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Most people in Coober Pedy, South Australia, live underground

© Creative Commons / david brewster

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Things to see and do in South Australia

Bushwalk

Trek around the remote Flinders Ranges, a vast area of ochre-coloured plains, gorges and desert, which provides one of Australia's best gateways to the outback; the Old Wilpena Station provides a unique insight into the lives of the early pastoralists in this region. Flinders Chase National Park (www.parks.sa.gov.au) on Kangaroo Island also has many walking trails and the 1,200km (750-mile) Heysen Trail is a popular route (www.heysentrail.asn.au).

Cage diving

Put away your fears and come face-to-face with one of nature's supreme hunting machines - a great white pointer shark - by cage diving at Port Lincoln or nearby Neptune Island.

Cultural attractions

See a large collection of Aboriginal artefacts at the South Australian Museum (www.samuseum.sa.gov.au) in Adelaide. Tandanya - National Aboriginal Cultural Institute (www.tandanya.com.au) is worth a visit too for more insights into Australia's indigenous culture.

Festival fun

Indulge in a plethora of world-class festivals in Adelaide, including the Adelaide Festival of Arts (www.adelaidefestival.com.au), featuring everything from jazz to classical theatre and ballet, along with a diverse Edinburgh-style Fringe Festival (www.adelaidefringe.com.au). The famed Womadelaide (www.womadelaide.com.au) showcases musicians from around the globe.

Flinders Ranges

Set eyes on South Australia's best slice of the outback in the ancient Aboriginal heritage area of Flinders Ranges (www.flindersranges.com), a region of spectacular granite peaks and colourful gorges, dotted with eucalyptus trees.

Go surfing

Surf excellent waves off uncrowded beaches, particularly at Victor Harbor, Kangaroo Island and the more remote Yorke and Eyre Peninsulas (with Eyre's Cactus Beach attracting surfers from all over the world). Moana Beach is a surfing favourite along the Fleurieu peninsula, while neighbouring Maslin Beach became Australia's first nudist beach in 1975.

Kangaroo Island

Watch wildlife in their natural environment on Kangaroo Island. Possible sightings include penguins, koalas, wallabies, kangaroos and seals as well as the large sea lion colony at Seal Bay. Don't miss gorging on local island produce such as marron (freshwater crayfish) and try the honey from Island Beehive.

Mount Gambier

Gaze over Mount Gambier (www.mountgambiertourism.com.au), a city that has been built around an extinct volcano. The quirky and beautiful sights here include sinkholes, limestone coastal area and the Blue Lake, which boasts crystal-clear waters that change in colour with the seasons.

Mount Lofty

Check out Mount Lofty in the Adelaide Hills for the best view of the city and its surrounding countryside. And don't miss the adjoining Botanic Gardens and Cleland Wildlife Park (www.clelandwildlifepark.sa.gov.au), where you can feed kangaroos and emus and have your picture taken with a koala.

Naracoorte Caves National Park

Step into the Naracoorte Caves National Park near the southeast border with Victoria and see stalagmites, stalactites, bats and fossils. The Wonambi Fossil Centre brings it all to life.

Nullarbor Plain

Ponder the edge of a continent as you advance along the Nullarbor Plain, lying flat for hundreds of miles but then suddenly dropping 90m (300ft) to form the Bunda Cliffs, which tower above the Southern Ocean.

Sail the Murray River

Strap on some waterskis, jump onto a cruise or sail down the enigmatic Murray River, which meanders for 650km (400 miles) through outback South Australia. River red gum trees line the banks, and along its length orchards and vineyards sprout from the waters.

The Royal Adelaide Show

This show runs for around 10 days from the end of August and celebrates the agricultural enterprises of the region, but with fireworks, a ferris wheel and endless side shows and amusements, there is as much to entrance the children as well as the adults here (www.theshow.com.au).

Treasure hunt

Fossick (sift dirt from working mines) for semi-precious stones at Coober Pedy, which produces 90% of the world's supply of opals. Fortunes have been made and lost in this extraordinary outback town where half the population lives underground to escape the extreme heat.

Whale watching

Spot whales on the Fleurieu Peninsula around Victor Harbor and on the Nullarbor coast, where large colonies of Southern Right whales breed from June to September. Take the horse-drawn tram out to Granite Island on Victor Harbor to catch sight of the whales and penguins, at the right time of day.

Wine tasting

Go on a wine-tasting tour. The Barossa Valley, which attracts 60% of Australia's wine-tasting tourists, is notable for Lutheran churches and their rolling vineyards. The Adelaide Hills and southern McLaren Vale also boast some great cellar doors and wine tasting tours. Penfolds Winery based in Magill is unique in that it is the only winery within the city of Adelaide.

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