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.
On the quieter eastern side of the Clare Valley sits Mintaro, a village so intact it's State Heritage listed in its entirety. Its slate-built cottages, hand-cut from the famous local quarry, have barely changed since the 1850s. You could see the highlights in a couple of hours - but Mintaro rewards a full, unhurried day.
Morning: lose yourself
Start at the Mintaro Maze, a classic hedge maze that delights children and adults alike. It's the perfect way to shake off the drive and work up an appetite, with gardens and lawns to relax in once you've found your way out.
Midday: a grand mansion
Next, tour Martindale Hall, the opulent 1880s Georgian mansion on the village's edge. Built by a young heir reputedly to lure a London fiancée to the colony, it's a time capsule of Victorian wealth - and famous as a location in the film 'Picnic at Hanging Rock'.
Afternoon: lunch and wine
By now you've earned lunch, and few places do it better than Reilly's Restaurant, set in an 1856 cottage with open fires and a leafy courtyard. Regional plates, estate wines, no rush. Afterwards, taste at the local cellar doors - Mintaro Wines makes age-worthy Riesling and Shiraz with the firm, slatey character the eastern valley is known for.
Evening: stay a while
Why drive home? Mintaro Mews offers heritage cottage accommodation right in the village, so you can wander the slate streets as the light softens and the day-trippers leave. In the quiet of a Mintaro evening, with 150 years of history at your door, the valley feels a long way from anywhere - in the best possible way.
