Three new luxury lodges have been built on a secluded section of Kangaroo Island’s north western coast, offering guests private beaches and incredible coastal views. Kangaroo Beach Lodges have a spacious, contemporary feel and the architectural design makes the most of the stunning location, with the island’s abundant wildlife literally on the doorstep. Each lodge has four bedrooms, an open plan kitchen/living area and outdoor decking.

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Allure Holidays in Black Point on the Yorke Peninsula is a holiday house offering private beach access and a spacious balcony overlooking the magnificent coastal stretch. The furniture is deliberately selected for a thematic coastal-living vibe and there are plenty of contemporary mod cons to ensure a comfortable stay. Guests are able to relax in luxury after enjoying the various coastal activities Black Point has to offer, including crabbing, fishing, boating and diving.  

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Located in the picturesque Barossa Valley, Seppelt's of Seppeltsfield is a restored historical winery, now transformed into a luxurious bed and breakfast. The original Trillers Winery, dating back to the 1860s, now features a sundeck overlooking the vineyards, self catering kitchen and mezzanine bedroom. Easily accessible, the property is ten minutes away from the central Barossa township of Tanunda.

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Vintners House is a deluxe apartment set right in the heart of the magnificent McLaren Vale wine region, just south of Adelaide. The property is designed to reflect and compliment the luxurious spacious ambience of the McLaren Vale region and with this in mind, each of the three bedrooms features a different nature centric-theme. The property is a short walk from the town centre and only a few minutes away from the stunning south coast beaches of the upper Fleurieu Peninsula.

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Adelaide Biplanes is now offering aerial tours of the stunning coastline south of Adelaide in the aircraft used by The Royal Flying Doctor Service. The vintage Pilatus PC12 is a single engine turboprop offering a smooth yet powerful ride with air conditioning and pressurized comfort at 260 knots true air speed. Group flights are available for up to 10 passengers.

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Travellers can now visit the Flinders Ranges, fly over Wilpena Pound and return to Adelaide all in one day with a new package from Flinders & Outback Day Tours and Sharp Airlines. The tour flies into Port Augusta and continues with an eco-cruise to the top of Spencer Gulf where dolphins and whales are often spotted. The next leg is travelled by road, with an aerial flight over Wilpena Pound and nearby ranges before the evening return.

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With Lake Eyre flooding and visitors following suit, several tour operators have introduced new packages incorporating scenic flights over the lake. The legendary Prairie Hotel in Parachilna has a range of accommodation, meal and flight packages with Fargher Air Safaris. A comprehensive six day itinerary departing from Port Augusta and also covering Coober Pedy and other Outback attractions is being run by Wilderness Wanders. New business Lake Eyre Tours is also offering three and four day packages from Adelaide.

More information on Praire Hotel, Wilderness Wanders and Lake Eyre Tours

At the mouth of the mighty Murray River, Mundoo Island is a unique farming property where cattle are run over Mundoo and a series of other small islands. Mundoo Island and Coorong Tours are now running one and a half hour tours of the property, exploring in the pristine and unusual island surrounded by river freshwater on one side and the saltwater Coorong on the other. It’s also a fantastic environment for birdwatching, with numerous species to be spotted in the air and water.

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Pinnacle Tours has launched a range of South Australian holiday packages, expanding on its successful tour operation in Western Australia. The company is offering a two day trip to Kangaroo Island, a three day tour to the Barossa Valley and the Flinders Ranges and a six day package encompassing all three regions. Tours include informed commentary covering the history and culture of locations as well as meals and accommodation.

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Adelaide’s legendary Haigh’s Chocolates has launched a delectable new range of exotic spiced chocolate, fusing aromatic spices like cardamom, star anise and clove with its standard premium chocolate. The collection includes spiced hot chocolate, a chai bar with an almond praline centre and a cardamom infused Haigh's dark chocolate block. There's also been a refresh of the Haigh's vanilla almond cream and vanilla fudge bars with vanilla bean 'caviar' – tiny vanilla pod seeds which give a deeper, more resonant flavour.

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Four boutique Barossa wine labels have joined forces to open the Collective Barossa shop in Tanunda. Gumpara, Karra Yerta, and Kurtz Family are all offering tastings in the cosy shop, located on the ground floor of the historical Barossa Museum. Visitors are then welcome to explore the museum and learn more about the region’s rich winemaking heritage.

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The Old Grain Shed in Ardrossan on the Yorke Peninsula has opened as a gift and homewares shop. Situated next to the award winning local bakery, the iconic historical building has withstood the test of time since its construction in the late 1800s. The shop now sells quality giftware, souvenirs, local and Australian made products and incorporates a tourist information area. The store's signature items are its 'Oz-tralian Animals' which include stuffed koalas, kangaroos and frilled necked lizards made with Aboriginal art patterned fabric.

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The newly refurbished Walkers Arms Hotel has emerged from a devasting 2007 fire with a contemporary re-energised feel aimed to appeal to the new 'tech savvy' generation. New mod cons include iPod docking stations, private TVs and hair straighteners in the restrooms.  Head Chef Florentino Caballaro heads a team of 18 specialty chefs in charge of a fantastic gourmet buffet menu designed to appeal to even the most discerning tastes. Also on the menu are their 'drinkers platters' with a diverse array of either tapas or seafood on one plate.

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Alfons Couldrey knows that, like great wine, great beef gets better with age.  As head chef at The Barn Steakhouse in Mt Gambier on the Limestone Coast, Alfons takes great pride in his product, aging the grass-fed beef on the property for at least eight weeks so that its sweetness and tenderness can fully develop before cooking it over mallee coals. “We are often told that our steaks are the best that they have ever eaten, from anywhere, which is nice since many of our customers are very well travelled”, he says. The restaurant also makes the most of the local seafood as well as growing its own organic vegetables, and boasts a climate controlled wine room holding more than 400 selections.

Mel Maschio felt like she was missing something in life before she moved to the Barossa. “After that, everything just fell into place as I fell in love with the Barossa, its food, wine and people,” she says. Mel now works in her family’s business, Whistler Wines, as well as running the NAB Barossa Gourmet Weekend (this year on August 21-22). With dozens of wineries and restaurants hosting individual food, wine and music events, Mel says the weekend showcases the region’s generous and warm spirit. “Of course we have good wine and great regional products to cook with but on top of all that it is our personality and culture… as I say, life's tough in the Barossa!”. 

Having been a high school Outdoor Education teacher for 12 years, Bob West is a man with a passion for sharing the joys of the great outdoors. He now runs Riverland Leisure Canoe Tours out of Renmark on South Australia’s Murray River, offering relaxed paddles through the waterway’s small anabranches. “Paddling through haunting skeletal gum trees and wide shallow lagoons or finding your way through narrow back creeks provides an ever changing parade of sights and sounds… it allows you to disappear into your own little world,” says Bob. A vast array and water and bush birds are usually spotted along the way, as well as other wildlife including koalas, kangaroos and goannas.

Luxurious Kangaroo Island resort Southern Ocean Lodge has been ranked the best hotel in the world by Swiss business magazine Bilanze. The win was based on numerous tests and interviews with industry experts and is a huge accolade for the five star resort.

More information - Sarah Shields: 02 99184355; reserve@baillielodges.com.au

The Manse in North Adelaide has taken out the restaurant of the year and best fine dining categories at the annual Restaurants & Catering SA awards. The National Wine Centre was named best caterer, best function centre and best wedding caterer. Andrea Parisi from La Trattoria was named the Individual Hall of Fame winner for his family's contribution to multicultural cuisine in Adelaide.

More information - Sally Neville:  08 8351 7837; rcsa@restaurantcater.asn.au

The Highway Hotel has been named South Australia’s best pub in the Australian Hotel Association’s SA industry awards for excellence. The Highway was also joint winner with Hotel Richmond for best bar presentation and service and joint winner with The Benjamin on Franklin Hotel for best outdoor or non-enclosed facility. The Largs Pier Hotel and the Arkaba Hotel shared the honours for mid range accommodation.

More information - Katherine Lediaev: 08 8100 2490; klediaev@ahasa.asn.au

Alexandrina Cheese Company has won a gold medal for its Alexandrina Vintage Cheddar as well as silver medals for its Magnificent Gouda and Encounter Bay Edam at the World Jersey Cheese Awards, held on the Island of Jersey off the French coast. The Fleurieu Peninsula business is passionately run by the McCaul family, which has a history of more than 100 years of cheese making spanning four generations. 

More information - Dan McCaul: 08 8554 9666; mailto:info@alexandrinacheese.com.au

Glenelg’s Orange Spot Bakery has been voted the nation’s best bread bakery at the National Baking Association Australia competition. The business also took out the best pasty category in the recent Great Aussie Pasty competition.

More information - Nick Davey: 08 8295 5799; orangespot2@hotmail.com

Jean-Claude de Toulouse from Explore Cuisine & Culture cooking school is now holding cooking demonstrations in the Adelaide Central Market. Every second Friday, Jean Claude will demonstrate how to make one of his favourite dishes using local produce sourced from the market stores. 

More information - Jean-Claude de Toulouse: 08 8212 9669; info@explorecc.com.au

The Limestone Coast Food Group has released the second edition of its Real Food Trail featuring nine new businesses and a full colour map, with dozens of producers, farm gates, cellar doors, restaurants, cafes and retail stores. Copies of the guide are available at visitor information centres throughout the Limestone Coast.

More information - Jenni Ling: 0458 773 663; limestonecoastfood@bigpond.com;

www.limestonecoastfood.com.au/real_food_trail.html

Hot off the back of a US tour, rock legends Crowded House have been announced to play at A Day on the Green at Peter Lehmann Wines on Saturday November 13. Special guest support artists will be announced shortly.

More information - Sue Fosterhill: (08) 8231 3555; suehill@fosterhill.com.au 

Legendary UK pop icon Simply Red will perform at A Day on the Green at Leconfield Wines in McLaren Vale as part of his farewell tour. Marcia Hines will be a special guest, with rock icon Joe Camilleri and his Black Sorrows kicking off the event on Sunday October 10.

More information – Sue Hill: 08 8231 3555; suehill@fosterhill.com.au

The 2010 OzAsia Festival will adopt a Korean theme, with traditional music, dance and drama including a Korean interpretation of ‘Hamlet’.  The festival runs from 17 September to 2 October with a broad range of performances and events, including the popular Moon Lantern Festival to be held in Elder Park on 22 September

More information - Cheree McEwin: 08 8261 8699; cheree.mcewin@adelaidefestivalcentre.com.au

The Santos Tour Down Under will head into South Australia’s Murraylands for the first time in 2011, with a stage from Tailem Bend to Mannum. Other favourite track sections such as Willunga Hill and Stirling will also feature in the 2011 routes, as outlined by South Australian Premier Mike Rann in July.

More information - Michelle Logie: 08 8463 4695; michelle.logie@tourism.sa.com; www.tourdownunder.com.au

Works by artist Helen Fuller, winner of the 2010 South Australian Ceramics Award, are now on display at the Adelaide Central Gallery in Norwood. Until now, Fuller has been well known as a painter but her latest foray into hand coiled terracotta pots is already receiving widespread praise.

More information - Prue Gramp: 08 83642809; prue.gramp@acsa.edu.au