Family fun this spring in South Australia’s national parks

Walk or ride at Shep­herds Hill Recre­ation Park 

Got some active kids or bike lovers in the fam­i­ly? Shep­herds Hill Recre­ation Park is the per­fect spot to stretch those legs. Whether you’re walk­ing togeth­er on the trails or rid­ing bikes through the park’s ded­i­cat­ed cycling paths, there’s plen­ty of room for lit­tle adven­tur­ers to burn off ener­gy while soak­ing up the sights and sounds of nature.

The park boosts a num­ber of cycling options for the whole fam­i­ly — from an easy kids zone where chil­dren can prac­tice and expe­ri­ence rid­ing on dirt, to a pump track with sev­er­al areas and fea­tures to suit inter­me­di­ate rid­ers with a range of abilities. 

You can dis­cov­er even more bik­ing adven­tures in parks here.

Nature Play Mukan­thi, Mori­al­ta Con­ser­va­tion Park

If you haven’t been to Mukan­thi Nature Play Space yet, you’re in for a treat! Locat­ed in Mori­al­ta Con­ser­va­tion Park, this play area is like a giant nat­ur­al play­ground, designed to let kids explore, climb, and imag­ine. With wood­en forts, bal­anc­ing logs, and (if it’s been rain­ing) a creek to splash in! 

Per­fect for fam­i­lies of all ages, you can com­plete your day with and easy walk to First Falls (approx­i­mate­ly 2 hours round trip). 

Already famil­iar with Mukan­thi Nature Play Space? Dis­cov­er even more nature play spaces here.

Hik­ing the Wild Soth Coast Way 

For fam­i­lies with old­er kids or those who love a good hike, the Wild South Coast Way offers an epic adven­ture. This coastal trail has stun­ning ocean views, wildlife to spot along the way, and plen­ty of great pic­nic stops. Whether you tack­le a sec­tion of the trail or make it a full-day out­ing, it’s a fan­tas­tic way to enjoy the fresh air together.

Find out more about longer walks in SA’s nation­al parks here.

Camp­ing at Para Wirra Con­ser­va­tion Park 

If your fam­i­ly is ready for a bit of out­door fun, Para Wirra Con­ser­va­tion Park is a fan­tas­tic choice for camp­ing. With lots of open space and camp­grounds sur­round­ed by native bush, it’s the per­fect spot to set up a tent and enjoy some fam­i­ly time around the camp­fire. And don’t for­get to check out the Nature Play For­est at Gawler View Pic­nic Area, where the kids can run wild in the bush while you relax with a cuppa.

Dis­cov­er every­thing you need to know about your next (or first!) camp­ing trip in a nation­al park here.

Acces­si­ble hik­ing at Mari­no Con­ser­va­tion Park 

Mari­no Con­ser­va­tion Park is a great spot for an easy fam­i­ly out­ing, espe­cial­ly if you’re push­ing a pram or have lit­tle ones just start­ing to walk. The park’s inclu­sive trails mean that every­one can enjoy the coastal views, no mat­ter their age or abil­i­ty. It’s an easy walk with plen­ty of chances to stop and admire the scenery – per­fect for a relaxed fam­i­ly day out.

The Botan­i­cal trail (1.4km loop, approx­i­mate­ly 45 min­utes) has one acces­si­ble car park avail­able how­ev­er there are no toi­lets in this park. Watch out for wet days as some parts of the track can become mud­dy, how­ev­er with an acces­si­ble pic­nic spot along the way and some some of Adelaide’s best views of the coast and city sky­line on offer, it’s worth the effort.

Find out more about acces­si­bil­i­ty in parks here.

Kayak­ing at Onka­paringa Riv­er Recre­ation Park 

Fan­cy get­ting out on the water? Onka­paringa Riv­er Recre­ation Park is just the place for a fam­i­ly kayak adven­ture. The calm riv­er makes it safe for begin­ners, and it’s an awe­some way to explore the park’s peace­ful water­ways while keep­ing an eye out for local wildlife. Pack a pic­nic and enjoy a relaxed day pad­dling and explor­ing together.

With so many parks to choose from and activ­i­ties to try, there’s no short­age of fam­i­ly-friend­ly fun wait­ing for you in South Australia’s nation­al parks. Whether you’re hik­ing, camp­ing, play­ing, or pad­dling, it’s all about mak­ing mem­o­ries and spend­ing time togeth­er in the great outdoors!