Cleland Conservation Park

Open 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

However, some of the attractions within the park have varied opening hours:

• Mount Lofty Summit Cafe and Restaurant opening hours
• Cleland Wildlife Park opening hours
• Waterfall Gully opening hours

Closures and safety

This park is closed on days of Catastrophic Fire Danger and may also be closed on days of Extreme Fire Danger.

You can determine the current fire danger rating by checking the Fire Ban District map on the CFS website.

Check the CFS website or call the CFS Bushfire Information Hotline 1800 362 361 for:

• Information on fire bans and current fire conditions
• Current CFS warnings and incidents
• Information on what to do in the event of a fire.

Listen to your local area radio station for the latest updates and information on fire safety.

Visitor information, bookings and park management:

Black Hill Natural Resources Centre
Phone: (+61 8) 8336 0901
Email: DEW.AMLRBlackHillOffice@sa.gov.au 

Emergency contacts:

Medical, fire (including bushfire) and police emergency situations
Phone: Triple Zero (000)

Police Assistance
Phone: 131 444 for non-urgent police assistance

National Parks and Wildlife Service SA – After-hours duty officer
Phone: 0427 556 676 

Injured wildlife:

Within the park
Please contact Black Hill Natural Resource Centre on (08) 8336 0901 or the after-hours duty officer on 0427 556 676 (outside of business hours)

Outside of the park
Please contact a local wildlife rescue group

Although this park is great to visit all your round, visiting in winter and spring will ensure waterfalls are flowing and the moss and fern filled valleys are flourishing with new life. 

Cleland Conservation Park is located 22km south east of Adelaide. Major access points are via Mount Lofty Summit Road and Waterfall Gully Road, however a number of other access points off Greenhill and Old Mt Barker Roads are available depending on where you want to walk or ride.

If you're in your own vehicle, you can find this park on the map.

• Park map

There is also public transport to this park from the Adelaide city centre. 

• Adelaide Metro bus and train services

Cleland Conservation Park - a view from above

Parks are for all to enjoy, we would love to hear from you about your experience in nature. You can share your comments, pictures and videos with us and others by tagging @NationalParksSA on Facebook,  Instagram or email us.

Facilities

Parking

There are two accessible parking spaces located at the Waterfall Gully carpark.

Toilets

There are two toilets located at the Waterfall Gully carpark. One is an accessible toilet (left hand) and the other is an ambulant toilet.

Waterfall Gully trails

Take the bitumen trail (300m) which climbs from the car park to the first falls pool and back. You might need some assistance may because of the gradient.

Cleland Wildlife Park

There are many accessible facilities, activities and an access map: please visit Cleland Wildlife Park.

Mount Lofty Summit

The Mount Lofty summit lookout is accessible. There are accessible parking spaces and accessible toilets 

Dogs are not permitted in this park.

Discover which parks you can walk your dog in on our find a park tool or read 12 dog-friendly walks in Adelaide Parks by Good Living for inspiration.

Assistance dogs are permitted in most public places and are therefore welcome in South Australia’s parks and reserves. Assistance dogs must be appropriately restrained on a lead and remain under your effective control at all times while in a park or reserve.

As per the dogs in parks and reserves policy, if the dog is not an accredited assistance dog, they must be trained to assist a person with a disability to alleviate that disability and meet standards of hygiene and behaviour appropriate for a dog in a public place. However, refusal may be given if the person with the disability is unable to produce evidence the dog is an assistance dog with the appropriate training.

Before taking your assistance dog into a park that does not normally allow dogs, it is highly recommended that you contact us so we can provide you with the latest information on any potential hazards within specific parks that may affect your dog. Please contact the park via the contact details provided under the contact tab or call the information line on (+61 8) 8204 1910.

Waterfall Gully

At Waterfall Gully there are lookout platforms, toilets, picnic shelter, foot paths, information and seating provided. The location of these facilities can be found within our park maps.

• Park maps

Utopia restaurant provides beverages and meals and can be contacted for bookings.

Mt Lofty Summit

At Mt Lofty Summit, a lookout area, toilets, walking trails, information and seating are provided. The location of these facilities can be found within our park maps.

• Park maps

Cleland Wildlife Park

Cleland Wildlife Park has extensive facilities to make your visit as enjoyable as possible.

Please note public transport is available to the Mt Lofty Summit area and Cleland Wildlife Park only.

• Mobile phone coverage can be patchy and unreliable in this park, especially if you are in low-lying areas.

• Mount Lofty Summit
• Waterfall Gully
• Cleland Wildlife Park
• Read about 5 treasures in Cleland Conservation Park as featured on the Good Living blog.
• Explore what other nature and outdoor activities are available in this area on the South Australia Tourism website.  

• Parks management plans
• Trails SA
• SA Marine Parks

• Important: Collection of firewood within National Parks is prohibited. Dead wood plays a vital role in providing shelter for animals and adding nutrients to the soil.

Plants

The flora on the higher slopes is predominantly stringybark forest with a complex understorey of small trees and shrubs. The lower woodlands on the northern side of the park contain significant stands of blue gums and manna gum which give way to open grasslands.

Animals

The fauna within the park ranges from a variety of birdlife, such as superb blue wrens, grey fantails and white throated tree creepers, to foraging mammals, such as the echidna and the endangered southern brown bandicoot. You may be lucky enough to see kangaroos bounding along in the distance and keep your eyes open for sleepy koalas high in the trees. 

Flora and fauna species lists

To download flora (plants) and fauna (animals) species lists for this park, use the 'Create Simple Species List' tab under 'Flora Tools' or 'Fauna Tools'  in NatureMaps. 

If you are looking to visit Cleland Conservation Park for educational purposes, you might like to check out our Educational Pack tailored to Cleland. This pack was developed for schools and families by park rangers and the Natural Resources Adelaide and Mt Lofty Ranges’ NRM Education team. 

Learning in nature virtual tour

This virtual tour has been created as a resource for teachers to assist with outdoor learning. This tour can be used before and after visiting Cleland Conservation Park, and can even be used by students in the classroom. 

This tour complements the 'Learning in nature at Cleland Conservation Park - professional development (PD) for teachers' resource. The PD resource and this virtual tour contain a number of activity stops based around learning concepts tied back to the curriculum. This virtual tour also contains additional information about plants and animals which you can find along this trail and within Cleland Conservation Park. 

• Cleland Conservation Park - Learning in nature virtual tour

Phytophthora (fy-TOFF-thora), otherwise known as root-rot fungus, is killing our native plants and threatens the survival of animals depending on plants for food and shelter.

This introduced fungus can be found in plant roots, soil and water. Help stop the spread by using hygiene stations, staying on tracks and trails and by complying with all Phytophthora management signs.

• Phytophthora brochure

Aboriginal peoples have occupied, enjoyed and managed the lands and waters of this State for thousands of generations. For Aboriginal first nations, creation ancestors laid down the laws of the Country and bestowed a range of customary rights and obligations to the many Aboriginal Nations across our state. 

There are many places across the State that have great spiritual significance to Aboriginal first nations.  At some of these places Aboriginal cultural protocols, such as restricted access, are promoted and visitors are asked to respect the wishes of Traditional Owners.

In places where protocols are not promoted visitors are asked to show respect by not touching or removing anything, and make sure you take all your rubbish with you when you leave.

Aboriginal peoples continue to play an active role in caring for their Country, including in parks across South Australia. 

• DEW Park management
• DEW Aboriginal partnerships

On the 27th of March 1802, Matthew Flinders, sailing of the south coast of South Australia, sighted Mount Lofty.  Some time after, in 1831, Captain Collett Barker and two associates, Kent and Davis, made the first European ascent of Mount Lofty. They noted in this climb that one tree had a girth of nearly 15 metres, which introduced the area for logging.

Construction of roads started in 1839 with the development of the Waterfall Gully Road and then Greenhill Road in 1858 allowing improved access. Land ownership is difficult to trace, however, in 1856, Arthur Hardy used the land for sheep grazing and was known for building Mount Lofty House. He was reputed as being one of Adelaide's richest men of the time.

Sir Samuel Davenport owned much of Cleland Conservation Park in the latter half of the nineteenth century. Davenport was instrumental in establishing orchards and gardens in the gullies, where he tried growing imported plants such as tobacco, mulberry trees for silk worms, and grapes. Davenport continued to graze sheep in the northern section of the park and employed a shepherd named John Keir, whose cottage ruins are still evident in Cleland today.

Despite many changes to the landscape from mining, logging and grazing, Waterfall Gully was noted as a place of amusement and recreation of the public. The area was managed by the City of Burnside and became a National Pleasure Resort in 1912. It was at this time the kiosk (Utopia restaurant today) was built. It wasn't until the 1960s and the continued efforts of JB Cleland to protect its conservation value that it became the Cleland Wildlife Reserve in 1963.

We have picked the brains of our park rangers to find out what they would recommend you see and do whilst visiting this park.

• Visit Cleland during winter and spring to experience the creeks and waterfalls that exist in the park at their best.
• Challenge yourself on one of South Australia's most popular walking trails - Waterfall Gully to Mt Lofty summit.
• Admire the views of both Mount Lofty and Adelaide whilst walking and riding along numerous trails throughout the park.
• Explore the network of mountain bike trails in the park.  Popular trails include the Cleland link trail between Crafers and Mt Lofty, the Wine Shanty trail, the Chambers loop trail and the Adventure trail.
• Admire fauna within the park ranging from a variety of birdlife such as superb blue wrens, grey fantails and white throated tree creepers. you can also see foraging mammals such as the echidna and the endangered southern brown bandicoot. You may even be lucky to spot a sleepy koala or two.
• Check out Nature Play SA's 40 things to do in Cleland Conservation Park.

Walks in the park range from easy walks to more challenging hikes like the Waterfall Gully to Mount Lofty Summit hike. While you're bushwalking in the park, you’ll be rewarded with magnificent views of native woodlands and forests, perched swamps and waterfalls.

• Walk, hike or trek - what's the difference?
• Bushwalking safety
• Bushwalking minimum impact code
• Park trail maps

Easy walks

Discovery Walk (40 mins, 1km)

Discover the vegetation just below the Mt Lofty summit lookout. This short loop walk enables you to sit, relax and take in the view on the number of seats provided.

Moderate hikes

Crafers to Mt Lofty link trail (2 hr 30 mins, 4.5km)

This trail provides an excellent alternative for visitors to walk or ride from Crafers to Mt Lofty summit avoiding the busy roads to get there. Starting opposite the Crafers bus stop, visitors can experience the serenity of the bush by walking or riding through Cleland Conservation Park. The trail consists of natural surfaces, existing fire tracks and areas of well formed trails.

Steub Trail (3 hours, 7km return)

Named in honor of park benefactor, Mr Ludwig Reinwald Steub, this trail gently climbs through heathy forest woodland communities from the Cleland Wildlife Park to Mount Lofty Summit. The trail has been designed with gentle, low-gradient access making it possible for those with reduced mobility to reach the summit. 

Walkers, runners, and cyclists are rewarded with wonderful views over the southern ridges of the park and out to the Adelaide plains. 

Harford Trail (1 hour, 1.5km)

This link provides access between Cleland Wildlife Park and the Waterfall Gully to Mt Lofty summit trail below Chinamans Hut Track. 

Measdays loop (2 hrs, 4km)

Hike or ride on existing fire tracks and be introduced to some unique areas of Cleland Conservation Park.

Starting from Measdays lookout, this trail follows the land contour gradually ending up in the creek line valley below. During the winter months you will be rewarded with the constant babble of a flowing creek.

Pioneer Women's Trail (1 hour 30 mins, 2km)

The Pioneer Womens Trail honours the early Hahndorf settlers who supplied Adelaide with fresh produce at a time when most foodstuffs had to be imported into South Australia. Commencing at Verdun, the 26 km trail follows back roads and bush tracks through the Adelaide Hills to the Cleland Conservation Park, before joining the Old Bullock Track to descend to Beaumont House in Burnside. As it skirts the southern part of the Cleland Conservation Park, this trail provides sweeping views of the natural bush.

Hard hikes

Adventure loop (3 hr 30 mins, 10km)

A great alternative loop trail to Mt Lofty summit for those wanting to get away from the crowds. This trail passes through areas of rocky creek lines and tall stringybark forest.

It follows a walking trail and then a fire track before joining the Waterfall Gully to Mt Lofty Summit trail. This trail has natural rough surfaces and is be steep in parts.

Chambers hike (2 hr 30 mins, 7km)

Starting from Chambers Gully this loop trail climbs up a narrow trail from the gully and enters Cleland Conservation Park just below long ridge track. Once on the top follow the trail back down Bartril Spur. This trail has natural rough surfaces and is be steep in parts. 

Chambers Gully to Crafers Trail (5 hr, 12km one way)

A shared use alternative to get from Waterfall Gully Road to Crafers, with an optional spur to the Mount Lofty Summit (via Steub Trail, additional 2.6 km). 

Waterfall Gully to Mount Lofty Hike (2 hr 30 mins, 4.5km one way)

On almost any morning of the year the trail attracts a range of people: some casually walking, others using it as a training walk, some runners, and others with heavy packs training for distant hiking locations like Nepal. As the walk involves some steep sections, the time taken to walk the trail can vary significantly.

On a busy weekend, car parking at Waterfall Gully can be limited.

Please note, major restoration work is being undertaker along the Waterfall Gully to Mount Lofty Summit Trail. This work is expected to be completed by late March 2020. More information and a detour map are available here.

Prefer to get fit without an audience? Here are five alternative walks to Mount Lofty from Adelady

Wine Shanty hike (4 hrs, 10km)

This challenging hike/ride follows existing fire tracks through a variety of vegetation types of stringybark and blue gum woodlands.

It traverses through cool, moist gullies with unique scenic value. Be on the lookout for Black Cockatoos feeding on the Oyster Bay Pines.

Yurrebilla Trail (2 hr 30 mins, 4.5km)

This trail traverses the Adelaide Mount Lofty Ranges and passes through parts of Cleland Conservation Park.

Treks

Heysen Trail (1 hr 30 mins, 2km)

This long distance trail passes through parts of Cleland Conservation Park.

You can ride your bike on public roads and any specific cycling trails and tracks on offer in this park. 

Please obey signs and use the trail classifications and descriptions, where available, to select trails suitable to your ability. Many trails are shared, so always keep an eye out for others. Generally, cyclists give way to pedestrians. Please be considerate of all trail users at all times.

Check back here often, there are a lot of new trails under construction right now.

Learn more about cycling in SA's parks, including other parks offering cycle tracks, trail classification and read the trail user code of practice for important points to remember when planning your bike ride.

• Cycling and mountain biking in parks
• Park and trail maps

Adventure trail (5km)

A great alternative trail to Mt Lofty summit for those wanting to get away from the crowds. This trail traverses the Chinaman's Hut track and passes through areas of rocky creek lines and tall stringybark forest.

It follows a fire track before joining up with the Measday's Trail. This trail has natural rough surfaces and is be steep in parts.

Pioneer Women's Trail (2km)

 Skirting the southern part of the Cleland Conservation Park, this trail provides sweeping views of the natural bush.

Wine Shanty trail hike (10km)

The trail starts at either Long Ridge Track or Gate 6 Greenhill Road. This challenging ride follows existing fire tracks through a variety of vegetation types of stringybark and blue gum woodlands.

It traverses through cool, moist gullies with unique scenic value. Be on the lookout for Black Cockatoos feeding on the Oyster Bay Pines.

Easy

Measdays loop (4km)

Ride on existing fire tracks and be introduced to some unique areas of Cleland Conservation Park.

Starting from Measdays lookout, this trail follows the land contour gradually ending up in the creek line valley below. During the winter months you will be rewarded with the constant babble of a flowing creek.

Chambers Gully to Crafers Trail

A shared use alternative to get from Waterfall Gully Road to Crafers, with an optional spur to the Mount Lofty Summit (via Steub Trail, additional 2.6 km). 

Steub Trail (7km return)

Named in honor of park benefactor, Mr Ludwig Reinwald Steub, this trail gently climbs through heathy forest woodland communities from the Cleland Wildlife Park to Mount Lofty Summit. The trail has been designed with gentle, low-gradient access making it possible for those with reduced mobility to reach the summit.

Walkers, runners, and cyclists are rewarded with wonderful views over the southern ridges of the park and out to the Adelaide plains.

Download the Mount Lofty Precinct app for guided trail information featuring, educational content, points of interest and local hot spots; such as the café and visitor centre at Mount Lofty Summit. The entire app is also easily translated into Chinese for overseas guests.

The app features:

• Self-guided walking tours
• Interactive map to help you navigate around the precinct and plan your perfect day out
• Find your favourite animals or plant collections using our easy to use search tool
• Learn more about native animals and plants along the trails via our proximity sensing iBeacons  and blue and white iPosts
• Discover restaurants, cafes, amenities and other landmarks in the precinct 
• Find out what’s on and discover events and activities
• Chinese translation with the click of a button

Cleland Conservation Park is well known for three iconic places located within it. Please visit the park pages below for specific information on each of these unique sights.

• Cleland Wildlife Park
• Mount Lofty Summit
• Waterfall Gully

Accommodation is available at the Mt Lofty YHA located in the park.

Want to help?

To find out how you can help in this park or nearby, please visit Natural Resources Adelaide and Mt Lofty Ranges – Volunteering.

Want to join others and become a Park Friend?

To find out more about Friends of Parks groups please visit Friends of Parks South Australia.

You could join others to help look after a park. You can take part in working bees, training and other events.

The international Trail Users Code of Conduct is to show respect and courtesy towards other trail users at all times.

• When hiking, wear sturdy shoes, a hat and sunscreen
• Make sure you have appropriate weather clothing
• Carry enough to be self-sufficient
• Please be respectful of other users at all times
• Stay on the designated trails and connector tracks for your own safety, but also to prevent the spread of declared weeds to other areas in the park

Throughout the park there are emergency markers set up on trail markers which refer to information on a map indicating grid references.  Please use these in an event of an emergency

• Walk, hike or trek - what's the difference?
• Emergency marker locations

Trail Users Code of Practice

To protect the surrounding environment and to ensure the safety of all riders and shared trail users, please be aware of the international Trail Users Code of Practice when using shared trails. Important points to remember include:

• plan your ride
• comply with all signs
• ride only on formed tracks/trails
• share the trail - obey give way rules
• avoid riding in wet, muddy conditions
• ride lightly and leave no trace or rubbish
• control your bike within your limits
• clean your bike to avoid the spread of weeds or plant diseases
• carry sufficient food and drinking water
• respect the rights of others
• tell others about the code

Can I have a fire or barbecue? 

• Wood fires and solid fuel fires are prohibited all year round.
• Gas fires and liquid fuel fires  are permitted in designated areas only, other than on days of total fire ban. Designated areas include Waterfall Gully and Cleland Wildlife Park car parking area.
• Gas barbecues are available in shelters in the Cleland Wildlife Park car parking area, or you may bring your own gas barbecue.

Closures and safety

This park is closed on days of Catastrophic Fire Danger and may also be closed on days of Extreme Fire Danger.

You can determine the current fire danger rating by checking the Fire Ban District map on the CFS website.

Check the CFS website or call the CFS Bushfire Information Hotline 1800 362 361 for:

• Information on fire bans and current fire conditions
• Current CFS warnings and incidents
• Information on what to do in the event of a fire.

Listen to your local area radio station for the latest updates and information on fire safety.

Swimming is not permitted at the base of the waterfall at Waterfall Gully.

Every national park is different, each has its own unique environment, it is important to be responsible while enjoying all the park has to offer.

Please ensure that you:

• leave your pets at home
• do not feed birds or other animals, it promotes aggressive behaviour and an unbalanced ecology
• do not bring generators (except where permitted), chainsaws or firearms into the park
• leave the park as you found it - there are no bins in national parks, please come prepared to take your rubbish with you. 
• abide by the road rules (maintain the speed limit)
• respect geological and heritage sites
• do not remove native plants
• are considerate of other park users.

• Important: Collection of firewood within National Parks is prohibited. Dead wood plays a vital role in providing shelter for animals and adding nutrients to the soil.

You can enter this park for free, however fees apply for entry to Cleland Wildlife Park (located within Cleland Conservation Park) and also to park at Mount Lofty Summit.

This park is not included in the park pass system. 

• Which parks are included in the park pass system?

Accommodation is available at the Mt Lofty YHA located in the park. Refer to their website for a list of fees.

There are no other fees or permits associated with this park.