Adelaide Hills Autumn Hotspots

The Adelaide Hills is one of Australia's prime destinations for lovers of spectacular autumn foliage! The deciduous trees, orchards and vineyards flaunt their vibrant colours from late March to May with the following favoured viewing locations traditionally peaking in mid-late April.

The townships of Stirling and Hahndorf are popular places to visit to enjoy the autumn leaves, featuring streets lined with deciduous trees dropping crimson and honey hued leaves. While we say goodbye to the warm weather, we must say being in the Hills in its picture perfect towns make parting with summer a little more bearable! Other townships perfect for an autumn stroll include Aldgate, Crafers, Bridgewater and Mylor, while a drive through the Piccadilly Valley (from Piccadilly itself through to the townships including Uraidla and Summertown) is simply stunning. 

 Hahndorf's Main Street (Credit: Caty Malo)

Mount Lofty Botanic Garden in Crafers is one of the best places to see autumn leaves en masse! There is no better place to kick up the leaves and revel in the season. This sprawling cool-climate Eden covers 97 hectares so bring your walking shoes and follow the trails and paths through glades and gullies - or simply settle in with a picnic to soak up the colour.

 Mount Lofty Botanic Garden, Crafers (@jontypaterson via Instagram)

There are two entrances - the upper entrance on Summit Road at Crafers (just next to Mount Lofy House) and the lower entrance on Lambert Road in Piccadilly. The lower part of the garden is our favoute in autumn, where the trees around the lake are truly spectacular. The garden is open 8:30am to 4pm Monday to Friday and 10am to 5pm on weekends and public holidays. Entry is free with metred car parking.

Mount Lofty Botanic Garden, Crafers (@swannysa via Instagram)

Autumn in the Adelaide Hills also means orchards, vines and strawberry patches laden with fruit - come pick your own figs, apples and strawberries, and stock up at farm gates and markets where the bountiful harvest includes chestnuts, feijoas and persimmons! Our guide to fruit picking in the Adelaide Hills lists the key seasons and locations. 

We love the steady stream of Adelaide Hills autumn shots on Instagram at this time of year so don't forget to take your camera or phone to capture the magic! Tag @visitadelaidehills or #visitadelaidehills for permission to repost your incredible images.  

Autumn Vines, Hahndorf Hill Winery, Hahndorf (Credit: Marc Dobson)