The best family-friendly hikes and walks in Cobbler Creek Recreation Park

Lochiel Park has everything from walking paths, basketball courts, open fields, small ponds, wetlands, and even the historic Lochend House. The park also connects with the Torrens Linear Parkway, which runs all the way from the Adelaide Hills to the coast.

This nearly 35-kilometre shared-use path is one of Adelaide's premier trails. Starting in the Adelaide Hills the parkway follows the River Torrens through the city all the way to Henley and West Beach.

River Torrens (Karrawirra Pari) is Adelaide’s central river, flowing about 85 kilometres from the Adelaide Hills through the city centre and west to the sea at Henley Beach. Lined by parks, wetlands, and walking trails through much of metropolitan Adelaide, the river supports birdlife, recreation, and important green spaces while also holding deep cultural significance for the Kaurna people, who know it as Karrawirra Pari, meaning “red gum forest river.” Along its course, the river varies from narrow, tree-lined sections and wetlands to more expansive stretches, including the well-known waters of Torrens Lake in central Adelaide.

The shared pathway around Sir Douglas Mawson Lake is a mostly level, well-maintained route used for walking, jogging, and cycling. It runs alongside the water and connects residential areas with nearby cafés and shops along Mawson Lakes Boulevard. The path is lit with wildlife-sensitive, low-glare lighting designed to reduce light pollution while still providing clear visibility after dark. Benches, landscaped sections, and open reserves line parts of the route, making it suitable for both short strolls and longer circuits at any time of day.

One of Mawson Lakes’ central lakes, this man-made body of water forms part of a managed stormwater system in Adelaide’s northern suburbs. Named after Antarctic explorer Sir Douglas Mawson, the lake is bordered by modern homes, small bridges, and open green spaces. It’s a reliable spot for birdlife, with black swans often seen on the water. While it may look inviting, swimming and watercraft are not permitted due to water quality and its role in urban water management.

This park protects a large area of bushland in the Adelaide Hills, just northeast of the city. It's a great place to explore with plenty of steep ridges, rocky gullies and native woodland typical of the Mount Lofty Ranges. There are several walking and cycling tracks that pass through the reserve, connecting natural features, historic ruins and lookouts that offer beautiful views across the Adelaide Plains.

Newman’s Nursery Ruins are the remains of a historic plant nursery established in the late 1800s by Charles Newman. Stone walls, foundations and terraced areas still mark the site where fruit trees and ornamental plants were once grown and sold to Adelaide residents. Today, the ruins sit quietly within the surrounding bushland, making it a lovely place to pause and get a peek into the early agricultural history of the area.

This lookout is a fantastic spot for a clear view across the Adelaide Plains from within the park. From this elevated point, the landscape opens westward toward the city of Adelaide and the surrounding suburbs. On clear days, the view extends across the plains all the way to the distant coastline along Gulf St Vincent.