Road trip to recovery: touring KI and the Adelaide Hills

Posted 5 February, 2020 Samuel Smith

Balmy days, stunning scenery and backseat drivers – there’s nothing like an Aussie road trip.   Whether you’re looking to spend your days chilling by the coast or sipping world-famous wine, South Australia’s regions boast an abundance of beauty. But now, more than ever, 2 need your help. Kangaroo Island – known as South Australia’s zoo without the fences – and the Adelaide Hills – home to some of the country’s best cool-climate wine – were ravaged by bushfires in December and January.     But as both regions’ economies rely heavily on tourism, helping out couldn’t be easier – or more inviting. Simply load up your car, hit the road and spend a weekend exploring, indulging and relaxing in your own backyard. Your next weekend away could do a world of good.  

A weekend on Kangaroo Island

Tragically, December and January’s fires scorched more than 215,000 hectares of bushland on Kangaroo Island, but plenty of experiences and attractions are still open for business. Explore Kangaroo Island is one of the best places in Australia to spot dolphins, sea lions, whales and a huge array of birdlife. Witness them all in stunning coastal surrounds with Kangaroo Island Ocean Safari. Back on land, hit the trails with Kangaroo Island Outdoor Action, riding through 500 acres of winding bush trails, open grassland and rocky terrain. If you’re feeling daring, hop on a sandboard and surf the massive dunes at Little Sahara.     Kangaroo Island Wildlife Park is where the wild things really are. Hand-feed kangaroos and wallabies, cuddle koalas and get up-close to dingoes, reptiles, echidnas and wombats. The wildlife park has even set up a fundraiser to help buy medication and care for animals hurt in the fires. Indulge Grab a glass of liquid gold at Kangaroo Island Spirits – South Australia’s first boutique distillery. Take your pick from 8 liqueurs, 4 vodkas and 5 premium gins, many of which have won major international awards. Mouth-watering food isn’t hard to find on Kangaroo Island. Sink your teeth into the best of the best at Sunset Food and Wine – recipients of a prestigious Chef Hat from the Australian Good Food Guide in 2017.