Spring Gully Conservation Park a great place to visit

If you are stuck for ideas for things to do this school holidays, why not get out amongst nature and visit Spring Gully Conservation Park (CP).

Just 5 kilometres from Sevenhill, Spring Gully CP provides spectacular views, bush walking trails, the opportunity to see native animals and birds and the ideal space to enjoy a picnic.

Natural Resources Northern and Yorke Landscapes Ranger Kate McNicol says despite being only a relatively small conservation park, Spring Gully has a lot to offer visitors.

"If people are looking for things to do outdoors or want to go out for a picnic, Spring Gully Conservation Park offers something quite different to the town parks," Ms McNicol says.

"It’s free, and while there’s no camping available, there are picnic tables at the Blue Gum Lookout with spectacular views over the plains.

"Visitors might see Western grey kangaroos, white winged choughs and, at this time of the year, yakka plants may even be in flower."

Spring Gully CP is also home to red stringybark, the only place in South Australia where this species is found.

Short and long walking trail options are also available, with the Cascades Walk at 1.3km return the perfect option for little legs and is spectacular after rain, when water cascades down the waterfalls. Waymans Walk (2.6km) and Ridgetop Walk (2.4km) provide longer options.

Visitors are reminded to pack plenty of water, a hat and sunscreen before heading off on any of the walks.

Wallaroo Outside School Hours Care (OSHC) visited the conservation park last school holidays, with 19 children and four staff completing the Cascade Walk, finishing with a loud, hearty "cooee" down the gully.

Ms McNicol and colleague Denni Russell also talked to the children about some of the native plants in the park and showed them a fire unit and how it works.

The visit was part of a statewide Nature Play Passport, encouraging people to get out and get active in nature, and Wallaroo OSHC director Vicki Loone says the children thoroughly enjoyed the excursion to the park.

"The children enjoyed learning about the local flora and fauna, and seeing how the fire unit works was especially interesting with lots of questions being asked," Ms Loone says.

Follow the signs from either the Clare Valley Wine, Food and Tourism Centre or the Sevenhill Hotel intersection to Spring Gully Conservation Park, or for more details visit www.environment.sa.gov.au/parks