resort Rating Remarks
Clare Valley (Clare) QualityInn Clare Country Club MC  

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