10 things to see and do at Mount Remarkable National Park

Mount Remarkable National Park is best-known for its rugged mountain ranges, dramatic gorges, steep vegetated valleys and exposed red quartzite cliffs, with some of the landscape dating back 800 million years.

Located between Spencer Gulf and the southern reaches of the Flinders Ranges, about 240 kilometers from Adelaide’s city centre, it makes for the perfect weekend escape.

The three sections of the park – Alligator Gorge, Mt Remarkable (via Melrose), and Mambray Creek – have their own distinctive elements, including walking trails for all ages and fitness levels, picnic areas, scenic lookouts, gorges, creek lines, ruins, and campgrounds with great facilities. Mambray Creek even has cabins you can book.

You’ll see a range of animals throughout Mount Remarkable National Park – and many of them are not shy. The park is home to the endangered yellow–footed rock-wallaby, lace monitors, tree goannas, echidnas, scorpions and western grey kangaroos, as well as rich plant life and geological treasures.

A birdwatcher’s delight, the park has 117 native bird species including brightly multi-coloured wrens, Australian ringneck parrots, emus and wedge-tailed eagles.

It’s in winter that many parks across South Australia really come to life, and Mount Remarkable is one of them.

Here are 10 ideas to try on your next trip, prepared for you by the park’s passionate rangers and Nature Play SA:

1. Get your chef hat on and make some damper on a stick using a mixture of flour, water and salt, then cook it over the campfire. While you’re at it, try some other campfire favourites.
2. Head to Ali Lookout Walk, which is a 400-metre, 15-minute return trip, for amazing views of Alligator Gorge.
3. Invent a game around the campfire at night. Use whatever you’ve got at hand, such as a torch to play the game spotlight.
4. Let the children choose a short hike to go on, close to your campground. Be sure to rug up with a raincoat, umbrella and gum boots.
5. Explore the nearby town of Melrose and stroll along the Melrose Nature Hike. It’s 3 hours return, or 4.7 km.
6. Starting from Mambray Creek, explore the 2.4 km Davey’s Gully Hike. Spot insects, such as Mitchell’s diurnal cockroach, on flowers, shrubs and crawling among leaf litter.
7. Take your wet-weather gear and gum boots and stroll along Mambray Creek Walk, where you’ll walk through puddles and hear flowing creeks.
8. On a clear day head up to Sugar Gum Lookout, a short but challenging climb. It’s 3 hours return, about 8 km, and overlooks a colony of endangered yellow-footed rock-wallabies. Keep an eye out for the Flinders Ranges scorpion here too.
9. Take a camera or sketch pad and capture, sketch, or write about the magical winter landscape.
10. Walk along the Alligator Gorge Hike and take time to smell the golden wattle as it begins to bloom.

Here's a peek of what you can see at Mount Remarkable:

Mount Remarkable has plenty to see and do all year round. Check outNature Play SA’s brochurefor the perfect selection for every season. Want to know more about this iconic park? Read our past blogs:Insider Guide Mount Remarkableand5 treasures Mount Remarkable.

(Main image courtesy of Jason Tyndall, Nature Play SA.)

This story was originally posted in June 2017.