The Location

Kingsford sits on the southern edge of the Barossa, a few kilometres from the town of Gawler and less than an hour’s drive from Adelaide. Its 225 acres take in rolling hills, stone bluffs, gardens, vineyards and the gum-lined gullies of the North Para River, where kangaroos gather at dawn and dusk and a resident pair of wedge-tailed eagles circles overhead.

The Barossa’s cellar doors, providores and villages are a short drive away, and the Kingsford team can build itineraries around them. Closer to home, guests can explore the estate’s walking trails, take a guided ATV tour through its history and native landscape, or arrange a helicopter transfer to Monarto Safari Park for a day of wildlife, food and wine.

The Estate

The original homestead holds eight double suites, each with its own character and many named after past custodians of the property. The Homestead Signature Suite is the most romantic: 73m² with a custom four-poster king bed, French doors to the landscape and a marble ensuite where you can bathe in front of an open fire. Homestead Rooms, Superior and Deluxe Rooms offer the same heritage atmosphere at different scales, with thick stone walls and period detail throughout.

Set into the hillside, the contemporary Valley View Suites face east through floor-to-ceiling glass, catching the Barossa sunrise and displaying works by leading South Australian artists. The 78 to 80m² Valley View Suites with Plunge Pool add a private veranda and pool for quiet hours above the valley. For couples wanting more seclusion there is the Stonemasons’ Cottage, while the 94m² Garden Cottage offers three king bedrooms, each with an ensuite, plus a kitchenette and a garden fire pit, making it ideal for families and friends.

A traditional country breakfast and a complimentary minibar selection are included in every stay. Beyond the rooms, the Peppertree Pool & Bar sits beneath a century-old pepper tree, with daybeds, cocktails, local wines and generous Barossa platters.

The Experience

Orleana, named after the ship that first brought Stephen King to South Australia, is the estate’s dining room, a contemporary space with floor-to-ceiling windows over the landscape. The menu is shaped by Culinary Director Jake Kellie, best known for Adelaide’s arkhé, and built around open-flame cooking, slow-aged meats, vegetables from the estate garden and house-fermented elements. The wine list moves from historic Barossa vintages to new-wave Adelaide Hills makers.

Below ground, a 25-metre wine tunnel opens into six vaulted bluestone chambers holding rare Barossa and Eden Valley vintages, including Penfolds Grange and Henschke Hill of Grace, with a long communal table for private tastings and cellar dinners. Kingsford’s signature experiences are just as distinctive. The bush bath is a claw-foot tub for two set beside the river beneath a giant gum, filled with Grown Alchemist bath salts and served with something chilled. The Kegelbahn is a fully automated nine-pin bowling alley, a 19th-century Barossa tradition, complete with its own bar. And on clear nights, the fire pit at the heart of the estate is the place to end the day with a Barossa shiraz beneath the Southern Cross.

Property Details

Distance: Less than an hour’s drive from Adelaide; approx. 5km from Gawler

Estate: 225 acres of hills, gardens, vineyards and North Para River frontage

History: Homestead built in 1856 for pastoralist Stephen King; used as “Drover’s Run” in McLeod’s Daughters; restored and expanded from 2020

Accommodation: Eight double suites in the original Homestead, plus Valley View Suites and two private cottages

Dining: Orleana (Culinary Director Jake Kellie; dinner Wednesday to Sunday, lunch Saturday and Sunday); Peppertree Pool & Bar; Wine Vault (25-metre tunnel, six vaulted chambers)

Signature experiences: Riverside bush bath, Kegelbahn bowling alley and KegelBar, fire pit, estate walking trails, guided ATV tours, wine vault tastings (bookings required)

Facilities: Swimming pool, bar, wine vault, Kegelbahn, wedding and event spaces