Heysen Trail - The Fairy Garden is a 2km, grade 1 hike located in the Deanery Reserve, South Australia. The hike should take around 1.25 hrs to complete.
Hike summary
Take the kids on a 1km each-way walk from the playground near Old Bridgewater Mill, along the Heysen Trail to the fairy garden at Deanery Reserve.
The walk starts at a Heysen Trail trailhead, next to the playground and toilets in Bridgewater. The Heysen Trail follows the old mill's water race to Cox Creek, then through a short tunnel under the railway. From there, the trail meanders through the Arbury Park Outdoor School forest - watch out for ducks, before arriving at Deanery Reserve.
The fairy garden is located beyond the bridge (when walking the Heysen Trail from Bridgewater, turn right at the bridge, don't cross the bridge), close to the freeway. The fairy garden is scattered throughout trees near the carpark. There are plenty of branches and other hidey-holes for kids to play in.
There are toilets at Bridgewater. There are no facilities in Deanery Reserve. There are steps at the very start, near Old Bridgewater Mill. There are several steps near the railway tunnel. After rain there can be mud puddles near the Cox Creek railway tunnel.
View more photos of the fairy garden on playandgo.com.au.
An option would be to continue on the Heysen Trail for another 750m (and another tunnel) to the picnic area in Mount George Conservation Park (dogs ok here) and enjoy a picnic, before returning back to Bridgewater.
Old Bridgewater Mill can be easily reached on an Adelaide Metro public transport bus, route 864, to bus stop 46 on Mount Barker Road.
Route and GPX file
Max elevation: 427 m
Min elevation: 408 m
Total climbing: 28 m
Total descent: -9 m
For more information on this hiking trail, please visit Walking SA
Gear you might need
As well as including the Ten Essentials, my planning, food and packing checklists provide an summary of things to consider on your day, overnight and multi-day hikes. Every person and every hike is different, so customise your kit according to your needs. Download your free checklists here >>
Location
Sorry, no records were found. Please adjust your search criteria and try again.
Sorry, unable to load the Maps API.
Getting there
Old Bridgewater Mill can be easily reached on an Adelaide Metro public transport bus, route 864, to bus stop 46 on Mount Barker Road.
GPX file courtesy of Walking SA. File may not contain elevation data and may only represent half the length on return hikes.
About the region
The Deanery Reserve is a reserve in South Australia and has an elevation of 406 metres. The Deanery Reserve is situated northwest of Bridgewater, close to Arbury Park Outdoor School.
Gallery
If you have any great photos from this hike and are happy to share them, please upload your .jpg files here.
Please note: Uploading photos does not transfer ownership of copyright away from you. If requested, you will be credited for any photos you provide and can ask they be deleted at any time.
Hikes you might like
Let someone know before you go. Register your trip intentions here. Your trip intentions will be emailed to your emergency contact.
Does this hike info need updating? maybe the route, features or access conditions have changed? Suggest an edit here.
Acknowledgement of Country
Trail Hiking Australia acknowledges the Traditional Owners of the lands on which we hike and pay respects to their Elders, past and present, and we acknowledge the First Nations people of other communities who may be here today.