Strathalbyn for Caravanners: What to See and Do
Plenty of people come through Strathalbyn on the way to somewhere else and then work out afterwards that they should have stayed a couple of nights. It is a good base, it is quiet, and everything worth seeing is close enough together that you can walk most of it. Here is what I would point a caravanner at.
High Street
The main street is the reason most people stop in the first place. The heritage buildings along it are the real thing rather than a restoration, there are antique shops worth an hour if that is your sort of thing, and there are a few good spots for a coffee and something out of a bakery cabinet. It is flat, it is short, and you can do the lot on foot.
Soldiers Memorial Gardens
Open lawn, big shady trees and the Angas River running past it, right in the middle of town. There is a playground, so it works if you are travelling with kids, and it works just as well if you want to sit under a tree with a book for an hour. Take something to eat and you have sorted lunch out.
The Angas River Walk
Flat, well kept, and it follows the river through the middle of town, so it suits anybody regardless of how much walking they are up for. You will see ducks and you will hear kookaburras. Dogs are welcome, which matters if there is one travelling with you.
Strathalbyn Museum
Worth an hour. Old farming gear, local history, and a decent amount on the railway history of the area, which is a bigger part of the story here than people expect. Good with kids, because there is enough machinery in it to hold their attention.
Food and wine
There are pubs for a proper meal, cafes for something lighter, and cellar doors a short drive out of town in a few directions. If you are self catering back at the van, the local delis and the bakeries will set you up without much effort.
The monthly markets
If your timing lines up you will catch the markets, which run to fresh produce, preserves, handmade bits and the usual pleasant amount of stuff you did not know you wanted. It is also the easiest way to meet a few locals, and the stallholders will happily talk your ear off.
Caravan facilities
The caravan parks here have powered sites and dump points, and a number of them take dogs. They are close enough to the middle of town that you are walking rather than driving to most of what is above.
A base for everything else
From here it is an easy run up into the Adelaide Hills, out onto the Fleurieu, or down to the coastal towns and the lakes. If you are the sort of traveller who prefers to unpack once and do day trips, Strathalbyn is well placed for it.
Before you head off again, we are the easy stop
We are the hardware shop on the way in and out of town, and we are open seven days, which is the bit that matters when something goes wrong on a Sunday.
We do gas bottle refills on 9kg and under, and Swap-and-Go on 4kg and 9kg, so you are not driving around town with an empty bottle in the boot. We have bagged ice. We run the Mt Lofty Springwater exchange, so you can drop an empty 11 litre bottle and take a full one. And the camping, fishing, 12V and automotive gear is all in the one place, which covers most of what goes wrong on the road.
Building 2, 34-52 Milnes Rd, Strathalbyn. Phone (08) 8536 4333. Open Mon to Fri 7:30am to 5pm, Sat 8:30am to 4pm and Sun 9am to 2pm.
Shop related products
- Hard Unit 280lm LED Camping Lamp, USB Charge. Recharges off the van rather than eating batteries.
- AutoKing 13 LED Marine Torch. For finding the water inlet in the dark.
- Voltflow Anderson Connector 50A to Cig Plug. The adaptor everybody discovers they need halfway through a trip.
- Monkey Grip Marine Tie Down 25mm x 4m. For strapping down whatever has started sliding around.
- Buggroff Brim Hat with Mosquito Netting. The river at dusk makes the case for itself.
- Hard Unit Angle Head 4WD Tyre Gauge 60psi. Worth checking before you hitch up.
The full range is under camping and fishing and automotive, and the gas side of things is on the gas supply page. If you are trying to work out how long your bottle will last you, Cassie is our gas helper and she will talk you through it.
I blog about Strathalbyn and the surrounding area and my goal is to highlight all the organisations and events that make our area great.
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