Adelaide is a funny city. Its a long way from most other places in Australia, and not on the road to anywhere. But as a capital city a lot of people feel obliged to visit, and I’m often asked by interstaters what they should do when they’re in my hometown.

It’s a hard question to answer. Adelaide doesn’t have obvious tourist attractions like Sydney, so if you’re looking for a guide book experience you’ll be disappointed. I’ve spent time wandering around the city centre with Europeans bemused that it’s known as the city of Churches, or watching friends’ faces drop when they realise that the long line of Adelaide beach front is surf-less.

Yet, I think Adelaide is a lovely place to visit if you can find a way to immerse yourself in the lifestyle.

Two of the best ways to do this is to visit during one of Adelaide’s many events, such as the bi-annual Arts Festival, or the now annual Fringe Festival and Womad, or to visit some of the gorgeous wine regions near Adelaide, such as McLaren Vale, the Adelaide Hills, or the Barossa or Clare Valleys.

On a recent trip back at Easter to celebrate my parents’ 60th birthdays we did both, starting with a visit to the Oakbank Easter Racing Carnival. Oakbank is the (self-described) largest picnic race day on earth, thanks to the 70,000 strong crowd that turns up on Easter Monday. It’s Adelaide’s equivalent of the Melbourne Cup, but held at a country race track about 40 minutes from Adelaide.

The inside perimeter of the racetrack is filled with bookies, marquees, food stalls, amusement park rides and PEOPLE. We were there on the quieter day, Easter Saturday, along with 45,000 others. The crowd is really diverse. Young fashionistas swan around in cocktail dresses, high heels and adorably uncomfortable looking suits, rubbing shoulders with sunburnt country types in faded blue jeans and desert boots.

Despite the crowds, Oakbank is a real country racing experience. The race track is surrounded by low-lying hills, scattered gum trees, and paddocks. There’s an old wooden grandstand just by the finishing line, which is a great way to cheer on the houses in the shade. Behind the wooden grandstand is another area with food, bookies and a horse inspection area.

In between races the stewards let people walk across the track and kids hit the grass to kick the footy. Bet you can’t do that at the Melbourne Cup.

The horse races are serious business at Oakbank, but equally important is the food, wine and general ambiance.

Within the circle of the racecourse, and in paddock after paddock outside it, there are rows of cars. Having anchored a spot, their passengers set up complex arrangements of fold-up chairs, portable tables, BBQs, eskies, picnic rugs and shade tents. Out comes the bottles of wine and gourmet food, and everyone is set to enjoy the races, interrupted only with occasional sojourns down to the bookies tent to lay a bet, or to mingle at the rails to watch the horses thunder past.

Because Oakbank is a bring-your-own picnic race day, it’s fine for vegetarians and vegans. My family were spoiled by Mum’s lovely picnic lunch. There was falafel, pumpkin and chickpea salad, potato salad, lemon pepper bread, spinach salad, cake for dessert, and of course champagne and wine galore.

I’ve never been to horse races before, and despite a careful study of the form guide I was totally fleeced by the bookies, but I thought Oakbank was a lot of fun and a neat way to have a country experience so close to a capital city.

Share This