14 national parks near Adelaide with toilets

Whether you have kids who are always wanting the loo, or you just don’t like having to resort to the ‘bush pee’ when you’re enjoying a walk or a picnic, then this is the list for you.

Here are 14 national parks in and around Adelaide that have toilet facilities – and exactly where in the park you can find them:

1. Adelaide International Bird Sanctuary: St Kilda, Middle Beach, Thompson Beach, Webb Beach, Port Parham. (Note that these toilets are in the nearby townships, not the park itself.)
2. Anstey Hill Recreation Park: Ellis Cottage (Gate 1).
3. Belair National Park: Playford Lake, Main Oval, Gums Oval, Pines 1 & 2, Government Farm 1 & 2, Adventure Playground, Joseph Fisher, Willows Picnic Area, Karka Picnic Area, Long Gully.
4. Cleland National Park: Waterfall Gully, Mount Lofty Summit, Cleland Wildlife Park.
5. Cobbler Creek Recreation Park: Near the playground at the Smith Road/Bridge Road entrance.
6. Deep Creek National Park: Park Headquarters, Stringybark Campground, Tapanappa Campground, Trig Campground and Picnic Area, Cobbler Hill Campground.
7. Granite Island Recreation Park: Near the Horse Tram stop.
8. Hallett Cove Conservation Park: Next to the Boatshed Café.
9. Morialta Conservation Park: Stradbroke Road Picnic Area, Trailhead.
10. Mount Lofty Summit: Next to the Visitor Information Outlet and gift shop.
11. Newland Head Conservation Park: Waitpinga Campground, Waitpinga Beach, Parsons Beach.
12. Onkaparinga River National Park: Sundews Trail trailhead, Pink Gum Campground, Chapel Hill Picnic Ground.
13. Onkaparinga River Recreation Park: Perrys Bend.
14. Para Wirra Conservation Park: The Gawler View, Lake, Hissey and Helipad picnic areas, and Wirra Campground (opening in May).

But what if you really, really need to go and there isn’t a toilet nearby?

Ah, the dreaded bush toilet. Nobody enjoys it, but it’s a fact of outdoor life. When you’re in a park, always be prepared by carrying some toilet paper or wet wipes in a ziplock bag and some hand sanitiser.

If nature calls, find yourself a private spot away from creeks and dams, then use a stick or a rock to dig a hole at least 20 cm deep and wide. Do what you need to do, then fill in the hole with dirt.

Just remember, don’t put the used paper in the hole. That’s what your ziplock bag is for – put the paper in the bag and put the bag in a bin when you get home. Toilet paper can take years to break down in the environment, especially in dry areas, and in some horror-movie scenarios, it can even end up blowing around in the wind. I think you’ll agree that no-one needs that in their life.

Need more information?

To find out if a park has toilets and where they are, visit the National Parks SA website and use the ‘Find a Park’ tool to search for a park with the facilities you need.

If you’re interested in visiting parks near Adelaide, you might like our blog aboutparks you can get to on public transport.

Main image: toilets at Waterfall Gully

This story was originally posted in March 2018.