www.innesnationalpark.com.au
Dhilba Guuranda–Innes National Park · Unofficial guide
Day-trip checklist
Packing, Stenhouse-first order of stops, fee split, fire/comms and “don’t get this wrong” notes for an
Adelaide ↔ Yorke Peninsula tip day. Print this page or save as PDF from your browser.
1. Before you leave home
Status & fees
- Parks SA park page + live alerts checked this morning
- Vehicle entry paid or valid multi/single-park pass (listed $14.40 — re-check live)
- CFS fire danger / Total Fire Ban checked
- Free coastal entry has ended (Easter 2026) — normal fees apply
- Someone knows your rough plan + return window
Packing (day pack)
- Water 1–2 L+ per person
- Snacks / simple lunch
- Sun hat + high SPF
- Wind / rain shell
- Closed grip shoes
- Phone + offline map / Parks SA screenshots
- Emergency+ app installed
- Basic first aid
- Fuel plan (Warooka / Marion Bay)
2. Half-day: Stenhouse & Cape Spencer (≈4–5 hrs on the ground)
- 0:00 — Stenhouse jetty car park. Toilets. Valuables not visible in the car.
- 0:15–1:15 — Stenhouse Bay Lookout Walk (2 km loop, nine lookouts). Stay on the path.
- 1:15–1:45 — Visitor Centre if open (10am–3pm, 7 days — re-check) + stromatolites.
- 1:45–3:00 — Cape Spencer lookout; Ethel Beach only if sand has left wreck metal showing.
- 3:00+ — Fuel buffer and Adelaide reverse. Do not start Pondalowie or Gym Beach late.
3. Full-day rule (protect the day)
- One Stenhouse orientation block + one west-coast goal (capes or Pondalowie).
- Do not stack Gym Beach (separate road, ~4 hr hike) onto a first Adelaide day trip.
- If heat or fire danger is extreme: lookouts only, early start, more water.
- Gym Beach campground is Corny Point Road only — not the Stenhouse–Pondalowie network.
4. Fees — three separate systems
Day vehicle entry
- Pay before entry (online preferred)
- Listed $14.40/vehicle (16 Aug 2026) — re-check
- Multi-park / single-park passes valid
- On-site terminal: card only, slow internet
Camping & lodges (if overnight)
- Separate Parks SA booking — paid before arrival
- Accommodation listed from $27.50/night — re-check
- Vehicle entry often included with overnight booking — confirm
- Inneston lodges: usually bring linen
5. Live alerts snapshot (re-check)
- Feral bees: higher than normal activity posted on Parks SA — care at camps.
- Pondalowie surfers viewing platform: closed (storm damage; still listed 16 Aug 2026).
- Wood/solid-fuel fires: Parks SA 2025–26 list bans them in this park 22 Nov 2025 – 1 Apr 2026.
6. Safety non-negotiables
- Cliff edges, wind, unpatrolled surf — no lifeguards.
- Do not climb or fish from rocks at Browns Beach or other remote spots.
- Dogs not permitted (assistance dogs excepted under Parks SA rules).
- Mobile coverage is patchy — 000 needs reception. Use Emergency+.
- Emergency: call 000. This checklist cannot help with rescue.
7. Useful links