A delightful day trip along South Australia's coast from which you won't return empty handed.
Many travellers are familiar with Victor Harbor – a charming town just over an hour south of Adelaide on the Fleurieu Peninsula. The area is very popular thanks to wonderful attractions like the Clydesdale drawn tram and Granite Island.
Slightly less popular (and significantly quieter) are the wonderful towns of Port Elliott, Middleton and Goolwa. They are smaller, sleepier and perhaps more interesting for the discerning traveller interested in antiques and wonderful casual food.
Here are few shopping and dining gems I found on a recent trip:
The pasta carbonara at
Port Elliott Hotel (
35 The Strand +61 8 8554 2218 website) was a great choice and went down well with a selection from the varied and affordable local wine list. You can either hang out with the locals at the casual front bar or have a meal in the elegant dining room at the back.
Owner Kate Harry at
Little Bird at Elliott (
Shop 1/38 North Terrace +61 8 8554 2400) stocks original (and gorgeous) baby clothes and homewares; many of which are made from recycled materials. Some of the labels I hadn’t seen anywhere else on the east coast.
Idea at Port Elliott (
Shop 5/33 North Terrace +61 8 8554 3924 website) has a wide selection of Scandinavian wooden toys, kitchen utensils – did I mention the amazing garlic presses at $35? – furniture (custom made possible), and glass and wooden objects.
Dog Dragon (
55 North Terrace +61 8 8554 2260 website), run by John and Annie Beach, stocks a mix of locally crafted and imported Indonesian and Asian vintage furniture as well as fine collection of glass and wood art. Beware there are no credit card facilities! Shipping can be organised.
Middleton has what could be described as one of the best chandelier shops in the country:
Fortuna (
39 Main Road +61 8 8554 1887). Owner Ian is a source of knowledge and goes to Paris and London once yearly to research and pick up stock. The shop overfloweth with vintage glass and furniture – a must for any antiques hunter in the area! Middleton is also where you can rest your feet and bags at the cute
Beach Huts (
1 Charles Street +61 8 8554 3933 website). Just a few minutes from the beach you will find a dozen or so brightly coloured huts scattered on a grass lawn. Each comes with its own kitchen, sitting area and bathroom. A treat! There is also a fantastic restaurant on site,
Blue’s (+61 8 8544 1800 website)
Driving down another couple of kilometres leads to Goolwa, one of Australia’s Citta Slow cities. This town on the mouth of the Murray River is pure nautical: home to the annual Australian wooden boat festival; a fantastic nautical giftware shop,
Yachties (
Shop 2/11 Goolwa Terrace +61 8 8555 1726); and my standout Goolwa shop (in the most gorgeous corner building on the way to the Hindmarsh Island bridge)
Adrift (
corner Cadell Street and Goolwa Terrace +61 417 836 592). Another good Goolwa find is the
South Coast Regional Arts Centre (
Goolwa Terrace +61 8 8555 7289 website). Housed in an old police building, it showcases emerging and established artists from the region. Another notable mention is the 1850s stone cottage
Artworx Gallery (
10-12 Hays Street +61 8 8555 0949 website), which stocks colourful contemporary glass pieces and oil, acrylic and mixed media works by South Australian artists.
Tired of all this shopping? A meal at
Aquacaf (
87 Barrage Road +61 8 8555 1235) in Goolwa is a must. Aquacaf offers a laid back setting on the Coorong with the most fresh and honest interpretation of informal Australian cuisine. Have a sip of your local drop of Langhorne Creek or McLaren Vale wine, watch the water world go by from under your umbrella and do an inventory of all your new bric-a-brac.