Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Zema Estate
(
www.zema.com.au
;
Riddoch Hwy; 9am-5pm)
A steadfast, traditional
winery started by the Zema family in the early '80s. It's a low-key affair with a
handmade vibe infusing the shiraz and cab sav.
Rymill Coonawarra
(
www.rymill.com.au
;
Riddoch Hwy; 10am-5pm)
Rymill rocks the
local boat by turning out some of the best sauvignon blanc you'll ever taste. The
cellar door is fronted by a statue of two duelling steeds − appropriately rebellious.
Majella Wines
(
www.majellawines.com.au
;
Lynn Rd; 10am-4.30pm)
The family that runs
Majella are fourth-generation Coonawarrans, so they know a thing or two about
gutsy reds.
Balnaves of Coonawarra
(
www.balnaves.com.au
; Riddoch Hwy; 9am-5pm Mon-Fri,
noon-5pm Sat & Sun)
The tasting notes here ooze florid wine speak (dark seaweed,
anyone?), but even if your nosing skills aren't that subtle, you'll enjoy the cab sav
and chardonnay.
Wynns Coonawarra Estate
(
www.wynns.com.au
; 2 Memorial Dr; 10am-5pm)
The oldest
Coonawarra winery, Wynns' cellar door dates from 1896 and was built by Penola
pioneer John Riddoch. Top-quality shiraz, fragrant riesling and golden chardonnay
are the mainstays.
NARACOORTE CAVES NATIONAL PARK
About 10km southeast of Naracoorte township, off the Penola road, is the only World
Heritage-listed site in SA. The discovery of an ancient fossilised marsupial in these lime-
stone caves raised palaeontological eyebrows around the world, and featured in the
BBC's David Attenborough series
Life on Earth
.
The park visitor centre doubles as the impressive
Wonambi Fossil Centre
(
08-8762 2340;
www.environment.sa.gov.au/naracoorte
; Hynam-Caves Rd; adult/child/family $13/
8/36; 9am-5pm)
− a re-creation of the rainforest that covered this area 200,000 years
ago. Follow a ramp down past grunting, life-sized reconstructions of extinct animals, in-
cluding a marsupial lion, a giant echidna,
Diprotodon australis
(koala meets grizzly
bear), and
Megalania prisca
− 500kg of bad-ass goanna.
The 26 limestone caves here, including
Alexandra Cave
,
Cathedral Cave
and
Victor-
ia Fossil Cave
, have bizarre formations of stalactites and stalagmites. Prospective Bruce
Waynes should check out the
Bat Cave
, from which thousands of endangered southern
bentwing bats exit en masse at dusk during summer. You can see the
Wet Cave
by self-
guided tour (adult/child/family $9/5.50/25), but the others require ranger-guided tours.
Single-cave tours start at adult/child/family $20/12/55. There's also budget accommoda-
