Onkaparinga Gorge walks in Onkaparinga River National Park

Before heading to McLaren Vale wineries such as Chapel Hill, d’Arenberg, Coriole and Mollydooker, try an Onkaparinga River National Park walk or two. For a steep hike, opt for the Onkaparinga Gorge Hike. The Chapel Hill Lookout Loop near Old Noarlunga is an easier option for seeing Onkaparinga Gorge, however.

Most people coming through Old Noarlunga from Adelaide are on the way to the Shiraz-tastic wineries of the McLaren Vale or Fleurieu Peninsula beaches such as Sellicks Beach. But even if you’re more interested in visiting the d’Arenberg Cube than checking out a pretty village, Old Noarlunga is worth a few minutes of leg-stretching.

This Fleurieu Peninsula village is based around a loop in the Onkaparinga River. The lush, green riverside parklands are gently idyllic. Or at least they would be were it not for the flocks of noisy, marauding cockatoos absolutely determined to spoil anyone’s peace and quiet.

Onkaparinga Gorge walks: Chapel Hill Lookout Loop

Further upstream, the Onkaparinga River forms the centrepiece of the Onkaparinga River National Park, where walking trails such as the easy 45 minute Chapel Hill Lookout Loop from the Chapel Hill picnic ground head through parched fields and over rolling hills before emerging to Onkaparinga Gorge views. Now Onkaparinga Gorge is not the most dramatic of gorges – the sides manage to be curvy rather than steep and sheer – but it’s wonderfully peaceful.

The Onkaparinga Gorge from the Chapel Hill Lookout Loop in the McLaren Vale, Fleurieu Peninsula, South Australia. This is one of the easiest Onkaparinga River National Park walks near Old Noarlunga. Photo by David Whitley/ Australia Travel Questions

There are several wineries that are close to the Onkarparinga Gorge. These include Chapel Hill, Coriole Vineyards and Mollydooker Wines. All of these are on the route between Old Noarlunga and the Chapel Hill Picnic Ground. The picnic ground is approximately 42km south of Adelaide. It should take around 40 minutes to drive there. The walk is a decent bet for doing something healthy before hitting the McLaren Vale tasting rooms.

There are plenty of other walking trails within the Onkaparinga River National Park however. These include the Punchbowl Lookout trail, which is 2km long and heads through woodland to the dramatic Punchbowl Lookout. The trail is suitable for prams and those with limited mobility. Mobs of grazing kangaroos are usually found around dawn and dusk.

Onkaparinga River National Park wildlife

There’s plenty of wildlife to be seen on other Onkaparinga River National Park walks. Koalas, kangaroos, possums, echidnas and plenty of birds live within the national park boundaries.

But for a proper workout, take on the 6km gorge hike. This drops steeply into the bottom of Onkaparinga Gorge from the Sundews Lookout. The hike follows the river downstream, before a steep climb back to the top of the ridge. The paths on this trail aren’t great – expect a little scrambling.

The National Parks and Wildlife Service South Australia website has information on Onkaparinga River National Park walks, as well as maps and other activities. It’s possible to visit Onkaparinga National Park on the drive from Adelaide to Cape Jervis to catch the Kangaroo Island ferry.