- Distance
- 1.2 km return
- Duration
- 1.2km one way, 2.4 km return, 1 hour return
- Suitable for
- Walking, Wheelchair Accessible, Dog Walking, Get to by public transport, Jogging
- Wheelchair accessible
- Terrain
- Undulating
- Region
- Adelaide City & Suburbs
- Download maps & GPS files
- 2 GPS files
- Photos
- 10 photosJump to Photos section
- Travel options
- Bus
- Car
- Train
- Travel time from Adelaide
- 1 hour or less
About the Walking Trail
A short trail that follows the fence and coastline beside the Adelaide Desalination Plant. It includes various lookout points with interpretive signage about plantlife and the Aboriginal people. In the local Kaurna language, Kauwi means ‘fresh water’. The trail is wide and pram friendly (however the slope down to the coast from the road is too steep for those with mobility access issues).
The Kauwi Interpretive Walking Trail ends abruptly 1.2km from the trailhead on Chrysler Road. It’s easily possible to continue walking north along the rough foottrack to Hallett Cove. The walking trail is beside the high security fence that surrounds the desalination plant, which is a somewhat prison-like fence, but the walk is offset by the interpretive signage and coastal views.
The trail forms parts of the Coast Park Path, which stretches from Sellicks Beach in the south to North Haven in the north. Unfortunately, the trail doesn’t continue over the former Port Stanvac site headland, which is the only inaccessible piece of the Adelaide coastline.
The trail begins from 16 Chrysler Road at Lonsdale. The Kauwi Interpretive Centre is at the trailhead. The centre is open for group bookings. The centre tells the story of water in South Australia, from European settlement through to now, including the Kaurna people, the traditional custodians of the land on which the centre is built. It also provides information and a tour on the desalination plant. Surrounding the centre is the Bushtukka Garden, which features local plants historically used by the Kaurna people.
Photos
Intrepretive sign on the Kauwi Interpretive Walking Trail: detailing plant types, including Gold-dust wattle, Drooping sheoak, Mallee box, Pigface, Black-anther flax lilly and Knobby club rush. The walking trail is beside the high security fence surrounding the desalination plant, which is unfortunate, but offset by the coastal views.
Intrepretive sign on the Kauwi Interpretive Walking Trail (looking south into Port Stanvac): Kondolli the Whale is one of the few Dreaming stories recorded which is set in country close to metropolitan Adelaide.
Unfortunately the coast trail doesn't pass over the headland of the former Port Stanvac refinery.
Views of the reef from the Kauwi Interpretive Walking Trail
Be careful of steep cliffs beyond the trail fence
Intrepretive sign on the Kauwi Interpretive Walking Trail: Cultural Water, Aboriginal peoples' value of water is sacred, deep and necessary for survival. It is protected by Lore, which provides a system of sustainable management ensuring healthy people, so that All is One
The Kauwi Interpretive Walking Trail ends abruptly, but you can continue walking along the rough foot track over to Hallett Cove
The Kauwi Interpretive Walking Trail ends abruptly, but you can continue walking along the rough foot track over to Hallett Cove
Although the Kauwi Interpretive Walking Trail ends abruptly, you can continue walking along this foot track to Hallett Cove
The Kauwi Interpretive Centre on Chrysler Road, at the Adelaide Desalination Plant. The centre is open to group bookings and includes a tour of the desalination plant.