Waterfall Gully to Mount Lofty

Starting from the Waterfall Gully Car park at the end of Waterfall Gully Road Waterfall Gully, this walk leads to Mount Lofty and back via the Waterfall Gully Track. This highly popular walk attracts a wide range of people. Keep an eye out for kangaroos, koalas, lizards, birds. If you’re lucky, you may even spot an echidna or a rare southern brown bandicoot. You will be greeted by panoramic views overlooking the Adelaide plains and Gulf St Vincent from the Mount Lofty summit. A significant upgrade of the trail was recently completed, including elevated boardwalks and directional and interpretative signage replacement. If you need to take a break, there are plenty of seats along the path and a cafe at each end. There is a steady ascent throughout the entire walk to the summit. Still, the track is well-maintained and comfortable to walk on. Let us begin by acknowledging the Traditional Custodians of the land on which we travel today, and pay our respects to their Elders past and present.

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Safer Bushwalks Tips on staying safe on track
Before you start any bushwalk ensure you;
• Tell someone you trust where you are going and what to do if you are overdue
• Have adequate equipment, supplies, skills & knowledge for the whole journey
• Consider the impact of weather forecasts, park/track closures & fire dangers
• Can respond to emergencies & call for help at any point
• Are healthy and fit enough for this journey
If not, change plans and stay safe. It is okay to delay and ask people for help.

Getting There Transport options and directions

Start	(-34.9691964,138.6801785)
Mode	Car
Directions	From Portrush Road, A17 Turn on to Greenhill Road, B26 then drive for 1.6 km At roundabout, take exit 3 onto Glynburn Road and drive for another 245 m At roundabout, take exit 1 onto Waterfall Terrace and drive for another 140 m Turn right onto Waterfall Gully Road and drive for another 3.8 km Turn slight right onto Waterfall Gully Carpark and drive for another 90 m

Track Notes Turn by turn instructions & maps

An optional side trip taking you to Castle Rock, for panoramic views.

Turn map	Directions & comments
	Start. After 105 m pass the "Kiosk" (10 m on your left).
	Veer left. Then head down the steps (about 15 m long) After another 30 m head up the steps (about 20 m long)
	After another 15 m continue straight, to head along Waterfall Gully Trail. After another 100 m cross the bridge (about 55 m long) Then pass the "First Falls" (15 m on your right). After another 15 m come to the "First Falls" (on your left). Then cross the bridge (about 15 m long)
	The starting point of an optional sidetrip. An optional side trip taking you to Castle Rock, for panoramic views. To start this optional side trip continue straight here. On returning from this side trip turn sharp left when you get back to this intersection. Details below. After another 20 m continue straight, to head along Waterfall Gully Trail.
	After another 270 m turn right, to head along Waterfall Gully Trail. Then head up the surface\|paved steps (about 50 m long)
	Turn left, to head along Waterfall Gully Trail. After another 115 m pass the "Second Falls" (55 m on your left). After another 50 m pass a seat (on your right). After another 25 m find a seat.
	After another 75 m (at the intersection of Yurrebilla Trail & Waterfall Gully Trail) continue straight, to head along Waterfall Gully Trail. After another 60 m pass a seat (8 m on your right). After another 235 m pass a seat (15 m on your right).
	After another 70 m (at the intersection of Waterfall Gully Trail & Chinamans Hut Track) continue straight, to head along Waterfall Gully Trail. After another 80 m cross the bridge (about 8 m long) After another 165 m pass a seat (on your right). After another 225 m cross the bridge (about 500 m long) Then pass a seat (on your right). After another 330 m pass a seat (on your right). After another 165 m find a seat. Then cross the bridge (about 15 m long)
	The starting point of an optional sidetrip. A side trip taking you to Cleland Wildlife Park. You can even hold a koala for a price! To start this optional side trip veer left here. On returning from this side trip turn left when you get back to this intersection. Details below. After another 20 m (at the intersection of Waterfall Gully Trail & Bilba Track) veer right, to head along Waterfall Gully Trail. After another 15 m pass a seat (on your left). After another 185 m cross the ford. After another 20 m cross the ford. After another 40 m cross the bridge (about 6 m long) After another 85 m pass a "Clare's Bench" (on your left). After another 260 m pass a seat (on your left).
	After another 155 m continue straight, to head along Waterfall Gully Trail.
	After another 145 m (at the intersection of Chinamans Hut Track & Waterfall Gully Trail) continue straight, to head along Waterfall Gully Trail. After another 160 m pass a seat (7 m on your left).
	After another 60 m continue straight, to head along Waterfall Gully Trail. After another 40 m pass the "Mt Lofty Cottage YHA" (55 m on your right).
	After another 3 m (at the intersection of Steub Trail & Nangare Track) continue straight, to head along Waterfall Gully Trail.
	After another 105 m continue straight, to head along Waterfall Gully Trail. Then head down the surface\|paved steps (about 25 m long) After another 110 m pass a seat (6 m on your right).
	After another 125 m (at the intersection of Waterfall Gully Trail & The Discovery Walk) turn sharp right, to head along Waterfall Gully Trail. After another 45 m pass the "The Mount Lofty Summit Restaurant and Café" (25 m on your left). W:www.mountloftysummit.com
	After another 3 m continue straight.
	Turn around here and retrace the main route for 3.9 km to get back to the start. About 20 m past the end is a seat. About 20 m past the end is a viewpoint. About 25 m past the end is "Mount Lofty". About 35 m past the end is a water tap. About 55 m past the end is "Mount Lofty Summit Visitor Information Centre".
	Start.
	After another 470 m come to the end. About 25 m past the end is "Castle Rock". Turn around and retrace your steps back the 470 m to the main route.

A side trip taking you to Cleland Wildlife Park. You can even hold a koala for a price!

Turn map	Directions & comments
	At the intersection of Bilba Track & Waterfall Gully Trail Start heading along Bilba Track (a vehicle track).
	After another 315 m continue straight, to head along Bilba Track.
	After another 170 m (at the intersection of Bilba Track & Steub Trail) turn left, to head along Steub Trail (a highway\|cycleway). After another 190 m pass the toilet (130 m on your right). About 95 m past the end is a cafe.
	Turn around, to head along Steub Trail.
	After another 15 m come to the end. Turn around and retrace your steps back the 750 m to the main route.

Terrain Know the Hills, grading & facilities

Waterfall Gully to Mount Lofty

Grading

	Class 3/6 Moderate track
Length	7.8 km
Time	3 h to 4 h 30 min

Quality of track	Clear and well formed track or trail (2/6)
Gradient	Short steep hills (3/6)
Signage	Clearly signposted (1/6)
Infrastructure	Generally useful facilities (such as fenced cliffs and seats) (1/6)
Experience Required	No experience required (2/6)
Weather	Weather generally has little impact on safety (2/6)

Some facilities on route

Hostel: There is one 3.5 km from the start.

Toilet: There is one 2.3 km (plus an extra 680 m along side route) from the start.

Seat: There are 14 on route, on average they are 520 m apart with the largest gap of 3.9 km.

Order of key facilities on route

Item	From Start	Name & link to notes
Seat	760 m	[seat]
Seat	790 m	[seat]
Seat	920 m	[seat]
Seat	1.2 km	[seat]
Seat	1.5 km	[seat]
Seat	1.8 km	[seat]
Seat	2.1 km	[seat]
Seat	2.3 km	[seat]
Toilet	2.3 km + 680 m	[toilet]
Seat	2.3 km	[seat]
Seat	2.7 km	Clare's Bench
Seat	2.9 km	[seat]
Seat	3.4 km	[seat]
Hostel	3.5 km	Mt Lofty Cottage YHA
Seat	3.7 km	[seat]
Seat	3.9 km	[seat]

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Weather & Alerts Check forecasts & closures
Weather Forecast
- Stirling Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat Sun Mon
  
  Monday 7 October
  
  Partly cloudy.
  
  Partly cloudy. Slight chance of a shower in the south, near zero chance elsewhere. Winds south to southwesterly 20 to 25 km/h tending south to southeasterly 15 to 20 km/h in the evening.
  
  Tuesday 8 October
  
  6°C → 16°C
  Mostly sunny.
  5% chance of rain
  
  Cloud clearing. Winds south to southeasterly 15 to 20 km/h tending east to southeasterly 15 to 25 km/h early in the morning. Overnight temperatures falling to between 5 and 8 with daytime temperatures reaching between 15 and 19.
  
  Fire Danger Rating: Moderate
  
  UV Alert: Sun protection 9:40am to 4:20pm, UV Index predicted to reach 7 [High]
  
  Wednesday 9 October
  
  7°C → 23°C
  Sunny.
  0% chance of rain
  
  Sunny. Winds easterly 15 to 20 km/h tending northeasterly 20 to 30 km/h early in the morning then tending northerly 20 to 25 km/h in the late evening. Overnight temperatures falling to between 5 and 8 with daytime temperatures reaching the low to mid 20s.
  
  Thursday 10 October
  
  11°C → 16°C
  Mostly sunny.
  10% chance of rain
  
  Mostly sunny. Winds north to northwesterly 20 to 30 km/h shifting south to southwesterly 25 to 35 km/h during the morning. Overnight temperatures falling to around 11 with daytime temperatures reaching between 16 and 19.
  
  Friday 11 October
  
  5°C → 17°C
  Partly cloudy.
  5% chance of rain
  
  Partly cloudy. Winds southerly 15 to 25 km/h turning southeasterly 15 to 20 km/h during the evening. Overnight temperatures falling to between 5 and 9 with daytime temperatures reaching between 16 and 20.
  
  Saturday 12 October
  
  7°C → 21°C
  Partly cloudy.
  10% chance of rain
  
  Partly cloudy.
  
  Sunday 13 October
  
  12°C → 23°C
  Partly cloudy.
  30% chance of rain
  0 → 1mm
  
  Partly cloudy.
  
  Monday 14 October
  
  12°C → 24°C
  Mostly sunny.
  20% chance of rain
  
  Mostly sunny.
  
  Forecast data thanks to © Australian Government Bureau of Meteorology
Alerts
- South Australia NPWS
  When planning and before starting your trip please check South Australia NPWS closure website for anything that may impact on your plans.

Weather Forecast

Alerts