- Distance
- 12.4 km one way
- Duration
- 4 hours
- Suitable for
- Hiking, Trail Running
- Grade 5, Trek
- Terrain
- Undulating
- Part of a longer trail
- Kangaroo Island Wilderness Trail
- Park
- Flinders Chase National Park
- Region
- Kangaroo Island
- Download maps & GPS files
- 2 GPS files
- 1 website link
- Photos
- 26 photosJump to Photos section
- Travel options
- Car



About the Walking Trail
Spend 5 days hiking the Kangaroo Island Wilderness Trail along the spectacular coastline of south-west Kangaroo Island.
We’ve listed each of the 5 sections on a separate entry:
- Day 1, Rocky River Section (below on this page)
- Day 2, Maupertuis Section
- Day 2 or 3, optional sidetrip to Admirals Arch
- Day 3, Sanderson Section
- Day 4, Grassdale Section
- Day 5, Kelly Hill Section
This section: Day 1, Rocky River Section
Rocky River to Cup Gum Campsite (near Snake Lagoon)
4 hours, 12km
The first day’s hike starts from the Flinders Chase Visitor Centre, following the Platypus Waterholes Walk over Black Swamp, with its ancient history of megafauna, and around the Platypus Waterholes. If you’re there early in the morning sit and wait to catch a glimpse of the shy platypus at one of the eight viewing platforms. Turning west, the trail follows the Rocky River Hike along Rocky River. Watch out for Rosenbergs Goannas (a monitor lizard) on the track. Pause for a moment at the rapids and rockpools along the way, and keep an eye out for wildlife coming into the water to drink. As today’s walk includes other walking trails, anyone can walk this day’s section.