What to do when you leave the deck.

Beaches, walks, bikes, art, the farmers market and wine, most of it within 15 minutes of your suite.

Hours, tides, trails and weather all change, so please check directly with each place before you go.

Minutes are by car from Inkwell.

From your own deck (Your suite). We’ve catalogued over 100 bird species on the property. You won’t see them all from your chair, but you’ll see many. Kangaroos visit the vines too. No booking needed.
Urimbirra Wildlife Park (Victor Harbor, about 35 min). Over 400 native animals across open wetlands. Hand-feed the kangaroos and emus (a bag of feed is $1 at the entrance), pat a koala with the keepers at 11 am or 2 pm, and yes, take the selfie. Every day, 10 am to 4 pm.
Wangkuntila–Aldinga Conservation Park (Aldinga Beach, about 15 min). Low woodland and heath between Aldinga Beach and Sellicks Beach, where more than 166 bird species have been seen, rainbow bee-eaters and golden whistlers among them. Flat, sandy loops of 1.1 to 4.8 km; wildflowers in spring. Walk-in only, free, open daily.

Maslin Beach (Maslin Beach, 5 to 10 min). Our closest beach, under red cliffs, with a walking trail along the top. The southern end is reserved for unclad swimmers; the rest is open to everyone.
Port Willunga (Port Willunga, about 10 min). Golden cliffs and a calm, clear cove below the Star of Greece, with the old jetty pylons and fishermen’s caves. Snorkel or dive out to the shipwreck.
Aldinga Beach (Aldinga Beach, about 10 min). Long, wide and patrolled by surf lifesavers, with rock pools at low tide and some of the state’s best diving on the reef. You can drive onto part of it.
Port Noarlunga (Port Noarlunga, about 15 min). Where the river meets the sea: swim between the flags, fish from the jetty, or follow the marked underwater reef trail in the marine sanctuary.

Easy Kayaks (Port Noarlunga, about 20 min). Kayak and paddleboard hire beside the Onkaparinga River, for calm water at the river mouth or upstream; double kayaks suit two adults. Guided glass-bottom kayak tours of Port Noarlunga Reef, about an hour, at noon and 2 pm, weather permitting.
Surf & Sun, Moana (Moana Beach, about 15 min). Two-hour learn-to-surf group lessons at Moana, a beginner beach with small waves, run daily all year by a licensed surf school. Board, wetsuit, rash top and sunscreen supplied; adults welcome. Times change with the season: book online.

Willunga Farmers Market (Willunga, about 10 min). South Australia’s first farmers market, since 2002: growers and makers selling straight to you, and breakfast cooked on the spot. Every Saturday, 8 am to noon, rain, hail or shine.
Willunga Quarry Market (Willunga, about 10 min). A community market since 1986, at Willunga Oval on the second Saturday of each month, 8.30 am to 1.30 pm. Over 40 indoor stalls and more outside: plants, local almonds, olive oil and honey, ceramics, jewellery and handmade goods.

The Shiraz Trail (McLaren Vale, about 7 min). About 7.4 km each way along the old railway line to Willunga, sealed, flat and lined with trees, with cellar doors and cafés close by. Walk it or ride it.
Onkaparinga River National Park (Onkaparinga Hills, about 25 min). A deep river gorge with cliff-top lookouts and permanent rock pools, from an easy 2 km lookout walk to the 6 km gorge hike. Open daily. Closed on days of catastrophic fire danger, and may close on extreme ones, so check first in summer.
Witton Bluff Base Trail (Port Noarlunga, about 15 min). A 1.1 km all-abilities coastal path from Port Noarlunga jetty to Christies Beach, on a boardwalk over an ancient limestone shelf, designed with the Kaurna people.
Hallett Cove Conservation Park (Hallett Cove, about 30 min). Cliff tops scored by glaciers, the best record in Australia of an ice age some 280 million years ago. The Glacier Hike (3 km return, about 2 hours) passes the Sugarloaf and the Amphitheatre, with signs along the way; a boardwalk follows the cliffs. Free, open daily.
Kuitpo Forest (Near Meadows, about 30 min). 3,600 hectares of native and pine forest near Meadows, with marked walking trails and a stretch of the Heysen Trail. Picnic almost anywhere. Closed on Total Fire Ban days, so check before a summer visit.

Coast to Vines Rail Trail (Marino to Willunga). The long ride, about 35 km on the old steam railway line from the coast to the vines, past cliff tops and old villages. The Shiraz Trail is its last stretch.
SA eBikes (McLaren Vale, about 7 min). E-bikes, e-trikes and even e-tuk-tuks from Shayne and Rachel, charged by the sun, from the Visitor Centre and Oxenberry Farm on the Shiraz Trail, with guided or self-guided tours. Book on their website.
Deluxe Ebikes (McLaren Vale, about 7 min). Vintage-style e-bikes from Hardys Tintara, right on the Shiraz Trail, or delivered to us. Helmet, lock and lights included. Book on their website.

Fleurieu Arthouse (McLaren Vale, about 7 min). Artists’ studios where you can watch South Australian artists at work, a gallery, design store, book store and café, under old trees at Hardys Tintara. Every day, 11 am to 4 pm.
The Gallery (McLaren Vale, about 10 min). Changing exhibitions by regional artists, in the rammed-earth Visitor Centre, with garden and vineyard views and a café.
Willunga Arts Collective (Willunga, about 10 min). A co-op of local artists sharing a big gallery with glass artist Glenn Howlett’s studio, in painting, ceramics, glass and jewellery. Every day, 10 am to 4 pm.

Willunga Golf Course (Willunga, about 10 min). An 18-hole public golf course in Willunga, with a driving range, pro shop and private lessons. Open every day, 7 am to 5 pm; visitors book online.

Second Valley (About 45 min, towards the ferry). A small, sheltered cove between steep hills, with a jetty and clear water over rocky reefs, good for a swim or a snorkel. A short detour on the drive to Cape Jervis.
Deep Creek (About an hour, near the ferry). The largest stretch of natural bush left on the Fleurieu: walking trails, a seasonal waterfall, wildflowers, and whales offshore from May to October. Parts are closed while the bush recovers from a 2026 fire, so check the park’s page first.
Victor Harbor (About 40 min). Walk the causeway to Granite Island or ride the horse-drawn tram pulled by Clydesdales, and look for southern right whales from late May to October. Check tram times before you go.

Skydive the Vines (McLaren Vale, about 7 min). Tandem skydives from 10,000 to 15,000 feet, out of Aldinga Airfield, gliding back down over the coast and the vines. From age 16, up to 110 kg. Allow about four hours, and book at least a day ahead on their website.
Helivista (McLaren Vale, about 7 min). Paul and Mei Ling’s helicopter flights: 30 minutes over the vineyards, the Onkaparinga Gorge and the coast’s colourful cliffs and white beaches, with an eye out for dolphins. At least two people, each under 120 kg. Ring 0427 583 027 to book.
Adelaide Biplanes (Aldinga Airfield, about 10 min). Open-cockpit biplane flights from Aldinga Airfield along the McLaren Vale coast. The 1930s-designed Waco takes two passengers together in its front cockpit; the Great Lakes biplane flies aerobatics. Call to book.

There are too many good ones for us to name, so we’ll leave this to the people who know them all.

McLaren Vale Visitor Centre (796 Main Road, about 10 min). Small companies run everything from hop-on hop-off buses to private days, and the Visitor Centre can book one for you at no extra cost. Ask them to bring you to us. Monday to Friday 9 am to 5 pm, weekends 10 am to 4 pm. Ring 08 8323 9944.