Adelaide has rolling hills to the east and beaches to the west. With a population of slightly more than one million, Adelaide is the “20 minute city”. The airport is only seven kilometres from Adelaide city. The Adelaide Hills and major beaches are less than half an hour away by car.

Adelaide has a diverse cultural mix that guarantees the food is sensational. Rundle Street in Adelaide’s east end includes a mix of historic pubs and family-run cafes and restaurants. Dine alfresco, morning, noon and night. Five minutes away, Norwood Parade is famously European influenced while Gouger Street, which is close to Chinatown and the Adelaide Central Market is crammed with Asian restaurants.

You’ll find plenty of accommodation in Adelaide including boutique hotels, apartments, seaside resorts and heritage cottages. Most hotels are in the city centre, however there are a number of hotels, motels and bed and breakfasts in nearby North Adelaide and along the coast.

Adelaide weather is moderate. Year-round blue skies mean average winter temperatures of 16 degrees Celsius (°C) and 28 degrees Celsius in summer. Hot days can be real sizzlers and easily reach 40 degrees Celsius.

For further information on Adelaide and South Australia please visit the South Australian tourist site at southaustralia.com .

Most Adelaide photos are courtesy of South Australian Tourism Commission (SATC), the Government of South Australia.

Wine regions

Within an easy 90 minute drive from the conference centre are four of South Australia’s wine regions which produce some of the best wines from Australia.

Barossa Valley

The Barossa Valley is a renowned wine-producing region northeast of Adelaide, in South Australia. The area encompasses towns such as Tanunda, Angaston and Nuriootpa, and an array of high-profile wineries offering tours and cellar-door tastings. With over 80 cellar doors and 150 wineries the variety is extensive.

Clare Valley

Just an hour and a half from Adelaide, the secluded Clare Valley is an enchanting journey.

The Clare Valley boasts more than 30 cellar doors, some operating out of stone cottages, heritage buildings, state-of-the art structures and farm sheds. It is not uncommon for a visitor to meet the winemaker first hand at many of the wineries, and learn how the wine was created.

As the heart of Australian Riesling, Clare Valley is home to some of the best Riesling wines in the country, as well as other red varieties including Shiraz and Cabernet. The cellar doors are all within at least 40 km of each other, and many reside in close proximity. Wind your way through the country roads, or jump on a bike, and stop at cellar doors along the Riesling Trail. Whatever your fancy, you’ll be spoilt for choice.

Adelaide Hills

Only a 20 minute drive from Adelaide, the Adelaide Hills offers the rare combination of proximity to a capital city with the feel of being a world away.

The Adelaide Hills has a strong domestic and international reputation as home to some of Australia’s most elegant cool climate wines, displaying great finesse and varietal intensity. It is not by accident that we find, here in the Hills, an influential and powerful presence of world-class winemakers who source ultra-premium fruit parcels from this region.

The folds and undulations of the Adelaide Hills create a wide range of mesoclimates. In seeking and exploiting these climatic differences, the vineyards tend to be small in area and often steep. Hand pruning and picking is often a necessity as well as a choice.

This diversity plays host to a range of grape varieties and wine styles. In the coolest areas, the classic Chardonnay and Pinot Noir varieties produce exemplary sparkling and table wines. Riesling, Sauvignon Blanc and Pinot Gris enter into the picture as the temperature rises while many unique vineyard sites, combined with careful management techniques, allow the successful ripening and flavour profile development of Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Shiraz and Merlot.

McLaren Vale

Only 45 minutes south of Adelaide in South Australia, McLaren Vale is home to sustainable winegrowing, world-class wines and culinary experiences, as well as pristine natural attractions and unparalleled tourism offerings.

Best known for Shiraz, McLaren Vale also excels in the production of ultra-premium Grenache and Cabernet. Mediterranean varieties such as Fiano, Vermentino, Tempranillo and Sangiovese are also very well suited climatically and provide wine lovers with yet another layer of discovery.

Over one third of our cellar doors offer local produce as part of the tasting experience – from high-end, starred restaurants to casual platters – there is a wine and food combination to suit any taste.