South Australia

South Australia is a state in the central-southern part of the country, known for its wine regions, festivals and the elegant capital city of Adelaide. Often called the Festival State, it combines fertile coastal areas with vast arid outback. It is a leader in renewable energy and the arts.

South Australia ranges from the Mediterranean-climate coast and the Adelaide Hills to the rugged Flinders Ranges and the great deserts and salt lakes of the dry interior. The Murray River reaches the sea here. Most people live in the fertile, temperate southeast.

South Australia is renowned for world-class wine regions such as the Barossa Valley and McLaren Vale, and for Adelaide's calendar of arts and music festivals. It has a reputation for progressive social policies and a relaxed, cultured lifestyle.

Uniquely among Australian colonies, South Australia was established in 1836 as a free settlement, never a penal colony. Planned by British settlers, it became a founding state of the Australian federation in 1901 and pioneered reforms such as early womens suffrage.