6 things to see and do at Flinders Chase National Park

1. Flinders Chase Visitor Centre

A new visitor centre is open at Flinders Chase National Park on Kangaroo Island, offering visitors a beautiful space to learn about the national park and local history. A new interpretation gallery has been created to help visitors connect with the park, learn more about the area and generate thought and conversation. It also offers the perfect spot to pick up a coffee, some local knowledge and park tips.

Visitors can enjoy beautiful artwork displayed alongside park artefacts and are invited to participate through interactive activities. The stories, artefacts and tactile experiences have been designed to help visitors enjoy being in the park and understand the landscape better.

2. Explore Remarkable Rocks

Remarkable Rocks is Kangaroo Island’s best-known landmark. These granite boulders are 500 million years in the making, sculpted over the ages by wind and water. The stunning orange-lichen-covered shapes look precariously balanced and are a truly magnificent site to behold.

3. Admirals Arch

Admiral’s Arch is an intriguing rock formation on the south-western tip of Flinders Chase National Park, at Cape de Couedic. The rock arch, sculpted entirely by the amazing force of nature, has left a perfect natural picture frame to watch the colony of long-nosed fur seals that live nearby the amazing limestone arch, where you can see them lounging and playing on the rocks and in the water.

4. See the historic Cape du Couedic and Cape Borda Lightstations

The waters around Kangaroo Island are famously treacherous and have claimed at least 80 ships and many lives since European settlement in 1836. Lighthouses helped reduce the number of ships lost off its coast and are now an important aspect of the island’s maritime safety and heritage.

• Cape du Couedic Lighthouse is included with your Flinders Chase National Park ticket or Kangaroo Island Tour Pass. While you can’t access inside the lighthouse, it’s well worth a visit. It was constructed between 1906–1909 and was built from 2,000 pieces of local stone.
• Visitors can explore the Cape Bor­da Light­sta­tion that sits upon tow­er­ing cliffs over­look­ing Inves­ti­ga­tor Strait. Take a self-guid­ed tour around the Cape Bor­da Light­sta­tion set­tle­ment for an insight into the ear­ly light­keep­ers’ liv­ing con­di­tions and how iso­la­tion and a demand­ing rou­tine dom­i­nat­ed their often harsh lives. Book your self guid­ed tour online before you go.

5. Hike the KI Wilderness Trail

This five-day, 61km trail is one of Australia’s great walks. Beginning at the Flinders Chase Visitor Centre and ending at Kelly Hill Caves, it will take your breath away as you explore the most botanically unique area in all of South Australia. Offering spectacular coastline views over the Southern Ocean, it offers an experience of a lifetime. To plan your trip take a look at our trip essentials or learn more about the walk.

6. Try whale watching

Between mid-May and late Octo­ber whales migrate from sub-Antarc­tic water to the com­par­a­tive­ly warmer waters of the South Aus­tralian coast to calve and mate. Flinders Chase Nation­al Park and Ravine des Casoars Wilder­ness Pro­tec­tion Area offer ide­al van­tage points to see these majes­tic crea­tures. If you are vis­it­ing dur­ing whale sea­son, keep an extra keen eye on the ocean at these locations:

• Cape du Couedic Look­out (acces­si­ble only from the Cape du Couedic hike), Flinders Chase Nation­al Park

• Weirs Cove Look­out, Flinders Chase Nation­al Park

• Admi­rals Arch Look­outs, Flinders Chase Nation­al Park

• Cape Bor­da Light­sta­tion, Flinders Chase Nation­al Park

• Scott Cove Look­out, Ravine des Casoars Wilder­ness Pro­tec­tion Area

Plan your trip

Find out more about the park, download maps and pay for park fees, camping and accommodation.