Day: 1 (12th January 2025) 17km+
We were out the door with packs shouldered a little after 7:30am, and on our way.
The forecast promised heat, but for now, it was sunny and pleasant if you’re me, on the cooler side if you’re Sarah.
Some walking would soon take care of that!
We had to follow the highway, our path uncomplicated as all we needed to do, was hit the harbour, as it was also the Southern terminus of the Heysen Trail, of which we’d mostly be following on our Wild South Coast Way adventure (the Heysen veers North before our trail ends in Victor Harbor).
There was zero traffic to avoid, and it was all downhill, so twenty minutes later and we were at the trailhead, almost right on 8am.
Our first steps on the trail… proved to be a detour!
That’s right, we’d posed in front of the sign, taken some snaps, and immediately, there was a diversion!
Thankfully, it was short, a diversion counted in mere metres, but still, it wasn’t the start you envisage!
The diversion took us immediately uphill, giving us a nice little view over the ferry harbour, then back downhill to the coast and the trail proper.
We were officially away!
An installation told us the dreamtime tale of Ngurunderi, a spiritual ancestor in whose footsteps we’d be walking, as the path stained red by the morning sun & the sandy earth wound its way along the shore.
A gentle breeze rustled the grasses beside the trail, the shape of Kangaroo Island lurked across the water to our right, and the sandy soil beneath our feet was a terracotta red.
The terrain was gently undulating, so really easy going to start and ease ourselves back into the rhythm of hiking, and there were plenty of distractions with flocks of small birds zooming about at speed, as well as a surprising number of dragonflies and butterflies!
What I initially took to be a bin on the side of the trail (in fairness, it was being utilised as one) was in fact a large plastic barrell, which according to google (I looked this up later, not at the time) was in fact a greek vessel for tranporting olives.
Certainly a long way from home!!
As expected, our trail followed the contours of the coast, weaving along, just above the shore, and undulating with the rolling terrain gently rising and falling beneath our feet.
Eventually, we reached the rocky shores of Fishery Beach, apparently an active nesting place for a variety of marine birds, the site of a former mine, an important historical site for the now defunct whaling industry, but also the point at which electrical marine cables enter the sea, and make their way across to Kangaroo Island.
More recently, at a site just just beyond the beach (and a sequence of large stones by why to traverse a very dry creek bed), it was also where we stopped for a quick breakfast!
Now, being January, we were well aware that we were in the heart of the Australian summer, but it was still something of a surprise at how dry and yellow the landscape was.
We’d always assumed that near the coast, a bit more rainfall would be expected, and the fields still somewhat lush (although there was the surprise of passing a stunded, but very green Fig tree, with several fruit clinging to its branches).
Trees were few, and when we passed our first substantial stand of scrubby Casuarina’s’, we also spied our first significant wildlife, with several Kangaroos taking advantage of their shade.
There’s always little buzz seeing your first wildlife on trail!
The trail itself, was by now rocky, rather than sandy, and then for a time began to snake slightly inland on what appeared to be a 4WD trail.
At various spots, you can see where attempts at revegetation are underway, with small trees protected by plastic windbreaks in that awkward phase where they’re no longer seedling, but not really what I’d call a sapling…
The butterflies continued to flutter about, and at a meeting of fencelines and a gravel road ends for beach access, we had our first proper fence crossing via a stile (we also got to watch a family of Kangaroos trying to coach a younger member on how to jump the fence further up the hill).
We assume they were ultimately reunited, but on which side of the fence?
The easy nature of the walking made it feel like plenty of progress was being made, and despite the parched appearance of the land, having the blue sea, ever present on our right, made it quite a lovely stroll.
It was, however, very exposed, so the need to be sun smart was real, and in more inclement weather, there would be zero protection.
Much of the native vegetation has likely been cleared in decades past for grazing, with only occasional clusters of trees on the occasional, usually distant hillock.
On the rarer occasion that we actually passed close enough to any benefit from their shade, it was most welcome.
For a time, the rocky trail become a rocky farm track, with wheel ruts clearly visible as we rolled up and down the hills.
Eventually, we left the meandering road, and began to walk what I can best describe as narrow trail, somewhat akin to a goat track.
We were never truly too far from it, but we were now headed back towards the coast, and soon came upon one of the more famous builds on the Fleurieu Peninsula: The UFO House!
House is possibly a bit of stretch, but it’s certainly a unique structure, and the nearby main house (far more conventional) would enjoy some incredible, year round ocean views!
With our path now leading us once again parralel to the shore, it provided a bit relief having that vast expanse of blue to our right, as opposed to an endless vista of dry, almost barren fields.
We still had time to spy several more Kangaroos (also shading themselves under the odd stand of Casuarina), as the trail entered Deep Creek National Park.
Soon we stood on a bluff, with the relatively sheltered Blowhole Beach below (complete with a few bathers).
Initially we wondered whether crossing the creek of the same name as we entered the beach might require us to get our feet wet, however, by the time we reached the sand it had lost any strength, and was easily traversed in a single step!
The day was now heating up, as despite the respite the sea breeze can provide, the mercury tipped to hit the 30’s today, and as such, the opportunity to take a breather in some large patches of shade near the beach were mighty tempting.
However, only 12km into our day, we decided to soldier on, and after a brief climb up from the beach, we were once again travelling this southern stretch of the Heysen Trail (notable, as we also reached the southernmost point on the trail a few hundred metres later).
From there, it was a reasonably steep descent down to the small rocky cove below.
In wet, slippery conditions, it would be far more treacherous, challenging enough, on this dry, clear day.
From there, it was almost vertically up, at least initially, the way ahead requiring a scramble up a small rock wall, before what looked to be a long, slow ascent up to Cobbler Hill.
There were a few more Casuarina’s around as we made the ascent, however, they provided little shade, making it thirsty work as we made our way up the rocky slope, the few Gecko’s we saw sunning themselves, certainly enjoying themselves more than us.
It wasn’t helped by a slackening in the breeze.
Eventually, the incline plateaued, and before long we came to an intersection in the trail (and surprisingly, a picnic table), from where it was apparently 100 metres to Cobbler Hill Campground, and a further 2 kilometres on to our destination, Wuldi Krikin Ngawanthi / Eagle Waterhole Campground.
We were now surrounded by more vegetation than we’d seen all day, and with the sun beating down and the wind unable to penetrate, it felt quite oppressive at times.
It felt like a long 2,000 metres at times!
When the 3 large water tanks came into view signifying our arrival into camp, it was certainly a moment of relief.
Somewhat amusingly, we were done for the day, and it wasn’t far past 12:30 in the afternoon!
We took some time to rest, prepared and enjoyed a lunch of wraps with spinach, tomato, cheese & salami, before taking stock of the camp and its impressive facilities.
A large communal shelter housed a sink and food preparation area, tables, bench seats and even USB ports.
Surrounding this, an eco toilet sat a little further up the hill, whilst for camping, a combination of hard packed earth, and platform sites dotted the camp, all disected by a narrow gully which I’m sure in wetter times formed a creek, which in turn supplied the reed fringed water hole itself.
It was a rather lovely spot, which was fortunate, as we had the afternoon to make ourselves comfortable and relax!
For much of the afternoon, we assumed we’d have the place to ourselves given we’d seen zero sign of any other hikers throughout the day, but late in the afternoon, a young guy and his visiting mother wandered into camp, and even later in the evening (around the time we were getting ready to prepare dinner), a pair of ladies staggered in as well, clearly a little worse for wear having walked through the heat of the afternoon.
With dinner done, we enjoyed the company of a few more Kangaroos grazing on the hill above the camp, before calling it a night after an enjoyable, if a surprisingly short first day on the trail.
Continue to Day 2 of our Wild South Coast Way Adventure HERE
* Our campsite at Wuldi Krikin Ngawanthi (Eagle Waterhole) cost us $30.40, booked via Parks SA
* Our Personal Locator Beacon hire from Macpac, cost us $45 for 7 days (we didn’t require it for the full 7 days)
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