CLARE VALLEY – LEASINGHAM

About Clare

Clare is the major township in the Clare Valley. It is an ideal place to stay if you intend exploring the thirty wineries which are dotted through the valley. Historically the town prospered as an important service centre for the surrounding agricultural district. Today it is the heart of the Clare Valley and is surrounded by vineyards (mainly to the south), cereal cropping and sheep farming. It is used as a base for most visitors wanting to explore the Clare Valley and sample the diversity of wines offered in the region (sourced from the Aussie Towns website – click for more).

TIP: The links below are “short-cuts” to each section on this page…

Our Accommodation

PLEASE NOTE: We are staying in Leasingham which is approx 14kms south of Clare. The Clare caravan park was fully booked when we tried to book it in March (6 months beforehand!).

Staying at:Clare Valley Caravan Park (click for website)Park Map (click to open)
Address:8 Wakefield Rd Leasingham (click for location)WikiCamps (click to open web page)
Contact: Tel: 0473 619 044Email (click to send)
Arrive:Tuesday 5th September 2023
Stay for:3 nights
Depart:Friday 8th September 2023
Notes:The park has a dump point
The park has a Communal fire pit but BYO fire pits are not permitted

PLEASE NOTE: Sites will be assigned on arrival. No-one is to occupy another site other than the one they have been allocated by the caravan park management.

Here’s some images (from the internet) of Clare Valley Caravan & Cabin Park…

Dining out in the Leasingham (Clare Valley) region

There are so many Cafés, restaurants, pubs and wineries where you can enjoy a meal. The best way to find one is to check the Clare Valley Tourism website as there are far too many to list here. The important thing would be to check the distance from the Clare Valley Caravan Park, as we are staying 17kms south of the town of Clare where a lot of eateries are.

Wineries & local breweries in the Leasingham (Clare Valley) region

The Clare Valley is a fantastic wine growing area with stacks of wineries with cellar doors. The best way to find most of the wineries and local breweries is check out this interactive map of the Clare Valley area.

Wineries near Leasingham

Here is a short list of wineries within 12kms of the Clare Valley Caravan Park…

WineryAddressCallDistance
from CP
Claymore Wines7145 Horrocks Highway Leasingham(08) 8843 0200210metres
O'Leary Walker Wines Clare Valley7093 Horrocks Highway Leasingham1300 342 569500metres
Koerner Wine Cellar Door935 Mintaro Road Leasingham0437 262 3951.7kms
clos Clare40 Old Road Watervale(08) 8843 01612.1kms
Crabtree WinesNorth Terrace Watervale(08) 8843 00692.9kms
Taylors Wines89A Winery Rd, Auburn1800 804 2956.4kms
Velvet & Willow Wines17 Main North Road Auburn(08) 7477 78486.6kms
Wines by KT20 Horrocks Hwy, Auburn0419 855 5006.7kms
Ulster Park Wines11 Main North Road Auburn0437 913 1486.8kms
Mount Horrocks WinesThe Old Railway Station, Curling Street 12 Curling St Auburn(08) 8849 22027.1kms
Jeanneret Wines and Clare Valley Brewing Co22 Jeanneret Rd, Sevenhill(08) 8843 425110.8kms
Koonowla Estate18 Koonowla Road Auburn0499 898 89211.4kms

Organised Activities

The Tagalong23 organising team has organised a wine tasting and light lunch at Claymore Wines.

  • Tour Date… Thursday 7th September Time……………. to be advised
  • Location….. Horrocks Hwy, Leasingham – a 2 minute walk from the caravan park
  • Approx. Duration: 2 hours

Cost is $22.50 per person ($45 per couple) and includes Wine tasting, 6 wines and light lunch (Cheese and Meat Platters for 2)

PLEASE NOTE: This event has already been pre-booked and payments made for those who have asked to be included. Please speak to one of the Tagalong Admin Team if you didn’t book & now wish to be included!

TIP: Click here to find out more about Claymore’s wines

Activities & things to do in the Leasingham (Clare Valley) region

Tourist Info

The Clare Valley Wine, Food & Tourism Centre is located at 8 Spring Gully Road, Clare - 14km north of the CP. Tel: 1800 242 131 Open 9am-5pm weekdays & 10am-4pm weekends
TIP: Most caravan park offices have stacks of tourist information brochures and the staff are usually helpful on places to visit

Here’s a map showing the activities we’ve listed for the Clare Valley region:

1 – Eudunda Silo Art

TIP: stop off on the way from Renmark to Clare to check out this amazing piece of Silo Art.

‘Eudunda: The Storytime Silos’, features through the incredible 30-metre-tall silos and is based on a story written by local author, Colin Thiele ‘The Sun on the Stubble’. The book tells a story about two children sharing stories about their past and culture that invokes playfulness, open-mindedness and joy that we see in children.

The Ngadjuri story book was made in collaboration with local Elder and Ngadjuri spokesperson Quentin Aeguis. It show cases a summary of the area and connects to the culture, customs, people and lifestyle present today and in the past.

2 – Claymore Wine Cellar Door

From Claymore’s – Claymore Wines’ cellar door is conveniently located at the gateway of the Clare Valley in Leasingham, and only a short distance from the regional centre of Clare. Our staff share a passion for the fun side of wine and enjoy guiding visitors through the Claymore Wines’ tasting experience. Taste your way through the range, including some Cellar Door exclusives and artisan release wines. Starting with the Joshua Tree (Riesling), experience the Dark Side of the Moon (Shiraz), then slide into a Bittersweet Symphony (Cabernet Sauvignon).

PLEASE NOTE: a group tasting session & light lunch has already been booked at Claymore’s for Thursday 7th September.

TIP: You can walk from the caravan park to Claymore Wines.

3 – Suggest to include these 4 attractions on a “Day Trip” to Mintaro & Burra

3a – Mintaro Maze

An adventure for all ages, find your way throughout the Maze to spot and find items on your quiz, Giant size Chess, many olden days games while enjoying the wonderful garden. Enjoy great coffee and locally made pastries, golden north ice creams, so much to enjoy!

3b – Martindale Hall Historic Mansion & Museum

Martindale Hall is an outstanding example of the grand country mansions constructed by wealthy pastoralists and represents the `baronial’ lifestyle achieved by them. The property including the mansion, its interiors, and coach house retain a high degree of integrity and illustrate a way of life that no longer exists in South Australia.

Martindale Hall remains as a testament to the successful establishment and ongoing management of the intergenerational pastoral empires created by the Bowman and Mortlock families.

3c – Farrell Flat Silo Art

Completed in November 2020, the silo art at Farrell Flat is now the 9th silo to join the South Australian silo art trail. It depicts the last train to pass through this historic township.

Using about 150 litres of paint, local Adelaide artists Jarrod Soden and Matthew Knights spent 140 hours painting the 30-metre tall silo. The total size of the art piece is 900 square metres.

3d – Burra Heritage Passport

The town of Burra is rich with mining heritage and most of its 1840s legacy is intact. The surest way to get the whole picture is to buy a Burra Heritage Passport, which gives you instant access to see, hear and touch the past. The Passport provides first-class access to the townships most intriguing sites – part of the 46 historic sites over an 11 km driving trail.

The Passport allows you key access to 11 locked sites and you can use the key for up to two days:

  • Monster Mine Site
  • Morphett’s Engine House
  • The Powder Magazine
  • Redruth Gaol
  • Unicorn Brewery Cellars
  • Miners Dugouts
  • Malowen Lowarth Cottage
  • Police Lockup & Stables
  • Hampton Village
  • Smelts Paddock
  • Market Square Museum

 

Here is a short promotional YouTube video about the Burra Heritage Passport

4 – Suggest to include these 4 attractions on a “Day Trip” to Clare

4a – Skillogalee Winery & Restaurant

Nestled in an historic stone settler’s cottage built in 1851, visit award-winning winery restaurant Skillogalee on Trevarrick Road in Sevenhill for fare with flair. This charming dining destination offers guests a chance to sample Skillogalee wines in the way they were intended to be enjoyed – with food in the heart of the beautiful Clare Valley.

Dine alfresco in the summer on the verandah overlooking the garden and vines, or enjoy a cosy lunch beside an open fire in winter while sipping a glass of Gewürztraminer and grazing on Hasselback beetroot, kaffir lime butter, labneh and candied walnuts to start. Pair barbequed spatchcock, charred cabbage and jus with estate Take Two Shiraz and Cabernet Sauvignon; before a decadent dessert to finish such as rhubarb tart and pistachio ice cream.

4b – Sevenhill Cellars

Established by the Jesuits in 1851, Sevenhill Cellars is the oldest winery in South Australia’s Clare Valley and the only Jesuit-owned winery in Australia. Originally established to produce altar wine, Sevenhill is now recognised for its premium table wines, which express the Clare Valley’s distinctive varietal characteristics.

The historic winery and cellar door, St Aloysius’ Church, the College building, surrounding vineyards and spiritual sites give visitors an opportunity to combine appreciation of exceptional wines with an understanding of Sevenhill’s religious and historic significance. You can discover this rich heritage by following the walking trail using a self-guided map, which are available at Cellar Door.

4c – Clare Valley Art Gallery

With Clare’s unique range of art, the Clare Valley Art Gallery has an extensive range of contemporary Utopian Indigenous Art. With regular visiting artists, visitors can experience first-hand how these amazing pieces are created. Their curator will explain the meaning behind the art and how the style has developed.

The Gallery also sells Australian giftware, fun gifts for the wine lover including insulated ladies clutches and jewellery, cheese boards made from local wine barrels and Clare Valley branded souvenirs.

4d – Brooks Lookout

Sited 400 metres above the patchwork of wheat fields of the Blyth and Wakefield Plains, you can see 90 kilometres southwest to the Yorke Peninsula. The township of Blyth sits at the base of the Clare Hills and the Barunga and Hummocks Ranges, which form a photographic backdrop to the west.

The land on which the lookout is sited was donated by a private landowner, and includes two hectares of locally rare heath land vegetation with many plants labelled. A picnic table and shelter, interpretive signage and a large car park complete a not to be missed Clare Valley attraction.

Nearest Supermarkets & Bottle Shops

Our next stop

Our next stop is for 3 nights in Melrose staying at the Melrose Caravan Park located on Joes Rd Melrose.

Google maps say it’s approximately 135kms from Leasingham and you should expect about 1 hour & 32 minutes traveling time.

TIP: Buddy up with another Bailey to make the trip and maybe even arrange to meet up with others along the way for a cuppa at a bakery – just google bakeries in a town you’re passing through ☕

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