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Willunga... "place of green trees..."
Willunga, South Australia is a town rich in history, culture & produce...
Willunga, on the Fleurieu Peninsula, where you will
experience the best of South Australia... fine food and
wines; fresh produce markets; craft markets; plant nurseries, cellar
doors and providores; museums; slate quarries; quality accommodation; continuing artistic and cultural events;
gallery exhibitions; music, drama, dance and gigs... nestled between
sea and hills...
Willunga, interest-packed and relaxing for a day-outing with your family, an
SA Shorts
weekend with your friends, a romantic getaway with excellent venues for
your wedding or anniversary.
Willunga, central to the
Fleurieu Peninsula,
an area so diverse and interesting, you could keep yourself busy
exploring its delights for weeks. Willunga is just a 43 minute drive from Adelaide City,
Adelaide's popular Ghan and Indian Pacific Train Terminal and Adelaide's
International Airport... 27 minutes to the whale watching centre
of Victor Harbor and 51 minutes
the Cape Jervis ferry to Kangaroo Island... a pleasant 37 minutes
drive to historic Strathalbyn... 17 minutes from
the metro passenger rail terminal at Noarlunga and Noarlunga Centre
Shopping Centre... 17 minutes to the lovely Kyeema National
Park... and only 11 minutes to the sandy beaches of Aldinga Beach.
Map 1: Click here for Google Maps
Map 2: Click & type in "1
High St", then "Willunga, SA" & click "Go"
WillungaFestivals.com is your window to
this diverse piece of Australia...
On this site you will find all you need to
know about Willunga and its immediate district... world class Annual Events, such as Tour Down Under and the
Adelaide Classic Car Rally, plus a wide range of other quality festivals, including
the Willunga Almond Blossom Festival, as well as exhibitions. You will also
find the many weekly and monthly Regular Events like Australia's
first Farmers Market, the quality Quarry Market, the famous Willunga Lions
Auction, Live Acoustic, Pop and Rock & Roll gigs and more.
Find Willunga's wide range
of Accommodation venues including four star
Bed & Breakfasts, Willunga's excellent Eateries, restaurants and
cafe's. On WillungaFestivals.com you will discover some of the best
Wine & Produce
Cellar Doors, as well as Plant Nurseries in the district.
WillungaFestivals.com also lists quality galleries and details the varied Artistic Events.
The people of Willunga take a very active
and forward thinking role in ecological matters, something that is evident
as soon as you walk its main street or view the revegetation on the
surrounding hills. WillungaFestivals.com lists these various meetings
and activities... You can also find out about the many sports and
recreation clubs, community groups and the local church scene.
Nestled between and only
minutes from National Parks in the hills and some of Australia's best
beaches, Willunga is a wonderful place to visit and WillungaFestivals.com welcomes you and hopes that this
site prompts you to visit Willunga soon...
The
second oldest town in South Australia...
the township of Willunga, began
as a staging point on the then arduous journey from Adelaide to Victor Harbor.
Willunga
soon became a primary source of roofing and construction slate for the
state while the surrounding areas supported the growing population of
South Australia with
food and hay via mixed farming.
Willunga on the Fleurieu...
Willunga township is nestled into the lower
end of the Adelaide ranges midway between the seaside resort of Victor
Harbour and South Australia's capital city Adelaide. McLaren Vale,
known world wide for its quality wine is just five minutes by road to the
North of Willunga. Willunga, one of the principal towns of the
Fleurieu Peninsula is also known for its historical buildings relaxed
atmosphere and modern events.
(This page is not yet complete.)
Slate...
Mining
of slate was one of the original industries in the Willunga District...
Agriculture...
Almonds...
became a major income
provider for the families of the area early in the twentieth century and
this continued until the 1980's when vines became more viable with the
increased cost of water. Many renown almond varieties were
developed in the Willunga district. An almond cracker, originally designed,
patented and built by local almond grower G. M. Herriott in the late
forties was used universally throughout Australia.
Dairying, potatoes, wheat, barley, hay,
field peas and
the raising of prime lambs
have been other major activities supplying
Adelaide and surrounding districts. Willunga hay has often been a
lifesaver for northern farmers in times of drought. The Willunga
Basin, the western areas, now unfortunately being developed for housing, is
considered to be the best barley growing region in the Southern
Hemisphere.
Vines and wines...
has become the largest land
usage in the district
Local growers of fresh produce...
many stalls each Saturday at the Willunga Farmers Market
Interesting buildings...
Buildings from the 19th
century...
share the town and main street with those from the mid to late
20th century. At the top end of Willunga (61 High St) is the
historic Willunga Courthouse & Police Station Museum complete with cell block and outbuildings. It is open to
the public with historic displays as well as being a regular host to
weddings. A stone and slate one-teacher school was built in the mid
1800's. It was the council office for many years into the 1960's and is
still well maintained. At the other end of town (St Andrews Tce) is a residence built
primarily of slate. Many original mud, stone and slate cottages are
still lived in and finding them dotted about the town is a fascinating
past time. St Stephen's Anglican Church with its stone walls and
stained glass windows is sort after for weddings.
Willunga today…
Willunga's past conservative
response to change, coupled with it's rich history has resulted in many
well kept historic buildings
and 1960's country town ambience.
In recent years, despite heavy pressures, Willunga has
managed to resist much of- the splintering effect of modern urban
'development'. It is unique in that all businesses are owned and operated
by locals.
Willunga boasts...
a kindergarten, one primary school,
one high school and one Waldorf School,
CFS (Country Fire Service) & SES (State
Emergency Service) manned by local volunteers,
many & varied local businesses, including a post
office, two banks, bakery, newsagency, chemist and medical doctors,
four churches, four cemeteries,
a recreation park complete with oval, tennis &
netball courts, indoor sports stadium which doubles as the town hall, with
catering facilities plus smaller hall (with stage & dance floor) as well
as smaller meeting rooms,
18 hole golf course and relaxing
licensed restaurant overlooking the greens,
and a rose garden, playgrounds, parks and walks.
Willunga... the Market Town...
Willunga Monthly Quarry Market...
(Second week of
each month)
Willunga has been further put on the map by the Willunga Quarry Market.
This market is well known throughout the Fleurieu Peninsula and Adelaide
for its wide variety of quality crafts, plants, food, and second hand
items.
Willunga Weekly Farmers Market…
(Each Saturday morning) The Willunga Farmers Market (see
www.WillungaFarmersMarket.com) supplies
fresh, locally grown and prepared produce from around the Fleurieu.
Each Saturday morning people come from as far away as Adelaide for their
week's food supplies and to enjoy the friendly country market atmosphere
that is
so obvious as soon as one walks through the gate.
Willunga Monthly Lions Auction...
(Last
Saturday of each month) At what used to be the Willunga livestock
sale yards, hundreds of folk search through the rows of everything from
furniture, baths, stoves and tiles, to fence posts, timber and iron, to
poultry and guinea pigs, to records, books and crockery. So many
treasures to be found. The money raised goes to local projects,
charities, etc
Willunga... the Festival
Town…
Tour Down
Under…
Willunga is the event's only town to host a start and finish for this
recognised world event. It has won best dressed town for the last
five years in a row. The "King of the Mountain" event up "Old
Willunga Hill" is highly popular attracting large crowds. It's
location provides excellent vantage points. The Willunga stage of Tour
Down Under is also greatly praised by the riders.
Willunga Almond Blossom Festival Week...
Willunga is known
throughout Australia and in many places overseas for it's annual Almond
Blossom Festival.
Classic Adelaide… This South Australian event
is the biggest classic car rally in the Southern Hemisphere with entries
from all over the world including a strong contingent of Mercedes and
Porches from German museums. The Willunga stage again up "Old
Willunga Hill" is very popular with both crowds and drivers.
Willunga Christmas Tree Festival Week...
Willunga Uniting
Church hosts this large spectacle of ornately designed and decorated
festive trees.
Arts,
Crafts and Exhibitions... Art galleries,
antiques, craft as well as dance and drama.
Food and Wine...
Wine and Produce Cellar Doors...
Eateries...
Bakery,
takeaway, cafe, tea houses, hotels and restaurants
Accommodation...
Keeping
in character with the history and culture, Willunga does not have
traditional, plain accommodation, but rather bed and breakfast suites and
units with warmth and charm.
Visit us...
If you have never visited us consider coming. There is something for everyone: great
restaurants and quality Bed & Breakfasts. We
look forward to having you with us.
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