Wirraparinga Trail Circuit (5.4km)

The Wirraparinga Trail Loop meanders along the Brownhill Creek valley, through Brownhill Creek Recreation Park. A narrow creek flows through the steep-sided valley, with majestic river red gums, some more than 300 years old.

The Wirraparinga Trail traverses the southern side of the valley, and the Shared Use Trail the northern side along the creek. It's easily possible to combine the two trails in to a loop, starting at the caravan park and turning around at the Manure Pits.

Sites of interest on the hike include the Monarch of the Glen, a 400 year old river red gum. Its hollow trunk once sheltered Kaurna Aboriginal people and colonists until as late as the 1950s. Several settlers even gave birth inside the tree.

You can also walk your dog in this park providing it remains under your control on a lead.

Brownhill Creek was once a favourite camping, hunting and gathering ground for the Kaurna (Gar-na) Aboriginal people, who called it Wirraparinga (scrub and camping place). As many as 150 people inhabited the area at one time.

In the 1840s agriculture, market gardening and quarrying were established in the valley. Concrete pits were used to store horse manure for the market gardens and to prevent pollution of the creek, while stone quarries provided sandstone and slate for buildings.

In 1915 the area was declared a National Pleasure Resort, becoming the Brownhill Creek Recreation Park in 1972.

You can access this hike by Adelaide Metro bus via Bus Stop 17/B Albert Street, Mitcham.