Nadine Williams

Fleurieu – a Treasury of Tourist Treats

Sometimes it takes someone from overseas to come to the state to confirm what we have always known that South Australia really is the best tourist destination in Australia.. Last weekend renowned tourism identities Rodney Twiss and his wife Regina and Alan and Diane Colton hosted tourism VIP Angelika Wegner, who represents our state’s tourism in Germany where she lives. It’s her job to send the German tourists to South Australia to explore our tourism delights. And what an exciting new tourism story our knowledgeable foursome could show off at the southern coast of the Fleurieu Peninsula. The barrages are open at the touristy River Port of Goolwa for the first time in eight years and the River Murray once more is an expansive full, flowing river. The historic steamer Oscar W was moored at the Goolwa wharf and the Twiss’s and the Coltons all ooed and aahed at the resurrection of this exciting watery tourist destination following floodwaters from interstate (and our own downpours). Then they headed off to Bombora Café at Goolwa Beach (the top seaside café in 2010) before and visiting the mouth of the River Murray, now flowing spectacularly without any help from dredging machinery. And to make it the perfect PR exercise, the sun shone with a rare warmth for the last week in April. In the evening, husband Olivier and I joined them all at Adare Apartments, holiday accommodation apartments owned and renovated by Alan and Diane which offer spectacular views over Encounter Bay to the Bluff.  Meanwhile, Rodney and Regina own the North Adelaide Heritage Group, which includes the renowned North Adelaide Fire Station and the Coltons own Victor Apartments.

Do Adelaide’s Movers and Shakers ever really retire? Or do they simply shift their energies to another passion. Take Steve Ramsey, former director of the Department of Families and Community Services, for instance. We discovered he has reinvented himself as a wine marketer of his own wines as one of three owners of a new winery – 90 Mile Wines with tasting rooms at Middleton on the main Goolwa to Victor Harbor road. It is under roof with the popular Blues Restaurant and today we spent a happy hour with him tasting his wines, in particular Beeamma Estate 2007 Cabernet Sauvignon – a beautiful plummy, velvety wine selling at $14 a bottle. Other owners are McLaren Vale identity Martin Kay and Craig Schiller, who owns a handful of pubs in Adelaide including the Holdfast and Tivoli, to name two. Its tasting rooms are 90 miles as the crow flies from the Padthaway Vineyards which they have owned since 1990, hence the name. It pays to become a member of their wine club because they give a generous 25 per cent off the per bottle price and they also believe in bakers’ dozens! “It’s a hard industry to be in,’’ says Steve. “But what pleases us is that we are in the industry and on our way.’’ See more on www.90milewines.com.

Be Sociable, Share!

• 
•