A Guide To Visiting Flinders Chase National Park

At the very end of Kangaroo Island you can find Flinders Chase National Park, a stunning national park with so many sites carved out by the natural elements you won’t know where to start!

No visit to Kangaroo Island would be complete without a drive through Flinders Chase, it’s absolutely overflowing with amazing landscapes and attractions, from the Remarkable Rocks and Admirals Arch, to countless walking trails, lighthouses and lookout points to keep you busy all day long.

If you’re visiting Flinders Chase National Park here is a quick guide with everything you need to know!

flinders chase national park

Where is Flinders Chase National Park

Flinders Chase National Park is located right at the Southern end of the island, 110km away from the main town of Kingscote.

There are signs pointing towards Flinders Chase all the way around the island, so it’s easy to figure out how to get there. Follow either the Playford and West End Highway or South Coast Road right around the island and you won’t miss it.

READ MORE:
Everything You Need To Know About Kangaroo Island

Check out the cheapest car rental deals for Kangaroo Island

remarkable rocks at flinders chase national park

When is the best time to go to Flinders Chase National Park?

There’s not really a bad time to visit Kangaroo Island, with visitors flocking into Flinders Chase National Park all year round.

The summer months between December and February, particularly January during the Australian school holidays is definitely the most popular time to visit. The shoulder seasons through spring and autumn are also lovely times to visit, with the slightly cooler weather allowing hiking and exploring to be a little more comfortable.

READ MORE:
20 Things To Do On Kangaroo Island

remarkable rocks flinders chase national park

Fees to visit Flinders Chase National Park

To visit Flinders Chase National Park you will need to purchase an day entry pass. You can pre-purchase them online here or just grab one at the Visitors Centre when you arrive at the park.

Entry costs $11 per adult. If you are planning to drive around the park, that’s no problem – your car is included in your ticket price. You will just need to let them know in the Visitors Centre so that they can give you your car permit. If you’re already pre-purchased your tickets online you will also need to stop at the Visitors Centre to collect your car entry permit.

If you plan on staying a little longer there’s a discount on your second day, with a two day entry pass being $16.

Additional fees will apply if you’re planning to camp in the park and they have to be organised and booked in advance. Please check out the Flinders Chase website for more information on camping in the park.

Check out the best places to stay on Kangaroo Island

remarkable rocks at flinders chase national park

Things to see in Flinders Chase National Park

Remarkable Rocks

Without a doubt, these rocks truly are remarkable. Sitting on the edge of the island, on a flat granite boulder that appears out of nowhere amongst the bush of the national park, the Remarkable Rocks are the result of over 500 million years of wind, rain and pounding waves.

They have formed into some really unique shapes, looking as if they have just fallen from the sky and arranged themselves that way. Many of the rocks are covered by a golden orange lichen and signs around the rocks describe even more details about the formation of the rocks.

The flat rocks around the boulders are easy and safe to walk on during dry weather, but take extra precaution if it gets windy or wet, as the close location to the cliff face and water can make it quite a dangerous site.

admirals arch in flinders chase national parkseals at the admirals arch flinders chase national park

Admirals Arch

Thousands of years of erosion has created this unique rock bridge called the Admirals Arch, located near the Cape du Couedic Lighthouse. With a long winding boardwalk and viewing platform, the Arch is the best place to observe the New Zealand fur seal colony that have set up home at the landmark.

Be prepared for quite a strong smell as you descend to the viewing platforms around the arch, as there are so many seals sitting on the rocks and flat plains that surround the archway and the smell is not a great one. But nevertheless, it’s amazing to see the seals surfing into the rocks with the waves, sunbathing on the rocks and playing around together.

Summer is the primary breeding season for the fur seals, with the rock pools underneath the Arch being a great place to see seal pups playing. Dolphins can also be spotted throughout the whole year.

seal surfing in with the waves flinders chase national park

Platypus Waterhole Walk

The Platypus Waterhole Walk is one of the easy graded walks in the park, that takes you around some of the parks waterholes and wetland areas. Enticed by the name of the walk, we were definitely hoping to see a platypus on our walk, but you need extreme patience for that I think!

Platypus are rare in South Australia, although there are meant to be some in the waterholes along this walk. Dawn and dusk are meant to be the best time to see them, if you can sit and wait patiently enough.

The complete walk is a 4.7km circuit that takes about 2 hours to complete. It’s relatively easy, on flat ground. If you don’t spot a platypus on your walk, all might not be lost – it’s also a great walk to spot kangaroos, wallabies, geese, echidnas and goannas.

Much of the walk is unshaded, and it can be extremely hot during the summer months. Remember to take enough water with you, as well as plenty of sun protection – sunscreen, a hat and sunglasses are essential.

flinders chase national park

Kangaroo Island Wilderness Trail

If you’re up for it, the epic Kangaroo Island Wilderness Trail is a 61km, 5 day trek, and is one of Australia’s great walks.

Starting at either the Kelly Hill Caves or the Flinders Chase Visitors Centre, this trail winds through some of the most botanically unique areas in all of South Australia, before reaching the rugged coastline of the Southern Ocean and some of the highlights of the national park.

It looks absolutely hectic, taking you to places that very few other people have ventured before. Find out everything about this walk at the KI Wilderness Trail website.

flinders chase national park

Flinders Chase National Park Opening Hours

Flinders Chase National Park is open seven days a week from sunrise to sunset. The park will be closed however, on days of catastrophic fire danger and may also be closed on extreme fire danger days. If you’re visiting Kangaroo Island during a heat wave or extreme weather, it’s a good idea to double check that the park is open before making the trip down there.

The Flinders Chase Visitors Centre is open from 9am to 5pm each day, where you can buy your permits, gifts and souvenirs and snacks for the day.

READ MORE:
Finding Koalas On Kangaroo Island

remarkable rocks at flinders chase national park

Contact information for Flinders Chase National Park

If you need any extra information about the park, here are some contacts that might come in handy –

Flinders Chase National Park Information Office – Ph: (08) 8553 4470 – flinderschase@sa.gov.au

Accommodation bookings & enquiries – Ph: (08) 8553 4410 – kiparksaccom@sa.gov.au

Camping bookings & enquiries – Ph: (08) 8553 4471 – flinderschase@sa.gov.au

Or you can find out more on their website here.

READ MORE:
Hanging Out With The Locals at Seal Bay Conservation Park

flinders chase national park

The most important thing to remember about Flinders Chase National Park is the sheer size of the park. You need to give yourself at least a few hours to explore the park, as it takes half an hour just to drive from one side to the other.

Flinders Chase National Park is a beautiful place to explore, and definitely one of the top highlights for any visit to Kangaroo Island.

Explore more of our adventures around Kangaroo Island

Pin for later >>

    A GUIDE TO FLINDERS CHASE NATIONAL PARK

Happy travels,



If you enjoyed this post, we'd love you to SHARE it for us!

Follow us on Instagram @EXPLORESHAW to see our latest adventures around Australia.

CHECK OUT OUR TRAVEL FAVOURITES:

Fujifilm X-T3 Mirrorless Camera
Ultimate Weekends Australia
La Tan Coconut Sunscreen
Nikon Z fc Mirrorless Camera
DJI Mavic 2 Pro Drone
Frank Green Insulated Drink Bottle
Manfrotto Tripod
Lonely Planet Australia Travel Guide
Will & Bear – Calloway Fawn Hat
Sony RX100 VI Camera
Bushmans with Sunscreen
Havianas Slim Thongs in Rose Gold
Australia Planning Map
Casetify Tropical Palm Neon Sands iPhone Case
CLICK HERE TO SUBSCRIBE to our newsletter, for blog posts and updates emailed straight to your inbox!

Use THIS LINK for $25 AUD off your next hotel stay with booking.com, or THIS LINK for $55 AUD off your first booking with airbnb.

Emma is a travel writer, photographer and blogger, chasing the sun around Australia. Travelling in her recently renovated vintage Viscount caravan, along with her husband Thom and daughter Macey, she's sharing the very best experiences from around her beloved sunburnt country.

All posts

No Comments

Leave a Reply

We're travelling around Australia, exploring all the best destinations and experiences our beautiful country has to offer. We'd love to have you along for the ride!

ultimate weekends australia

Member of:

SUBSCRIBE


for all the best bits

on the site

latest posts