A Short drive from the city, amidst the majestic gums and rolling hills he loved to paint, the…read moreCedars was the home and studio of South Australia's most preeminent impressionist landscape painter Sir Hans Heysen. No one painted the unique colour and textures of the South Australian landscape like Heysen, and thanks to his and his family's concerted conservation efforts the pristine beauty of the region has been maintained. The Cedar's itself has now been converted to a museum and gallery, commemorating the life and works of Sir Hans and his daughter Nora, who also became a widely recognized painter. There is a gallery proper, as well as various locals throughout the several buildings situated on the property in which one can inspect examples of work by both Nora and Hans. The stone cottage which Hans Heysen used as his studio is generally open to the public, and numerous relics of his working methods have been preserved and may be observed in the cabinets strewn around the cluttered room. There are also a number of unfinished paintings by Heysen shown in the studio, which are an invaluable reference material for the young or beginner painter wanting to learn something a great masters method and approach to creating a picture. There are tours of the property available, but I prefer to wander around at my own pace, and on occasion, set up an easel and paint the same trees which fascinated Heysen so many years ago. Of particular interest are the many sites which have been marked where Heysen set up his easel and painted pictures which have now become iconic. Beneath the covered metal pulpits are weathered reproductions of the works and it is interesting to note the liberties and inventions taken by Heysen, how he drew upon the landscape for inspiration and how this inspired his creativity. Whilst at present the Cedar's is most frequently patronized retirees, I would like to encourage the younger generation, especially those interested in the arts, to take the time to visit the Cedars and to take in something of our communal history. A visit to the cedars and an inspection of Heysen's work gives one a perspective and insight into our natural environment in a new and beautiful way and helps one to appreciate the inherent colours and light vibrating in our immediate surrounds. And with only a five dollar entry fee it is well within anyone's budget.

While you're visiting all the other wonderful attractions in and around Hahndorf this is definately…read moreone worth making an effort to get to. Hans Heysen is Australia's preeminent landscape artist of the early 20th century and we are fortunate that he lived right here in South Australia. I personally love visiting the homes and studios of well known artists and this is no exception. The picturesque landscape, beautiful old buildings and manicured gardens are reason enough, but I would definately reccommend that you jump on one of the guided home and studio tours which run every day except monday and cost around $5. The times are seasonal - September to May: at 11am, 1pm and 3pm June to August: at 11am and 2pm I found particular value in hearing all the stories of Heysen's famous friends who visited The Cedars and the lifestyle and personal histories of the family who maintain ownership and occasional use of the property today. You can gain access also to Nora Heysen's studio (Hans' daughter and archibald prize winner) where many of her works remain exhibited. The Gardens are also a part of the open gardens scheme for any interested green thumbs.

Harts Mill, situated between St Vincent Street and Mundy St is a historic redbrick building, and a…read morewell known landmark in Port Adelaide. Recently earmarked for residential development, locals and the artistic community of Port Adelaide have for some time now been lobbying to save at least part of the iconic building.There is currently growing support to have a portion of the Mill converted into a community arts center which would be a big win, but financial incentives for the gentrification of the Harts Mill District are strong and it seems that before too long, the Mill may be no more than another set of apartment blocks. If you have any interest in the architectural history of South Australia it would be well worth heading down to Port Adelaide to check out the Mill while it still stands. It truly is a beautiful old building and it catches the afternoon light in an ethereal manner. There are an infinite number of nooks and crannies and imperfections for the eye to explore and it makes for a great setting for industrial landscape painting. I've been there on occasion to paint with some local artists and one could spend a life time exploring its aesthetic possibilities. It will be truly sad the day the Mill no longer stands.

Victor Harbour is a great place to go to. It has a very pretty and serene vibe. They have this…read morecarnival type thing there yearly (I'm not sure when it is though) I suggest that if you have kids, take them in hot weather or when the carnival is on. Also there's granite island that you can literally walk to because it's connected to victor harbour by a long jetty. If you don't like walking then have no fear as you can always take the horse and carriage. At Victor Harbour there's a mini put put course thing which is great for the kids and there's also a souvenir shop for travellers. There's plenty of food there and shops on the main street you can gaze at. The parks are pretty cool as well. There's a caravan park and also a country club people can stay at. All in all, come here if you want to get away from city life as it's a very beautiful place. People may suggest Victor Harbours older brother Goolwa but honestly, Goolwa isn't as great as Victor Harbour! Make sure to definitely have a look at Granite Island if you're only coming here once

Definately the most beautiful place is saw in a long time. I went here in my first week of staying…read morein Adelaide. It was a lovely day, hot and sunny. A really lovely day, we had lunch in a lovely little cafe opposite the port/harbour before walking across the pier over to the other half of the island. If you have small children, there is a horse and cart that will take you across. But remember when its hot that you may have a bit of a wait as them lovely shire horses are hot too. In the centre there is a brilliant designed fountain type thing, its a whales tail coming out of the ground and has water spurting out of it. It looked great! The walk over to the other part of the island was great and i had a really enjoyable day. The only thing that would've made it even better was that they were showing photo's of the penguins that they get there..penguins would've made the day complete however i didn't get to see them. :(

When I was kid and I went to the beach at Glenelg we would invariably walk past the Rotunda on…read moreColley Reserve on our way. My brothers used to tease me everytime we were near by telling me a mean an old witch lived underneath the Rotunda and whatsmore she was after me! It took me years to overcome that fear. I have to admit now I'm a big girl and I've realised the witch probably wasn't real but I still stay clear of her 'front door' aka the opening to the right hand side of the stairs that's covered with galvanized iron. There are stairs leading down to something down there and I wonder what it is that's down there underneath the rotunda? Serious stuff now. The rotunda is state heritage listed and can be hired for weddings, baby namings and all kinds of private ceremonies. It actually sits in pride of place between Colley Reserve and The Beachouse and is surrounded by paving and Glenelg's famous Norfolk Pines. The pavers around the Rotunda are actually called the Bay Sheffield Walk and commemorate the names all of the winner of the Handicap footrace that's held each year on Colley Reserve. Lovingly restored by the Holdfast Bay Council and Commonwealth Government back in 2001, the work was done to commemorate the anniversary of Federation. It is simply one of the jewels in the crown at Glenelg beach. If you've never been there I suggest you go and just sit there watching the sunset for while - just be careful the witch doesn't put a spell on you!

Definitely not a major tourist attraction, the tram barn is worth a look though I've you're ever on…read moreMagill Road. It's a shame that you can't go in but basically just have to look at it from the street. It's one of Adelaide's two old tram barns that still exist and was build in 1882. The fences aren't very high at all so you can see the little houses that they build inside at a later stage. The exterior is, apparently, unchanged though and looks rather cute.

Are you interested in learning about South Australian history? Do you just like boats? If you like…read moreone of the above mentioned, you will like the tour of The Clipper. What an amazing ship! It took a long time, a lot of dedicated people and a whole lot of money to get her back to Australia from Scotland. So, it's worth going to have a look. The ship was used to take the first colonist from England to South Australia. It could fit up to 300 people onboard and was one of the fastest ships to get you here. It was like a jet of ships. I wont tell you anymore of the history side of things, you can learn more about it when you go on the tour. It is a lot bigger than I thought it was going to be. Good headroom inside of the cabin areas as well. Especially in comparison to other ships I have been on. So, I think that passengers had it pretty good on this ship. What is truly amazing is looking at the construction of the ship. All the materials, design and hard work to make it such a solid structure. No wonder it lasted so long. Take note of what the tour guide tells you when s/he explains the materials and processes. What I really do want to say about The Clipper is that you have to admire the hard work of all of the volunteers in looking after this girl and restoring her. It is so important for us to learn about how Australia came to be what it is today. And this is just one part. It is truly a piece of history that I hope continues to survive for generations to admire and day dream about. What was it like travelling on this vessel to a new unknown land? One thing is for sure, the people that travelled on this boat were really brave!

The history of the Hindmarsh Bridge adds that touch more flavour to this busy and fascinating spot…read morein Adelaide's West end. Beside the renowned brewery reaching over the Torrens and connecting the city to the greater West is this bridge that you wouldn't even know you were crossing these days, but if you stopped at the parking available around here, say to look at the Christmas lights or the brewery park you would notice the wishing well and the monuments describing the historical significance of this spot.

Well, since people have written reviews on the Adelaide Railway Station, I felt that it would be…read morefitting to write a review on another historical historical building located near the end of one of Adelaide Metro's railway lines. I'm sure people aren't going to go all the way to Gawler just to look at the railway station, but it is certainly something to pay attention to if you do wander up that way (and Gawler is actually a pretty decent place for a day trip). The station itself has a cafe, an art gallery (though as far as I am aware, it is only open on weekends), an old steam train that has been restored, and you can even buy train tickets here. The only problem is that it is a bit of a hike from the town centre, but hey, at least there are two pubs on the other side of the road.