about The Station
When COVID forced us into lockdown in 2020, most people turned to jigsaws or baking to pass the time… I bought a railway station. The Kapunda Station - at 160 years old - was ready for a new lease on life and what better way than to bring it back than as contemporary, luxury accommodation. The renovation rules were pretty simple… remove anything that was neither original nor essential. This has ensured that the building remains true to its past… an honest representation of the original structure. The rest was easy… add the most comfortable beds, a chefs kitchen and luxe furnishings.
The Station is available as run-of-house accommodation with 7 bedrooms accommodating 10-14 people. It is ideal for families, groups of friends, celebrations and corporate retreats.
amenities
CHEFS KITCHEN – the kitchen is fully kitted out with everything that guests will need from a coffee machine to a microwave, induction cooktop, sandwich press, dishwasher…
BBQ - a three burner BBQ is available for guests and is perfect for a big breakfast cook up… or an easy self-catered dinner
WOOD FIRED PIZZA OVEN – the woodfired pizza oven is available for use by guests and we can also arrange a hamper of ingredients – including homemade pizza dough – to get the party started
PANTRY FILL – we provide enough local produce for guests to get started including local artisan bread, coffee beans, milks - of various kinds, granola, and a bowl of fresh fruit. Guests can also opt to have a ‘pantry fill’ prior to their stay
AL FRESCO DINING AREAS – The Station has several areas for guests to dine al-fresco during their stay: on the platform, in the courtyard, or under the portico.
HERB GARDEN & ORCHARD – when in season, guests can make use of the extensive herb garden and the orchard to pick fresh ingredients for their meals.
FIRE PIT – when there are no fire restrictions, we have a fire pit set for guests with a pile of wood ready to enjoy an evening under the stars… and a jar of marshmallows completes the picture!
GAMES – there’s monopoly (of course), cards and scrabble, as well as a wooden train set for the young and young at heart. And the table tennis table in the games room always gets a good workout
LAWN GAMES – for guests wanting to enjoy the outdoors we have umbrellas, rugs, cushions and lawn games available for use by guests.
WI FI – there is wi-fi throughout the building (well…most of it… except where it can’t quite penetrate the 3 foot thick walls!)
IN HOUSE SPEAKERS – ‘ALEXA’ speakers in each room provide a soundtrack for guests
AIR CONDITIONING – the hottest of the rooms have air conditioners to beat the summer heat
MISTING SYSTEM – the platform has a misting system to provide relief on the hottest of days
HEATING – panel heaters in each bedroom ensure that guests are cosy on winter nights, while outdoor heaters on the platform extend the use of that space into the evening in the cooler months
LIGHTING – the outdoor areas are lit with strands of café lights into the evening.
SWIMMING POOL – the swimming pool at The Station is a 12m container pool. While the pool is not heated, it does heat up quickly so if it’s warm enough to swim … then the pool is warm enough to swim in! The Station provides a set of pool towels for guests.
OFF THE RAILS…
WALKING TRAILS – if guests are keen for a walk during their stay we have mapped out a bunch of trails from The Station ranging from 4 to 7km’s, and taking in the best of the region. After something longer? Kapunda is the meeting point of three South Australian trails: The Heysen Trail – 1,200kms, The Mawson Trail – 900kms, The Kidman trail – 255km’s
activities
Explore
We think that you'll be surprised at just how much Kapunda has to offer. In addition to being only a short drive to the world renowned wine regions of the Barossa and Clare Valleys, the local area is worthy of exploring.
Book a tour of ANLABY STATION - a historic sheep station that has been lovingly restored including 20 acres of manicured gardens.
Explore the RETAIL outlets in the main street: homewares at KOCO HOME, plants and pots from PLANT POT & MORE, cafes, florist, second hand book shop…
Enjoy a wine tasting at COVEN WINE ROOM with wines by Jeremy Ottawa… or maybe a gin is more your style!
ART & CULTURE plays a big role in Kapunda. Wander the streets to look at the award winning street murals and visit the regional gallery to pick up a piece or two.
If you are more serious about your creativity, enrol in a workshop to paint BLOOMS with Jacqueline Coates. You will need to book ahead - and hope that she is in town at the time and not in residence in Paris!
Of course - it's not far to other creative and culinary experiences:
Learn the in's and outs of Italian cooking from renowned chef Matteo Carboni at CASA CARBONI in Angaston
Indulge in wine tasting and exceptional dining at any number of wineries - HENTLEY FARM and ALKINA are just two of our favourites.
Spend some time at SEPPELTSFIELD - not just enjoying the wine but exploring the gallery and the artisan workshops.
Stay in
And if you'd rather stay in then there are a bevy of bespoke experiences that we can bring to you...
A WINE MASTERCLASS exploring the best of the Barossa, Jeremy Ottawa will tailor an experience to your group and you will leave knowing things you never knew about wine!
A WELLNESS & YOGA retreat to balance out the wine and food!
A PERSONAL CHEF can be arranged to cook for you - or we can organise a pantry-fill to meet your dining needs. Refer to our In-House Dining menu
Or perhaps a Signature Experience?
WINEMAKER in RESIDENCE. Join winemaker Jeremy Ottawa as he shares his knowledge and expertise gathered from over 20 years of premium winemaking experience with some of the Barossa’s most renowned wine brands. Explore the sub-regions of the Barossa Valley and learn directly from vignerons how terroir impacts wine. Delve deep with varietal masterclasses, and combine this with your terroir knowledge for a blending session to produce your own bottled wine
MURDER MYSTERY. Dust off your black tie and get ready for a trip back to the 1920s to enjoy the food of the era paired with Old Vine Barossan wines, AND, help solve a murder… the MURDER on the KAPUNDA EXPRESS. (Ok… so it doesn’t have quite the same ring as the ‘Orient Express’ – but it is a little more accessible!).
While The Station is available as run-of-house accommodation - giving you the freedom to enjoy the space and coordinate your own activities and catering - we can also provide a full concierge service to assist in planning and delivering an exceptional experience. In consultation with you we can design the ultimate event or escape for your group, and then deliver your experience seamlessly.
A service fee of 20% will be applied to all bookings managed through the concierge.
what our guests say about The Station
We absolutely loved our stay at The Station for my 50th birthday celebrations. The host was a dream, willing to help in any way, nothing was a problem, so much attention to detail. They put on a high tea for us and baked delicious treats fresh on the premises, we couldn’t believe it! Everything was perfect, the beds and linen are to die for! There was even sunblock provided and other bits n bobs to make your stay even more comfortable. I’d move in if I could haha, we loved it that much! Just go, you won’t regret it! You won’t want to leave! All aboard!!!!! Thank you Bridget xx
Cindy - 50th Birthday
We stayed at The Station over NYE for 2 nights with our friends & kids. The property is just sublime. Two nights was just not enough! Bridget was an incredible host & catered for our every need, from beautiful fruit on arrival, to gorgeous crockery, stunning linen, even down to supplying ample quality sunscreen - she has thought of everything & was incredibly helpful & generous. You will not be disappointed by this accomodation & all it has to offer - during our stay we had intended on visiting wineries & exploring the area, but the house was just too gorgeous to warrant venturing out! We truly wished we had booked to stayed longer. It is also worth mentioning that due to the stations beautifully renovated thick walls, there was almost no noise travel between rooms & outside, hence our little ones slept well while we enjoyed the lounge & outdoor areas through the night. Also the fast commercial dishwasher was a lifesaver! The accomodation is flawless!
Jazzy & Friends - NYE 2023
Thank you again for what was an experience like no other. We should have stayed a week at least! What an incredible place you have created and your coordination, execution and eye for detail made our visit extraordinary. Priceless really. Thank you so much Bridget, you truly are a one of a kind host that we’ll speak of for years to come. I cannot recommend The Station highly enough to anyone considering staying, as everything far exceeded our expectations.
Simon – 50th Weekend – 7 Couples
A huge heartfelt thank you for our stay at The Station. We had an absolutely fabulous time! The property itself is so special - so much thought has gone into every detail and it shows. The big comfy beds, the amazing furnishings, fully equipped kitchen, and the amazing outdoor spaces which we managed to make use of even in winter.
The service offered was also above and beyond anything we expected - assisting us with our itinerary, helping with the catering (big shout out to Maggie for her divine Vietnamese feast) and all the little extra touches that didn’t go unnoticed.
I would highly recommend The Station for any group looking to enjoy the Barossa in style. Thank you for making it so special!
Sara & friends - 40th Birthday
Our stay at the station was incredible - such a lovely and special place that gave us easy access to surrounding areas! You can feel the love and commitment that has gone into the accommodation - beautiful attention to detail with luxury inclusions. We’ve all decided we need personalised stone plates, timber benches and new mattresses!
We had 5 couples stay - we had plenty of space and all had comfortable and beautiful bedrooms. The table tennis table got a big work out and we loved sitting on the platform in the evenings with some nibbles and drinks. We just had the best time, so much so that we were got lost in the moments of joy with each other we forgot to get photos! Bridget was an incredible host and offered lots of different options in terms of activities in the region. We visited Barossa farmers market, David Franz winery and Musque Bar in Tanunda - all were fantastic with incredible food!! The best part of our stay was having The Bearded Cook come and cook for us at The Station - cannot recommend this enough!!
We all absolutely loved our weekend away
Madeleine - group of friends - 5 couples
Absolutely 10/10! The Station is a stay unlike anywhere else. To be in such a historic and beautiful building, coupled with the incredible restoration and styling, this place is a must with a group of friends or families! 2 nights certainly didn’t feel long enough. The attention to detail was impeccable, not a single thing wasn’t considered.
Sarah - extended family
Everything about this place will exceed your expectations. From the furniture & super comfortable bedding to the custom room sprays & candles. This place has it all. Everything has been thought of & executed amazingly. Highly recommended for anyone wanting a perfectly styled & exclusive stay with all the trimmings. Would stay there again in a heartbeat.
Ashley - 30th birthday weekend
Absolutely Fantastic! Our stay at The Station with friends was a brilliant experience which well exceeded our expectations. Lunch on the platform, games in the common area and easy relaxed spaces throughout to just chill. The kitchen, laundry and bathrooms had everything we needed...and as a plus the beds were super comfy! The proximity to the Barossa was a nice surprise with wineries, vineyards and foodie stops within 20mins drive. We will definitely be back. Highly recommend to anyone wanting a getaway in the area with friends or family.
Pete - group of friends
The Station is great place to bring people together for a wonderful holiday.
It is full of generous and luxurious inclusions that make you feel welcome and relaxed. We loved staying here.
Highlights:
- The cosy and comfortable beds
- The outside fire pit and marshmallows
- The hilariously competitive table tennis competitions
Rebecca - group of 15 friends
We enjoyed everything about our stay. From marshmallows to toast on the fire-pit, to delicious local essentials for breakfast. We wish our stay was longer.
The Station is huge and has been lovingly and stylishly restored. There were plenty of living spaces, both indoor and outdoor, and we almost lost count of the bedrooms. The bedrooms were toasty warm and are decorated in a stylish, minimalist manner. There were thoughtful touches like plenty of throw rugs, spare toiletries and a big bowl of fresh fruit - it made us just want to stay in all weekend!
AnneMaree - family and friends