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Kangaroo Island is one of the newest wine regions of Australia, it being declared so in 2001.

Kangaroo Island, or KI for short, is thus worthy of tourist exploration, but where is it?

Kangaroo Island is located along the southern coast of South Australia at latitude 36 degrees south. It is elongated east-west, a low lying plateau 145 kms long and about 55 kms at its widest point. The southern coast receives the full force of weather and swells from the Southern Ocean and has many magnificent surf beaches with white calcareous sands.

The north east coast has several more sheltered bays where the main settlements have developed.

The best access from the mainland is by Sea-Link ferry from Cape Jervis to the town of Penneshaw (population ca 400) across Backstairs Passage, a distance of 18 kms. The ferries make many trips each day taking 45 minutes and can carry about 50 vehicles.

The main township on the island is Kingscote (population ca 1500) which was the first official colonial settlement in South Australia, dating back to 1836. It is about 65 kms by road west from Penneshaw and it has an air strip. There is a regular air service several times daily by light plane from Adelaide, which is some 140 kms northwards. Kingscote is a pleasant seaside town with all amenities and so is a good choice for a base from which to explore the island.

The first vines were established at Kingscote in 1837 from cuttings obtained by William Giles in South Africa, but nothing much came of the venture. The colonial settlement was quickly moved to the more promising Adelaide region on the mainland which had agricultural potential and a reliable water supply. Kangaroo Island then became forgotten by colonists because of its flat bleak scrubby terrain, infertile soils and lack of potable water.

Kangaroo Island wines - how did they come about? Really they developed hand-in-hand with modern tourism.

The first handicap to overcome was to find suitable soils for vineyard development. But why do so? Well, the climate is attractive being temperate and maritime and close to a typical Mediterranean Climate. Rainfall is in the range 400 to 750 mm which falls in the winter. Cool wet winters and warm dry summers are the norm. By application of modern agricultural practices over the last 20 years the happy result is 30 operating vineyards and a new Australian wine region.

The largest plantings are of the dark red Shiraz grape, as in many parts of Australia. In fact Australia is famous for its Shiraz reds

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