Part closure of Gawler Ranges National Park

Published: 27 August 2026

With ongo­ing wet weath­er, track con­di­tions with­in Gawler Ranges Nation­al Park can change rapid­ly. Fol­low­ing recent rain­fall events, sev­er­al tracks across the park are water­logged and have been closed to all vehi­cle access.

Impor­tant Notice: The Depart­ment for Infra­struc­ture and Trans­port (DIT) Out­back Roads may be opened or closed at any time and with­out warn­ing. With­in the Gawler Ranges region, this includes Buck­le­boo Road and Yardea Road.

If Yardea Road is closed, vis­i­tors will not be able to access the:
• Organ Pipes Day Vis­i­tor Area
• Yandin­ga Camp­ground
• Scrub­by Peak Camp­ground
• Asso­ci­at­ed walk­ing trails in these areas

If Buck­le­boo Road is closed, access to the park via Kim­ba is not possible.

Before You Travel

Vis­i­tors are strong­ly encour­aged to:
• Check cur­rent park alerts for updates
• Review the DIT Out­back Road Con­di­tions Map before trav­el­ling: 
• Review the Out­back Road Con­di­tions Map (Depart­ment for Infra­struc­ture and Trans­port, South Australia) 


Gawler Ranges Nationa Park Access Conditions

• 2WD vehi­cles are not per­mit­ted
• 4WD vehi­cles only on tracks that are open
• Pro­ceed with cau­tion at all times


Closed Tracks
• LP Track
• Turkey Flat Track
• Mat­tera Track
• Con­i­cal Hill Track
• Sturt’s Track 
• Yardea Road (sub­ject to DIT Out­back Road con­di­tion updates)


Closed Camp­grounds
• Chillu­nie Camp­ground
• Kolay Hut Camp­ground
• Mat­tera Camp­ground
• Pon­dan­na Out­sta­tion 
• Yandin­ga Camp­ground (as Yardea Road is closed)
• Scrub­by Peak Camp­ground (as Yardea Road is closed)


Open Camp­grounds
• Wagan­ny Camp­ground
Open Roads and Tracks
• Old Paney Scenic Dri­ve
• Barns Road


Impor­tant Trav­el Advice

All vis­i­tors must dri­ve to the con­di­tions and ensure they are ful­ly pre­pared when trav­el­ling on out­back roads.

Please ensure that you:

  • Inform a respon­si­ble per­son of your trav­el plans, expect­ed route, and esti­mat­ed return time, includ­ing who to con­tact if you fail to check in.
  • Car­ry mul­ti­ple forms of com­mu­ni­ca­tion, such as a satel­lite phone, per­son­al loca­tor bea­con (PLB), track­er, UHF radio, or Starlink.
  • Car­ry appro­pri­ate vehi­cle recov­ery equip­ment and know how to use it.
  • Do not dri­ve through flood­wa­ters or mud­dy areas. If unsure, stop and assess the sur­face con­di­tions before pro­ceed­ing. Many vehi­cles become bogged when attempt­ing to dri­ve around mud­dy sections.
  • Remain with your vehi­cle if you become stuck.
  • Reduce tyre pres­sures when trav­el­ling on grav­el roads to improve com­fort, increase trac­tion, and help min­imise dam­age to road surfaces.