About South Australia (SA)
South Australia is referred to as the Festival State, offering a year-round calendar of arts and events - and a rich cultural tapestry to boot.
80% of South Australia's population live around Adelaide and in a small number of rural centres. Adelaide, (known as the 20 minute city), is a place to experience the buzz, culture and convenience of a big city without the frustrations. The city centre, surrounded by parklands, is a charming blend of historic buildings, wide streets, hip shops, street cafes and restaurants. All can be experienced by simply strolling around at ones leisure.
Festivals and events occur with remarkable frequency for a city of Adelaide's size. The Adelaide Bank Festival of Arts is one of the most innovative arts festivals in the world, while the Adelaide Fringe is now the second biggest in the world after Edinburgh. The Clipsal 500 Adelaide V8 race annually attracts more than 200,000 people and has been named Australia's best major event. Adelaide's international music festival WOMADelaide has the Adelaide Botanic Garden as its backdrop. The Tour Down Under is the biggest road cycling event in the land.
Just outside of Adelaide itself you can swim with dolphins, watch whales at Head of Bight, spot birds on The Coorong or see the extraordinary wildlife of Kangaroo Island. The food and wine of South Australia is a gourmands dream. An abundance of award winning restaurants can be found in Adelaide, along the coast and throughout the renowned wine regions of the Barossa Valley, the Adelaide Hills, Coonawarra, the Clare Valley and McLaren Vale. Or you may prefer picking through seasonal delights at intimate farmers markets. Head north a few hours and the earth turns a rich red hue, the sky becomes huge and the land rises up to the ancient peaks of the Flinders Ranges forming a continuous ridge running over 800km from southeast of Adelaide into the interior. Beyond the Ranges lies the outback, which occupies more than 75% of South Australia's area. Fly over Lake Eyre (a salt lake the size of Holland) or learn the legends of Aboriginal Dreamtime.