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| The Kies
Estate Cellars (one of the many small
cellars that dot the Barossa Valley)
near Lyndoch |
Lyndoch (including Rowland Flat)
First place sighted by Europeans in the
Barossa Valley
Located only 58 km from Adelaide, Lyndoch is a
substantial township at the southern end of the
Barossa Valley. It is an ideal starting point
for anyone wanting to explore the valley as
their are a large number of wineries, most of
which have cellar sales and tastings, within the
immediate area.
Prior to European settlement a small number
of Aborigines were well established in the
district. They lived on a diet of grass seeds
(made into a kind of damper), kangaroos,
wallabies, possums, lizards and fish and
protected themselves against the winter cold
with possum skin rugs. Their life was simple but
perfectly in tune with the climate, flora and
fauna of the region.
Soon after the arrival of colonists in South
Australia in July, 1836 expeditions were sent
out to explore the hinterland. By December 1837
explorers, led by Colonel Light, had reached
Lyndoch. On 13 December 1837 Light recorded 'At
length about 5 p.m. we came to a beautiful
valley which I named Lynedoch Vale after my much
esteemed friend, Lord Lynedoch.'
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| Lyndoch Hotel
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In 1838 other explorers (Hill, Wood and
Wiles) passed through the area on their way to
the Murray River. They noted: 'March 3 (1838) At
9 o'clock we arrived at Lynedoch Valley - a
beautiful place, good land and plenty of grass,
but no springs or running water. Saw many
kangaroos during the morning.'
By 1839 Colonel Light, the Surveyor General
of South Australia, was selling off large tracts
of land in the valley. Edward Rowland took up
land in the early 1840s at what was soon named
Rowland Flat. The valley was named by Colonel
Light after Barrosa (Hill of Roses) in Spain
where he had fought against the French in 1811
in the Peninsula War. The spelling mistake was
never corrected.
Lyndoch and the Lyndoch area can reasonably
lay claim to being the first place in the
Barossa Valley where grapes were grown. By 1847
a Mr Gilbert had planted an acre of grapes at
Pewsey Vale. Similarly Johann Gramp planted
grapes at Jacob's Creek and by 1850 he had
produced his first wine.
Today Lyndoch is in the heart of the Barossa
and is surrounded by a large number of both
major and boutique wineries.
Things to see:
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| A vineyard in
the Barossa Valley (courtesy S. A.
Tourism Commission) |
Wineries - Lyndoch
Chateau Yaldara Estate
Located on the Barossa Valley Highway near
Lyndoch, Chateau Yaldara was established in 1947
by the German winemaker, Hermann Thumm. It has
grown into a huge complex which includes a
motel, conference facilities, a chateau built in
a baroque German style, a restaurant and a
bistro. It specialises in red and white table
wines, sparkling wine and port derived from
cabernet sauvignon, shiraz, riesling, semillon,
sauvignon blanc, pinot noir, crouchen, Grenache
and chardonnay grapes. It is open seven days a
week for tastings and sales. For more details
contact 1800 088 300.
Keis Estate Cellars
Located on the Barossa Valley Way on the way to
Gawler, it is a typical small family winery with
cellar door sales. The stone building dates from
the 1880s. It also boasts The Wheatsheaf
Restaurant which serves wines with high class
food. It specialises in red and white table
wines, sparkling wine and fortified wines
derived from muscadelle, chenin blanc, ondenc,
traminer, pedro, cabernet franc, merlot,
cabernet sauvignon, shiraz, riesling, semillon,
sauvignon blanc and chardonnay grapes. It is
open seven days a week for tastings and sales.
For more details contact (08) 8524 4110.
Burge Family Winemakers
Located on Barossa Highway this family winery
was established in 1928. It specialises in
premium red and white table wines and ports
derived from cabernet sauvignon, shiraz,
riesling, semillon, Grenache, Touriga,
Frontignac, Merlot, cabernet franc and mourvedre.
It is open seven days a week for tastings and
sales. For more details contact (08) 8524 4644.
Twin Valley Estate
Located in the Hoffnungstahl Valley (in German
this means the Valley of Hope - a suitable name
for a place where people fleeing from religious
persecution were to live) about halfway between
Lyndoch and Williamstown (take the Hoffnungstahl
Road) this winery was established in 1969 and
specialises in both red and white table wines
derived from cabernet sauvignon, shiraz and
chardonnay grapes. It is open seven days a week
for tastings and sales. For more details contact
(08) 8524 4636
Wineries - Rowland Flat
Orlando Wines
On Barossa Valley Hwy at Rowland Flat, this
famous winery is one of the oldest in the
Barossa Valley having been started when Johann
Gramp planted grapes at Jacob's Creek and by
1850 he had produced his first wine. It
specialises in premium red and white table wines
and sparkling wines derived from cabernet
sauvignon, shiraz, riesling, semillon, Merlot,
cabernet franc and chardonnay. It is open seven
days a week for tastings and sales. For more
details contact (08) 8521 3140.
Barossa Settlers
Located on Trial Hill Road this boutique winery
was established in 1983. The shiraz grapes were
planted in 1887 and the owners can date their
origins back to the valley's first settlers. It
specialises in premium red and white table
wines, sparkling wines and ports derived from
cabernet sauvignon, shiraz, riesling, semillon,
Grenache, Mataro and chardonnay. It is open
seven days a week for tastings and sales. For
more details contact (08) 8524 4017.
Jenke Vineyards
Located on Barossa Highway this family winery
was established in 1989 although the vineyards
date from 1926 and the Jenke family have been in
the valley since the 1850s. It specialises in
premium regional varietals derived from cabernet
sauvignon, shiraz, riesling, semillon, Grenache,
Merlot and cabernet franc. It is open seven days
a week for tastings and sales. For more details
contact (08) 8524 4154.
Miranda Wines
Located on Barossa Highway this winery was
established in 1919. It specialises in red and
white table wines, fortified and sparkling wines
derived from chardonnay, cabernet, shiraz,
Grenache and Merlot. It is open seven days a
week for tastings and sales. For more details
contact (08) 8524 4537.
Liebich Wein
Located on Steingarten Road, Rowland Flat this
family winery was established in 1992. It
specialises in red and white table wines and
fortified wines derived from cabernet sauvignon,
shiraz, chardonnay, Merlot and pinot noir. It is
open on weekends and by appointment for tastings
and sales. For more details contact (08) 8524
4543.
South Australian Museum of Mechanical
Music
Located on the Barossa Valley Highway and open
daily from 9.00 a.m. - 5.00 p.m. the museum is a
fascinating collection of music machines
including cylinder and disk machines, old
gramophones, jukeboxes and musical devices
including a musical Christmas tree and singing
birds. For details contact (08) 8524 4014.
Lyndoch Hotel
A prominent two-storey building at the centre of
town. It dates from 1869 when it was known as
the Lord Lynedoch Hotel and is an important part
of the town's streetscape.
Holy Trinity Church
Located 1 km north of Lyndoch on the Tanunda
Road, it was consecrated in 1861 and has a
particularly attractive interior with an
impressive beamed roof.
Barossa Reservoir and Whispering Wall
The Whispering Wall is located about 7 km
south-east of Lyndoch off Yettie Road and is an
acoustic miracle. It is the huge curved
retaining wall of the Barossa Reservoir and is
about 140 metres long. The acoustics are such
that you can speak in a normal voice and people
at the other end of the wall can hear you
clearly.
