South Australia's sun-baked landscape encloses a distinct beauty. There are stunning national parks to ramble in, from the cerise dunes of Simpson Desert to Lake Eyre National Park with its enormous 'salt-sink' and wilderness opening up huge skies. Wilpena Pound is a vast natural amphitheatre with rocks protruding like gnarled fingers in Flinders Ranges National Park.

The Murray River's life-giving waters ensure agriculture such as orchards and vineyards flourish in seemingly inhospitable territory. The Barossa Valley, McLaren Vale and Coonawarra are just some of the state's prized wine-growing regions known especially for their reds.

Adelaide is an attractive city, intelligently laid-out with wide boulevards. Its central area is completely encircled by parkland and bush inviting exploration by foot. The Adelaide Hills are literally on its doorstep meaning you can enjoy the cultural offerings of the city in the morning and then get lost in the wilderness in the afternoon.

South Australia is the only state that was not colonised through convicts. Its early settlers were mostly religious non-conformists and South Australia has since paved the way in Australian reform. It was the first state to give women equal voting rights; and the first to appoint an Aboriginal and a female governor.