Walking on Water Through One of Australia’s Most Important Wetlands
| Activity | Walking (Easy) |
| Distance | 1.0 kilometre return |
| Duration | Approximately 20 to 30 minutes |
| Region | Limestone Coast |
| Accommodation | Camping, mid-range and premium options — See accommodation options |
| Start Point | 50 Lindsay Hoods Rd, Bool Lagoon SA 5271 |
| End Point | Same (return) |
| Park Entry | Free (camping fees apply) |
| Ramsar Status | Listed as Wetland of International Importance (1985) |
Overview
There is something almost magical about walking across a wetland. The Tea-Tree Boardwalk at Bool Lagoon Game Reserve extends 500 metres over the water, carrying visitors into the heart of one of the largest and most ecologically significant freshwater lagoon systems in southern Australia. Below your feet, the still, tannin-stained water reflects the sky. Around you, gnarled tea-trees rise from the shallows like ancient sentinels. And everywhere, birds — up to 150 species of them — go about the business of feeding, nesting, and raising their young in one of their most important drought refuges on the continent.
Bool Lagoon was the first game reserve declared in South Australia, and in 1985 it was inscribed on the Ramsar List of Wetlands of International Importance — a recognition of its critical role in supporting migratory waterbirds that travel from as far away as the Northern Hemisphere. The Tea-Tree Boardwalk is the most accessible way to experience this extraordinary place, offering an intimate encounter with the wetland ecosystem without disturbing its fragile inhabitants.
The Walk
The boardwalk begins at the car park off Lindsay Hoods Road and immediately plunges you into the wetland landscape. The elevated timber walkway is wheelchair accessible and rises just above the water level, giving the sensation of walking on the surface of the lagoon itself. The tea-trees that surround the boardwalk are old and weathered, their trunks twisted into sculptural forms by decades of flooding and drought cycles, their branches forming a loose canopy that provides partial shade overhead.
Interpretive signs along the boardwalk explain the ecology of the wetland system — the role of seasonal flooding in maintaining biodiversity, the importance of the tea-tree habitat for nesting birds, and the significance of Bool Lagoon as a refuge during drought, when waterbirds from across south-eastern Australia converge on its waters.
Birdlife
The birdwatching at Bool Lagoon is among the best in Australia. The lagoon’s mix of freshwater marsh, reeds, rushes, open water, and tea-tree woodland supports an astonishing diversity of species. Ibis and spoonbills nest in the tea-trees directly above the boardwalk, their large stick nests visible in the branches overhead. Brolgas — the elegant grey cranes more commonly associated with northern Australia — are one of the lagoon’s most spectacular residents, and seeing them here, dancing or feeding in the shallows, is a genuinely memorable wildlife experience.
Other commonly seen species include pelicans, cormorants, grebes, herons, egrets, ducks, and a variety of smaller bush birds that inhabit the surrounding woodland. The adjacent Hacks Lagoon Conservation Park provides additional wetland habitat and is well worth exploring if time allows.
Other Walks in the Reserve
The Tea-Tree Boardwalk is just one of several walking options at Bool Lagoon. The Gunawar Walk follows the edge of the lagoon through different habitat zones, while the Pat-om Walk leads to the overflow of the inlet channel where thousands of waterbirds congregate during periods of high water. Bird hides are positioned at strategic points around both lagoons, providing sheltered observation points for serious birdwatchers.
Planning Your Visit
Bool Lagoon Game Reserve is located 24 kilometres south of Naracoorte on the Limestone Coast, approximately 3.5 hours’ drive from Adelaide. Vehicle entry is free, though camping fees apply. The reserve is open daily but closes on Total Fire Ban days. Bool Lagoon is a seasonal wetland, and the amount of birdlife present varies with rainfall and flooding patterns. The best birdwatching is typically during and immediately after the winter–spring flooding season, when the lagoon is full and the birds are nesting. Carry binoculars and a bird guide — you’ll need them.
The Tea-Tree Boardwalk is a short walk with an extraordinary setting. It carries you into the centre of one of Australia’s most important wetlands, where twisted tea-trees rise from the water, ibis nest overhead, and brolgas stalk the shallows. For birdwatchers, it is unmissable. For everyone else, it is a gentle reminder of how much life a single body of water can sustain.
Where to Stay
Planning an overnight trip? See our Clare Valley Accommodation Guide for the best places to stay near this trail.