- Distance
- 3.4 km return
- Duration
- 1 hour
- Suitable for
- Walking
- Moderate
- Terrain
- Flat
- Park
- Adelaide International Bird Sanctuary National Park - Winaityinaityi Pangkara
- Region
- Adelaide City & Suburbs
- Download maps & GPS files
- 1 map PDF
- 2 GPS files
- Photos
- 14 photosJump to Photos section
- Travel options
- Car
- Travel time from Adelaide
- 1-2 hours
About the Walking Trail
The Third Creek Trail is one of the Samphire Coast Shorebird Trails at Thompson Beach.
Follow the trail to learn about the lives of shorebirds and the samphire smorgasboard. Look for up to 40 spieces of shorebirds and waterbirds.
The Adelaide International Bird Sanctuary is a unique safe haven for shorebirds, many of which are truly remarkable – migrating each year between Australia and the northern hemisphere on the East Asian – Australiasian Flyway network, one of the world’s greatest migration flyways.
The Third Creek Trail starts from the southern end of the Esplanade. Brochures and maps are often available at the Third Creek Trail trailhead, or you can download the brochure.
The Samphire Coast Shorebird Trails are named after samphires – an edible herb that grows on low lying saline areas. The plants remove excess salt, often storing it in their leaf tips which dry up and break off. They come in a variety of colours including green to pink, red and purple.
The other trail that is part of the Samphire Coast Shorebird Trails at Thompson Beach is the Bakers Creek Trail, which is located at the northern end of the Esplanade. However, the Bakers Creek Trail has not been upgraded, the trailhead and paths are not easy to identify.
Photos
The Samphire Coast Shorebird Trails are named after samphires - an edible herb that grows on low lying saline areas. The plants remove excess salt, often storing it in their leaf tips which dry up and break off. They come in a variety of colours including green to pink, red and purple.
The first 400m of the trail has been upgraded to wide compacted gravel. This upgraded section forms a 900m loop.
A view out onto the salt flats
There are plenty of great signs along the Third Creek Trail to explain the plants and birds
The Adelaide International Bird Sanctuary National Park - Winaityinaityi Pangkara was opened here in 2017. The park provides a safe haven for shorebirds of the East Asian - Australiasian Flyway network, one of the world's greatest migration flyways.
An example of the interpretive signs along the Third Creek Trail at Thompson Beach
Posts, like this #6 one, mark numbered points of interest that relate to the brochure
The first 400m of the trail has been upgraded to wide compacted gravel. This upgraded section forms a 900m loop. Turn south here to follow the rest of the trail down to Third Creek.
The trail which hasn't been upgraded is reasonably easy to follow, just follow the pine posts - you can often see several of them
It's pretty easy to follow the Third Creek Trail, one of the Samphire Coast Shorebird Trails at Thompson Beach. The trail is marked with posts
Brochures and maps are often available at the Third Creek Trail trailhead, or you can download the brochure.
The trailhead of the Third Creek Trail, one of the Samphire Coast Shorebird Trails at Thompson Beach. The trail begins from the southern end of the Esplanade.
Signage directing cars to the trailheads has recently been upgraded. This sign is in Dublin, just off main Port Wakefield Road
When you enter Thompson Beach, turn left to reach the Third Creek Trail. Signage directing people to the trailheads has recently been upgraded.