Holidays used to be all about rest and relaxation – now more travellers are lacing up their boots and planning trips around epic walks. From golden beaches to rugged outback, Australia has no shortage of stunning trails and hikes to take your globetrotting feet, including a brand-new coastal trail in South Australia that links two of the state’s most stunning beaches.
Opened just in time for spring, the long-awaited Witton Bluff Base Trail connects the charming townships of Port Noarlunga and Christies Beach via a scenic 1.1-kilometre coastal pathway. The first stage of the project – a 420-metre boardwalk from Port Noarlunga to the tip of the bluff – was completed in December 2024, with the second and final stage now open to the public.
Just a 40-minute drive from Adelaide, the Witton Bluff Base Trail makes the perfect day trip from the city. Plus, it’s just a 20-minute drive from McLaren Vale – perfectly placed for a cheeky post-walk drink at one of the region’s wineries.
The 1.1-kilometre trail’s completion adds another striking section to the South Australian government’s ambitious Coast Park vision for a 70-kilometre shared-use path from North Haven to Sellicks Beach. The elevated boardwalk truly shows off South Australia’s natural beauty, carrying walkers above the limestone shelf and offering uninterrupted views of the sparkling Gulf St Vincent and dramatic coastal cliffs. Even better, the three-metre-wide shared pathway is fully accessible for casual walkers, cyclists, families with prams and wheelchair users alike.
The Witton Bluff Base Trail was designed in consultation with the Traditional Owners of the Onkaparinga coast, the Kaurna people. In October, two Tjilbruke Dreaming Track message sticks, created by senior Kaurna man Karl Winda Telfer, will be installed along the trail, sharing the Dreaming story of land, sea and sky Country.