The Clare Valley
Following the Barrier Highway just less than a hundred kilometres north of Adelaide, Highway 83 branches off towards the historic andenchanting township of Auburn. The town was originally established in 1849 to service the hundreds of bullock and mule drawn wagons, carting ore from the copper mines at Burra. Over the next few decades Auburn developed into an important regional centre, and today its main attraction are the twenty or so 19th century buildings which enable visitors to step back into an by-gone era. Auburn also lies on the southern fringes of the renowned Clare Valley wine region, and the valley's largest producer, Taylor's Wines, is nearby.
The Clare Valley is South Australia's second most important group ofvineyards (behind the Barossa), noted for its rieslings and earthycabernet sauvignons. The majority of the 26 wineries are can be found along the 26 kilometre stretch of Highway 83 (Main North Road) between Auburn in the south, and the charming town of Clare in the north(see Wineries under Things To Do). Clare is an ideal place to base winery tours, hosting a good range of accommodation which includes a wide choice of cosy B&B's. The town is also worth exploring in its own right, featuring many lovely old buildings, a number of museums, andlots of handsome pubs and restaurants offering great meals and atmosphere. In amongst the Clare Valley vineyards, the tiny towns of Leasingham, Watervale, Penwortham, Sevenhill, and Mintaroprovide some other nice accommodation alternatives (predominatly B&B's).
43 kilometres east of Clare on the Barrier Highway, Burra isyet another gorgeous historical township, boasting a reputation of being one of the country's best preserved mining towns. Copper broughtan estimated 10 million dollars to Burra's economy between 1845 and 1867, and this early prosperity is easy to envisage after a quick strollthrough the town centre. The streets of Burra are seemingly overflowingwith historic sites, and the best way to see them is by following theDiscover Historic Burra leaflet available from the visitors centre on Market Square. The leaflet's eleven kilometre trail takes in around 60 of the historical buildings and museums, including several good antique stores and the town's original copper mine.
