You best go big or go home when visiting South Australia’s Barossa Valley in spring: it’s one of the best wine regions in Australia. Château Tanunda is central to the experience and one of the Icons of the Barossa. Established in 1890, the estate is home to the state’s first winery with vines planted in the Barossa dating back to 1843. The vineyard is known to lean into the cool spring traditions, which leads to a slower ripening season. Taste the terroir of the Old Vine Vineyards with a visit to the winery’s cellar door. The SA Spring Garden Festival is held in September each year and is considered the penultimate celebration of local produce. The festival partners with the makers and growers from Mt Pleasant Farmers Market, who will be present in Mt Pleasant, which tumbles down to the valley below. FermentAsian Restaurant is one of Tanunda’s destination diners.

Mt Gambier’s Blue Lake has a flair for the dramatic. Each spring, the lake transforms from a dull grey hue to the full ‘blue steel’ as if Zoolander himself cranked up the saturation. Thanks to nature’s Photoshop, it’s a spectacle that locals never tire of. The Umpherston Sinkhole is one of Mt Gambier’s most magical spots, its sunken whimsical garden cascading with trailing greenery and spring flowers. It’s thanks to these natural awe-inspiring geological formations that Mt Gambier has seen a flowering of places for foodies. Join everyone from amateur botanists to birders who gather everywhere from Elementary to Wild Ginger Thai and Thyme at the Lakes to refuel.

Pen a few heartfelt Instagram posts about all that is happening in the fairy tale village of Hahndorf in spring. Inspired foodie stops include picnics at local vineyards and lunch at a hip country pub in the heart of the Adelaide Hills. Those hungry for some hearty bratwurst and steins of beer will find both at the German Arms Hotel in Hahndorf, where the town’s German history can be traced back to 1838. Hit up the Fourth Hill Providore and Same But Different Café to sample tasty seasonal produce. Nature lovers should head to Jurlique to pick a posie of flowers and Mt Lofty Botanic Garden to admire spring foliage.

If you’re blessed with a clear day, don’t miss the canola fields that butter the Clare Valley when visiting this bucolic region in South Australia. You won’t be able to shake from your head the chorus of James McMurtry’s song, Canola Fields, which you can bellow out at full volume during car karaoke to get you in the mood. It’s particularly thrilling to see a procession of visitors posing in front of the fields coloured crayon-yellow after the winter rains. Visitors to the Clare Valley can also enjoy longer, warmer days following the Riesling Trail or lovely Lavender Federation Trail. Or time your visit to coincide with the annual Clare Valley Festival of the Lamb held every September.

Nuriootpa was said to be a key meeting place for the Kaurna people and tribes visiting the South Australian region. Known as the commercial centre of the Barossa Valley, Nuriootpa is also famed for the vines that ripple along its main street. Spring is Nuriootpa’s time to shine as visitors descend on the valley village to enjoy wine tastings and tours and convivial vineyard lunches. Things feel sunny and bright here when winter shakes off its fugly coat. Maggie Beer is known for being the queen of the Barossa and has an unabashed flair for promoting the region. Head to the Maggie Beer’s Farm Shop to pick up some foodie souvenirs and The Farm Eatery for an enjoyable paddock-to-plate experience. You’ll be the envy of your Insta mates when you visit the Penfolds Barossa Valley Cellar Door to make your own blend.

Spring at Wilpena Pounds is paradise for petal peepers. Hike to the hallowed summit of St Mary Peak in the Flinders Ranges to admire the vertiginous engineering of this natural amphitheatre before returning to your base at Wilpena Pound Resort. The restaurant at Discovery Resorts – Wilpena Pound teeters over the countryside and has views over the surrounding countryside. It also celebrates seasonal cuisine and features native foods sourced from Adnyamathana Country. Give your blisters a rest and set out for Quorn to undertake a half-day heritage train journey on the Pichi Richi Railway so you can watch for wildflowers out the window. Michie’s Kitchen is a surprise package: it’s run by a Japanese-Australian chef who produces an excellent selection of sushi, okonomiyaki, donburi and udon noodles.

Spring is a spectacular time to visit the South Australian town of Hawker, which is blooming marvellous in the milder months. There are many viewpoints dotted amid the deeply scored contours of the Flinders Ranges and Hawker has the status of being one of the gateway towns for fans of floral displays that carpet the Flinders Ranges. The town of Hawker, at an elevation of 515 metres above sea level, is considered a top spot to celebrate spring as the surrounding landscape pops with colour from wattles, native hopbush, Sturt desert peas and nodding chocolate lilies. Indulge in seasonal produce at the Woolshed at Rawnsley Park Station, a working farm that hosts estate-grown lamb tasting dinners in spring.

It’s impossible not to feel optimistic when visiting Stirling in spring when the Stirling Market comes alive with local bands, food stalls and a palpable ‘take that winter’ vibe. The Adelaide Hills in spring is known for its billowing carpets of wildflowers blooming across the landscape. Expect brilliant displays of wattles, orchids and the dramatic Sturt desert pea to brighten up even the greyest of days. Stirling is also considered one of the best regional towns in Australia for eating and drinking. Head to Patch Kitchen & Garden and the Organic Market & Cafe to celebrate spring produce ranging from beetroot and bok choy to mandarins and mulberries.

Make sure you pack an Esky so you can stock up on provisions when visiting the tiny town of Penola, one of the regional towns in South Australia that blooms in spring. Put some Dubbin on your boots so you can look the part when you’re rambling along Petticoat Lane, which comes alive in spring with everything from herb and vegetable patches to traditional cottage gardens to explore. It’s an enchanting town and a great place to base yourself in the Coonawarra region which is ripe for soaking up the lively harvest atmosphere in spring. The region is best known for its cabernet sauvignons, which you can sample alongside some pub grub at the rustic Royal Oak.

Break into a canter, like a spring lamb, to embrace the Barossa in spring. While winter in the Barossa is all about cosying up by a fire in a big leather armchair cradling a peppery shiraz, spring is about getting out and about to enjoy outdoor events such as the Anlaby Spring Festival held near Angaston. This epic springtime festival is held at the oldest merino sheep station in the state, which is also home to one of South Australia’s most historic private gardens. Enjoy live music and local food and wine over the two-day gathering in the garden, which is a celebration of Australia’s burgeoning agritourism industry. Take a hot air balloon ride over the valley which is embroidered in wildflowers over spring and make a beeline for the Barossa Farmers’ Market, held in Angaston every Saturday.