About the Walking Route

This hike through the rugged hills of Montacute Conservation Park is challenging, but rewarding with excellent views.

The park is remnant bushland forested with red gums, stringybarks and blue gums, and often a dense understorey.

The hike is along fire tracks which are well marked, so the hike is easy when read in conjunction with the instructions below and map. The first half of the hike (when walked anti-clockwise) is along the Heysen Trail (follow the red markers), and the second half is along the Mawson Trail (follow the purple markers). The last kilometre of the walk departs from the Mawson Trail and returns along a fire track.

Walking Instructions, walking anti-clockwise

1. Start the hike at end of Valley Road at Gate 1, there is small area here for car parking. For the first half of the hike (up to point #10) we are following the Heysen Trail and its red markers
2. 180 metres after the carpark gate (Gate 1) take the right fork. This is called Fire Track 1B
3. Continue through Gate 2
4. Continue uphill, ignoring the fainter track which crosses Fire Track 1B
5. Continue through Gate 3
6. Continue through the clearing
7. Continue through Gate 5
8. Turn left at the t-junction, entering Fire Track 1C
9. At the next gate, there is a optional short sidetrip up Fire Track CL2 to see the ruins of an old house
10. Turn left onto the large fire track, named Stone Hut Road. There is a small shelter and information board here about mountain biking. We leave the Heysen Trail here, it continues right and downhill along Koch Track. We turn left and downhill, following Stone Hut Road. We have now joined the Mawson Trail with its purple markers
11. Continue through gate
12. Continue through Gate 13
13. Continue on Stone Hut Road and the Mawson Trail past the junction to Fire Track 14
14. We leave the Mawson Trail here. Turn left and downhill, onto Fire Track 15/1D
15. Continue through Gate 15
16. Rejoin the original trail (Fire Trail 1B) at instruction #2, and return the 180 metres to the carpark and Gate 1