Details
Location: Gate 7, Piggott Range Rd, Onkaparinga Hills
Tracks: Nature Hike, Part of the Sundews Trail to the Lookout.
Grade: Medium
Time: 1 hour
Length: 3.5 km
Map: http://www.environment.sa.gov.au/parks/pdfs/BROCHURE_ONKAPARINGA.PDF
http://www.communitywebs.org/OnkaparingaParks/pdf_files/OnkWalks.pdf
Description
Leaving from Gate 6 or 7 on Piggott Range Rd, the Nature Hike provides spectacular scenery. The bird life is prolific and the kangaroos are plentiful. You will always see at least two or three if you are on the look out. If you are lucky there are also echidnas and lizards to be seen as well. Parts of the trail are quite rugged and hilly, so good walking shoes are essential. The trail overlooks the Gorge and is set amongst Peppermint Gum and Sheok.
Our Story
I love this walk! In fact all of the walks in this area leaving both from Gate 6 and 7 are my favourites. I guess it helps that they are only a 5 minute drive from our home. Another reason is the amount of choices. You can choose one trail or three, they all link together. You can choose easy or challenging. You can go for an hour or three or all day. Take your pick!
The Nature Hike takes you through a variety of bushland. We started from Gate 6, so once we got off the starting main track, we were going through flat trails surrounded by smaller trees and shrubs. The track then enters a really narrow avenue surrounded closely on all sides by prickly shrubs. The trees hang over each other creating a canopy over the trail.
After emerging from this, the terrain opened up into a grassy area and to our left, our first lot of kangaroos.
As we began the rounded to the other side of the loop, we saw the next track we want to do - the Gorge Access Track! It is not listed as one of the regular walks, but the trail is marked on the map as well as labelled within the park.
We took the narrow, almost hidden Nature Trail and were treated to a completely different terrain. This section is rocky, hilly and the trees and large and thick! The birdlife, once again, is incredible. We saw the first of the bird houses that have been placed high in the trees and were lucky to get some good shots of the most gorgeous birds.
Eventually, the trail led us to some old ruins. Initially we thought they may have been an old home, but as we got closer we realised it was more recent. The foundations are concrete and we saw what looked an old electricity cable in the trees. It would be interesting to do some research and find out what it was used for.
From here, we turned left and began to head to the Sundews Lookout. However, we were completely sidetracked and delayed by even more kangaroos. There were about a dozen. Amazing and beautiful creatures!
The lookout is phenomenal! The views amazing. And the monument really interesting and informative about a bit of the history of the ownership of the area. It is a lovely place to sit and soak in the energy and views of the Onkaparinga River National Park.
Slideshow with more photos
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