Coorong National Park
| Location | Coorong National Park |
| Start/End Point | Scenic Drive, Coorong |
| Distance | 3 km loop |
| Time | 1 hour |
| Difficulty | Easy |
| Activity | Walking |
| Region | Fleurieu Peninsula, Limestone Coast |
| Accommodation | Camping, mid-range and premium options — see Fleurieu Peninsula and Limestone Coast accommodation |
| Key Feature | Ephemeral lakes, mallee scrub, sand dunes |
A Gentle Loop Through the Coorong’s Hidden Landscapes
The Coorong is best known for its long, narrow lagoon and the birdlife that congregates along its shores, but beyond the waterline lies a landscape of surprising variety — ephemeral lakes that fill and empty with the seasons, mallee scrub that shelters wildlife, and low sand dunes that have been shaped by thousands of years of coastal winds. The Lakes Nature Trail Walk is a gentle three-kilometre loop that explores this less-visited side of the Coorong, taking walkers past seasonal lakes, through dense scrub, and over the sandy ridges that characterise the landward edge of this internationally significant wetland system.
The Coorong National Park is a wetland of international importance, recognised under the Ramsar Convention for its role in supporting significant and endangered flora and fauna. The park’s proximity to Adelaide makes it immensely popular, and visitors come for bird watching, boating, kayaking, fishing, camping, walking, four-wheel driving, and to experience the cultural history of the Ngarrindjeri people, who have maintained their connection to this landscape for thousands of years.
The Walk
The trail follows a pleasant loop through three distinct habitats. The ephemeral lakes — shallow depressions that fill with rainwater in winter and spring, then gradually dry through summer — support transient communities of waterbirds and frogs during their wet phases, and the dried lake beds in summer reveal the mineral deposits and cracked earth patterns that speak to the cycle of wetting and drying that defines this landscape.
Between the lakes, the trail passes through mallee scrub — low, multi-stemmed eucalypts adapted to the sandy soils and dry conditions of the coastal fringe. This dense vegetation provides shelter for small birds, reptiles, and mammals, and in spring produces delicate wildflowers that add colour to the green-grey palette of the scrub. The low sand dunes that the trail crosses offer elevated views across the surrounding landscape, connecting the experience of the individual habitats into a broader understanding of how the Coorong’s different environments relate to each other.
Planning Your Walk
The Lakes Nature Trail Walk is accessed from Scenic Drive within the Coorong National Park. The trail is flat, easy, and suitable for all ages and fitness levels. It combines well with the Jack Point Pelican Observatory Walk and the many other walking, kayaking, and driving experiences available throughout the park. The Coorong stretches over 130 kilometres, and the Lakes Nature Trail provides an excellent introduction to the park’s terrestrial habitats for visitors who may otherwise focus primarily on the lagoon and coastline.
The Lakes Nature Trail Walk reveals a side of the Coorong that most visitors never see — the quiet inland landscape of seasonal lakes, mallee scrub, and sand dunes that exists behind the famous lagoon. In just one hour, this gentle loop provides a window into the ecological complexity of one of Australia’s most important wetland systems, where land and water are inseparable partners in a landscape of extraordinary biodiversity.
Where to Stay
Planning an overnight trip? See our Fleurieu Peninsula Accommodation Guide for the best places to stay near this trail.