The Santos Tour Down Under will take place in and around Adelaide, the Adelaide Hills, Barossa Valley, McLaren Vale and South Coast regions during January 2026. This rail trail may be impacted to varying degrees by the Tour.

Wed 21^st January 26: Men’s Stage 1 will make several loops between the towns of Tanunda, Lyndoch and Angaston. The main street of Tanunda hosts both start and finish and will be closed to traffic for much of the day. Expect increased cycle and pedestrian traffic on the Barossa Trail between Tanunda, Lyndoch and Angaston. Additionally, spectators may be present on the trail north and south of Tanunda and the trail may be blocked at Lyndoch with a Sprint occurring here on Lap 1.

This scenic shared-use trail is in the heart of the Barossa Valley and links the major towns of Gawler, Tanunda, Nuriootpa and Angaston via shared paths and the railway corridor, taking advantage of panoramic views and the topography. Although some of the trail to Tanunda is windy, it gives cyclists and visitors the opportunity to extend their ride, or walk, through more parts of the Barossa. It is possible to ride all the way from Gawler to Angaston, mainly on dedicated shared paths. Care must be taken on the short on-road section through Tanunda and at all road crossings.  Take advantage of the many coffee shops, bakeries and restaurants in all the Barossa towns and holiday parks in Tanunda, Nuriootpa and Gawler.

There are three main sections of this trail:

Gawler to Lyndoch (16 km):  The section from Gawler East to Sandy Creek was completed in 2022 and features a smooth, hot-mix asphalt surface. The shared path then joins the railway corridor and passes mostly farmland, with vineyards and wineries closer to Lyndoch.

Lyndoch to Tununda (15 km): A good-quality, sealed path which follows the highway and then the disused railway to Rowland Flat before heading west along the North Para River with some steep, off-camber turns.

Tununda to Angaston (13 km): A nice railside section once you get out of Tanunda before rail trail proper for 7 km from Nuriootpa to the Barossa Adventure Station.

Gawler to Lyndoch (16 km)

• From the Gawler Bike Hub, near the corner of Lyndoch Rd and Barossa Valley Way, a mostly on-road link route goes up through the council administration building’s carpark from a shared path on High St.
• You can pick up a route map for this link at the centre but signage and road marking “sharrows” show the way.
• The final part runs alongside the Barossa Valley Way before joining the railside trail section at Sunnydale Ave.
• The trail shadows the unused railway line from here to Sandy Creek, then the Barossa Valley Way and railway to Lyndoch.
• At Sandy Creek, another short link trail provides access to the historic Sandy Creek Hotel and Barossa Valley Way.
• There are no steep or dangerous sections but take care at road crossings.
• At Lyndoch Hill, the trail goes through the hotel grounds and rose garden.
• There are picnic facilities, a water station and toilets opposite Lyndoch Bakery.

Lyndoch to Rowland Flat (6 km)

• This section is a good-quality, sealed path which follows the Barossa Valley Way and then the rusty railway tracks to Rowland Flat
• The latter section has a couple of short, steep climbs
• It passes vineyards and wineries.
• There were a number of derailments along this section and an information board near Rowland Flat details what happened

Rowland Flat to Tanunda (9 km)

• This section is not a rail trail but a sealed, shared path which follows the North Para River and then the Barossa Valley Way
• The North Para section has several short, steep climbs and awkward, sharp switchbacks, plus two cattle grids
• These can be hazardous so riders should exercise caution
• The trail passes through the grounds of the Jacob’s Creek Cellar Door.
• It finishes on Murray St, Tanunda, which can be busy but speeds are usually low – exercise caution.
• The Barossa Cycle Hub is at 68 Murray St and offers bike hire, showers, toilets, bike storage and lock-up, bike maintenance stand, power, tools, a vending machine dispensing common inner tube sizes and RV parkiing at the back.
• Tanunda Station (300 m east of the hub via Bushman St), is in a reasonable state, but currently not in use
• This is a reasonably large town with numerous accommodation, food and beverage options

Tanunda to Nuriootpa (6 km)

• From Tanunda, continue along Murray St with well-marked on-road bike lanes most of the way. Alternatively, you can use the quieter and more scenic Bilyara, Langmeil and Para roads.
• The railway here is technically “operational” to Nuriootpa, but the recent removal of the rails through the Kroemers Crossing roundabout, at the intersection of Murray St and Burings Rd, would indicate otherwise.
• From here it’s a good quality sealed railside path for 3.5 km, much of it shielded from the rusty rails by an avenue of red roses, passing vineyards and wineries. There are large shady trees between the path and road.
• Exercise care at the Kroemer’s Crossing and Dorrien (Seppeltsfield Rd) roundabouts.
• Remains of Dorrien Siding are visible before Seppeltsfield Rd
• Hot-air balloons can often be seen in the morning, usually shortly after first light.
• The historic Penfolds building at Nuriootpa has been re-purposed to provide numerous food and beverage options.
• There are numerous accommodation, food and beverage options in “Nuri”.

Nuriootpa to Angaston (7 km)

• At the point where the railway tracks cross the Barossa Valley Way, turn right into South Tce, then left into The Crescent, passing the remains of Nuriootpa Station and railyards
• The tracks were removed from this branch line in 2010 so it’s a true rail trail, but with a smooth hot-mix asphalt surface.
• No buildings remain at the site but platforms, tracks and a water tower do.
• The railyards had a turning triangle rather than a turntable, to get locomotives facing the right way to head south. The triangle is still in place, often hidden by long grass, and the trail crosses it twice.
• Railway Tce, on the opposite side of the station area, formed one straight of an oblong car racing circuit used for the 1950 Australian Grand Prix. Murray St was another straight, right through the middle of the shops!
• This section passes through vineyards and past wineries, and features high embankments and deep shady cuttings at the Angaston end
• The trail has been enhanced with high-quality metal sculptures, information and map boards and seating at regular intervals.
• Road crossings have been paved to resemble rails and sleepers – exercise caution
• Iconic Barossa Farmers Market can be reached from the Light Pass/Diagonal Rd crossing or the Stockwell Rd one, but operates on Saturday mornings only
• Watch for the huge Vinpac International facility on the left, capable of bottling 10 million cartons of wine per year.
• In the Angaston railyards, The Barossa Council has built a marvellous recreation area called the Barossa Adventure Station, which features a 1 km mountain bike trail, zip-line, accessible trampolines, bespoke tower and slide, skate ramps, boulder walling, half-court basketball, sensory sound forest and serene BBQ and picnic facilities. The Barossa Adventure Station caters for all family needs and is only metres from the main street of Angaston.
• Barossa Valley Machinery Preservation Society has a large shed in the grounds with numerous restored/under-restoration vehicles, engines and machinery occasionally on display.
• The trail ends at Washington St, near the heritage town hall. Turn left then left again into Sturt St to get to the Murray St shops, cafes and a working blacksmith’s shop, open weekends and public holidays.
• There are numerous accommodation, food and beverage options in Angaston.

CONNECTING PATH

Nuriootpa Linear Park Shared-Use Path (2 km): At the point where the railway crosses the Barossa Valley Way in Nuriootpa, continue straight ahead to Nuriootpa centre. About 200m north is Tolley Reserve with an RX steam locomotive on display as well as toilets, picnic facilities, playground, skate park and MTB/BMX track. A riverside linear path runs from Tolley Reserve under the Murray St road bridge and on to the Nuriootpa caravan park.