Oakbank

Urban

Oakbank is the site of the biggest picnic race meeting in the southern hemisphere, the Oakbank Easter Racing Carnival.

Oakbank is an attractive Adelaide Hills town housing two historical breweries – one now selling cordials and soft drinks to the public and the other home to the Oakbank Weaver, where hand woven textiles and tapestries are produced on eight large looms.

Every Easter, the Oakbank racecourse brings thousands to the town to see the Great Eastern Steeplechase.

The Oakbank Heritage Walk takes in all the historic sights, including a 130-year-old oak tree that is listed on the National Trust’s Register of Significant Trees. There’s also a nine-hole golf course, said to be one of the best of its kind in the country.

During the two days of the Oakbank Easter Racing Carnival, the racecourse erupts with an explosion of racing, sideshows, fashion, picnics, friends and families. It attracts thousands of people. The centre of the course becomes a “Disneyland”, a place of fun and fantasia for the young and not so young.

There is more to discover in the Adelaide Hills.

It’s the home of boutique wineries, country markets, art galleries and charming villages. It’s also the place for romantic weekends away, cosy pub meals, scenic drives and nature walks.

Children love the Adelaide Hills’s giant rocking horse, National Motor Museum and wildlife parks.

Located only 20 minutes from Adelaide’s central business district, the Adelaide Hills provide a wonderfully refreshing change from the pace of the city.