Park of the Month
Deep Creek National Park

Deep Creek National Park is the National Parks and Wildlife Service SA Park of the Month for April 2019.

The park is has an extensive network of trails for hiking, camping in five campgrounds and views of the spectacular scenery of Backstairs Passage, Kangaroo Island and the rugged Deep Creek valley.

We’ve outlined some of the best hikes below.

11 great hikes in Deep Creek National Park

Forest Circuit Walk, Stringybark Campsite, Deep Creek1.

Forest Circuit Walk, Stringybark Campsite, Deep Creek

Easy walk, 2.7km, 1 hour circuit

Enjoy an easy stroll through the stringybark forest near Stringybark Campsite. The walk is suitable for children, explore the forest, mushrooms and birdlife. The walk is especially enjoyable near sunset and sunrise.


Spring Wildflower Walk, Stringybark Campsite, Deep Creek2.

Spring Wildflower Walk, Stringybark Campsite, Deep Creek

Easy walk, 4.7km, 2.5 hour return

Enjoy a walk through the regenerating forest. Watch out for echidnas, kangaroos and birdlife. During late winter and spring you’ll see wildflowers along this trail.


Deep Creek Waterfall Hike from Tent Rock Road (Trig Campsite)3.

Deep Creek Waterfall Hike from Tent Rock Road (Trig Campsite)

Moderate hike, 4km, 2 hours return

Enjoy a hike down to the Waterfall. Although the waterfall generally only flows in winter and after rains, the waterhole is permanent. The trail is well graded with steps towards the end.


Deep Creek Cove Hike from Trig Picnic Area4.

Deep Creek Cove Hike from Trig Picnic Area

Moderate hike, 6km, 2.5-4 hours return

Hike to a secluded cove where Deep Creek meets the ocean. Enjoy ocean views as you descend. The end of the hike into the cove can be steep.


Aaron Creek Circuit Hike5.

Aaron Creek Circuit Hike

Moderate hike, 6km, 3 hours

Explore the grasslands with views and kangaroos, before descending into Aaron Creek with its lush vegetation and winter waterfall. Take a picnic along to enjoy at the picnic table at Eagle Waterhole Campground.


Deep Creek Cove Hike from Tapanappa Lookout6.

Deep Creek Cove Hike from Tapanappa Lookout

Hard hike, 3.2km, 2.5 hours return

Hike to a secluded cove where Deep Creek meets the ocean. Enjoy views of the ocean as you descend.


Blowhole Beach – Cobbler Hill – Marrano Creek Hike7.

Blowhole Beach – Cobbler Hill – Marrano Creek Hike

Hard hike, 6.7km, 3.5 hours

Taking in the scrub, sandy beaches and open coastal hills of Deep Creek National Park. Walk through scrub and wildlife, visit the sandy Blowhole Beach, and return via open grassy hills.


Deep Creek Waterfall Hike from Tapanappa Lookout8.

Deep Creek Waterfall Hike from Tapanappa Lookout

Hard hike, 6.6km, 3.5 hours return

Hike down into the valley to see Deep Creek Waterfall through gullies with moist forest. The trail is well graded.


Boat Harbor Circuit Hike9.

Boat Harbor Circuit Hike

Hard hike, 9.4km, 4 -5 hours circuit

A longer circuit hike down to Boat Harbor. A well-graded trail with breathtaking views of Kangaroo Island, The Pages Islands and Tunkalilla Beach, returning via fire tracks.


Aaron Creek Hike10.

Aaron Creek Hike

Hard hike, 10km, 6 hours

Take a detour when walking the Aaron Creek Circuit Hike, following Aaron Creek out to the coast. Reaching the rocky cove from the trail is difficult and involves rock scrambling.


Deep Creek Circuit Hike11.

Deep Creek Circuit Hike

Hard hike, 10.9km, 7 hours return hike

Circuit hike taking in a waterfall with permanent pool, coastal views, rocky beach with creek outlet, well maintained trails with a diversity of ecosystems. Yacka hillsides, grassy hilltops, humid forest, tall stands of eucaplypts.


‘One million steps’ campaign to get Aussies off the couch

On Sunday 25 March the Heart Foundation and the Prime Minister announced a new walking initiative – the Prime Minister’s One million steps. Between now and 11 August, Australians across the country are encouraged to start walking and clock up their steps. The more they walk, the more they’ll be rewarded – with app badges and entries to prize draws. Reach 1 million steps, and they’ll enter the prize draw for an Auswalk holiday!

The Prime Minister’s One million steps is open to individuals via the Heart Foundation Walking app, and Heart Foundation Walking groups.

Sign up before 31 March and you’ll be in the draw to win a $100 rebel voucher – just download the app or tick the sign-up box in your Heart Foundation Walking profile.

Individual walkers can join by:

  • downloading the Heart Foundation Walking app
  • syncing the app to their fitness tracker (Apple Health, Google Fit or Fitbit)
  • as they walk they’ll automatically enter prize draws for 100,000 steps, 250,000 steps, 500,000 steps, 750,000 steps and 1 million steps

Heart Foundation Walking group members can join by:

  • ticking the ‘yes’ box on their online profile to join the Prime Minister’s One million steps (or their Walk Organiser can tick the box for them)
  • joining their regular walks
  • as they walk, they’ll automatically enter prize draws for 10, 25, 50, 75 and 100 group walks.

Entry is open to everyone, it’s free and you can sign up all the way to 11 August and still enter the prize draws.