About the Walking Route

Kenneth Stirling Conservation Park is actually a series of four parks. They were bequeathed by Kenneth Stirling to the people of South Australia, the parks were declared conservation park in 1990. Information about the parks is limited. We’ve featured walks in the two largest parks:

• on this page: 3.6km hiking loop in Wottons Scrub, Kenneth Stirling Conservation Park
• 4.7km hiking loop in Filsell Hill, Kenneth Stirling Conservation Park

Both parks are predominately remnant native stringybark forest, similar to nearby Mt George Conservation Park. The understorey is a mixture of bracken, ferns and grasses.

Walk Directions

Walking between points 8 and 9 on map involve some off-track walking. If you’re not confident with off-track walking, we don’t recommend this section of the route. This section, albeit small, could be disorientating for less confident hikers. We’ve provided another option below the list (to do an out-and-back walk to point 11 and return).

Read these directions in conjunction with the map.

1. Begin the hike at Gate 2, near 84 Gum Flat Road, Carey Gully. There is a carpark here with space for 5-6 cars. Being by walking through Gate 2 and along Wottons Track.
2. At point 2, walk through the clearing and continue on the same fire track.
3. At point 3, you reach the t-junction of Wottons Track and Gahnia Track. Turn left onto Gahnia Track.
4. Walking towards point 4, continue through the clearing across the side track. At point 4, you reach Gate 3. There is no space here to safely park a vehicle. Turn right (south) to walk along the Eastern Ridge Track.
5. At point 5, continue past the clearing and side track. The track ahead to point 6 might be unclear, but the track heads to the fence where it meets a locked gate on the boundary. Continue walking for 250 metres along the fence, to point 6
6. At point 6, the track heads inland. It’s obvious to follow.
7. At point 7, some maps show the fire track ending at a vehicle turn-around area. The trail doesn’t end here, and there is no vehicle turn-around area.
8. At point 8, things get a bit tricky. The fire track seems to end abruptly. To the right (south-west) there is a small stub fire track, if you walk off-track down this stub track, walking down hill you will reach a creek. The creek is only 85 metres away. If you see an old fence, this is the boundary fence, follow it down to the creek. Take care through, to the west (your right) there is a 2-3 metre cliff drop down to the creek. If you’re not confident with off-track walking, we don’t recommend this step. This section, albeit small, could be disorientating for less confident hikers. We’ve provided another option below (to do an out-and-back walk).
9. Walking between points 9 and 10 is tricky because you need to follow the park boundary. It would be easy to walk along the fire track here, but it’s private property, and regardless, as you begin to climb it’s much easier to navigate by sticking to the fence. The private property opens up to open grazing land.
10. At point 10, you have reached the top of the hill. There is a “cocky gate” here entering the park. Follow the fire track from the gate to the junction of the fire tracks.
11. At the junction, there is a Wotton Track sign. Turn right, heading north-west.
12. At point 12 there is a walking trail to the left (west). It’s quite overgrown and difficult to follow, and leads to the park boundary and private property.
13. At point 13, the walking trail returns to the main fire track. Ignore it, it’s quite difficult to even see this walking trail here.
14. At point 14, cross the creek. There is a large clearing the other side (on the northern side).
15. At point 15, continue straight through the junction with Bush Pea Track.
16. You then reach point 3 again. Turn left (uphill, and north-west) to return to the carpark at Gate 2.

If you’re not comfortable with some off-track walking (between points 8, 9 and 10), we recommend walking from point 1, to point 2, then turning right and heading south along Wottons Track to point 11 or 10, and returning on the same route.