Adelaide Hills
Visitors to Adelaide enjoy the Adelaide Hills at any time of year.
Autumn presents a kaleidoscope of colours as the trees prepare for winter. Yellows, scarlets and all colours in between turn the hillsides into a wonderland.
Then there are the mists and frosts of winter. That's when the log fires and aromas of freshly brewed coffee and mulled wine from the hotels and cafes are most welcome. The crisp air entices a spring in the step for a brisk walk. Roadside apple stalls offer plump, juicy, just-picked apples.
Then spring arrives with a profusion of flowering bulbs and trees bursting with blossoms.
Summer is cherry time and plump ripe cherries are available fresh from orchards at roadside stalls. Hot days close with the cool of hills' evenings and its easy to see why the gentry of earlier days escaped to the hills from the plains in summer.
There are quaint villages to explore any time of year with a profusion of cafes and bakeries. Antique, craft and collectables shops are waiting to be discovered as well as a weekend market or two.
Mount Lofty
Mount Lofty Summit, 710 metres above sea level, is a “MUST SEE” when visiting Adelaide. The view from the summit lookout takes in the city all the way to the sea. At night as the city lights up, you can see a kaleidoscope of coloured fairy lights. It is only 15 minutes from the city centre.
Mount Lofty is dedicated as a Sri Chinmoy Peace-Blossom site due to its natural beauty and panoramic views, one of 700 in 30 countries world-wide. “Spirit of oneness, internationalism and fellowship among all people from all countries.”
History
Mount Lofty, the highest peak of the Adelaide Hills was sighted and named by Captain Matthew Flinders in 1802. In 1885 an obelisk standing some 16.5 metres tall, was built to replace the wooden surveyors’ trigonometric marker rising from a cairn of stones.
The Adelaide Hills were an important part of the early settlement of the state and the gentry built summer residences here. Fruit and vegetables were grown here and still are.
Bushfires
Bushfires devastated parts of the Adelaide Hills in 1955 and again in 1980 and 1983. During the Ash Wednesday fires of 1983 the kiosk and restaurant at the summit were destroyed. The fires caused loss of life and millions of dollars of damage.
Mount Lofty fire tower was built in 1982 and stands 34 metres tall. The tower is the focal point for all fire spotting activities throughout the Mount Lofty Ranges.
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