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The Barossa for tourists One of the picturesque churches in the Barossa Valley
The Barossa Valley is South Australia's principal wine tourist region, about an hour and twenty minutes' drive from Adelaide, South Australia's Capital city.
The area was settled by Germans (to be more accurate, Silesians) who left Germany in the mid 1800's because they were unable to pursue their Lutheran religious faith in Germany due to orders from the then King Friedrich Wilhelm lll. The Silesians elected to leave, and while some emigrated to America and Canada, many decided to head to the then fledgling colony of South Australia, aided by British colonist George Fife Angas who provided the funds and wherewithal to make the then highly perilous journey by ship via the Cape of Good Hope to South Australia. These new settlers suffered indescribable privations in the act of leaving Germany, the months' long journeys in the steerage of sailing ships, and the efforts they then had to make to establish themselves in this new foreign land, Australia. But survive these horrors they did, bringing with them their stoicism, their uncomplaining acceptance of hard work and their skills - to the area know known as the Barossa Valley. Most basic to their survival was food - and in an era when food had to be 'preserved' to guarantee its longevity - the settlers smoked the meats carved from the precious few beasts available, the remains ending up in wursts and sausages; nothing was wasted. What grew on trees or from gardens was pickled or preserved. The Germans knew how to make the most of everything. And the soil was rich, perfect for the growing of grapes - and the making of wine. And so the years and decades rolled on, the German heritage remaining strong, their hegemony only reluctantly weakening as the Valley's richness attracted new settlers from other lands, and as historic family dynasties dissipated or dissolved as time marched on. |
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But the the legacy left by those early settlers is still evident today, distilled perhaps, or more aptly, laid on oak, to provide the exquisite 'tastes' of the Barossa today.
So as you tour the Barossa, passing by the Valley's numerous and picturesque Lutheran churches, as you visit its iconic towns and hamlets and as you sample its many fine wines at cellar doors, or indulge in its superb foods, pause for a moment and remember and celebrate the Barossa Valley's heritage. Like the wines, those thoughts will enrich your mental 'palette' - and your visit will be the richer for it.
So as you tour the Barossa, passing by the Valley's numerous and picturesque Lutheran churches, as you visit its iconic towns and hamlets and as you sample its many fine wines at cellar doors, or indulge in its superb foods, pause for a moment and remember and celebrate the Barossa Valley's heritage. Like the wines, those thoughts will enrich your mental 'palette' - and your visit will be the richer for it.
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Century-old organ re-awakened in Tanunda
A delightful new note has been added to the Barossa Valley, South Australia's premier tourist region, with the launch of the magnificently restored Century-old Hill & Sons organ after more than a decade of devotion and hard work.
Frequent concert recitals showcase the refurbished organ, the oldest surviving concert organ on the Australian mainland. Once the pride of the Adelaide Town Hall, this beautiful instrument has been expertly restored to its original grandeur and now towers centre stage in the Tanunda Soldiers’ Memorial Hall. |
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In this video, we interview project co-ordinator Steven Kaesler and Dominic Perissinotto, the world-renowned organ soloist who was invited to re-awaken the historic organ and celebrate its final completion.
And to enjoy your visit even more, get our audio CD discs on the History and Provenance of the Barossa Valley, and Wine Appreciation
for Cellar Door Visitors! For details, click here.
for Cellar Door Visitors! For details, click here.
Bay to Birdwood attracts huge crowd
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Visit the Barossa on just about any day, and you're pretty much guaranteed to see some classic old cars touring the region - and none more so than in the first week of October as many car enthusiasts and their magnificent machines spill into the Valley for the Bay to Birdwood Classic Car run.
More than 1600 cars regularly participate in the Bay to Birdwood run, which always ends at the Birdwood Motor Museum, where thousands of visitors squeeze in to drool over their favourite motor cars and to participate in the fun event. Check out our video of the event at Birdwood (runs 3:45 approx), just 20 minutes from Williamstown and the start of the Barossa Valley. So get into the jalopy, crank the handle, and visit us at the next Bay to Birdwood Classic Car run! |
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There's gold in them there Barossa hills!
The Barossa Valley's value is often measured in the gold its wineries are awarded for their famous wines - but few visitors to the Valley are aware that the Barossa was once a magnet for miners hunting real gold in the creeks of the hills between Williamstown and Sandy Creek.
In the late 1860's, some 40 years after the Barossa's first settlers put their picks into the ground to start their crops and wineries, a find of gold west of Williamstown brought first a trickle - then a rush - of fortune seekers, driven by the promise of instant riches. The Barossa Goldrush was on! The rush which attracted thousands ended not long after it began, a community forming quickly and dissipating just as quickly - as the promise of near-surface gold proved largely imaginary.
Today though, the remnants of the town and diggings created by the gold seekers remains, providing a rich seam of history which tourists are discovering - or re-discovering - thanks to the Barossa Goldfields Historical Society, whose September Open Day draws hundreds of visitors following the sniff of historic gold. The Barossa Goldfields and the early diggings can still be followed by three easily traversable and well-marked trails - check out our map to locate the Goldfields - but first, take a look our video of the Open Day below! (runs 3:00 approx)
The Barossa Valley's value is often measured in the gold its wineries are awarded for their famous wines - but few visitors to the Valley are aware that the Barossa was once a magnet for miners hunting real gold in the creeks of the hills between Williamstown and Sandy Creek.
In the late 1860's, some 40 years after the Barossa's first settlers put their picks into the ground to start their crops and wineries, a find of gold west of Williamstown brought first a trickle - then a rush - of fortune seekers, driven by the promise of instant riches. The Barossa Goldrush was on! The rush which attracted thousands ended not long after it began, a community forming quickly and dissipating just as quickly - as the promise of near-surface gold proved largely imaginary.
Today though, the remnants of the town and diggings created by the gold seekers remains, providing a rich seam of history which tourists are discovering - or re-discovering - thanks to the Barossa Goldfields Historical Society, whose September Open Day draws hundreds of visitors following the sniff of historic gold. The Barossa Goldfields and the early diggings can still be followed by three easily traversable and well-marked trails - check out our map to locate the Goldfields - but first, take a look our video of the Open Day below! (runs 3:00 approx)