The best picnic spots in the Adelaide Hills
The Adelaide Hills were made for eating outdoors. The region's farm gates, bakeries and cheesemakers handle the provisioning; what is left is choosing the spot - and here the Hills are absurdly oversupplied, with botanic lawns, forest clearings, lakesides and lookouts all within a few minutes of a good loaf.
The classics earn their reputations: the lawns of the Mount Lofty Botanic Garden under autumn colour are as good as picnicking gets in this state. But the list below ranges wider - to a steam-era lake behind Stirling, the pine shade of Kuitpo Forest, and a reservoir shoreline that only opened to the public in 2019. All are free or close to it; most have tables, but the rug is the better technology.
-
1
StirlingMount Lofty Botanic Garden
Lawns, lakes and the best autumn colour in South Australia - the undisputed champion.
-
2
Stirling
Woorabinda Bushland Reserves
A hidden lake five minutes' walk from Stirling, with a bird hide thrown in.
-
3
MylorKuitpo Forest Reserve
Pine-scented clearings, picnic tables and room for the most chaotic family cricket.
-
4
CrafersBelair National Park
SA's first national park does lawns, lakes and adventure playground at scale.
-
5
MylorMylor Oval
A village oval with toilets and parking, next to the Sherry Park playground and picnic area.
-
6
Mount BarkerLaratinga Wetlands
Boardwalks, birdlife and picnic lawns on the edge of Mount Barker.
-
7
-
8
Lobethal
Lobethal Bushland Park
A bushland amphitheatre with barbecues, lawns and easy walks.
-
9
CrafersMorialta Conservation Park
Picnic areas, barbecues and the Mukanthi Playspace at the foot of the gorge, with First Falls an easy walk away.
-
10
GumerachaSouth Para Reservoir Reserve
A reservoir reserve with free parking and toilets, open to the public since 2019. Closed on total fire ban days.
Provisions are the other half of the job: a loaf from Lobethal, cheese from Woodside, strawberries from Beerenberg in season. Check fire bans before lighting anything, and leave each spot as photogenic as you found it.
More like this
Story
The quiet north: Kersbrook, the Warren and the Hills nobody visits
Beyond Gorge Road, the Hills' quiet north hides a converted-pub cellar door, a reservoir you can paddle, and the wildest walking in the ranges.
Top 10
The best free things to do in the Adelaide Hills
You don't need to spend a cent to fall for the Adelaide Hills. Here are our favourite free days out.
Top 10
The best conservation parks in the Adelaide Hills
Koalas, waterfalls and wildflowers - the Adelaide Hills' finest reserves for a day in nature.
Top 10
The best outdoor adventures in the Adelaide Hills
Mountain bike parks, treetop courses, reservoir paddles and gold-field fossicking - the Hills' best days out for the restless.
Top 10
Best Things to Do in the Adelaide Hills
Our pick of the must-do experiences in the Adelaide Hills, from Mount Lofty Summit and waterfall walks to cool-climate wineries, Hahndorf, wildlife parks and family days out.
Story
After the fire: how the Hills came back from Cudlee Creek
The Cudlee Creek fire of December 2019 burnt more than 23,000 hectares from Gumeracha to Harrogate. The Hills that grew back are worth seeing.
Image credits
- Mount Lofty Botanic Garden, Crafers 20250919-134207.jpg by RegionVisitor90 , CC0 via Wikimedia Commons