Getting Around Coonawarra
Almost every cellar door sits along one 20-kilometre strip of highway — how to move between tastings, and why planning a driver matters most.
Touring the Terra Rossa Strip
Coonawarra is one of the easiest wine regions in the country to get around. Rather than sprawling across hills and valleys, almost every cellar door sits along a single, roughly 20-kilometre strip of the Riddoch Highway between Coonawarra township and Penola. You can drive it end to end in about twenty minutes, which means short hops between tastings and more time in the glass.
The one thing to plan is who drives. With so many cellar doors close together, a designated driver, a hire car with a nominated non-taster, or a guided tour all work — and let the whole group enjoy the day.
Ways to Get Around
Pick the approach that suits your group and your plans.
Hire Car
The most flexible option. Nominate a non-drinking driver, or split driving duties, and set your own pace along the strip.
Wine Tour or Driver
A local guide handles the route, the bookings and the driving so everyone can taste. Ideal for groups and special occasions.
In Penola
A handful of cellar doors and cafés cluster in and around Penola township, walkable if you base yourself in town.
For the Confident
Keen cyclists sometimes ride between nearby estates — enjoyable on a fine day, but mind the highway traffic and distances.
Getting Around Smoothly
- Plan roughly three to four cellar doors a day at a relaxed pace — there’s no need to rush the strip
- Use the spittoon and drink plenty of water; a booked driver or tour removes the pressure entirely
- South Australia is on Central Standard Time (UTC+9:30), 30 minutes behind Victoria — adjust your clock when crossing the border
- Fuel up in Penola or Coonawarra township; services thin out between towns
- Book a long lunch to break the day — see restaurants & long lunches
Prefer to leave the driving to someone else? See our cellar door tour or private tours.
Next Steps
Cellar Doors
The estates along the strip and how to build a route between them.
Cellar doors → 🚗 ArrivingGetting There
Driving from Adelaide or Melbourne and flying into Mount Gambier.
Getting there → 🛏 StayingWhere to Stay
Penola cottages, vineyard stays and Mount Gambier as a base.
Where to stay →Getting Around — FAQ
How far apart are Coonawarra’s cellar doors?
Most sit along a roughly 20-kilometre strip of the Riddoch Highway between Coonawarra township and Penola, many within a few minutes’ drive of one another. You can move between landmark estates quickly, which is part of what makes the region so easy to tour.
Do I need a car in Coonawarra?
For flexibility, yes — the cellar doors are spread along the highway rather than in a single walkable village. Alternatively, a cellar door tour or private driver means nobody has to stay sober at the wheel.
Is there a designated-driver option?
Yes. Because tasting is the point, many visitors join a guided wine tour or arrange a driver. It’s the safest way for a group to taste freely across a full day.
Can I walk between cellar doors?
Only in a couple of spots. A few cellar doors sit in or near Penola township where you can walk between stops, but the classic strip is a driving route. Cycling is possible for the confident, but mind the highway traffic.
What time zone is Coonawarra in?
South Australia runs on Central Standard Time (UTC+9:30), 30 minutes behind the eastern states, and observes daylight saving from October to April. If you’re crossing from Victoria, set your clock back half an hour.
Coonawarra, Planned Around You
Cellar doors, long lunches, Penola’s heritage and the Limestone Coast beyond — with the driving and bookings handled by the family that’s toured Australia since 1974.
Call 0409 661 342 Plan My Trip — Free Enquiry