Top 10 Fleurieu walks and trails
Cliff sections, riverbeds, granite domes and one whole national park
Walks for everyone
The Fleurieu is small enough to drive across in an hour, but it has more genuine walking variety than regions ten times its size. There are clifftop sections of the 1,200-kilometre Heysen Trail, riverbeds carved by Permian glaciers, granite domes you can climb in twenty minutes, fern-fringed waterfalls, and a 4WD-only beach hike inside a national park. Our list mixes the casual half-hour stroll with the proper boots-and-water hike, so there is something here whether you have an hour or a whole day.
We have not ranked these by difficulty - we have ranked them by the order in which we would send a first-time visitor on them.
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1
Victor HarborThe Bluff (Rosetta Head)
A 30-minute steep climb to the summit of Rosetta Head delivers the best view on the peninsula. Whales between June and October. The single best short walk on the Fleurieu.
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2
Victor HarborWaitpinga Cliffs Walk
A 4-5 hour Heysen Trail clifftop section through Newland Head Conservation Park. Sandstone cliffs, sea eagles, kangaroos at dawn and arguably the best coastal scenery in the region.
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3
Cape JervisDeep Creek National Park
Fifteen marked trails through eucalypt forest, river valleys and ocean cliffs. Park entry fee applies. The largest protected wilderness on the peninsula and a must for serious walkers.
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4
Inman ValleyGlacier Rock (Selwyn Rock)
A 250-metre stroll to one of the oldest accessible glacial pavements in Australia, with a cafe at the trailhead. Easy enough for anyone, geologically extraordinary.
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5
Port ElliotHarbourmasters Walking Trail
A 1.9km sealed loop linking every Port Elliot bay - Horseshoe, Lady, Rocky, Green, Knights, Boomer. The easiest way to see the granite headlands of Port Elliot in one outing.
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6
Cape JervisHeysen Trail - Cape Jervis Trailhead
The official southern start of the 1,200km Heysen Trail. The first 12.5km section to Cobbler Hill is a serious day's walking; the trailhead itself is worth a stop for the photo.
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7
McLaren ValeOnkaparinga River National Park
Punchbowl Lookout and the Sundews Trail give you one of the best gorge views in the Adelaide Hills. Park entry fee applies. Combine with a McLaren Vale lunch.
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8
Willunga
Kuitpo Forest
3,600 hectares of working pine and remnant native forest with walking, bike and horse trails. Family-friendly, signposted and free. The Heysen Trail passes through it.
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9
Normanville & YankalillaIngalalla Falls
A 250-metre stroll to a tiered waterfall and rockpools in the Second Valley Forest Reserve. Free, family-friendly and a perfect picnic stop.
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10
GoolwaGoolwa Barrage
A 250-metre paved walk across a 1940 concrete barrage where fur seals lounge on the downstream side. Wheelchair-accessible, free and surprisingly moving.
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Image credits
- Kuitpo Forest Reserve by Mike Wilson , CC0 via Wikimedia Commons