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Published: February 18th 2006
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Echidna
One of the highlights of our Onkaparinga visit was coming across a very large echidna. To view the images as a slide show, select "Full Image" and then use "Next" to scroll through them. Introduction
This bushwalk was in Onkaparinga Conservation Park on the southern side of Adelaide. It is a tough walking park as the river, over millions of years, has caused the valley to have very steep sides. There is often water here, even in the height of summer, which makes for good animal and bird spotting. So this park is one to visit with older children and only with appropriate footwear. We have visited this park a few times and it ranks high on Peter's favourite parks, but this particular walk was new to us.
How to get there...
From South road, heading South, take the expressway as far as Honey Pot road. Using a street directory, make your way East to Penney's Hill Road, then Upper Penney's Hill Road, which terminates on Piggott Range Road. The street directory is necessary as the roads don't meet and some quick left-to-right turns are necessary to make the connections. Once you get to Piggott Range Road, turn Left on to the dirt and a short way up there is a car park on the right hand side of the road, with the green Onkaparinga Park sign. Park here (gate 6) and enter
Gate 6
The entrance to the park was Gate 6 on Piggott Range Road. the Park.
What happened...
We used parts of 4 trails, the Sundew's lookout trail, the Nature trail, the Gorge trail and the Echidna trail, trying to follow walk number 29 ("Mothers' ruin") in George Driscoll's walk book "50 real bushwalks around Adelaide".
The first part of the walk was a visit to Sundew's lookout. We took the 4WD track (noting the turn off to the Nature trail on the left as we had to take this trail later) and heading past the concrete foundations and following the signs to Sundew's Lookout, we headed down to the lookout, looked, and then turned around and walked up and out again. This 20 minute trip takes you to a fabulous viewing point where you can look along the river. Since we were there last they have installed a new monument. There were many baby
bearded dragons running across this path - must have been a recent hatching.
We then took the Nature trail across the top of hills seeing some lovely views across the river until we got to the Gorge trail turnoff. From here we took the Gorge trail heading down again into the valley. This section of the walk
Sundews lookout
The first part of the walk was to visit Sundews lookout takes about an hour. Watch out for the prickly wattle which is slightly overgrown on this path. The Gorge trail terminates at an amazing rock pool where we enjoyed our picnic lunch. There were many
superb blue wrens dancing around us as we ate. A group of young people came down on the opposite side of the Gorge and proceeded to go swimming and jumping off of the rock face into the deep water. It looked like fun, but dangerous fun, and we spent a lot of time talking to Dan about the dangers associated with what these people were doing.
On the way out from our visit to the Rock pool (which is a steep climb and will test your fitness) we came across an enormous echidna that was foraging for ants on the path. He didn't see us at first so I had an opportunity to get photographs and a good look before he went into the customary defensive ball shape. I can certainly see why they call this the Echidna trail.
We followed the Echidna trail, going in the opposite direction (unfortunately) to what George was recommending, and found the ruin of a house overlooking the Gorge.
Monument
Dan checking out the new monument at the Sundews lookout What a place to live! George also recommended a side trip to a waterfall - but when we attempted to walk there, the path was so overgrown with prickly wattle there was no way we could make this journey. Eventually we took the Nature trail back to our car (after taking a few wrong turns, having extra hill climbs and sightseeing - at least it helped us with our fitness!). We saw a couple of kangaroos along this part of the path. The walk back along the Nature Trail provided us with some amazing views of the countryside.
All in all it took us about three and half hours but we did spend about 40 minutes at the Rock pool.
Dan says ...
The next time we go to Onkaparinga I'm going to remember to take my bathers. There is this amazing swimming area down by the river. The water is yellow but you can drink it. It's not salty and it won't crust up your hat if it lands in the water. Oh, and don't forget your towel!
It was amazing seeing the echidna. I got to touch it and it was really quite spiky -
Nature trail
Trees forming a tunnel along the Nature trail but I didn't get an ouch.
This week's joke:
Q: Why did the woman eat 10 cans of baked beans?
A: Because she wanted to go windsurfing.
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Steve
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I have been to this park tons of times (I live 10 mins away) and have never seen an Echidna (but almost always see a Kangaroo). Fromn the position of the sun in your photos, late morning must be the best time. Now, if only the park rangers (if they exist) would clear away vegetation that has overgrown the paths!