Penola & Coonawarra combine cultural heritage with historic charm, yet also remains highly progressive thanks to an eclectic mix of cafes, galleries and boutique-style shops. Particularly Saint Mary of the Cross MacKillop, who is Australia’s first Saint and co-founded the Congregation of the Sisters of Saint Joseph with Father Julian Tension Woods. Also gaining endless inspiration were Poets John
Shaw Neilson, Adam Lindsay Gordon and Will Ogilvie. Coonawarra – Australia’s Red Wine Centre can be found several minutes down the road, this world famous wine region pays homage to another forebear, Scottish pastoralist John Riddoch. And takes its name from the Aboriginal word “honeysuckle”, Coonawarra’s famous strip of rich, red terra rossa soil sitting atop deep limestone beds has given rise to many of the nations finest drops, with a worldwide reputation for unique flavour and quality. Cabernet sauvignon has become the region’s flagship drop, and Coonawarra has won more Jimmy Watson trophies for Australia’s best one-year-old red wine than any other wine district. Samples can be savoured at the cellar doors – all within around 10 minutes’ drive of one another. Each contains its own captivating stories, stunning architecture, and irresistible flavours.
