Day 222 - Around the Barossa Valley

What a change we had today.  Gone were the 38 degree temperature and the wind. Instead we had an overcast day which got duller by the minute as the clouds thickened, but no rain.

We decided to give the caravan a shock and wash it.  It was the first time we have had an opportunity to wash the van, such has been the dire state of water supply in most of the places we have visited, at least since Kununarra in WA.

In spite of the dull day, the Barossa looked beautiful as we completed our tourist drive around the valley.  The road signs contained many names we have heard of but others of which we have not. 

141114 Some familiar names here

We were in Maggie Beer country so we could not miss a visit to her Farm Shop. What a place it is.  There were "taster samplers" everywhere and we availed ourselves of these with gay abandon. There is also a pheasant farm on site and there were several peacocks, strutting their stuff.  We were glad we made time for this visit.

141114 A Pheasant at Maggie Beer's Farm Shop

141114 Maggie Beer's Farm Shop

141114 A peacock at Maggie Beer's Farm Shop

Seppetsfield was impressive, both in terms of the winery, which is huge, and the views around it. The site was settled in 1851, after the original Seppelt surveyed the site for his farm in the Greenock Creek valley from a nearby hill.  The family has built a mausoleum on this hill and we trudged up the steep hill to see the view ourselves. The photo does not give you any notion of how high the hill is or how steep the walkway is to get to its top.

141114 The Seppelt Family Mausoleum

141114 In Seppetsfield - features many palm trees 

141114 View from the Mausoleum

141114 Another view from the Mausoleum

141114 Part of the Seppeltsfield winery

Roses have been a feature of the Barossa Valley whether they be in the wineries' gardens, at the end of the grape vines, in the home or town gardens or alongside the road.

141114 Welcome to Tanunda

141114 Roses on the roadside entering Tanunda

141114 There were a couple of kilometres of these roses along the roadside

141114 Whistler cellar door

Views are spectacular and there was none better than the one of the Lutheran Church at Marananga nestling among the grape vines. The view looking out of the valley was good too.

141114 Self Explanatory - Gnadenfrei means 'freed by the grace of God'

141114 The Gnadenfrei Lutheran Church from a distance

141114 In the Barossa Valley looking out