Lavender Federation Trail (Barossa Section)

The Lavender Federation Trail is one of South Australia's great long-distance walks: 325 kilometres from Murray Bridge to Clare along the eastern Mount Lofty Ranges. It carries the name of Terry Lavender OAM, the legendary trail-maker who also routed the Heysen Trail; the first section opened in 2000 and the full trail was completed to Clare in 2018.

Its middle reaches belong to the Barossa's high eastern country. The route runs north through the Eden Valley wine region and across open grazing land toward the hamlet of Dutton, with marked spur trails dropping into Keyneton and into historic Truro past the district's old copper mine. Walkers cross a landscape of granite, big skies and spring wildflowers that most Barossa visitors never see.

You don't need to commit to fifteen days of walking - day walkers can pick off single sections, and the Truro and Keyneton spurs make satisfying half-day outings. It's the wilder, quieter counterpoint to the valley floor, and a fine excuse to linger in Eden Valley country.