Penola claims to be the oldest town on the Limestone Coast and has earned a strong reputation as a centre for culture and arts with its association with Australian poets Adam Lindsay Gordon, John Shaw Neilson and Will Ogilvie. Penola has significant religious significance as the place blessed Mary MacKillop, ‘a saint for all Australians’, co-founded the Congregation of the Sisters of Saint Joseph with Father Tenison Woods, a priest and scientist of some note. Penola is home to many quaint cottages, historical buildings and small boutiques shops through the main street. Explore Petticoat Lane to soak in the history of the village, smell the lavender farm and sample the products. The excellent visitor information centre should be your first stop. It houses a complete range of brochures, historical walks and the John Riddoch Interpretative Centre that details the district's development from early times to today. The town is also home to many quaint self-contained style accommodation and excellent coffee shops and art galleries. Make sure to stop by Poets Corner to see the first sculptures of the town's famous poets. Majestic red Gum trees that provide such character to the beautiful countryside surround Penola.