Family-friendly winery with wildlife sanctuary, playground & beautiful grounds to explore
by Sharon Harrington
Woodstock Wines in McLaren Vale is a gorgeous spot for a long sunshiny lunch with the family. Daily kangaroo feeding, outdoor seating next to the playground, and big grassy lawns for a run around make this a wonderful place to visit with the kids.
I’ve always thought Woodstock is one of Adelaide’s prettiest wineries, but had never visited with the kids. With the show being cancelled and perfect Spring weather, we decided to use the student free day to head there for the day.
Kangaroo feeding daily
Birds twittered in the centuries-old gum trees as we entered the onsite wildlife sanctuary, which is set on approx. three hectares of bushland next to the winery. The resident kangaroos here were found in their mother’s pouches on the side of the road and taken to the sanctuary to be cared for.
At 11:30am each day, the sanctuary opens up for wildlife feeding. The Woodstock host calls the kangaroos from far and wide and visitors are given the opportunity to hand feed and pat the kangaroos as well as bottle-feed the little joeys their milk. My girls absolutely loved it as did I! It was a really wonderful experience.
The sanctuary is also host to an emu, which came out to say “hi”, and the kids got a kick out of spotting koalas snoozing high up in the massive gum trees.
Outdoor seating next to playground
After the wildlife feeding, we found ourselves a table out in the garden next to the playground. This gave the kids a chance to play, while my husband and I relaxed and enjoyed the beautiful surroundings.
There are also large grassy lawn areas for the kids to have a run around in and a big log for them to practice their balancing skills.
Beautiful indoor restaurant
The indoor restaurant is beautifully designed with floor to ceiling windows showcasing the native gardens outside. Rammed earth walls, wooden floors and strings of fairy lights give the venue a warm, welcoming feeling.
Casual dining menu
A casual dining menu is available, featuring a range of German flammekueche-style flat bread pizzas, grazing platters and nibble plates.
The kids’ meal option of crumbed chicken tenderloins, chips and salad was good quality and priced at $12. Golden North ice blocks are also available for dessert priced at $4. (Prices as at September 2021).
The flammekueche were much like a thin crust pizza, but even thinner and lighter in texture. The Traditional flammekueche of sour cream, cheese, red onion, speck and rocket was not a flavour combination I’d tried before but was very tasty.
Cellar door
There is also a cellar door onsite opposite the restaurant if you have a chance to pop in for some wine tasting. The chilled Grenache Rose is a great match for summery weather!
Woodstock Wines is a lovely venue to while away a few hours over lunch, with lots of activities to keep the kids happy. A must visit if you are in the region with kids in tow!
What we like about Woodstock Wines & Coterie:
- Beautiful gardens
- Picturesque outdoor and indoor dining
- Wildlife feeding
- Playground
Things to consider:
- Woodstock is a 50 minute (approx.) drive from Adelaide CBD
- Children under 18 years require parental supervision in the wildlife sanctuary
- There is a $5 per head fee for the wildlife feeding.
Location:
For more information and all enquiries please visit Woodstock Wines.
What: Woodstock Wines & Coterie, a winery, restaurant and wildlife sanctuary
When: Dining – Friday, Saturday & Sunday 12pm-4pm. Kangaroo feeding daily at 11:30am. Wine tasting daily 11am-4pm.
Where: Douglas Gully Rd, McLaren Flat
Who: Everyone
As per all our Play & Go reviews, this is not a sponsored post and our review is done completely independently. All photos are by Sharon Harrington for Play & Go.
At Play & Go Adelaide we make every effort to provide accurate information to the best of our knowledge at the time of publication. We recommend confirming times, dates and details directly before making any plans as details may be subject to change.
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