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Adelaide National Parks & Wildlife
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
Telephone: (08)
8278 5477
OPENING HOURS
Park office daily
8.30am to 4.30pm.
Closed Christmas
Day and days of
total fire bans.
Park open 8am until
sunset.
Black
Hill Conservation
Park
Only
a short distance from
the city centre, Black
Hill Conservation
Park has something
for everyone. The
park features walking
trails, picnic tables,
self guided walks,
scenic views and bushland.
Addison Avenue,
Athelstone
Telephone: (08)
8281 4022
OPENING HOURS
Daily 8.30am to
5pm Park will be
closed on declared
total fire ban days.
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
Telephone: (08)
8339 2444
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
Telephone: (08)
8281 4022
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
Telephone: (08)
8281 4022
OPENING HOURS
Weekdays 8.30am
to 5pm. Weekends
& Public Holidays
8.30am to sunset.
Closed on declared
total fire ban days.
Onkaparinga
National Park
The
Onkaparinga National
park is in the Sturt
NPWS district. It
is the biggest National
park within 40kms
of the city of Adelaide
and has been likened
to a walk in the Flinders
Ranges in micro.
The park features
a deep gorge ( for
the Mt Lofty Ranges)
with the biggest river
flowing west off the
Mt Lofty ranges. There
are a number of walks
which are well maintained
and at this time of
the year feature native
orchids.
There is also a waterfall
on the river proper
with a number of small
cascades on the numerous
small tributaries
running to the river.
The river has cut
down to glacial deposits
that are aged at about
500 million years. These are geological
monuments in themselves.
There is provision
for abseiling and
for the more energetic,reasonably
fit walker the bottom
of the gorge is a
challenge; especially
when the river is
flooding.
Currently this park
is being rehabilitated
by the NPWS and a
large volunteer group.
The area was originally
used for pastoral
and logging pursuits
and is infested with
olives through much
of its length. However,
because of its relative
size it is possible
to walk in a bushland
setting for three
+ hours without sighting
more than the occasional
olive tree.
There is a large population
of western grey kangaroo,
echidna and the occasional
koala moves through
the area as well.
The bird population
is large with over
180 different species
identified by members
of the volunteer group
some of whom are members
of the RAOA. Reptiles
are well represented
by brown and red bellied
snakes, lizards and
skinks of all sizes.
This park has a sister
park - the Onkaparinga
Recreation Park. This
park is on the western
side of the Main South
Road and like the
National Park straddles
the river. In this
case the park is the
estuary; making the
Onkaparinga park systems
the only system in
the Adelaide region
where a walker can
walk from the Mt Lofty
range ecosystem to
the sea.
A feature if the Recreation
park are the personmade
wetland lakes of which
there are five. The
largest complex has
an island and a duckboard
trail through the
swamp areas. The river
itself is a haven
for birds and fish.
Apart from walking
the visitor can picnic,
fish etc.,
Photo courtesy - SA Tourism
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