OF THIS PLACE: ARCHI IN SOUTH AUSTRALIA

Some places surprise you from the moment you arrive... 

McLaren Vale was one of them. Barely a half-hour from Adelaide’s airport and yet, it felt like another world. Lunch at The Salopian Inn set the tone – handmade dumplings so delicate and flavour-packed they instantly ranked among the best I’ve ever had.

I spent the day with Simon from Coats & Gorge, whose local connections opened doors I’d never have found alone. At Bekkers Wine, we met the owners in their cellar, talking Grenache with the people who coax it from the soil. Then at Yangarra Estate Vineyard, we wandered between barrel rooms and vines, pausing to sip their elegant wines paired with local cheeses and cured meats – the kind of pairing that makes you slow down and savour every bite. 

By late afternoon, we were winding through a quiet gorge where kangaroos hopped across the road, the stillness broken only by the sound of their paws on gravel…

That night, Sequoia Lodge welcomed me with a glass of bubbles and a seat by the fire. The team’s warmth was matched by the lodge’s understated luxury – high-end touches everywhere, from curated wines to thoughtful treats like chocolate and popcorn. Waking up here meant watching the sunrise spill over the valley without moving from bed. Later, a soak in the hot pool under a winter sky felt like the definition of escape.

From there, the road led to Barossa Valley, its rolling vineyards a painter’s palette of greens and golds. Kingsford Barossa was my base – a heritage homestead with sweeping views and a fascinating history as the filming location for McLeod’s Daughters. Mornings here were cinematic: skies that blazed with colour before breakfast. A private tasting in the estate’s atmospheric wine tunnels – all cool stone and candlelight – made the wines taste even more extraordinary.

Kangaroo Island greeted me with wild beauty and a flurry of wildlife… 

At Seal Bay, playful pups darted between their mothers while our guide shared stories of their long breeding cycles. Lunch that day was in a private tent deep inside the national park, reached by a road where hundreds of lambs paused to watch us pass. That same afternoon, we spotted five koalas in a single grove and, miraculously, a rare echidna ambling along the roadside. Kangaroos here are darker, fluffier, and – as I discovered – fond of playful boxing matches.

The next morning, we braved the bracing winds at Remarkable Rocks, where surreal stone formations rise above a restless ocean. Later, we picnicked in the sun, swapping the chill for the warmth of the sand. Even years after the 2020 bushfires, signs of regrowth were everywhere, a testament to the island’s resilience.

One last stop…

My last stop, One KI, felt like the island distilled into one perfect place. Coreena, the owner, welcomed us with champagne and a cheese platter, her hospitality as generous as the ocean views. From the house, I watched dolphins arc through the waves; in the afternoons, guests could paddleboard or kayak right from the shore. My favourite detail? A deep soaking tub tucked into the bush, where you could look straight out to sea. It’s the kind of place you arrive at intending to explore, only to find you never want to leave.