Tanunda was founded in the 1840s by German-speaking immigrants seeking religious freedom and you can see why they thought this pretty part of the world was a piece of heaven. They called it Langmeil, or ‘Long Mile’, and within a decade the town had such a German feel that one visitor wrote “The traveller would believe himself in some little village of the old country”.

Wander through Tanunda today and you’ll still get a sense of the town’s Lutheran heritage, with many of the original ironstone cottages and barns carefully restored as shops, cafés, pubs and restaurants.

FAST FACTS!

• Some of the oldest grapevines in the world can be found in vineyards surrounding Tanunda

• Tanunda takes its name from an Aboriginal word meaning ‘water hole’

• Chateau Tanunda is Australia’s oldest and largest chateau, dating back to the 1860s

• Apex Bakery’s wood-fired scotch oven has been continuously fired since 1924, baking Barossa recipes dating back to the 19th Century

• Tanunda is famous for its century-old brass and marching band competition