South Australia doesn’t make a big fuss about itself like some of its neighbours, and that’s part of what makes it special. One day you might find yourself inside a sunken mountain amphitheatre, and the next you could be watching fur seals on the rocks. If you’re deciding which national parks in South Australia are worth your precious holiday time, this guide will help by showing what each park offers, the best times to visit, and how to get there. From outback gorges to World Heritage caves, here are eight of the best national parks in Australia, all found in this quietly impressive state. Use this guide to plan your South Australian adventure.
Image Source: National Parks and Wildlife Service, South Australia, Official Website
Wilpena Pound is a huge, sickle-shaped natural basin that covers almost 80 square kilometres. The Adnyamathanha people call it Ikara, which means "meeting place". The rocks here hold some of the oldest evidence of animal life on Earth.
Image Source: National Parks and Wildlife Service, South Australia, Official Website
Located on the wild western side of Kangaroo Island, this is probably the most famous national park in southern Australia. The main attractions are Remarkable Rocks and Admirals Arch, and you can spot a colony of long-nosed fur seals just below the arch.
Image Source: Naracoorte Caves National Park Official Website
South Australia's only World Heritage site owes its status to what lies beneath the surface. For more than 500,000 years, the limestone caves here trapped animals, creating one of the world's richest fossil records. Among the finds is the marsupial lion, which was about the size of a leopard.