www.coorongnationalpark.com.au
Coorong National Park · Unofficial guide
Day-trip checklist
Packing, Jack Point + 42 Mile order of stops, free day entry vs camping, fire/comms and “don’t get this wrong”
notes for an Adelaide ↔ Coorong day. Print this page or save as PDF from your browser.
1. Before you leave home
Status & fees
- Parks SA park page + live alerts checked this morning
- Day vehicle entry is free (re-check live) — camping is a separate booking
- Ocean Beach erosion / dune-collapse driving warning re-read if beach driving
- CFS fire danger / Total Fire Ban checked
- Someone knows your rough plan + return window
Packing (day pack)
- Water 1–2 L+ per person (more in heat)
- Snacks / simple lunch
- Sun hat + high SPF
- Wind / rain shell
- Closed shoes (soft sand)
- Phone + offline map / Parks SA screenshots
- Emergency+ app installed
- Basic first aid
- Fuel plan (Meningie / Salt Creek / Kingston SE)
2. One-day icons: Jack Point + 42 Mile (full day on the ground)
- Night before — Alerts screenshot · leave-time for Adelaide reverse if day-tripping · water filled.
- Morning — Drive via Princes Highway / Meningie (private vehicle only). Fuel/food when open.
- Late morning — Jack Point Pelican Observatory Walk (~1.2 km return). Stay on the path; binoculars beat close approaches.
- Midday — Move to 42 Mile Crossing (2WD when open). Toilets when open. Valuables not visible in the car.
- Afternoon — Ocean Beach Hike (~3.4–3.5 km return). Dedicated walking trail — not the 4WD beach track. No casual ocean swimming.
- Leave-time — Reverse with margin, or only stay overnight with a pre-booked Parks SA camp.
3. Full-day rule (protect the day)
- One bird stop (Jack Point) + one beach walk (42 Mile) — not Nukan Kungun on the same reverse drive.
- Do not stack a full 4WD beach traverse or multi-day corridor onto a first Adelaide day trip.
- If heat or fire danger is extreme: shorten walks, earlier start, more water.
- Loop Road short walks (Chinaman’s Well / Lakes Nature) are alternatives — still pick one primary focus.
4. Fees — keep systems separate
Day vehicle / park entry
- Free on Parks SA park page (re-checked 17 Aug 2026)
- No separate walk ticket for standard day walks
- Re-check live before every trip
Camping (if overnight)
- Separate Parks SA booking — paid before arrival
- Listed accommodation from $12.30/night — re-check your site
- Nature camping / beach camping = different permit types
- Never affiliate-book official camping on this site
5. Live alerts snapshot (re-check)
- Ocean Beach erosion / dune collapse: Parks SA warns high-risk beach driving under surge/erosion conditions — still posted when last checked 17 Aug 2026.
- Hooded Plover vehicle window: ocean beach Tea Tree Crossing–Murray Mouth closed to vehicles 6 am 24 Oct–midnight 24 Dec (Parks SA baseline — re-check live).
- Campground wood/solid-fuel fires: not 15 Oct 2025–1 Apr 2026 inclusive, and not on Total Fire Ban days. Gas/liquid OK except TFB. Beach foreshore wood fires HWM–LWM OK except TFB.
6. Safety non-negotiables
- Southern Ocean beach — not for casual swimming (rips, gutters, rough surf).
- Soft sand, blowouts, drop-offs — beach 4WD only if experienced and conditions allow.
- Dogs: Ocean Beach high-water mark only, on lead ≤2 m, vehicle transport; not lagoon/other areas.
- Mobile coverage is patchy — 000 needs reception. Use Emergency+.
- Emergency: call 000. This checklist cannot help with rescue.
7. Useful links