South Australia's Limestone Coast Fun Search Roadtrip
The Limestone Coast region of South Australia is a playground for families looking for fun. With the historical towns of Penola and Coonawarra at its heart the area is famous for St Mary McKillop and the heavenly delights of some of Australia's best wines.
That's enough to keep you busy but there's so much more. You'll find beautiful rugged coastlines and safe family swimming beaches at Robe and Beachport, ancient fossils in Naracoorte Caves, South Australia's only World Heritage site and the wonderful Blue Lake and more just like it in Mt Gambier's lakes district.
So here's our advice. Don't EVER just drive through the Limestone Coast region. Park yourself at one of its many beautiful and charming towns and explore for a few days. You'll love it.
Find fun, whatever it is to you at FunSearch.com.au
In The Footsteps of Mary MacKillop & Father Woods, Penola, SA
FunSearch Penola Fantasy Theme park Model Railway and Tearoom South Australia
If you are looking to discover interesting places to go and things to do in the Limestone Coast, South Australia, then you will be quite busy! The region has many hidden gems, one of which FunSearch found in Penola, a place famous for two reasons – first as the birthplace of Australia's only Saint, St Mary McKillop, and second as a world famous Australian wine region.
In this context it was quite unexpected to come across a Fantasy model railway with Tearoom, but there you go – that's what it's like when you take a roadtrip in Australia. You can happen upon anything!
In this case, the Penola Fantasy Theme park Model Railway is unlike anything you've seen before. The level of detail that has gone into this theme park near Coonawarra – for almost 20 years – by a dedicated artist, Graham Russell and his wife Rose, is astounding.
This is a fantastic experience for both adults and kids of any age. If you are near Mt Gambier or anywhere near the Limestone Coast South Australia, do yourself a favour and enter the magical world of the Penolaraya theme park.
Find fun, whatever it is to you, at FunSearch.com.au
Penola Caravan Park presented by Peter Bellingham Photography
Penola Caravan Park in the centre of the Limestone Coast region of South Australia.
Jim Barry Coonawarra Vineyard
On the southern boundary of Coonawarra is the old Penola cricket ground, which first saw a ball bowled in anger and the flashing cover drives of local champions in 1950.
Jim Barry always had an affection for Coonawarra and the region’s fabulous Cabernet Sauvignon fruit, so when the property went on the market, the opportunity to transform it into a vineyard was too good to miss. To preserve a little piece of Coonawarra cricketing history, the original pavilion was retained and the vines were planted around the cricket pitch.
Over thousands of years erosion and air-borne dust have laid down the famous Coonawarra ‘terra rossa’ soil. The limestone that underlies the area is porous and has an excellent water-holding capacity, providing a very good source of supplementary water during dry periods. Coonawarra lies well south of latitude 37° and it has a cooler climate than many of the other Australian grape-growing regions. This cooler climate results in a much longer ripening season; which in turn produces excellent fruit flavours and unique tannin structure.
Things to do in Penola: Di Giorgio Wines, Fodder Restaurant, Punters Retreat
Things to do in Penola, in the heart of Coonawarra;
Stay at Punters Retreat Accommodation, visit Di Giorgio Wines, and have lunch or Dinner at Fodder Restaurant.
Review clip 02 from Blessed Mary: A Saint for All Australians
A clip from near the start of the docu-drama which explains something of the founding charism of Mary MacKillop and Fr Julian Tennyson Woods. For the full review of this movie please visit:
2016 William Wilson Shiraz Cabernet Sauvignon
We’d like to introduce you to William Wilson. William was a Scottish gardener who settled in Penola in 1861. An expert in vine and fruit horticulture. When fellow settler John Riddoch sought his agricultural expertise, the advice was to start his fruit colony on the famous terra rossa cigar soil. This laid the foundation for Coonawarra to create world class Cabernet and Shiraz.
Wilson’s daughter Margaret, married William Nielsen and of their six children, one married a Redman and the other a Balnaves, starting a 120 year-old winemaking dynasty. To celebrate the 200th birthday of William Wilson, we’ve released an exclusive wine in collaboration with the Balnaves family. Only 250 dozen have been produced.
2016 William Wilson Shiraz Cabernet Sauvignon
The 2016 William Wilson Shiraz Cabernet Sauvignon is unique blend of the finest parcels of Coonawarra wine, produced in the traditional ‘claret style’ with medium body, fine grained tannins and a great balance of fruit and structure. The Redman’s set aside a small parcel from their 85 year old North End Shiraz vineyard and the Balnaves reciprocated with a parcel of Cabernet from their 43 year old Paulownia vineyard.
Things to do in Penola: Zema Estate, Divine Cafe
Things to do in Penola, in the heart of Coonawarra;
Have Breakfast or Lunch at Divine, and wine taste at Zema Estate Cellar Door
2015 Penola Coonawarra Arts Festival
A snapshot of the 2015 Penola Coonawarra Arts Festival. Hundreds of Penola from the district flocked to the annual festival from May 21 to 24. Events featured in the video include the Penola Pipe Band's collaborative performance at Penola's War Memorial Park, the Royal Oak Hotel open mic competition, Shenanigans at Coonawarra Hall and rockabilly band The Led Sleds.
Penola Wedding - Megan and Adam
This wedding film, captured by Luke Simon Photography as a part of their truthfilm series, documents Megan and Adam's wedding day which took place in the southeast of South Australia in and around Penola.
MacKillop's work inspires reliquary
Stateline tells the story of Mary MacKillop's reliquary and how a French sculptor in Penola has created something for a woman adored by millions.
Tornado hits Penola
Near Mary MacKillop Centre
Canonisation Conversations - Mary MacKillop
Greg Whitby talks to Australian Foreign Affairs Minister, Kevin Rudd and Deputy Opposition Leader, Julie Bishop on the canonisation of Blessed Mary MacKillop.
My Lighthouse with lyrics (Rend Collective)
Rend Collective's My Lighthouse with Lyrics
Video by Pastor Madeline -
First United Methodist Church - Luling, TX
Awesome background provided by If you're interested in making similar videos, the yearly subscription is VERY reasonable!