Environment SA News

Fall head over ‘hills’ for Cleland this March

Autumn is a magical time of the year in the Adelaide Hills, making March the perfect month to explore Cleland National Park and enjoy a host of special activities.

Fall head over ‘hills’ for Cleland this March

Cleland National Park – which is blessed with a number of beloved attractions – is being celebrated as the National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) Park of the Month, with a program of special events planned throughout March.

While the park is headlined by the ever-popular Cleland Wildlife Park, it truly has something for everyone.

Visitors can bushwalk or mountain bike on stunning trails that pass through natural bushland. They can also enjoy the tranquil sounds of Waterfall Gully or take in panoramic views of Adelaide and the Adelaide Hills from Mount Lofty Summit, the highest peak of the Mount Lofty Ranges.

Park of the Month events include:

  • Exclusive after-hours Cleland Wildlife Park night tour
  • Guided family nature and culture walk with Nature Play SA
  • Guided walk learning about risks and rewards of fire on the landscape with the DEW Fire Management Team
  • Cleland Wildlife Park Junior Conservation Club (ages 8-14)
  • Learn bushwalking skills and guided hike with an experienced guide from Walking SA
  • Art in the Park session learning to draw/paint the animals of Cleland Wildlife Park

District Ranger Jen Pitman had patrolled Cleland National Park for 15 years and said it helped conserve a range of threatened species.

“It is sometimes hard to believe how lucky we are to have a park like Cleland National Park so close to the city,” she said.

“There are the popular attractions, but Cleland also has so many wonderful other sites and walking trails offering great opportunities to connect with nature.

“The Junior Conservation Club will show kids hands-on ways to help our native plants and animals, while the after-hours tour will let attendees see the park in a completely different light.”

A competition to win an accommodation voucher to stay in the Cleland Cottage will be run on the NPWS Facebook - simply comment on the competition post with a photo of Cleland National Park or Wildlife Park to enter.

For more information about these and other events, and to book tickets, visit: http://www.parks.sa.gov.au/park-of-the-month