How you can take a virtual visit to South Australia’s national parks

Strug­gling with COVID-19 restric­tions and need a lit­tle men­tal health and well­be­ing boost? Now’s the time to take a vir­tu­al vis­it to some of South Australia’s most beau­ti­ful nat­ur­al environments.

Thanks to a col­lab­o­ra­tion between the state gov­ern­ment and Google you can now take a vir­tu­al trek along 126 trails in 30 of South Australia’s nation­al parks.

Park rangers, using Google’s back­pack-mount­ed trekker, spent five months cap­tur­ing 360-degree imagery for more than 600km of walk­ing trails, park roads, water­ways and camp­grounds in 30 nation­al parks across SA.

And what bet­ter time to view it than now, from the com­fort of your lounge room.

To start your vir­tu­al tour, open Google Maps on your com­put­er or mobile device and drag and drop ​‘Peg­man’ on to the trail you want to explore.

Try one of these vir­tu­al tours now

Ade­laide and Mt Lofty Ranges

• Water­fall Gul­ly to Mount Lofty Sum­mit in Cle­land Nation­al Park
• Koala area in Cle­land Wildlife Park
• Lori­keet Loop in Belair Nation­al Park
• Ships’ Grave­yard Trail in Ade­laide Dol­phin Sanctuary
• Sum­mit Hike in Black Hill Con­ser­va­tion Park
• Three Falls Grand Hike in Mori­al­ta Con­ser­va­tion Park
• Glac­i­er Walk in Hal­lett Cove Con­ser­va­tion Park
• Grand South Para Hike in Para Wirra Con­ser­va­tion Park
• Mai Tap­pa Cir­cuit Hike in Cob­bler Creek Recre­ation Park
• Pink Gum Loop in Anstey Hill Recre­ation Park
• Easy As Moun­tain Bike Trail in O’Halloran Hill Recre­ation Park
• Seav­iew Loop in Shep­herds Hill Recre­ation Park
• Riv­er Trail in Sturt Gorge Recre­ation Park

Fleurieu Penin­su­la

• Deep Creek Cir­cuit Hike in Deep Creek Nation­al Park
• Stringy­bark Camp­ground in Deep Creek Nation­al Park
• Kai­ki Walk in Gran­ite Island Recre­ation Park
• Hey­sen Trail in New­land Head Con­ser­va­tion Park
• Riv­er Hike in Onka­paringa Riv­er Nation­al Park
• Wet­lands Loop in Onka­paringa Riv­er Recre­ation Park

Flinders Ranges and Outback

• Alli­ga­tor Gorge Cir­cuit Hike in Mount Remark­able Nation­al Park
• Brachi­na Gorge and Bun­yeroo Gorge Scenic Dri­ve in Ikara-Flinders Ranges Nation­al Park
• Wan­gara Look­out in Ikara-Flinders Ranges Nation­al Park

Kan­ga­roo Island

• Kan­ga­roo Island Wilder­ness Trail in Flinders Chase Nation­al Park

Lime­stone Coast

• Mundoo Chan­nel, Mur­ray Mouth and God­freys Land­ing Kayak­ing Trails in Coorong Nation­al Park
• Cape Buf­fon Walk in Canun­da Con­ser­va­tion Park
• But­ter­fly walk in Penam­bol Con­ser­va­tion Park
• Coast Walk in Pic­canin­nie Ponds Con­ser­va­tion Park
• Canopy Walk in Telford Scrub Con­ser­va­tion Park
• World Her­itage Hike in Nara­coorte Caves Nation­al Park

You’ll also find links to Google Street View imagery on the Nation­al Parks and Wildlife Ser­vice SAweb­site.

Feel­ing inspired to vis­it a nation­al park? Read our sto­ry abouthow you can still vis­it a local park while social dis­tanc­ing, as long as you’re sen­si­ble about it.

Main image: Wilpe­na Pound – Wan­gara Look­out, Ikara-Flinders Ranges Nation­al Park