A scene of pure bliss awaited us each morning during golden hour for sunrise from the balcony at Rogasch Cottage as we overlooked the vineyards amidst the fog. Kangaroos huddled together in the cold, nibbling at the grass while the occasional Kookaburra could be heard with its trademark laugh from the clusters of trees nearby. A soft pink turned into a burnt orange as the sky tentatively came to life through the dense fog on a cold winters day in the Barossa Valley.
Rogasch Cottage, a luxury Barossa Valley Airbnb was home for two nights over the weekend. I was fortunate enough to be invited up by the owner Scott Rogasch and it turned out to be a great family getaway to the premier wine region of South Australia.
I turned the weekend getaway into a bit of an adventure by riding my bike up to Tanunda and then back down to Adelaide a couple of days later when we checked out. It was 85km up to Tanunda with 1200m+ of an incline up through the Adelaide Hills.
There’s something about being out of the city that is quite calming. Things go slower, people are more at ease and a smile from a stranger is less difficult to come by. It’s a good place to be.
Rogasch Cottage is modern meets traditional. The cottage is on the grounds of the ‘Forage Supply’ vineyard and has kept its heritage while ensuring the modern luxuries are there to make the stay a memorable one. The highlights of the property are the underground wine cellar, indoor and outdoor fireplaces, and the incredible hot tub, which overlooks the vineyards. It’s got to be one of the best hot tub views in South Australia.
Aside from enjoying the coziness of Rogasch Cottage, we also explored several nearby wineries and distilleries. However, it was our exploration in Kaiserstuhl Conservation Park that was the highlight for me. I went for a trail run throughout the Wallowa Track in the conservation park while my family hiked the route. Plenty of Kangaroos, Kookaburras, and Australian bush scenes made it a beautiful spot to explore.
Mengler Hill Lookout was our pick for sunset, which was almost as beautiful as the sunrise, with a hazy glow filling the vast plains of the Barossa Valley.
I took out my drone, 100-400mm lens, and shot the golden hour at the cottage, which turned out to be an epic, foggy morning with incredible light rays so it was lucky timing with when we decided to visit Tanunda. Below are my favorite shots from the weekend at Rogasch Cottage, Wallowa trail run and a short highlight video reel.
