Waterfalls, but only after it rains!
Morialta Conservation Park is only 10 km north-east of the city centre of Adelaide so it's a very popular walking and hiking area. There are some nice waterfalls to walk to but only if you visit during late autumn and winter! The creek that feeds the waterfalls dries up in the warmer weather. I can quite clearly remember in high school a friend complaining about being forced into going for a family outing to Morialta and walking to the falls and there was no water! (Life is tough when you're a stroppy teenager!)
There are a number of trails you can follow, the easiest is called the Valley walk and it leads to the First Falls. The paths are wide, and can easily accomodate prams, it's a 15 to 20 minute stroll to the falls.
The Valley Walk passes by a cave in the rock face and you can climb up into it.
First Falls.
The Valley Walk path seen from up on the hillside.
The water that feeds the falls is from what is called Fourth Creek, the small creeks that feed the Torrens river from the Adelaide hills are all numbered. Nowadays you can only see parts of the creeks if they run through a park, generally they were covered, large concrete pipes are placed for the water to run through and then the area around them is covered over. Roads etc are built over the top.
This picture is of Fourth Creek after it has dropped from the falls and on its way down the Adelaide plain to the river. Not a lot of water, these Morialta pictures were taken on different weeks so there's a variation depending on whether there was a lot of rain or not!
A koala napping in a tree, there was another one too but hidden behind a branch so harder to photograph. Unlike some parts of Australia where koala numbers are low, the Adelaide Hills has an abundance of koalas. So many that some make their way into the suburban areas, it's not that unusual if you have large eucalyptus trees in your yard to find a wayward koala in them.
Taking a different trail you can climb up into the gorge and then see through the trees to the Adelaide plain beyond. This view is of the northern part of the urban sprawl that is Adelaide, looking down to the sea.
Second Falls from the path below Second Falls, that leads to the top of First Falls. There's a contrast in what the falls look like after several days of heavy rain.
This was a few weeks later.
Photo taken from path that leads to the bridge above the falls.
Fourth Creek again flowing out of the park, very green surrounds as it's winter, dry and brown in summer!
On my way back to the car, this huge tree was just off the path, was impressed at its width and could only guess at how old it could be. Amazing to see.
Morialta Conservation Park is only 10 km north-east of the city centre of Adelaide so it's a very popular walking and hiking area. There are some nice waterfalls to walk to but only if you visit during late autumn and winter! The creek that feeds the waterfalls dries up in the warmer weather. I can quite clearly remember in high school a friend complaining about being forced into going for a family outing to Morialta and walking to the falls and there was no water! (Life is tough when you're a stroppy teenager!)
The Valley Walk passes by a cave in the rock face and you can climb up into it.
The Valley Walk path seen from up on the hillside.
The water that feeds the falls is from what is called Fourth Creek, the small creeks that feed the Torrens river from the Adelaide hills are all numbered. Nowadays you can only see parts of the creeks if they run through a park, generally they were covered, large concrete pipes are placed for the water to run through and then the area around them is covered over. Roads etc are built over the top.
This picture is of Fourth Creek after it has dropped from the falls and on its way down the Adelaide plain to the river. Not a lot of water, these Morialta pictures were taken on different weeks so there's a variation depending on whether there was a lot of rain or not!
Taking a different trail you can climb up into the gorge and then see through the trees to the Adelaide plain beyond. This view is of the northern part of the urban sprawl that is Adelaide, looking down to the sea.
Second Falls from the path below Second Falls, that leads to the top of First Falls. There's a contrast in what the falls look like after several days of heavy rain.
This was a few weeks later.
Fourth Creek again flowing out of the park, very green surrounds as it's winter, dry and brown in summer!
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