South Australia (Adelaide Region)
Adelaide Hills
The beautiful Adelaide Hills are the part of the Mount Lofty Ranges closest to the city, just thirty minutes’ drive away, and for the most part accessible by train and the Hills Transit bus service (tel 08/8339 1191). Several tours heading for the Fleurieu Peninsula also take in the area. Many people live in the hills to take advantage of the cooler air, and there are some grand old summerhouses here. The Heysen Trail long-distance walk cuts across the hills, with a series of YHA hostels along it; most are run on a limited-access basis and the key must first be obtained from the Adelaide office, 38 Sturt St (tel 08/8231 5583). Due to the high fire risk in midsummer, the trail is closed from mid-December to April.
Leaving the city by Glen Osmond Road you soon start to wind steeply up on the way to the South Eastern Freeway, the main road to Melbourne. This was the traditional route to Melbourne – there’s an old tollhouse not far out of the city at Urrbrae and several fine old coaching hotels such as the Crafers Inn. At CRAFERS itself you can leave the freeway for the scenic Summit Road, which runs along the top of the hills, past the western side of the extensive Mount Lofty Botanic Gardens (daily 10am–4pm) to the Mount Lofty Lookout, the highest point of the range (727m). Hills Transit buses #820, #821 and #822 run from Adelaide bus terminal or Currie Street via Crafers and up Piccadilly Road, from where you can access the eastern side of the Botanic Gardens.

The turn-off to Cleland Wildlife Park (daily 9.30am–4.30pm; $7.50), part of the Cleland Conservation Park, is the first on the left after the lookout. Here you can cuddle a koala and see other Australian fauna: the two-hour guided night-time walks are the best way to see the mainly nocturnal animals at their most active ($11.50; booking essential; tel 08/8339 2444). The day-time Yurridla Trail tour (Wed & Sun 11am & 1.30pm) is led by trained Aboriginal guides who tell Dreaming stories to convey the ceremonial significance of the native animals you’ll meet on the tour. You can get up here as part of a tour with Festival Tours ($35 including visit to Hahndorf; tel 08/8374 1270), Adelaide Sightseeing ($25 including the summit of Mount Lofty; tel 08/8231 4144) or Premier Day Tours ($25 including Mount Lofty; call 08/8415 5566). Otherwise, take the Hills Transit bus #822.

The Morialta Conservation Park, north of here, is most easily reached by taking the #105 bus from Grenfell Street (35min), which goes right into the park along the scenic Morialta Falls Road; from the entrance it’s a two-kilometre bushwalk into the park to a lovely waterfall. By car you can approach the park along the equally impressive Norton Summit Road; the Scenic Hotel, clinging to the side of the hill at Norton Summit, is a great place to stop for a drink. Running off here, Colonial Drive leads to Fuzzies Farm, an experiment in co-operative living set on seventeen bush hectares and overseen by the philosophical Fuzzy. You can stay here and participate in activities such as carpentry, building, tending goats, or park conservation – or help to make equipment for the farm (even the swimming pool has been made by helpers). At weekends the common room doubles as a café (10am–6pm) open to non-residents, and those who want to find out more before staying – Fuzzy prefers helpers to stay for at least one week, but welcomes holidaying guests in the cottage.

South of Crafers, virtually in the southern suburbs of Adelaide, is Belair National Park (daily 8am–sunset; entry fee per car $5). Getting there is half the pleasure – you take a suburban train that winds upwards through tunnels and valleys with views of Adelaide and Gulf St Vincent (35min). From Belair Station, steps lead to the valley and the grassy recreation grounds and kiosk. With its joggers, man-made lake, hedge maze, forest nursery and Old Government House (open to visitors on Sun 12.30–4pm), a residence built in 1859 as a summer retreat for the governor, this seems more like a garden than a national park, though there are also some more secluded bush trails through gum forests.

Attractions & Sights
  • Belair National Park Within easy reach of Adelaide, Belair National Park is South Australia's oldest National Park. Its features include many recreational facilities such as tennis courts, barbecues and ovals set in scenic surrounds, Old Government House and a diverse variety of plant communities, birdlife and native animals. The park protects one of the few remaining areas of native vegetation in the Adelaide Hills. Admission is charged for motorised vehicles only. Upper Sturt Road, Glenalta; OPENING HOURS: Park office daily 8.30am to 4.30pm. Closed Christmas Day and days of total fire bans. Park open 8am until sunset.
  • Cleland Conservation Park Located 19 kilometres south-east of Adelaide, this scenic park of picturesque bushland houses an exciting collection of native animals and birds. A picnic area with free gas BBQs is provided and koalas are shown at close quarters from 10 am to 12noon and 2pm to 4pm. Guided walks at dusk, night and dawn may be booked in advance by phone. Part of Cleland Conservation Park, Waterfall Gully is one of the more popular waterfalls in the Adelaide foothills. Water flows year round but the cascade is at its most spectacular in the wetter winter months. Walk the many trails in the area. The more energetic can even walk to Eagle on the Hill. Dine in the nearby chalet style kiosk and restaurant - one of Adelaide's first purpose-built tourist landmarks dating back to early this century. Via Greenhill Road or Mount Lofty turnoff via South Eastern Freeway
    OPENING HOURS: Daily 9.30am to 5pm. Closed Christmas Day and on days of total fire ban in the Mount Lofty Ranges.
  • Horsnell Gully Conservation Park Horsnell Gully Conservation Park is approximately 10 kilometres east of Adelaide. This 245 hectare park is bounded by Coach, Woodshill and Horsnells Gully roads. The park was extensively cleared in the valleys for market gardening and dairying. However, the deeper, upper slopes of the park are relatively undisturbed, and provide a haven for many birds. The park can be explored by walking the fire tracks. Horsnells Cully Road, Skye; OPENING HOURS: Daily 8.30am to 5pm Closed on declared total fire ban days. All fires and pets prohibited
  • Morialta Conservation Park Located in the Adelaide foothills, 10 minutes drive from the city, Morialta Conservation Park has an extensive network of walking trails leading to three waterfalls within the park. The park offers excellent views, a picnic area, toilet facilities and kiosk. Stradbroke Road, Rostrevor; OPENING HOURS: Weekdays 8.30am to 5pm. Weekends & Public Holidays 8.30am to sunset. Closed on declared total fire ban days.
  • Warrawong Sanctuary Fourteen hectares of rehabilitated Australian bush, reintroduced animals of the Adelaide Hills and 50,000 native plants make Warrawong a botanical and zoological paradise. Endangered species like bettongs and potoroos inhabit the sanctuary. There are many ways to explore Warrawong. You can take a dawn walk, daytime walk, or nocturnal walk and really discover the Australian bush at its natural best. The Sanctuary, located southeast of Belair National Park on Stock Road, reached by Sturt Valley Road, Heather Road and Longwood Road, was set up in the late 1960s in an attempt to halt the loss of Australian wildlife: half of all the mammals that have become extinct in the last two centuries have been Australian. Guided bushwalks starting at dawn or sunset ($15) offer you the opportunity to try to spot the mostly nocturnal animals in their natural habitat; day-walks are also available (daily 1.30pm; $10).  There’s a licensed restaurant, and also accommodation in air-conditioned, en-suite tent-cabins. There’s no public transport or tour to Warrawong, though if you call the sanctuary they may arrange transport.

For more regional information on the Adelaide Hills, go to: