Tanunda is a town situated in the Barossa Valley region of South Australia, 70 kilometres north-east of the state capital, Adelaide. The town derives its name from an Aboriginal word meaning water hole. The town's population is approximately 4000.
Settlement
The first settlement in what is today referred to as Tanunda was the village of Bethanien, settled in 1842. This village was settled by Prussian immigrants who arrived with Pastor Gotthard Fritzsche. Langmeil was the next settlement in 1843, which was settled by Prussian immigrants who relocated from Klemzig where they had originally settled in 1838, when they had arrived with Pastor August Kavel, Tanunda village was settled sometime later. Langmeil and Bethanien were both renamed during the Great War to Bilyara, and Bethany respectively. Langmeil had its name reverted from Bilyara in 1975.
As development of the Tanunda area continued, the villages of Langmeil and Tanunda were joined. Today the township is simply called Tanunda.
Industry
Tanunda and the Barossa Valley comprise one of Australia's premier wine-growing areas, and the town is surrounded by vineyards. One such vineyard, Turkey Flat, is home to Shiraz vines that were planted in 1847 and are believed to be the world's oldest continually producing commercial vineyard that has been authenticated.