Indulge in a celebration of flavours and delicious experiences across the Fleurieu this August with the Fleurieu Food Festival.

Sip and savour your way through hands-on workshops, decadent feasts and a showcase of the region’s finest produce.

Got an appetite for more? We’ve put together a list of some of our favourite places to eat, drink and explore more to get the most out of your visits during the festival.

Nestled between the ocean and the Murray River’s Lower Lakes and Coorong, Goolwa has the best of both worlds.

Here you’ll find delicious fresh seafood and local delicacies like pipis and Coorong mullet.

It also has a thriving foodie scene, with popular restaurants, wineries, breweries, and local producers selling their delicious wares at the town’s regular market.

Eat & Drink 

During the Fleurieu Food Festival, Goolwa becomes a gateway to the Alps with a tasty strudel-making workshop. It’s three hours of flavour and fun – and the strudels are matched with local Kimbolton wines. Look out for the sessions on August 3 and 23.

Tuck into a long lunch at Hector’s Modern Australian Kitchen with Stories from Oma and Baba’s Kitchen on August 9 – a delicious mix of family recipes, nostalgia and stories.

Hungry to try some local delicacies? Head to Kuti Shack, a local institution for great food and beachside views, and the best place to sample the local pipis. (They’re even named after the tasty treat – Kuti means pip in the Ngarrindjeri language.)

If you have time to linger longer, the Goolwa Wharf Precinct is the place to go. Stroll the picturesque wharf, and explore the local markets and galleries. Dine right on the water’s edge at Hector’s Modern Australian Kitchen, relax over a cocktail at Hays St Bar and Kitchen (where you’ll also find pipis, Coorong mullet and mulloway on the menu) or a local wine or brew at The Wharf Wine Bar. If beer, whiskey or gin is more your thing, head to the Fleurieu Distillery and Steam Exchange Brewery.

Want to get cooking some more? The Foodbuilder, the gourmet greats behind the strudel event, offer loads of other local group classes, or ask Anita to create your own private class.

Explore

When you palate needs a break from your culinary adventures, it’s time to discover the rich mix of arts, culture, history and the incredible local environment.

Step back in time to Australia’s riverboat age with a cruise onboard the heritage paddle steamer Oscar W. See more of the natural beauty of the Coorong, Murray Mouth and Southern Ocean onboard a Spirit of the Coorong cruise—and spot the local pelicans and fur seals. Or get a bird’s eye view of the Coorong, Lower Lakes and coastline on a Goolwa Air scenic flight.

Rather stretch your legs after all that time at the dinner table? Bring the bike and explore the Encounter Bikeway, or lace up your walking shoes and discover more about the town’s heritage on the Goolwa History Walk.

For a dose of arts and culture, discover local artist exhibitions in the South Coast Regional Arts Centre, or head to the Signal Point Experience Centre and take in the interactive Yuntulun Ku:li-war exhibit, which tells the stories of the First Nations people of the area.

Stay

Relax and unwind in luxury at Rose Eden House, a beautiful 1876 home restored to its former glory—with the addition of modern luxuries in each spacious suite.

For a comfortable base during your stay with a range of accommodation options, try Discovery Parks Goolwa, just a short stroll from town and offering everything from deluxe cabins to drive through sites.

Eat and drink

The dairy industry has been a big part of Milang’s history, so it makes sense for it to feature on the Fleurieu Food Festival program.

Cheese lovers can learn how to create their own haloumi (August 2), mozzarella (August 3) and even butter (both dates) in the beautifully restored Milang Lakeside Butter Factory, a heritage-listed gem nestled on the shores of Lake Alexandrina.

If pasta is more to your liking, learn how to make it just like Nonna in a three-hour workshop, also at the Milang Lakeside Butter Factory, on August 1. Create range of traditional pastas and sauce for your next pasta night at home.

While you’re at the butter factory, check out Kanoetree Wines and pick up a local red or white to go with your handcrafted delights.

Before you head home, head into Bespoke Delights, a cute little café in the heart of town where you’ll find lots of local produce, home-made sourdough, a bespoke brunch or afternoon tea.

Explore

A short walk from the butter factory will take you to the Milang Railway Museum, a charming museum with interactive displays including steam and diesel locomotive simulators—so you can get behind the wheel yourself.

Explore more of the Lower Lakes and take a scenic drive from Milang to the tiny hamlet of Narrung. You’ll get to see some of the spectacular lake views and spot local birdlife, including abundant pelicans, along the way. Take the free ferry, known as The Narrows, where Lake Alexandrina and Lake Albert meet. Here you’ll find the Point Malcolm Lighthouse – the only inland lighthouse in Australia.

A short drive further on will take you to Raukkan, home of the Ngarrindjeri people, and David Unaipon, the famous Aboriginal author, inventor and political leader who appears on Australia’s $50 note.

Stay

Relax in comfort and retro style at The Shore Milang, located within a five-minute drive from the Milang Historical Walk.

Want to be closer to the action? The Milang Lakefront Retreat is a within walking distance of town and its views across Lake Alexandrina are spectacular.

Hungry for more from your food festival adventures? Extend your visit to explore one of SA’s premium wine regions just a little further down the road.

Langhorne Creek is world-renowned for its red and alternate wine varieties. It’s the perfect spot for long lunches, wine tastings and relaxing over regional food platters.

Here you’ll find established names like Bleasdale Wines (one of the oldest wineries in SA), Lake Breeze Wines (home of the Handpicked music festival), Kimbolton Wines and Bremerton Wines, as well as many other smaller, top quality producers.

Uncover some of their best drops at the Cellar Treasures wine festival on 15-17 August, when they dust off museum wines and rare vintages for tastings.