About five minutes from Adelaide's southern suburb of Woodcroft, and up onto the hill, is a hidden gem. Punchbowl Lookout is a kilometre hike from the car park on Piggott Range Road, and with the sun overhead, striking down into the gorge, the views are more than worth the walk.
Somewhere around noon is the best time to do this hike. The direct sun makes the bottom of the gorge more visible -- which certainly makes for better photos. It's primordial down there, where the Onkaparinga River cuts a serpentine course between cliffs and wooded slopes. The intrepid (and fit) can hike it ... or, more accurately, climb it. It's a challenging trip in and out; I've promised myself that one day I'll do it. Can't do it just yet, but one day.
Many trails wind through Onkaparinga NP, most of them within the capacity of averagely fit walkers, but several are demanding. The only thing the Punchbowl Lookout trail is short of is -- a bathroom! The nearest is two K's away, at the head of the Sundew Trail, with its car park also on Piggott Range Road. Here's a map of the park, in PDF format, which will help with planning, ... but one has to wonder what they imagine people are going to do, with a park that size, and one bathroom!
Different times of year offer different opportunities to see wildlife, wildflowers and birds; but most birds and animals are active in the early morning and evening, when the views down into the gorge are not the best. You'd have to spend the whole day, to see both -- or visit twice! The Punchbowl Lookout hike is an easy walk; use sunblock in summer, and wear something warm in winter -- allow about an hour, not because it's long or arduous, but because the views are so magnificent, you'll want to loiter at the gorge overlook ... and you might even see a roo or two on the way!
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