A Gentle Forest Walk Along Mosquito Creek in World Heritage Country
| Activity | Walking (Easy) |
| Distance | 2.7 kilometres return |
| Duration | Approximately 1 hour |
| Region | Limestone Coast |
| Accommodation | Camping, mid-range and premium options — See accommodation options |
| Start Point | Victoria Fossil Cave, Naracoorte Caves National Park |
| End Point | Stoney Point Picnic Area |
| Park Entry | Free (cave tour fees apply separately) |
| Dogs Allowed | No |
Overview
Within the grounds of South Australia’s only World Heritage–listed site, the Stoney Point Hike offers a peaceful 2.7-kilometre return walk between Victoria Fossil Cave and the Stoney Point picnic area. While the caves beneath your feet hold 500,000 years of fossil history, the trail above ground passes through a landscape of quiet beauty — stringybark and river red gum forest, remnant waterholes along Mosquito Creek, and open woodland where kangaroos, echidnas, and wombats go about their daily routines largely undisturbed.
This is an easy, family-friendly walk that complements the underground cave tours perfectly. Where the caves reveal the ancient past in fossilised bone, the Stoney Point trail shows the living present — the animals and plants that continue to inhabit this landscape, connected by an unbroken chain of ecology to the creatures whose remains lie preserved in the chambers below.
The Walk
The trail begins near Victoria Fossil Cave, the centrepiece of the park’s World Heritage listing, and heads through a mix of stringybark eucalyptus and river red gum forest. The path is well-defined and mostly flat, following the course of Mosquito Creek through the park. Along the creek, remnant waterholes provide drinking spots for wildlife and create small pockets of denser vegetation where ferns and moisture-loving plants cluster around the water’s edge.
Western grey kangaroos are commonly seen along the trail, often resting in the shade of the larger trees during the heat of the day. Echidnas are slower to reveal themselves but are present throughout the park, their distinctive diggings visible in the soft soil beside the path. Wombats, primarily nocturnal, leave evidence of their presence in the form of their characteristically cube-shaped droppings near their burrow entrances.
The trail ends at the Stoney Point picnic area, a pleasant spot with sheltered tables where you can rest before retracing your steps. The picnic area sits in an open clearing surrounded by mature eucalyptus, and on quiet mornings it’s not uncommon to have kangaroos grazing just metres away.
Planning Your Visit
Naracoorte Caves National Park is located approximately 12 kilometres south of the town of Naracoorte on the Limestone Coast, roughly 3.5 hours’ drive from Adelaide. Entry to the park grounds is free, though fees apply for guided cave tours. The trail is suitable for all fitness levels and can be combined with the World Heritage Hike and the Bat Observation Centre for a full day at the park. Carry water, as facilities are limited to the main visitor centre area.
The Stoney Point Hike is a gentle walk through the living surface of a World Heritage landscape. While the fossil chambers below preserve 500,000 years of natural history, the trail above reveals a forest that is still home to kangaroos, echidnas, and wombats — a quiet reminder that the story these caves tell is not yet finished.
Where to Stay
Planning an overnight trip? See our Limestone Coast Accommodation Guide for the best places to stay near this trail.