Find it at: Flagstaff Hill, South Australia
Sturt Gorge Recreation Park is internationally recognised as an area of conservation and geological significance. The park is also home to a rock formation, known as sturt tillite, that is believed to have been formed from glacial material dropped from ice floating in the ocean that covered South Australia 800 million years ago! WOW!
Sturt Gorge Recreation Park is located 13km south of Adelaide. Entry to the park is on foot, with with a number of pedestrian entry points readily available around the perimeter. For example, you can enter from Broadmeadow Drive, Black Road and Bonneyview Road in Flagstaff Hill, The Boulevard in Bellevue Heights and Craigburn Road in Craigburn Farm
You can ride your bike on roads open to the public or use the specific mountain bike trails and tracks on offer in the Sturt Gorge Recreation Park. Or walk among the steep slopes and shrubland, look out for the diverse range of native animals which come to drink at the waterholes along the Sturt River.
There are no facilities in the park. Please ensure you carry sufficient water, food and supplies for your entire visit. It is also a good idea to let a responsible person know of your intended movements and when you expect to return.
Although you cannot camp in the park you can explore many great bush walking hikes from moderate to hard from 15 minutes to 4 hours. There is also intermediate bike tracks from 400 m to 8 km.
We have picked the brains of our park rangers to find out what they would recommend you see and do whilst visiting this park.
- Hiking along the River Trail through the Sturt River and discovering the rugged beauty of Sturt Gorge.
- Taking a stroll around the lake away from the hustle and bustle.
- Getting out with the family and enjoying nature, be sure to look out for the diverse range of native animals.
- Riding your bike and experiencing a bit of everything the mountain bike trails have to offer.
- Exploring significant geological history and discovering rock formations believed to be 800 million years old.
- Visiting Craigburn Farm and admiring the magnificent views whilst riding your bike or taking a walk.
- Finding yourself submerged amongst nationally threatened greybox woodland along the Lomandra Trail.
- Riding your horse along the Surf and Turf Trail and enjoying the views of both the old pastures and of the sea.
- Walking your dog through the park (remember dogs must be on a lead at all times)
Check out the National Parks page for more info.
You might also be interested in
-
What a great adventure! Blackwood Forest Recreation Park is a fantastic suburban park located in Hawthorndene, just 12 kms from the Adelaide CBD The most striking feature of this park is the huge pine forest that is a great place for kids to explore. Lots of little cubbies and huts throughout to climb in and on, swings, creek, blackberries, mud and trees to climb too! Surprises around every corner. It's a popular spot for walking, jogging, horse riding, bike riding and off leash dogs so you'll need to share the space with others. There are quite a few nearby cafes and bakeries if you want to stop and get a cuppa or snack on the way and be aware there are no toilets so make sure you take care of business before you arrive. [wpgmza id="138" cat="8" marker="739" zoom="16"]
-
Find it at: River Road, Noarlunga Downs Head south this Spring to the Onkaparinga River National Park. The parks are located 35km south of Adelaide. Access to the Recreation Park from River Road, Noarlunga Downs and from Commercial and Sauerbiers Roads, Seaford Meadows. A kaleidoscope of nature's best with diverse hiking trails to the op of the cliff tops or down to permanent rock pools teeming with life. You’ll see rugged ridge tops and the narrow river valley of the spectacular Onkaparinga Gorge. Wherever you go, you’ll be among native wildlife such as birds, koalas, kangaroos and possums. There are Shared-use trails also offer opportunities for mountain bike riders and horse riders to enjoy the rugged beauty of the park. Just next door is the Onkaparinga River Recreation Park. The river spills onto the plains, creating wetland ponds and flood plains. The area conserves important fish breeding habitat and hundreds of native plant and animal species, many of which are rare. The Onkaparinga River estuary also provides habitat for endangered migratory birds. You can go fishing in the river, wander along the wetland boardwalks, ride a bicycle on the shared use trails, walk your dog (on a lead), kayak the…
-
Where: Chandlers Hill Road, Happy Valley After 120 odd years of just sitting there doing nothing besides provide us with an unlimited supply of clean drinking water (boring), Happy Valley Reservoir is open for activities! And wow haven't the public taken to it like a toddler to a pack of unattended textas. With almost 20km of trails, perfect for mixed uses including running, mountain biking, hiking (lots of it is pram friendly too!), this is going to be a really exciting community space for the south. We also hear that a Park Run is planned for the area which would be fantastic for the runners and walkers out there. But the real treat here is the Kayaking. With a number of launch points, the facilities here are fantastic, with toilets located along the 2x Chandlers Hill car parks as well as in 2x locations on the Happy Valley Drive side. For the hikers, choose from a range of well signed tracks, from 2km loops all the way up to the 11km Shoreline Loop. Kayakers - You will find your launch points at the 2 Chandlers Hill Road entry points. Fishing is allowed (woo hoo!) but you can't use stand up…
