Mintaro
A near-perfectly preserved 1850s slate-mining village, home to Martindale Hall and the Mintaro Maze.
A village frozen in time
Mintaro is one of South Australia's most intact 19th-century villages, declared a State Heritage Area in its entirety and built largely from the local slate and stone quarried nearby. Settled from 1849 as a resting place for the bullock teams hauling copper ore from Burra to Port Wakefield, it grew into a tidy maze of narrow lanes, stone cottages and a heritage country pub, the Magpie & Stump Hotel. Mintaro slate, prized as far afield as Adelaide and praised by world billiards champion Walter Lindrum, still defines the look of the village today.
Grand houses and good wine
Just outside town stands Martindale Hall, a grand mansion built in 1879 and famous as Appleyard College in the 1975 film Picnic at Hanging Rock. The hall and its grounds operate as a museum and welcome day visitors.
What to do
Wander the heritage village, taste estate Riesling and Shiraz at Reillys Wines, settle in for a long lunch at the Reillys restaurant, then lose the kids in the conifer hedges of the Mintaro Maze. Local heritage stays round out an easy overnight escape in the eastern Clare Valley.
Visiting Mintaro - frequently asked questions
What is Mintaro known for?
Mintaro is one of South Australia's best-preserved 19th-century villages and is declared a State Heritage Area in its entirety. It is best known for its local slate, its stone cottages and lanes, and for nearby Martindale Hall, the grand mansion that featured as Appleyard College in the film Picnic at Hanging Rock.
How far is Mintaro from Adelaide and Clare?
Mintaro sits in the eastern Clare Valley, around 130 kilometres and under two hours' drive north of Adelaide. It is also roughly a 15-minute drive from the regional hub of Clare, making it an easy add-on to a wider Clare Valley trip.
What is there to do in Mintaro?
You can stroll the heritage village and its slate buildings, visit Martindale Hall and its grounds, and taste estate wines at Reillys Wines before a long lunch at the cellar door restaurant. Families often enjoy the Mintaro Maze, and the Magpie & Stump Hotel is a classic spot for a country pub meal.
When is the best time to visit Mintaro?
Spring and autumn are generally the most comfortable times, with mild days well suited to walking the village and the surrounding vineyards. The Clare Valley can be hot in summer and cool in winter, so cooler-season visits often pair well with a cosy lunch indoors.
Why is Mintaro built from slate?
A slate quarry opened near Mintaro in the 1850s and is believed to be one of the oldest continuously worked quarries in Australia. The stone was used for local buildings, water troughs, headstones and even billiard tables, which is why slate features so heavily across the village today.
Things to do in Mintaro
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Stories from Mintaro
Why Mintaro Is Built from Slate
Mintaro’s distinctive grey buildings are no accident. They’re a product of the slate beneath the village’s feet.
June 2026 · 5 min read
A Perfect Day in Mintaro, the Slate Village
The tiny heritage village of Mintaro packs an extraordinary amount into a few slate-built streets. Here's how to make the most of a day.
June 2026 · 5 min read
A walk through Mintaro, the slate village time forgot
Mintaro looks much as it did 150 years ago - a village of slate cottages, a grand Georgian mansion nearby, and a hedge maze to get lost in. Here is how to spend a morning in it.
June 2026 · 4 min read
Image credits
- Mintaro 1880 cropped.jpeg by Unknown. Possibly Samuel W. Sweet , Public domain via Wikimedia Commons