Looking for a place close to Adelaide to spend a day or two, relax and enjoy country hospitality at its best? Look no further than Laura, in South Australia’s mid-north.
Heading north from Adelaide, your drive will take you through the beautiful Clare Valley, arriving in Laura only a few hours after leaving the city. The town has much to offer the traveller, history buff, antique and collectable lover, and foodie.
Accommodation
An excellent, country style caravan park provides the major accommodation for the town.
- Powered and unpowered sites.
- On-site vans.
- Self-contained cabins are all available.
The resident managers will make you feel very welcome and keep immaculately clean amenities. A camp kitchen and communal campfire are also provided. If you are new to camping, this is a great place to check out your setup and if missing something, the local hardware store has a selection of camping gear available.
Laura also has several B&B’s and a good pub.
History
Laura, together with the town of Gladstone a little to the south, are the centre for the local rural community and have been for many years. Many old buildings in both towns have been beautifully maintained and used today. The old shops along the main street of Laura are a photographers dream.
Gladstone also has a rich railway heritage which is well displayed. One of Laura’s claims to fame is being the home of poet C.J. Dennis, author of “The Sentimental Bloke”. A large bronze statue of the poet stands proudly in the main street. Just a few kilometres north of Laura is the tiny village of Stone Hut which has a rich history in the agricultural development of the area and has a well-signposted heritage trail with ample interpretive signage along the way explaining the points of interest.
Food
“If you are a lover of Golden North Ice Cream, then you have to come to it’s home”
The Golden North Ice Cream factory stands on the edge of town and is a major employer in the area. The locals are rightly proud of this industry and you will find ample opportunities to sample the products in the local shops.
At nearby Gladstone is the Trend soft drink factory, makers of the famous F.C. Grubb drinks. If visiting through the week, you can visit the factory and sample the wide variety of flavours and take a case or two home.
Stone Hut is the home of a well-renowned bakery producing a variety of unusual pies, including camel and crocodile. This is well worth a visit and you can wash it all down with an F.C. Grubb drink or a glass of local wine.
There are several wineries in the area with the Stone Hut bakery and the North Laura Hotel being outlets for them. The North Laura pub also has a nice dining room with hearty pub food available.
Other Attractions
Down the main street of Laura are several antique and collectable shops with some having some very historic items from the local area. They are all worth a browse and you never know when that piece that fits perfectly in your home will present itself. Those interested in arts and crafts are also catered for with several shops in Laura and Gladstone.
Laura has a Visitor Centre right in the middle of town and the very friendly staff will ensure you have all the information you need to have an enjoyable few days. A well-equipped playground and skate park is right opposite the caravan park so the kids can also be well entertained.
The one thing that stood out to us on a couple of visits is the very friendly and welcoming locals, so, do yourself a favour and spend some time in this interesting area – we don’t think you will regret it.
Do you have a favourite travel destination, somewhere that is constantly overlooked but offers a wealth of activities and history for a weekend getaway?
If you’re willing to share your secret destination with our readers, tell us about it in the comments section below.