Kangaroo Island Wilderness Trail

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Kangaroo Island Wilderness Trail

Postby jobell » Mon 14 May, 2018 8:07 pm

With a few extra days on my hands before I could start the Heysen Trail I took advantage of the proximity and spent five days walking on the KIWT.

I had read the discussion on here about this trail when it was first being opened (a year or two ago? Not long anyway). I thought I would share a few thoughts here in case it us helpful to someone else.

Getting there: I hopped on the ferry as a walk on passenger after bussing from Adelaide. On the ferry I got cheeky and put a sign on my backpack reading "lift needed to Western KI pls" and wandered around smiling a lot. It worked....and my lift dropped me at the Western KI Caravan Park. I could have equally gone straight to the trail but I had left an extra day in my schedule in case I took a while to get my lift. If you arrived late there is a great little backpackers in Penneshaw where the ferry arrives and where I hapoen to be now - single room tiny but super clean and $38 a night. Plenty of new tourists arriving on ferry's to potentially hitch with. There's a well stocked IGA here too but no gas canisters that I could find.

The Western KI Caravan Park people offer trail transfers ($20 each way) which I used to be dropped at the trail start and picked up at the end. They also do sell gas canisters but don't have many so best to ring in advance I think and ask them to hold one for you if needed. They were also handy for me as they were prepared to receive and hold my resupply package for my next walk. They also offer daily trail transfers for those who prefer to day walk the trail or even pack transfers from campsite to campsite for those who choose that option.

I started on a Wednesday and had the trail and campsites to myself which helped up the "wilderness" factor for me. No independent walkers or tour groups. The ranger said a mid week start was more likely to avoid crowds. Walking in May possibly helped too.

Distances aren't huge. 5 says: 12km, 14km, 14km, 13km, 7km. I just took it easy, slept in, mooched around and enjoyed the serenity. But if you wanted to speed it up you could start late on Day 1, Day 2 add a 9km side trip to lighthouse and historic stuff at Cape de Couedic, Day 3...read a book in the avo? There's also a couple of little side trips that day to add interest that could be stretched a bit. Days 4 and 5 would easily combine inyo one plus there's a little side trip or two there as well.

Campgrounds: Well thought out and designed, easily the best I have experienced. And they were MINE, all mine for each night. LEVEL tent pads carefully framed and crafted, camping platforms with seats, bush furniture galore, cooking shelters with water on tap and sinks and lighting in the evening, good bathroom facilities. Can you tell how highly I rate a level tent pad? The number of paid campsites I have had where it's a rare, rare thing.

The booking fee (currently $161) included a map, an infomative but smidgen heavy guidebook and a tour of the show cave at Kelly Hill Caves at the finish.

Overall very scenic, pleasant and cruisy walking. Possibly the perfect walk for introducing that non walking partner to the sport.

If you'd like a bit more of a blow by blow story and more pics you'll find that on my FB page facebook.com/ratherbebushwalking.

Cheers Joanne ImageImageImageImageImageImageImageImageImageImageImageImage

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Re: Kangaroo Island Wilderness Trail

Postby eggs » Tue 15 May, 2018 11:00 am

Thanks for the report.
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Re: Kangaroo Island Wilderness Trail

Postby GregR » Tue 15 May, 2018 4:58 pm

Thanks Jo

Great report. I have to admit my total ignorance of this walk until today, and now I'm looking at seeing if my Adelaide based daughter wants to join me next year -looks fabulous and certainly not too demanding either.
Cheers
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Re: Kangaroo Island Wilderness Trail

Postby Lizzy » Sat 19 May, 2018 6:35 pm

Nice one! Thanks for the report. Looks very civilised. Mid week in May or winter sound like the plan.
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Re: Kangaroo Island Wilderness Trail

Postby contiki30 » Sun 20 May, 2018 7:40 am

That's a very detailed report Joanne. My family and I are looking at doing a multiday hike and this trail is on the list so a big thank you for the detail. And stunning pics :)

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Re: Kangaroo Island Wilderness Trail

Postby scoha » Tue 22 May, 2018 8:25 pm

Excellent report JoBell - its now on my list
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Re: Kangaroo Island Wilderness Trail

Postby jobell » Tue 29 May, 2018 9:46 pm

Happy to see it was useful. Cheers!

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Re: Kangaroo Island Wilderness Trail

Postby dagsands » Sun 10 Jun, 2018 10:00 am

Thanks Jo. Planning to do this in November. Your report was great - and the facilities look great too!
Two dags and their pooch who live at the beach in their home called Dagsands, of course.
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Re: Kangaroo Island Wilderness Trail

Postby Ms_Mudd » Wed 20 Jun, 2018 2:16 pm

Great report, looks excellent. Look forward to reading a Heysen report when its done too
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Re: Kangaroo Island Wilderness Trail

Postby jobell » Fri 22 Jun, 2018 10:01 pm

How does a Cape Jervis to Tanunda Heysen report sound? I could probably rustle one of those up given I decided to beat a strategic retreat from winter in South Australia once I reached Tanunda.... that was about two weeks ago now!
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Re: Kangaroo Island Wilderness Trail

Postby Eremophila » Mon 25 Jun, 2018 8:28 pm

Yes please !!
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Re: Kangaroo Island Wilderness Trail

Postby jobell » Sun 01 Jul, 2018 1:42 pm

Done! See thread under trip reports in SA/WA section. [SMILING FACE WITH SMILING EYES]

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Re: Kangaroo Island Wilderness Trail

Postby Ms_Mudd » Wed 04 Jul, 2018 9:08 pm

jobell wrote:How does a Cape Jervis to Tanunda Heysen report sound? I could probably rustle one of those up given I decided to beat a strategic retreat from winter in South Australia once I reached Tanunda.... that was about two weeks ago now!


sounds like it would be a great read too :wink: Oh goody by the time I have seen this you have already written it. Will make a cuppa and settle in to read
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Re: Kangaroo Island Wilderness Trail

Postby dagsands » Tue 04 Dec, 2018 10:12 pm

My partner and I did the KIWT last month and loved it. Amazing scenery, Quite easy in terms of elevation, world class facilities, hardly anybody on the trail, great wildlife experiences.
Only downside was a couple of days of really, really rocky path. If you looked up to check out the views while still walking during those times there's a high likelihood of stubbing a toe or mis-steps. Just got a bit tedious through those sections.

Totally unique experience, highly recommended to go do it before people catch on and it gets busier.
Tour of Kelly caves is included in the KIWT price. Our timing was lucky and it was just the two of us on the cave tour with our guide. Highly recommend checking out the birds of prey show at raptor domain while you are on the island.

For planning info - we left our car at Western KI caravan park and got then to shuttle us to the start and they picked us up at the end, same price as the tourist office charges but your vehicle is secure. And great service.
Two dags and their pooch who live at the beach in their home called Dagsands, of course.
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Re: Kangaroo Island Wilderness Trail

Postby Ms_Mudd » Tue 05 Feb, 2019 2:58 am

I just remembered you said you were going to do it dagsands and looked for the thread to see what you thought. Seems like a successful trip! What were the numbers of walkers like? Was it at the daily maximum? Did you drive all the way from NSW? Impressive! I do have a fuel card that could fund the petrol, but driving solo, or with my daughter seems like a big leap to take. Although airfares are pretty scary if flying direct to Kingscote.

I have a few multiday walks planned this year outside of my local neighbourhood (Barrington Tops) and KIWT is actually a thought for Septemberish. I would be going on my own, or taking my 11yo with me, depending on how she feels about bush walking after walking Light to Light with me in the next month or two ;-) For the walk I take in September, I am looking for low stress, not too technical terrain and some different landscapes to what I am used to. This walk seems to meet most of what I am looking for.
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Re: Kangaroo Island Wilderness Trail

Postby Eremophila » Tue 05 Feb, 2019 8:49 pm

Booked in for late May with 2 girlfriends, can't wait :D
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Re: Kangaroo Island Wilderness Trail

Postby Ms_Mudd » Sun 17 Feb, 2019 9:28 pm

Eremophila wrote:Booked in for late May with 2 girlfriends, can't wait :D

enjoy!
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Re: Kangaroo Island Wilderness Trail

Postby dagsands » Wed 20 Feb, 2019 11:46 am

Ms_Mudd wrote:I just remembered you said you were going to do it dagsands and looked for the thread to see what you thought. Seems like a successful trip! What were the numbers of walkers like? Was it at the daily maximum? Did you drive all the way from NSW? Impressive! I do have a fuel card that could fund the petrol, but driving solo, or with my daughter seems like a big leap to take. Although airfares are pretty scary if flying direct to Kingscote.

I have a few multiday walks planned this year outside of my local neighbourhood (Barrington Tops) and KIWT is actually a thought for Septemberish. I would be going on my own, or taking my 11yo with me, depending on how she feels about bush walking after walking Light to Light with me in the next month or two ;-) For the walk I take in September, I am looking for low stress, not too technical terrain and some different landscapes to what I am used to. This walk seems to meet most of what I am looking for.


Hi Ms Mudd
Sorry I did not reply before now. Only just saw your post. We were the only people that we saw doing the hike except for a family of two adults and three or four female children. The youngest of the group was six I think. They loved it. So yeah we just had the same company each night so there was tons and tons of space and lots and lots of peace and quiet.
Yes we drove all the way from Northern New South Wales. But we did have a wedding to go to and family to visit in Adelaide and surrounds so that's how we were able to justify driving all that way.
It is definitely not technical terrain at all and the landscapes are really varied. It's just, as I said, a bit rocky for a while there but the views and the wildlife and the wildflowers make it worthwhile. Safe, peaceful, stunning, excellent facilities.
I can highly recommend it. Let me know if you have any other questions. Happy to help :-)
Two dags and their pooch who live at the beach in their home called Dagsands, of course.
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Re: Kangaroo Island Wilderness Trail

Postby Ms_Mudd » Fri 01 Mar, 2019 8:19 pm

Thanks for the reply!
Safe, peaceful and stunning- I think you have me sold on doing it with those three words!

Wow, a huge drive, impressive.
It sounds very encouraging that it wasn't super crowded, that was probably my main concern with such a well set out trail- that it would be overrun with people. I understand I will see some people, just didn't want to be tripping over everyone all of the time. So pleased to hear the campsites have plenty of room.

My September annual leave request got rejected as too many others got in before me- booooo. So I have applied for leave for two weeks from Oct 21 instead- hopefully not getting too late in the year to walk it. I just did Green Gully Track Jan 21-26 and although I coped, walking in the heat is definitely not my preference. Thinking I will cough up the funds and fly direct to Kingscote, seems a bit fiddly to get to Adelaide and do the bus and ferry thing.
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Re: Kangaroo Island Wilderness Trail

Postby Eremophila » Mon 17 Jun, 2019 9:00 pm

Walked the KIWT at the end of May with 2 girlfriends, loved it. Would like to return and re-do in a different season, probably spring. Definitely a good trail to introduce walkers to multi-day trips.
Weather was good, plenty of light rain but not enough to need our waterproof pants as the wind was drying things out pretty quickly! Temps were just right for walking, coldest night I think was 7C, coldest day 12C. My 2 co-walkers were from Central Australia and the Top End and they didn't get too cold.
Days 2 and 3 were pretty windy, Day 2 is very exposed for pretty much the whole day. If the tide is too high for the beach section, you have to find your own way along the dunes.
On Day 3 after we got past Remarkable Rocks we were having trouble staying upright for a couple of hours. No complaints though - seeing the Southern Ocean at its most spectacular was a real treat. That day there was a 6.5m swell and winds of 60km/h, I suspect maybe a bit more.
The seaspray was being funnelled up over the clifftop (and over us) and there were pieces of seaweed scattered along the clifftop, I was expecting to find fish flapping around at one stage! We could see the next day's clifftop walking and the spray showering over it from a distance, breathtaking.
Campsites are pretty luxurious with running water - filtered and unfiltered taps on the sinks in the camp shelter, plus 2 handbasins at the WC's. Lights in the shelter come on at dusk until 8pm, lights in the WC's until a bit later. Lovely level sand tent pads.
We didn't see much wildlife at all after the first day, wrong weather/season I guess. A good amount of birdlife when we were in the forest and away from the wind. It was nice though to NOT see wildlife hanging around the campsites - the only creature we saw was a possum which cruised through the shelter area on night 4 but didn't hang around.
Couple of grumbles:
The lovely young lady who checked us in at the Visitor Centre, didn't seem to have much first-hand knowledge of the trail. She didn't know the difference between "beach walking" and "coastal walking" and caused some brief concern when she told us we would be walking on the beach for most of Day 2.
Despite all the website information to the contrary, the limit of 12 self-guided walkers departing per day has been opened up to 24, except when there are guided groups departing. Thus we had a total of 18 self-guided walkers which included one party of 11.
We ended up using the tour group tent sites for a bit of privacy, apparently this should have been passed on that it was ok to do so.
And we didn't get to try the timber tent platforms as the large group took them all - being the slowest and last into camp each day, we just had to suck it up. Mind you, I reckon the platforms would have been colder anyway, and the "pop-up tent pegs" were not suited to our tents. (After I read about these I had left all the cup hooks at home) Some platforms were available in the group area on Day 2, but they were up high and exposed to the strong winds.
The large group were a nice bunch on the whole, although their camp etiquette could use some refining. Yelling across the campsite to one another at 5.30am is not my idea of good manners.
Anyhow, as I said to my friends, if those guys hadn't been there, we would have been the noisy ones! And we did score a free minibus trip to Admiral's Arch courtesy of their support driver. (who also gave us a bottle of port 8) )
Could've saved my friends $25 each by only paying one bus fare from Kelly Hill Caves back to the carpark, and me then collecting them from the Caves. Would we have bothered? Probably not, but it would have been nice to have the option. The aforementioned Parks staff member advised, "If you speak to Xxxx, she'll give you all the tips and tricks". Interesting comment when online bookings are encouraged over phone bookings!
Perhaps next time I would check numbers closer to the departure date - apparently there were no walkers departing the day after us.
All in all we had a terrific time and I'd love to return to see some wildflowers in bloom. Nice part of the world.
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Re: Kangaroo Island Wilderness Trail

Postby GregR » Tue 22 Oct, 2019 10:23 am

My daughter and I walked the trail in early September with a few other folk. Some fiends did the walk with us as well, as day walkers being bussed in and out each day.

Book-ended the trip over with massive wind storms that prevented us leaving the Island for 24 hours, which turned into a blessing as we got to see more of the Island in the extra day. stayed at Western KI Caravan Park and can't recommend them highly enough.

Day 0: Went to Cape Borda Lighthouse - did the very short Cliff tops walk and then the Ravine Des Cassours walk. I'd read a report that stated this was the best day walk on the whole Island and Caro from Lotsafreshair went so far as to rate it in her top 5 Summer day walks in the country. Had to do it after that massive wrap. Didn't disappoint either. Only a short 7 or so Kms return through a lovely valley and creek on the way down to an awesome little beach with some substantial caves to explore on the cliffs.

Made the mistake of driving back from here on dusk and found out why its called Kangaroo Island and not sheep Island.

Days 1-5 The campgrounds and facilities are as already stated here, are outrageously good. I made the mistake on night 1 of sleeping on a platform and froze. I Didn't expect the solar powered lights so i was glad I had brought some cards. Did not expect the solar powered lights to switch off at 7:30 either, so early nights were the order of the day.

Day 2 was the only wet and windy day on the track and this coincided with the beach walk section (which although only 1.5kms long) is actually about 2 kms too long for my liking, as well as the most exposed cliff top walking. Base Moi it was cold! The sighting of numerous humpback whales made the day more bearable, until the sun came out later after lunch.

Day 3 was significant in several ways. Lesson 1. Get to Remarkable Rocks well before the Bus Tour companies spew forth their cargo of over designer-dressed foreigners who swarm over the rocks, you and anything else in their way. I'm not being Xenophobic here, it just ruins the feeling of isolation and natures splendour to feel like your leaving the MCG on Grand final day. Lesson 2: if you have people who are being bussed in each day to join you- use them!! Red Wine was a welcome succour they provided in platypus form each day thereafter. Lesson 3: If your group is not the only ones using the facilities each day check that some "person of interest" has not missed the drop toilet in the dark and that you (indeed me!) doesn't sit down in the dark and find a turdburger attached to the left buttock. Lesson 4: Buy a better headtorch.(see lesson 3)

The little pulley ferry near the end of day 4 is quite a bit of fun and the beach after it is absolutely delightful. The last nights campground has a few Koalas nearby as well as the usual suspects in Kangaroos lounging languidly in the vicinity.

The final day is a bit of a doddle to finish off with,some nice lakes and major displays of wildflowers and our only encounter with a KI Tiger snake. The cave tour at Kelly Hill is a really great way to finish the walk. Really enjoyed it.

As you finish the final day around lunchtime it gives time to explore places ( assuming you have a car) such as Admirals Arch at leisure and watch the seals frolic and suckle without having to rush back to the trail. Same goes for Seal Bay which we thought was the highlight of the whole trip.

Overall we thoroughly enjoyed the walk and whilst it won't suit the hardcore section of this forum it is still a lovely section of the world. With side trips we did about 75 kms all up on the trail.

Sad to see and hear after we left that the Parks SA are looking at glamping it up even more as it seems few people are backpacking, and more and more are using the 3 operators for day trips. ParksSA are missing out on the revenue to these good folk and seems they want a piece of the action with resort style accommodation et al.

NB: the early reference to fiends (not friends) was not a Freudian slip.
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