Friends' Tips: 5 Hidden treasures of Morialta and Black Hill conservation parks
Friends of Black Hill and Morialta share their favourite spots in these much loved Adelaide parks.
In a less than 30 minute drive, you can swap Adelaide’s city buzz for birdsongs and bushland. Morialta and Black Hill conservation parks sit side by side, offering towering gums, rugged trails and peaceful gullies - offering double the adventure, each park brings something different.
These parks are cared for by rangers and the local Friends of Black Hill and Morialta group. Founding member Ann Taylor shares five hidden treasures to explore and how you can get involved.
1. Encounter an endangered southern brown bandicoot - Morialta Conservation Park
Tread quietly on Morialta’s Pylon Track and you might spot a southern brown bandicoot – the last of eight bandicoot species once found in SA, and now endangered. Access the track from Moores Road via Centre Track, or take the steep climb from Third Falls. This wide fire track winds through pristine bushland bursting with wildflowers like vanilla lilies and orchids. If you’re lucky enough to see a bandicoot, record your sighting to support the Bandicoot Superhighway Project.
2. Have a picnic surrounded by wildlife - Morialta Conservation Park
Enter the park from the Trailhead car park and follow the Morialta Falls Plateau hike. On the way to Morialta Falls (First Falls) there’s a table on the right near the creek, it’s a great place to stop for lunch with plenty of shade. While you're enjoying your picnic, take a moment to look up in the trees to see if you can spot any koalas. Listen out for kookaburras or frogs, and keep an eye out for kangaroos too!
3. Explore Deep View Lookout - Morialta Conservation Park
Deep View Lookout offers sweeping views of Morialta, with waterfalls in the distance and the Adelaide skyline beyond - but you’ll need to hike to get there! From the Morialta Falls car park, cross the bridge on your left and walk 30 metres to choose your route. Go straight for an easier trail with wildflowers, or turn right for a steeper climb. You can also start from the Trailhead car park and hike in an anti-clockwise direction, heading right and merging onto the second and third falls hike trail. You’ll pass over the top of either First or Second Falls before reaching Deep view lookout.
4. Explore the wilderness - Black Hill Conservation Park
Take a slow walk along the Raspberry hike off Montacute Road. Take the time to be still and listen to the birds in the gully. Can you see the native raspberry? Sense the space around you and enjoy the quiet. You can even try forest bathing to further relax your body and calm your mind in the beautiful presence of the parks' natural environment. Can you find the waterfall at the start of the gully? It is ephemeral: it only flows in heavy rain.
5. See panoramic views of Adelaide - Black Hill Conservation Park
Take the summit hike from the Addison Ave entrance. Turn south at the end of Addison Ave and follow the fire track until it turns into a walking track. A steep walk with some difficult sections is rewarded by a gully with vastly different habitats and vegetation on the two sides. One side rocky and sun exposed has plentiful grass trees, the other side is more sheltered and has a great variety of herbacious plants and wildflowers. Look behind you and you will see panoramic views of the Adelaide metropolitan area. Can you identify any of the buildings?
Want to join your local Friends of Parks and Nature Group?
The Friends of Black Hill and Morialta is one of 150+ Friends of Parks and Nature groups dedicated to protecting various areas within our beautiful state. With over 5000 members, consisting of all ages and backgrounds, these groups care for native plants and animals, maintain walking trails, restore habitats and help look after parks across the state. If you'd like to get involved with your community, find your local Friends group here!
Park of the Month:
Throughout June, Black Hill Conservation Park and Morialta Conservation Park are being celebrated as the National Parks and Wildlife ServicePark of the Month. There are lots of events and activities to get involved in, find out more.
