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Voykit pocket guide · Australia
Clare
Base in Clare for 2 nights with a car: wineries and the Riesling Trail by day, 90 min from Adelaide. Without a car, book a tour or skip.
Clare is the main town of the Clare Valley wine region, 136 km north of Adelaide, and the practical base for the valley's wineries, the Riesling Trail and Martindale Hall. It is a small service town, not a resort: you come for the cellars, the cycling and the quiet, and you need a car or a booked tour to make it work. Two nights covers the core; three if you add the national parks and the southern valley.
- Country
- Australia
- Best months
- Mar–May, Sep–Nov
- Avoid
- Jan–Feb (hot, 35 °C (95 °F)+), winter nights (cold, wet)Jan–Feb (hot, 95 °F (35 °C)+), winter nights (cold, wet)
- Stay
- 2 nights
Checked 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change; anything marked (check) is not confirmed.
Essentials
- Currency
- AUD
- Money
- Currency is the Australian dollar (AUD, A$). Contactless cards and phones are accepted almost everywhere, including public transport in the big cities; some small cafes are card-only.
- Daily spend
- Budget A$120–180 excl. bed · Mid A$200–320 excl. bed · High A$350+ excl. bed (estimate; check)
- SIM and data
- Telstra has the widest outback coverage; Optus and Vodafone (TPG) are cheaper and fine in cities and along highways.
- Emergency
- Police, fire, ambulance 000 · From mobiles 112
- Plugs
- Types I · 230 V · 50 Hz · Angled two- or three-pin Type I, shared with NZ, Fiji and China; sockets have their own switch — turn it on.
- Tipping
- Cafés and casual meals: Nothing; a tip jar is optional.; Restaurants: Not expected; 10% for very good service in a nice restaurant if you wish.; Taxi / rideshare: Round up or nothing.; Tours and guides: Optional; A$10–20 for a great day guide.; Surcharges: Weekend and public-holiday surcharges of 10–15% are legal if shown on the menu.
- Water
- Tap water is safe in cities and towns; in remote places use signed drinking taps. Carry plenty on any outback drive or walk.
- Toilets
- Free public toilets in parks, beaches, shopping centres and petrol stations (servos); the National Public Toilet Map app lists them.
What things cost
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Coffee | A$4–6 |
| Pub main (parma, steak, fish) | A$25–40 |
| Pizza or pasta, casual | A$18–30 |
| Cellar-door tasting | A$0–25 |
| Bottle of local riesling | A$20–45 |
| Bike hire, one day | A$40 |
| Martindale Hall entry | A$20 adult / A$10 child |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- ADL · Adelaide Airport
- About 2 h by car to Clare; add 15–30 min in traffic. No direct public transport to Clare.
Typical fares
- Adelaide → Clare by car
- 136 km (85 mi), about 90 min85 mi (136 km), about 90 min
- Adelaide Airport → Clare by car
- about 2 h with traffic
- Clare Valley Taxis, wine tour
- quote on booking (check)
Show 7 more sections and the pocket cardHideGet around, See and do, Sleep, Phrase card, Etiquette, safety and scams, One and two days, Sources, Pocket card
Get around
A car is the practical default: the B82 runs through Clare and sealed roads reach the wineries and parks. Clare Valley Taxis (24 h) also runs wine tours and has an 11-passenger minibus. Bicycles work well in town and on the Riesling Trail; hire is available in Clare, and one operator picks up and drops off at your accommodation for no extra charge.
See and do
Known for
- Clare Valley wine region (riesling, shiraz)
- Riesling Trail cycling and walking
- Martindale Hall
- Spring Gully Conservation Park
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Martindale Hall | Drive 15 km (9.3 mi) south-east to MintaroDrive 9.3 mi (15 km) south-east to Mintaro | About 20 min each way |
| Spring Gully Conservation Park | Drive south of Clare, then walk | About 15 min each way |
| Auburn and the southern valley | Drive the B82 south, or ride the Riesling Trail | 20–30 min by car |
| Burra | Drive north-east on sealed roads | About 1 h each way |
Sleep
- Clare town centre
- Walk to pubs, cafés and shops; the best base without a car.
- Main North Road and the southern approach
- Motels and the caravan park; easy parking, 2–5 min drive to the centre.
- Around Sevenhill and Auburn
- Closer to the southern wineries and the Riesling Trail; needs a car.
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| Where is the cellar door? | Where is the cellar door? |
| Can I taste the riesling? | Can I taste the riesling? |
| A table for two, please | A table for two, please |
| Can I pay by card? | Can I pay by card? |
| Is there a fire ban today? | Is there a fire ban today? |
| Thanks, that was great | Thanks, that was great |
Etiquette, safety and scams
Etiquette
- Greeting: Handshake or 'G'day' / 'How are you going?'; first names from the start; avoid: Formal titles; long answers to 'how are you'
- Rounds: Buy your round ('shout') when drinking in a group; avoid: Leaving before your shout
- Queues: Queue patiently; sitting in the front seat of a taxi when alone is common; avoid: Pushing in — it is noticed
- Country: Listen to Welcomes and Acknowledgements; use local place names when offered; avoid: Touching artefacts or photographing ceremonies without permission
- Beach: Swim between the flags; respect lifesavers' instructions; avoid: Swimming at unpatrolled beaches alone
- Humour: Expect teasing and understatement; laugh along; avoid: Taking dry sarcasm literally or boasting
- Walking and driving: Keep left on footpaths and escalators; wave thanks to drivers who let you in; avoid: Stopping on the road to photograph kangaroos
Scams and watch-outs
- No useful public transport from Adelaide: the bus is infrequent, so plan a car, a tour or a driver.
- Cellar doors often close by 17:00 and some shut one or two weekdays: check ahead.
- Summer heat and total fire bans: check the CFS fire danger rating before driving out.
- Kangaroos and wildlife on rural roads at dawn and dusk.
- Book restaurants on weekends and holidays; the town is small.
A small, safe country town; the real risks are rural driving (wildlife at dawn and dusk), summer heat and fire danger, and drinking before a long drive back.
One and two days
No timed day plan for Clare yet. Suggested stay: 2 nights. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- Clare Valley wine region (riesling, shiraz)
- Riesling Trail cycling and walking
- Martindale Hall
- Spring Gully Conservation Park
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- South Australia Tourism — Clare Valley: www.southaustralia.com/regions/clare-valley
- Clare Valley tourism: www.clarevalley.com.au
- Martindale Hall: martindalehall.com.au
- Wikivoyage: Clare (South Australia), revision 4995930 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=4995930
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
Clare
To this address, please
To this address, please
My hotel (write the name and address in the local script)
No embassies in Clare; consulates-general are in Adelaide (check the address).
English is the local language; no phrasebook needed.
Voykit · checked 2026-09
Printed from Voykit (/clare-south-australia). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.