Willunga
Historic slate-mining town in the heart of McLaren Vale wine country, famous for its Saturday farmers market and vibrant maker community.
A heritage town with a foodie heart
Willunga grew up around the slate quarries that once supplied roofs across Adelaide. Its High Street of old slate buildings now houses boutique shops, galleries, cafés and one of Australia's best farmers markets.
Willunga Farmers Market
Every Saturday morning, producers from across the Fleurieu gather in the the grounds of Willunga High School to sell seasonal produce, bread, cheese, wine, flowers and prepared foods. It is widely considered one of the country's standout regional markets.
Almond Blossom & Tour Down Under
In July, the surrounding almond orchards burst into white blossom. Each January, Willunga Hill hosts one of the most famous mountain stages of the Santos Tour Down Under cycling race.
Visiting Willunga - frequently asked questions
What is Willunga known for?
Willunga is a heritage slate-mining town in the heart of McLaren Vale, best known for its outstanding Saturday farmers market, its High Street of old slate buildings full of galleries, cafes and makers, and as the mountain-stage finish of the Santos Tour Down Under each January.
When is the Willunga Farmers Market on?
The Willunga Farmers Market runs every Saturday morning, year-round, on the grounds of Willunga High School. It is one of Australia's longest-running and most respected regional farmers markets, with growers and producers from right across the Fleurieu.
How far is Willunga from Adelaide?
Willunga is about 45 km south of Adelaide, a drive of roughly 50 minutes, sitting at the southern end of the McLaren Vale wine region.
What is there to do in Willunga?
Browse the Saturday market, wander the heritage High Street galleries and cafes, taste at nearby cellar doors such as Hither & Yon, ride or walk the Coast to Vines Rail Trail, and in July see the almond orchards in white blossom.
When do the Willunga almond trees blossom?
The almond orchards around Willunga usually burst into white blossom in July, a tradition celebrated locally since the town's first Almond Blossom Festival in the 1960s.
Things to do in Willunga
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Stories from Willunga
The Tin Pot Tramway: McLaren Vale's forgotten horse railway
For half a century before the first motor truck rolled into McLaren Vale, a horse-drawn tramway ran from the vineyards down to the jetty at Port Willunga. Locals called it the Tin Pot. Its cuttings, sleepers and earthworks are still in the ground under what is now the Coast to Vines Rail Trail.
April 2026 · 8 min read
The Fleurieu in July: almond blossom, whales and winter fires
Mid-winter is the Fleurieu Peninsula's quietest month and also, quietly, its best. Almond blossom at Willunga, southern right whales in Encounter Bay, cellar-door fires lit from lunchtime, waterfalls at full flow and almost nobody on the roads. Here is the July case.
April 2026 · 8 min read
A short white window: 170 years of Willunga almonds
Willunga's almond-growing tradition stretches back to the 1850s. For most of the 20th century it was Australia's largest almond region. The famous Almond Blossom Festival has run since 1970.
March 2026 · 5 min read
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Sources
- Willunga - Wikipedia article - Wikipedia (accessed April 2026)
Image credits
- View of Willunga by State Library of South Australia , CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons