Kangaroo Island's Best Experiences: Explore the Cygnet River Cellar Door Trail
If you're looking for the best way to spend a day discovering Kangaroo Island's local artisan producers, come & meet our neighbours on the Cygnet River Cellar Door Trail.
We chose to locate The Islander Estate Tasting Room in Cygnet River to join the community of passionate artisan producers & we've never looked back. So come & meet the neighbours!
The Cygnet River Cellar Door trail is in a convenient, easy-to-reach location, just a few minutes from Kingscote & Kangaroo Island airport, right on the south-coast touring route. It's a compact trail ideal for a half-day or leisurely full-day discovery.
You'll experience two distinct styles of wine, award-winning spirits, hand-crafted local wool products and delicious food – all handcrafted with a shared philosophy and authentically Kangaroo Island.
The Islander Estate Vineyards
Visit The Islander Estate Vineyard's intimate cellar door & let our team take you on a personalised wine discovery.
Our hosted tasting experiences explore our handcrafted French-style wines by Bordeaux-raised Jacques Lurton. He fell in love with Kangaroo Island over twenty years ago and established his own estate-style vineyard, The Islander Estate Vineyards. After your tasting, select your favourite wine, then build a cheese & charcuterie platter from our produce store to enjoy on the deck or lawn.
We offer a range of premium wine & food experiences. Book ahead & save. Or immerse yourself in a private tasting experience. Explore our range of hosted wine experiences here.
Kangaroo Island Spirits
A visit to the Kangaroo Island Spirits distillery is a must for any spirit lover. Kangaroo Island Spirits embrace native ingredients & use traditional processes to make spirits in their purest form, which have so much more to them. Their cellar door offers tastings, paddles & seasonal cocktails to enjoy in the botanical Gin Garden. Their food van serves just the kind of tasty treats you want with cocktails. Regular cocktail & blending classes are a great immersive experience. Discover KIS & book your experience: kispirits.com.au
Springs Road Wines
We were so excited when Spring Road Wines joined us in the Cygnet River neighbourhood. Kangaroo Island has a diverse range of wine styles, with something for everyone, so add a stop at Springs Road Wines to taste and enjoy the view at their Cygnet River cellar door. Springs Road Wines is owned by Joch Bosworth and Louise Hemsley-Smith, who own the organic wine label Battle of Bosworth in McLaren Vale. They bought the Springs Road vineyard in 2016, recognising that the property could produce beautiful organically grown wines. Have a tasting, then relax on the deck with a bottle & a delicious platter of artisan cheese & pates. Discover Springs Road Wines now: springsroad.com.au
Kangaroo Island Wool
The newest resident in the neighbourhood is Kangaroo Island Wool. Their custom-built facility is dedicated to the production of slow fashion. They take raw wool from local Kangaroo Island farmers and transform it into a range of stunning, high-quality fashion garments that will last a lifetime. Their new facility offers educational tours to see the entire process in action and a store stocked with garments produced onsite. Perfect mementos or gifts. Book your tour: www.kangarooislandwool.com
If you have the time, wander a little further afield:
If you have a little more time, there is so much more to see and do, all within 10 minutes of Cygnet River:
Kangaroo Island Brewery
Kangaroo Island Brewery is the place to stop for hand-built beers in a fantastic ‘brewery door’ on the way to Emu Bay. Stop in for one of their famous beer paddles to try a range of brews, or pick your favourite to enjoy overlooking the field. It’s one of our favourite watering holes. Check them out: kibeers.com.au
Emu Bay Lavender
Closer to Emu Bay, the Lavender farm is one of our favourites for breakfast or lunch and a great spot to pick up gifts for friends and family back home. We highly recommend their amazing scones and lavender jelly for afternoon tea - the perfect refuel after a swim. Explore more: emubaylavenderfarm.com
Emu Bay Beach
Kangaroo Island is spoilt for choice when it comes to beaches, but they don’t come much longer, whiter, and more beautiful than Emu Bay Beach. Over summer, locals love this beach for its stunning sands and safe swimming waters. It's a stunning spot to start or finish your explorations.
The Beach Days Van at Emu Bay boat ramp serves cocktails, wine and delicious snacks in season - a truly unique Kangaroo Island experience. Check their Facebook page or website for opening days & times between October and May: www.beachdayki.com/