Penola
A historic township at the gateway to Coonawarra, the birthplace of Australia's saint Mary MacKillop and her first school.
Where Mary MacKillop began
Penola is a graceful heritage town in South Australia's south-east, best known as the place where Mary MacKillop - Australia's first saint - and Father Julian Tenison Woods founded the Sisters of St Joseph and opened a school for all children in 1866. That story is told at the Mary MacKillop Penola Centre and the restored St Joseph's Schoolhouse, while the cottages of Petticoat Lane preserve the town's earliest streetscape.
Gateway to Coonawarra
Penola is also the historic gateway to Coonawarra, one of Australia's great wine regions, famous for the narrow band of red terra rossa soil that produces its celebrated Cabernet Sauvignon. The vineyards begin just north of town, with cellar doors strung along the Riddoch Highway and linked by the Coonawarra Rail Trail, which makes an easy walk or ride between tastings.
History and nature
Beyond the wine and the heritage streets, the grand Victorian mansion at Yallum Park and the bushland of Penola Conservation Park reward a slower visit. Around four hours from Adelaide, Penola is the natural base for exploring the region.
Visiting Penola - frequently asked questions
What is Penola known for?
Penola is best known as the town where Mary MacKillop, Australia's first saint, and Father Julian Tenison Woods founded the Sisters of St Joseph and opened a school for all children in 1866. It is also celebrated as the historic gateway to the Coonawarra wine region, famed for its terra rossa soil and Cabernet Sauvignon.
How far is Penola from Adelaide?
Penola sits in the Limestone Coast in South Australia's south-east, roughly 380 to 390 km from Adelaide. That is around a four to four-and-a-half hour drive, making it a natural base for exploring the surrounding wine country.
What is there to do in Penola?
You can trace the Mary MacKillop story at the Mary MacKillop Penola Centre and St Joseph's Schoolhouse, then wander the heritage cottages of Petticoat Lane. Wine lovers can follow the Coonawarra Rail Trail to nearby cellar doors, while history and nature fans can visit Yallum Park and Penola Conservation Park.
When is the best time to visit Penola and Coonawarra?
Coonawarra's mild climate makes Penola a year-round destination. The grape harvest period, generally from late summer into autumn, is a lively time to visit when the vineyards are at their busiest, though spring and autumn are also pleasant for walking the rail trail and heritage streets.
How close is Penola to the Coonawarra wineries?
The Coonawarra wine region begins just north of Penola, with the nearest cellar doors only a few kilometres away along the Riddoch Highway. Many of them are clustered along this single stretch of road, so they are easy to reach by car or by following the Coonawarra Rail Trail.
Things to do in Penola
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Stories from Penola
Penola's Petticoat Lane
A short lane of restored colonial cottages is the oldest corner of Penola, a window into the town before the vineyards and the saint who made it famous.
June 2026 · 5 min read
Mary MacKillop and the Little Town That Made a Saint
In a humble Penola schoolhouse, a young teacher named Mary MacKillop began a movement that would lead, more than a century later, to canonisation.
June 2026 · 6 min read
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Image credits
- Penola SA town centre.jpg by Alpha from Melbourne, Australia , CC BY-SA 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons