Kaniva

Home to a tight-knit community, Kaniva is a proud, little town centred along a thoroughfare of historic buildings, pubs and whimsical landmarks. Halfway between Melbourne and Adelaide, this is sheep and wheat farming country – but with a colourful twist. For one, the sheep here are technicolour; the grain silo is a giant work of art; and the once-operational big windmill now takes pride of place as the town’s iconic emblem.

The silo art is the town’s big-draw attraction. Forming part of the brilliant 200km-long Silo Art Trail, Kaniva’s stunning giant mural pays homage to the nearby Little Desert and is one not to miss. But before there was silo art, there was Sheep Art (www.kaniva.org/sheepart.html). A delightful tribute to its sheep history, here you can follow the trail of glossy, beautifully painted sheep around town, learning of local stories as you go.

For history, the superbly curated Overland Museum takes you through all the romance of long-distance train travel from Melbourne to Adelaide, while the town’s historical museum also offers a lovely step back in time.

Kids, meanwhile, will love Kaniva’s old-fashioned puppet shop – as well as beautiful items for purchase, there’s a theatre for marionette performances.

For local wildlife, wander over to the Wetlands and Fauna Park. Here you’ll find an emu, albino kangaroos and the rare southern red-tailed black cockatoo. But for some real adventure, Kaniva is the perfect launching point for 4WD trips into the nearby Little Desert and Big Desert wilderness areas.