This trek begins in Goolwa, more or less at the beginning of the Fleurieu Peninsula. Goolwa itself is quite a big town near the mouth of the Murray River, basically situated on a big inlet with a new bridge connection to the mainland to Hindmarsh Island.

From Goolwa its approximately 17kms to Victor Harbour, a pretty town with quite a lot of history and a good spot for whale watching between June and October. It’s also a good place to stock up on fuel and food before continuing on.

16kms from Victor Harbour, you come to Newland Head Conservation Park and Waitpinga Beach and Parsons Head. Waitpinga has a good campground ($6 per site per night run by SA Parks) for tents but not so good for camper trailers/caravans. Its also a good spot for surfing and well recognised as an excellent salmon fishing beach. From Newland Head the road continues inland and we're heading for the turn-off to Deep Creek Conservation Park, 26kms along a sealed road. The unsealed road continues west and a day pass for Deep Creek CP is $7.50 unless you intend to camp. Tapanappa Hill is the first turn-off you come to followed by the turn-off to Tent & Cobblers Hill, approx 5kms from the Tapanappa turn-off. The drive is quite a pretty one passing through a shady forest section.

Once at the turn-off to Tent and Cobblers Hill, you head south. If you're looking for a place to camp, Trig (at Tent Hill) camp was the best option with more shade and a couple of good walks to Deep Creek Cove and Deep Creek Waterfall and is $6 per night per site. None of the camps have access to the coast without a few kms walk and the eastern side is really the "wild" side of the peninsula. There are good views across to Kangaroo Island from here.

Our trek heads from the Deep Creek CP (where the unsealed road ends) out to Cape Jervis approx 14kms away. Cape Jervis is one of the ferry points to Kangaroo Island and is the western most tip of the peninsula. From here you may want to extend your trek to Kangaroo Island. Its not a cheap exercise however and costs (as at March 2001) $64 per person return and $138 return for vehicles up to 5 metres. There are day packages from Adelaide which maybe a cheaper option if you're just going for the day.

From Cape Jervis we head to the western side of the peninsula. It’s 11kms from Cape Jervis to Delamere and then only another 1km to the turn-off to Rapid Bay. Rapid Bay is a little town with a small council camping ground but has probably the best (definitely the longest) jetty you're likely to find on the peninsula. Back on the main road, you wind your way back out to the coast and its 25kms to Normanville. Normanville is a pleasant seaside town catering to tourists, so it has the usual shops/bakery etc and a couple of nice caravan parks situated right on the water's edge. This is a really good place for families and boats as the water is really lovely and calm and a good place to relax for a while.

From Normanville, passing a few smaller wineries on the way, the trek heads past Willunga and ends approx 40kms later at McLaren Vale. As good a spot as any to finish a trek and enjoy some wine tasting!

 Interactive Route Map

Newland Head and Deep Creek Conservation Parks require day pass. If intending to enter Deep Creek CP, a once off Park Entry fee of $7.50 (car) is applicable plus camping fees if planning to stay overnight. (Trig, Tapanarra, Cobbler Hill - $5.00 per night, Stringybark - $15.00 per night.) Self registration stations are located at various access points and the Ranger's Headquarters. Travelling along the trek route does not require any fee payment at all.

No specific preparation required. The trek should be regarded as a “day trip” excursion, primarily on sealed (bitumen) roads. It is within easy reach from Adelaide requiring a drive to Goolwa of less than a couple of hours.

Route is suitable for 2WD vehicles, however in extremely wet conditions the unsealed section via Deep Creek may present problems. An alternative route on sealed roadways to Cape Jervis is available.

Fuel Supplies & Usage

	Goolwa, Middleton, Victor Harbor, Cape Jervis, Normanville, Willunga, McLaren Vale	Diesel	4cyl 25 litres	ULP	4cyl 29 litres	LPG	4cyl 36 litres
			6cyl 27 litres		6cyl 32 litres		6cyl 31 litres
			8cyl 28 litres		8cyl 30 litres

Best Time To Visit

Mid winter may bring brisk conditions along the coastal regions. In extremely wet conditions the unsealed section into Deep Creek CP can be bypassed by staying on the sealed highway.

Services & Supplies

The following locations have various services and supplies: Goolwa, Middleton, Port Elliot, Victor Harbor, Cape Jervis, Normanville, Willunga, McLaren Vale

If you are a visitor to the area, consider a one or two night stay at Goolwa to explore this town and environs. Several days could be spent in and around Victor Harbor with a leisurely walk or horse drawn trip across the causeway to Granite Island and whale watching excursions in season.

There is a wide range of choices to choose, be it hotel/motel, Bed & Breakfast, or camping. The Beach Huts at Middleton provide a unique and alternative method of accommodation. Camping is available in all the major tourist areas, or for a more secluded stay, Deep Creek Conservation Park has several campground areas to choose from and great walking trails to explore the flora and fauna of the area.

The environment experienced during the trek is predominately rural dairy cattle farming, mild to hot in summer months and cool to cold in winter.