7 Reasons the Riverland is Made for Autumn Escapes

Autumn is when the Riverland really comes into its own. The heat eases and harvest season brings the region to life in a totally different way to summer. So in this article, we take a look at why autumn is the perfect moment to plan a Riverland escape. Plus, with our limited-time 25% off offer, there’s really no better moment to start planning.

The Best Season for a Riverland Escape

Even for South Australians used to wild, arid environments, the Riverland is one of those places that feels almost unreal the first time you visit. The wide, slow river cuts through red cliffs here and green vineyards and quiet towns are sprinkled across orange landscapes, all under open blue skies.

It is hard to find anywhere else that looks or lives quite like this, not in Australia and not really anywhere else either.

Summer here can be beautiful, but it is also intense. The Riverland runs very hot, and while that’s perfect when you’ve got access to frequent dips and time for lazy river days, it can be a lot if you want to do more than sit still. Walking, cycling, winery hopping and exploring small towns are all better once the air cools a little.

That is why autumn is such a good time to visit. You still get the sunshine and the river, just with a better temperature for enjoying it all.

Browse hotels currently offering 25% off stays.

7 Reasons the Riverland is Made for Autumn

Here’s what makes an autumn Riverland escape a really good idea.

The heat starts to ease

When we say the Riverland is hot in summer, we mean that it’s often 30–40°C or more, and that’s true from December to February. It’s a time brilliant for swimming, but very intense for long days of exploring. In fact, if you enjoy drinking a cold beer at a brewery and taking long dips, by all means a visit to the Riverland in summer can be pretty relaxing.

But by March, those towering daytime temperatures start to ease into the low-30s and high-20s, so there’s no lack of warmth or blue-skies, but with the feels easier to explore in. By April, things cools further into the low to mid-20s, which feels much nicer on foot or bike, and makes outdoor markets, river walks and winery stops far more comfortable without constant sun-avoidance.

The Murray is a little calmer

People often wonder if the Murray River gets calmer in autumn. The honest answer is: it depends. The Murray is a working river, with its levels and flow managed year-round for farming and the environment, so in sum it doesn’t follow a neat seasonal pattern.

Some years however, flows are lower by March and April as peak summer demand passes. What you can rely on however, is how the river feels after the summer months. Water temperatures drop very slightly from summer warmth into fresher ranges, while the air is less thick with heat. Conditions are overall a little kinder for activities like kayaking during this time.

It’s harvest season

Autumn lines up with harvest season in the Riverland, which makes a real difference to the atmosphere when you visit. Wine grapes are being picked through late summer and into March and April, so wineries are busy with vintage and the entire region has a quietly industrious energy that comes with it.

Meanwhile, stone fruit lingers into early autumn, and citrus season is just getting underway, which means markets, farm gates and roadside stalls are stacked with fruit grown just down the road. For a weekend escape, harvest season therefore means better local food, an exciting energy, fresher produce, and the chance to eat and drink right in sync with the region.

You have the region to yourself

By autumn, the Riverland has exhaled after a busy summer of getaways. School holidays are over and the river towns calm down back into their everyday rhythm. You’ll notice the calmer feel of things in the quieter roads, the extra tables at wineries and cafes, and the way you can book the some excellent hotels without fighting peak-season demand and prices. For a weekend escape, this all makes a difference. You are sharing the region with locals and a few travellers, not a crowd, so expect closer chats with wine makers and locals and a slower kind of escape.

Early autumn has some great events

There’s a reason some of the Riverland’s best gatherings happen in early autumn; the weather has eased enough for people to spend real time outside, and harvest is still underway so food, wine and local culture are at their peak.

The Riverland Food & Wine Festival on the Berri riverfront in early March brings together producers, winemakers, stalls and live music in a way that only this region can, making it a brilliant excuse to plan a weekend around both tasting and exploring.

A couple of weeks later, the Riverland Wellness Festival in Renmark invites a different kind of ease, with wellbeing stalls, workshops and gentle experiences that fit perfectly with warm days and cooler nights.

The colours are even better

In autumn, the Riverland’s colours take on a different quality with leaves beginning to match the earth. Vineyards and river gums stay green, but ochre, rust and golden tones become more visible across fields and river flats as the season moves on. If you’re a photographer, autumn is therefore a fantastic time of year to bring out the true beauty of the region.

Wildlife is easier to spot

As the weather cools into the year, you’ll start to notice more movement along the riverbanks and around the wetlands. On warm days, a lot of Australian wildlife retreats into shade, but in March and April animals and birds tend to be out and about in the cooler parts of the morning and late afternoon.

Kangaroos graze in open paddocks, parrots and waterbirds gather near the Murray and its tributaries, koalas stay awake during some daytime hours (although not many!) and smaller birds flit through gums and scrub. You are not guaranteed dramatic sightings, but the milder conditions make quieter encounters easier than in the peak heat of summer.

Where to stay in the Riverland this Autumn

All of the spots below are part of our current 25% off offer, with discount on stays before the end of March.

Browse all hotels here. 

Berri Hotel

If you are coming for the Riverland Food & Wine Festival, this is the obvious base. The hotel sits right on the Berri riverfront, where the festival takes place, so you can walk straight from tastings and live music back to your room. Even outside festival weekends, being in Berri puts you close to wineries, cafes and river walks, with the Murray right at your doorstep. A diverse range of accommodation options from villas to rooms caters to all kinds of travellers and the pool is a great addition for keeping cool.

Par Five Shacks

Par Five Shacks is for people who want to experience the quieter side of the Riverland with a boutique kind of stay. Set among open land and trees, it suits autumn perfectly, when days are warm enough to sit outside with a glass of wine and nights cool enough to make being away from town feel cosy. Beautifully designed villas here will feel like a real treat.

Big River Gold & Country Club

Staying at Big River keeps you close to the Murray. But not only that. Right on site, you’ll have access to a fabulous golf course, as well as a fantastic restaurant and bar with green views across the course. It works well if you want your weekend to revolve around river time and perhaps a round of golf, with wineries and towns as side trips rather than the main event.