Things to do
In and around Mintaro
Walks & Trails
Self-Guided Historic Walk
Historic Mintaro Self-guided Walk (PDF)
Martindale Short Walk
View the walking guide
Lavender Trail
View the walking guide
Mintaro Maze
Lose yourself in South Australia’s living hedge maze. Enjoy a coffee and snack at the Maze cafe and gift shop.
Open 10am – 4pm, weekends, SA public holidays, and every day during SA School Holidays. Check the website for exceptions.
Martindale Hall
Visit Martindale Hall, a Georgian style mansion near Mintaro built in 1879–1880 for Edmund Bowman Jr.
Martindale Hall played the role of the school in the 1975 Australian film classic Picnic at Hanging Rock.
Open 10am to 4pm everyday except Tuesdays, and everyday during SA School Holidays.
Relax at Torr Park
Located in the centre of Mintaro, on Burra Street, Torr Park is a great place to stop and relax. There is a playground, a BBQ area with tables and seating, a lawned area if you want to have a picnic. Public toilets are also available.
If Bowls or Tennis are on next door pop in and say hello to some of the locals.
St Peter's Sacred Space and Quiet Garden
Opened in 2019 St Peter’s Sacred Space combines a healing garden and a chapel in the former run down St Peter’s Anglican Church and grounds.
Created by the Mintaro Progress Association and the Diocese of Willochra, the chapel and grounds have been transformed with the mission of providing a ‘safe and sacred space for those who have suffered spiritual harm, and wish to heal those wounds.’
Saint Peter’s Sacred Space is open to all people regardless of faith, it’s located on Hill street in Mintaro.
Visit the Cemeteries
There are two cemeteries in Mintaro, the public cemetery on Slate Quarry Rd and the Catholic cemetery next to St Mary’s on Catholic Church Rd.
Wander respectfully among the headstones and get to know some of the former residents of Mintaro and the district.
Sport at Mortlock Park
Come and watch local sports at the Mortlock Park if they are playing on the home ground. Football and netball, or cricket – pick a side and cheer them on. Food is usually available on match days and there is a playground for the kids.
Check out the Frederick Ranson Mortlock Memorial Gates or simply take in a couple of laps around the oval.
Call in to the Book Exchange
Swap a book or take one to read. You can also leave books, ones you no longer need, in the donation box.
The free Book Exchange is located at the Mintaro Institute, Burra Street.
It is open Friday to Sunday, 9am to 5pm.
Taste World Class Wines
Mintaro Wines
Mintaro Wines is an award winning boutique winery located in picturesque surroundings adjacent to the oval. The vineyard was planted in 1962 and subsequently incorporated into a functioning winery complex in 1985. The fruit is generally dry grown, hand picked, and the vines are hand pruned. The wines are all hand crafted using traditional methods with meticulous attention to detail.
Open 7 Days for Tastings and Cellar Door Sales 10am to 4:30pm
(Closed Christmas Eve/Day & Good Friday).
Reillys Wines
Built circa 1856, Reilly’s Cellar Door was originally owned by an Irish shoemaker, Hugh Reilly. It is built from local slate and, along with the entire township of Mintaro, is heritage listed to preserve its unique history.
Offering seated wine tastings of our handcrafted, estate-grown wines from our premium range plus wine sales. Cheese platters available Tuesday & Wednesday.
Open 7 Days – 10am until 4pm
Cnr Burra & Hill Streets
Phone (08) 8843 9013
Visit the website
Paulett Wines
Pauletts pour passion and love into every bottle as they carry on the proud family tradition of producing regional wines that showcase the elegance and intensity of the Clare Valley wine region. A small-batch winery, the highly-awarded wines are a true expression of the full-bodied fruit from their vineyards.
Open Daily 10am – 5pm. Bookings essential.
Pikes Wines
Pikes produce wines with character and personality which reflect the variety, the region and vintage conditions. Family owned, family operated. Making great wine since 1984.
Open Daily from 10am to 4pm.
The Wilson Vineyard
The Wilson Vineyard is a small family winery in the Polish Hill River area. Their wines are produced using the rare cold whole bunch pressing technique to make distinctive and powerful aromatic wines.
Open Weekends 10am to 4pm.
Hill River Clare Estate
Jaeschkes Hill River Clare Estate is a hidden gem. Located in the stunning Polish Hill Valley, just a short drive from Mintaro. It is the perfect location to enjoy a relaxing tasting, surrounded by over 100-year-old gum trees. The family-owned vineyard surrounds the picturesque cellar door, overlooking the tranquil dam setting. The home of award-winning Rieslings is a must-stop if you want to enjoy a slower-paced visit to the region.
Boasting an exceptional selection of pioneer and progressive varieties, sit back and take in the views with a glass of wine or build your own platter from their providore corner.
Cellar Door Open Daily 10 am to 4 pm.
Koerner Wine
Damon and Jono Koerner make their wines from a unique mix of unique and traditional varieties from the Clare Valley and Adelaide Hills. They also run private tastings at the Koerner family ‘Gullyview vineyards’ (Mintaro Road, Leasingham), during which you get the opportunity to see first hand where many of their wines come from.
Open Saturday 11am to 4pm.
Experience Local Brews
Pikes Beer Company
The current line-up of core range beers includes a Pilsener, Pale Ale, IPA and Stout, while their Limited Releases come and go throughout the year, so there is always something new and exciting to try.
You can visit for a beer tasting, as well a range of tantalising offerings from the Beer Garden lunch menu (available daily 12pm – 3pm).
Open Daily 10am to 4pm.
Mintaro – Short Drives
Exploring close to home
Discover our beautiful district with these short drives from Mintaro.
Download a driving guide:
Martindale & Merildin (drive approx. 1–1.5 hrs)
Polish Hill River (drive approx. 1–1.5 hrs)
Clare & Gilbert Valleys
Explore the Clare Valley
Explore the towns and history of the Clare Valley – Rhynie, Undalya, Auburn, Leasingham, Watervale, Penwortham, Sevenhill, Skilly Valley, Gillentown, Clare, Armagh, Stanley Flat, Spring Farm.
Wineries, restaurants, gardens, art galleries, parks and playgrounds to discover. Check out when the Clare Valley Model Engineers are running their model trains at Melrose Park in Clare.
For more information see the
Clare Valley Wine, Food & Tourism Centre website
Explore the Gilbert Valley
Explore the towns and history of the Gilbert Valley – Stockport, Tarlee, Riverton, Saddleworth, Manoora, Marrabel, Waterloo, Black Springs, Hanson.
For more information see the
Clare Valley Wine, Food & Tourism Centre website
SA Regional Touring
Explore the wider region
Use Mintaro as your hub to visit not only the wineries and restaurants of the Clare Valley, but also discover many parts of South Australia using day trips from Mintaro.
Download a touring guide:
Burra (round trip approx. 1.25 hrs)
Terowie & Peterborough (round trip approx. 3.25 hrs)
Southern Flinders Ranges (round trip approx. 4 hrs)
Barossa Valley (round trip approx. 3 hrs)
River Murray (round trip approx. 3.5 hrs)
Copper Coast (round trip approx. 3-4 hrs)
Yorke Peninsula (round trip approx. 5.5 hrs)