Watercolour Workshop Heysen Trail & Flinders Ranges with Chan
Heysen Trail & Flinders Ranges Watercolour Workshop
- Adelaide Hills, Flinders Ranges & Clare Valley, South Australia
- 19 – 28 August 2027
- 9 Nights
Join us for an unforgettable 10-day painting retreat tracing the landscape legacy of Sir Hans Heysen through South Australia's most iconic painting country. Based in Hahndorf, Wilpena Pound and the Clare Valley, you'll paint ancient ochre gorges, historic homesteads and vineyard villages while enjoying relaxed tuition, scenic travel days and a private guided tour of The Cedars — Heysen's historic studio and homestead.
- The Cedars, Hahndorf – Private guided tour of Heysen's historic homestead and working studio with garden painting session.
- Wilpena Pound – Four nights at Discovery Resorts Wilpena Pound, surrounded by the ancient amphitheatre of the Flinders Ranges.
- Brachina Gorge & Cazneaux Tree – Paint the iconic red-walled gorge and the great River Red Gum that Heysen himself painted.
- Arkaba Hills & Blinman – Dramatic colour-shifting slopes and SA's highest historic copper-mining village with panoramic views.
- Clare Valley – Sevenhill Cellars (1851), Mintaro village and an optional Barossa Valley excursion on the final painting day.
💰 Pricing Options
🎨 AU$ 3,999 (Twin Share Per Person) 🏡 AU$ 4,999 (Single Room) 🖌️ AU$ 2,599 (Painting Only — no accommodation)
🌟 Non-Painting Partner Discount: AU$ 350 Off!
🎨 Heysen Trail & Flinders Ranges Watercolour Painting Workshop
A 10-day painting journey through South Australia’s most iconic landscape country
📍 Adelaide Hills · Flinders Ranges · Clare Valley | 19 – 28 August 2027 | 9 Nights
🚨 Limited to 14 participants – early booking strongly recommended!
🖼️ Tour Overview
Join us for an unforgettable 10-day watercolour workshop tracing the landscape legacy of
Sir Hans Heysen — Australia’s most celebrated landscape painter — from the
dappled gum trees of the Adelaide Hills to the
ancient ochre walls of the Flinders Ranges and the wine-country villages of the
Clare Valley. With red rock gorges, vast outback skies and historic stone townships, South Australia offers one of the world’s most paintable and deeply Australian backdrops for artists.
Whether you’re a beginner or an experienced painter, our tutor’s warm and observant teaching style will help you build confidence, refine technique and capture the drama and beauty of the Australian landscape with clarity and creativity.
- 🏨 Full tour package including quality accommodation, transport, selected meals & all workshop sessions
🌟 Tour Highlights
✔️ The Cedars — Private Studio Visit: A rare private guided tour of Sir Hans Heysen’s historic homestead and working studio, followed by a plein air painting session in the garden
✔️ Wilpena Pound: Four nights at Discovery Resorts Wilpena Pound, surrounded by the ancient amphitheatre of the Flinders Ranges
✔️ Brachina Gorge & Cazneaux Tree: Paint the iconic gorge passages and the great River Red Gum that Heysen himself painted
✔️ Expert Guidance: Daily demonstrations and personalised on-location tuition from watercolourist Chan Dissanayake
✔️ Quality Accommodation: Three nights in Hahndorf · four nights at Wilpena Pound Resort · two nights in Clare Valley
✔️ Small Group Experience: Maximum 14 participants for personalised attention in an intimate and supportive learning environment
From our gallery
Step into the creative journey of our watercolor workshops with a collection of inspiring moments captured during our painting tours. The gallery showcases breathtaking artworks created by participants, picturesque landscapes from our tour locations, and behind-the-scenes glimpses of our immersive painting sessions led by Chan Dissanayake.
Tour Plan
DAY 1 – 19 August
🛬 Arrival in Adelaide · Transfer to Hahndorf 🍷 Welcome Drinks & 🍽️ Dinner
Guests fly into Adelaide and transfer to Hahndorf in the Adelaide Hills (~30 min). Check in to our centrally located hotel in the heart of Australia's most celebrated German-heritage village — elm-lined main street, stone shopfronts and galleries all within easy walking distance. In the early evening, we gather for welcome drinks 🍷 followed by an included group dinner 🍽️. Chan introduces the tour's painting plan and participants meet their fellow travellers — a perfect start to an inspiring creative journey.DAY 2 – 20 August
DAY 3 – 21 August
DAY 4 – 22 August
🚌 Long Transfer · Burra Heritage Sketch Stop 🎨 · Arrive Wilpena Pound 🏕️
An early 9am departure from Hahndorf marks the start of our journey into outback South Australia. We break the drive at Burra 🏚️ (~2.5 hrs north) — one of SA's finest historic towns, with magnificent Cornish-era stone buildings and a creek setting — for a 3-4-hour lunch and sketch session. We continue north to Wilpena Pound Resort, arriving mid-afternoon. Check in and take an orientation walk — ancient River Red Gums, Pound wall views and the Old Station ruins. Early dinner and rest. Big painting days ahead.DAY 5 – 23 August
🎨 Old Wilpena Station · Wilpena Pound Interior Walk
Morning at Old Wilpena Station 🏚️ — the historic pastoral ruins (blacksmith's cottage, stables, homestead remains) set against the dramatic Pound walls. A natural starting point for the Heysen landscape narrative. After lunch, we walk into the Pound interior for close-up views of the ancient amphitheatre walls and cycad palms. Chan leads a demonstration on painting red rock and warm desert light 🎨. Evening at the resort.DAY 6 – 24 August
🏜️ Brachina Gorge · The Cazneaux Tree — Full Day Excursion 🌳
A spectacular full-day excursion north into the heart of the Ranges. Morning at Brachina Gorge 🏜️ — narrow red-walled passages, billion-year-old fossil beds and dry creek studies. Keep watch for yellow-footed rock-wallabies among the ancient rocks. Afternoon at the Cazneaux Tree 🌳 — the great River Red Gum made famous by Harold Cazneaux's 1937 photograph Spirit of Endurance, a subject Heysen himself painted. The gorge intimacy and solitary grandeur of the Cazneaux Tree make for a powerfully contrasting painting day. Return to resort late afternoon.DAY 7 – 25 August
DAY 8 – 26 August
🚌 Transfer · Arrive Clare Valley 🍷
Morning checkout from Wilpena Pound Resort. A comfortable 3 hr 45 min drive south through the mid-north wine country brings us to the Clare Valley 🍇 by mid-afternoon. Check in to accommodation in Clare township. A relaxed evening to explore the historic main street, cellar doors and stone buildings at your own pace. Dinner at leisure — Clare township has excellent dining options within easy walking distance of the accommodation.DAY 9 – 27 August
🎨 Clare Valley — Sevenhill Cellars, Mintaro Village 🍷 · Farewell Dinner 🍽️
A beautiful finale painting day among the wine country. Morning at Sevenhill Cellars ⛪ (built 1851) — exceptional bluestone architecture and vineyard panoramas, superb for watercolour. Afternoon at Mintaro 🏘️ — one of South Australia's finest intact 19th-century villages — or the historic copper town of Burra for those seeking outback stone-building studies. In the evening, we gather for our included farewell dinner 🍽️ at a Clare Valley restaurant — a memorable celebration of the tour, new friendships and the artworks created across ten extraordinary days.DAY 10 – 28 August
Gallery
Step into the creative journey of our watercolor workshops with a collection of inspiring moments captured during our painting tours. The gallery showcases breathtaking artworks created by participants, picturesque landscapes from our tour locations, and behind-the-scenes glimpses of our immersive painting sessions led by Chan Dissanayake.
💰 Pricing Options
We offer flexible packages to suit your needs:| 🧾 Package Type | 💵 Price (AUD) | 🧳 Inclusions |
|---|---|---|
| 🎨 Full Package – Twin Share | $3,999 pp | • Accommodation (9 nights) - All painting sessions & daily demonstrations - Private guided tour of The Cedars — Heysen's homestead & studio - Daily breakfast - Welcome dinner (D1) - Burra lunch stop (D4) - Farewell dinner in Clare Valley (D9) - All local transport during the tour |
| 🧍 Full Package – Single Room | $4,999 pp | • All inclusions from the Twin Share package - Private room throughout |
| 🖌️ Painting Only | $2,599 pp | • All painting sessions & daily demonstrations - Private guided tour of The Cedars — Heysen's homestead & studio - Burra lunch stop (D4) - Farewell dinner in Clare Valley (D9) - All local transport during the tour - Accommodation & breakfast not included |
| 👫 Non-Painting Partner | –$350 | • Discount for partner sharing a room but not participating in painting sessions |
📌 What's Included
- 9 nights in quality accommodation (Adelaide Hills 3 nights · Wilpena Pound 4 nights · Clare Valley 2 nights)
- Daily breakfast throughout the tour
- Welcome drinks & dinner — Hahndorf (D1)
- Burra lunch stop on transfer day (D4)
- Farewell dinner in Clare Valley (D9)
- Private guided tour of The Cedars — Sir Hans Heysen's historic homestead and working studio
- Daily painting sessions and demonstrations
- All local transport during the tour
❌ Not Included
- Airfare to/from Adelaide, Australia
- Art materials (please bring your own)
- Travel insurance (highly recommended)
- Airport transfers (available on request)
- Personal expenses and additional meals not specified above
📅 Cancellation Policy
- More than 90 days before: Full refund (minus holding deposit)
- 30–90 days before: 50% refund
- Less than 30 days before: No refund
🔄 If We Need to Cancel
- Full refund, OR
- Option to transfer to a future workshop at no cost