It’s Vintage Charm

Adelaide is the only large city Down Under not built up originally with convict labor, a fact pressed upon visitors often by proud citizens of this place strewn with green parklands and carved by the River Torrens.

With a rich mix of Victorian and Edwardian architecture, made even more distinctive by dark bluestone construction, lacy ironwork verandas and fences made of brush banded together with wire, the town has a certain charm that grows on you.

The main reason Aussies and foreigners come here is for the rolling vineyard country in the nearby Barossa, Coonawarra and Clare valleys, coupled with the delightful Southern Vales and miles of white beaches just outside of town.

With about 45 wineries in the Vales alone, the area produces 60% of the country’s wine. The area has a dozen or more restaurants, some with pleasant dining beneath the arbors.

In addition to good food and wine, Australians love to gamble. They’ve turned the town’s enormous and picturesque old train station into a casino. Rather than coming here to catch a train, formal-clad locals now hope to catch a hot roll at the tables.

Here to there: Fly Qantas to Melbourne, Air New Zealand, Qantas, Continental or Pan Am to Sydney, then Ansett, Trans Australia or British Airways onward. A 15-minute bus ride into town is $4, cab about $7.

How long/how much: Two or three days should do it, including vineyard country. Lodging and dining are moderate.

A few fast facts: Australia’s dollar was recently worth 70 cents U.S. October is their spring with marvelous weather, hottest months are January and February. Adelaide is the country’s driest major city, mild, Mediterranean-type climate most of the year. The town is walkable, but a car comes in handy for visiting the wineries. And don’t forget to stash away 20 Australian dollars for departure tax.

Getting settled in: Our choice happens to be in the Southern Vales outside town, the Estate (Kangarilla Road, McLaren Vale; $39 double B&B;, $35 after first night). Modern treatment of Australian colonial in brick, nestled in tall gum trees and acres of green grass, its own little lake, flowers growing everywhere. It’s also a small winery, has won all sorts of awards for two superb dining rooms, one a covered garden affair that’s lovely. With a pool and two tennis courts, it’s worth the 10-mile drive from town.

Hotel Adelaide (62 Brougham Place; $48-$59) is a pleasant place in North Adelaide, lobby fountain, dining room decorated with palm trees and lots of flowers, formal restaurant on upper floor, swimming pool, the lot. All rooms have mini-bars and color TV.

Regal Park Motel (44 Barton Terrace; $41) is another cozy and attractive place with restaurant and heated pool.

Regional food and drink: Lots of seafood served around here, King George whiting and crayfish being particular favorites, prawns plentiful. But only in Adelaide will you find the “pie floater,” originally a hearty dish for the less-than-affluent, now taken up by the trendies lined up late at night to finish off their evening. Get ready for a meat pie floating in a dish of thick green-pea soup with catsup poured on top. A lack of venturesome spirit kept us from having a go at this one.

Bringing your own spirits is popular Down Under, some of the best restaurants having this policy. In Adelaide it’s a fine idea, since excellent bottles of wine may be picked up for $5-$6, your waiter pouring it free or for a small charge. Best local beer is Southwork; a schooner is a large draft, a butcher the small. Be the first on your block to bring home a bottle of Durus, a white dessert wine fortified with brandy and sweetened with kumquats and honey. They pour it in lemonade here.

Moderate-cost dining: Every Aussie town boasts a range of ethnic restaurants, but Adelaide has a truly impressive mix. Not just the usual Italian, Chinese and the like, they toss in African, Phoenician and a few others.

Vittorio’s (Currie Street, downtown), a large airy place with soothing piano music, does a very good job with seafood. Try the bug tails (looks a bit like lobster and tastes better) in a Pernod sauce for $7, garlic prawns for same price, a half-dozen oysters at $3.50.

Current “in” restaurant is Duthys, doing their thing with Australian nouvelle . Pork fillet with California dates and a Madeira glaze goes for $9, pigeon breast with pistachios at $10.50.

If you’re out wandering and tasting in the Southern Vales, do plan a stop at the recently reopened Salopian Inn, a staging post in the 1850s now renovated by a charming and enthusiastic young couple who sell, promote and serve the best of local wines. They offer a menu of southern Australian delicacies, local goat cheeses, fresh seafood. Everything is done here with great flair and imagination.

Going first-class: Hilton International (233 Victoria Square; $80-$107) is within walking distance of everything in the central city, loaded with saunas, spa baths, heated outdoor pool, gym and tennis court. All rooms have that Aussie standby, self-catering tea and coffee gear for the morning eye-opener.

One of the most elegant manor houses we’ve seen is Mount Lofty House (74 Summit Road in Adelaide Hills; $88, including full hot breakfasts). Only eight rooms, each with fireplace and individually decorated, pool set in a sea of hydrangeas and rose garden. Excellent French dining room, small and intimate bar, the whole place radiating comfort and luxury.

On your own: Just 12 miles from town at the Cleland Wildlife Preserve you get to do many of the things you came to Australia for: cuddle a koala, roam free among the friendly kangaroos, see that king of the bush, the happy kookaburra, laughing away in the old gum tree.

Set off on your own tasting spree, three wineries in the McLaren Vale that we favored being Middlebrook, Woodstock and Pirramimma. Great lunches at the first; second very rustic in a eucalyptus grove where vintner Scott Collett pours while discoursing on regional grapes; the third where we had the best Chardonnay of the outing.

For more information: Call the Australian Tourist Commission at (213) 380-6060, or write (3550 Wilshire Blvd., Suite 1740, Los Angeles 90010) for brochures and other information on Adelaide and South Australia.