Day 1, Rocky River Section, Kangaroo Island Wilderness Trail

Looking for trails open after the bushfires?

5 Feb 2020: Kangaroo Island was devasted by bushfire in January 2020. Some parks and trails remain closed. View our article of 13 walking trails open post-bushfire.

Walking Trail Facts
Distance
12.4 km one way
Duration
4 hours
Suitable for
Hiking, Trail Running
Trail Class
Grade 5, Trek
Terrain
Undulating
Part of a longer trail
Kangaroo Island Wilderness Trail
Park (national park, conservation park, forest, reserve)
Flinders Chase National Park
Region
Kangaroo Island
Download maps & GPS files
  1. 2 GPS files
  2. 1 website link
Jump to Downloads section
Photos
26 photos
Travel options
  1. Car
Day 1, Rocky River Section, Kangaroo Island Wilderness Trail

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:

Review of this Trail

In December 2016 we walked and reviewed the Kangaroo Island Wilderness Trail. Read the review.

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.

Downloads

Download KML/KMZ file
Download GPX file

Photos