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St Kilda Mangrove Trail and Interpretive Centre

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      St Kilda Mangrove Trail and Interpretive Centre

      St Kilda Mangrove Trail and Interpretive Centre

      Opening Hours

      The Trail is open from 10am, seven days a week for self-guided walks. Generally the Trail closes around 4pm on weekdays and around 5pm on weekends/public holidays. The St Kilda Mangrove Trail and Interpretive Centre provides a wonderful insight into Adelaide's unique near-city mangrove forest.

      Please note that on rare occasions high tides may force earlier closing times and occasionally the Trail is closed due to adverse weather conditions or maintenance requirements. To ensure that the trail is open before visiting please contact Steve Vines on 0413 975 064. The trail can also be opened outside of regular hours by prior arrangement.

      Constructed by the City of Salisbury in 1984 to encourage wider appreciation of the ecosystems of the Barker Inlet, the complex includes a two kilometre boardwalk that meanders through the mangrove forest of the Barker Inlet Aquatic Reserve, allowing visitors to explore this fascinating ecosystem without damaging the forest. The boardwalk enables visitors to experience the delights of the mangrove estuary – from the tidal salt marshes at the landward margin of the estuary, through to the mangroves and sea grass channels located at the seaward edge.

      Directions

      The St Kilda Mangrove Trail is located on the western boundary of the city of Salisbury just a few kilometres north of Adelaide. The road into St Kilda is approximately 12 kilometres north of Gepps Cross, along Pt Wakefield Road (almost adjacent to the intersection of Waterloo Corner road). Follow the signs into this quaint coastal village to the entrance of the Mangrove Trail off Fooks Terrace – adjacent to the marina at St Kilda. From Adelaide you should allow about 25 minutes driving time with the centre of Salisbury just a 10 minute drive away.

      Admission

      Adults $6.90
      Concession $5.90
      Children (5 – 17 years) $3.90

      School excursion and group packages are also available – please contact the Rangers on (08) 8280 8172.

      St Kilda Mangrove Trail

      The trail is complemented by an award-winning Interpretive Visitor Centre, which enhances the educational role of the facility by helping visitors discover the beauty and significance of this coastal wetland system and its inhabitants.

      Quick Facts

    • Constructed in 1984, the St Kilda Mangrove Trail and Interpretive Centre includes a two kilometre boardwalk showcasing the mangrove forest of the Barker Inlet Aquatic Reserve.

    • In the past, mangroves have often been looked upon with disdain. Large areas have been bulldozed or used as dumping grounds for household and industrial waste. In recent time the value of mangroves and the role which they play has become more evident. Mangrove areas play an important role in the fishing industry, as they play a part of a major food web. They also protect the coast against storms and play a slow but continuous role of land building.

    • The grey mangroves of St Kilda are part of the largest mangrove estuary, and the most significant nursery for recreational and commercial fish species in Gulf St Vincent.

    • The mangrove zone is flooded and drained twice daily with the tides. This tidal movement may assist with oxygenation of the soils that the trees grow in.

    • Over 200 species of bird have been recorded in the coastal wetlands of the Barker Inlet. Within sight of the boardwalk there are many bird habitats. The shrubby samphires (small red or green shrubs belonging to the same family as saltbushes) offer shelter and food for insect and seed eating birds such as fairy wrens, chats and thornbills. Wading birds survey the shallow samphire pools for tiny crustaceans and worms. At low tide the seagrass beds become feeding grounds for many birds including black swans.

    • Juvenile fish live in the shelter of the mangroves. Schools of tiny fish swim into the mangrove and samphire areas with the incoming tide.

      • Download the St Kilda Mangrove Trail Brochure (778 kB) and explore the links on the left to learn more about this unique experience. To download this brochure you will require Adobe Acrobat Reader.

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