Flinders Chase National Park Park

Address: Flinders Chase National Park, Kangaroo Island, South Australia

Website: https://www.parks.sa.gov.au/parks/flinders-chase-national-park

Hours: Open access (parkland)

Admission: Free entry to the park (fees apply for campgrounds and some facilities)

Flinders Chase National Park occupies the western end of Kangaroo Island in South Australia and protects a mix of coastal scenery, native bush and wildlife habitat. The park is named after explorer Matthew Flinders and contains several high-profile geological features and sea-cliff formations.

Key highlights include the sculpted granite formations known as the Remarkable Rocks and the coastal sea-arch known as Admiral’s Arch, both of which offer short walks and established viewing platforms. The park is also valued for its wildlife, with frequent sightings of kangaroos, koalas and a seabird and seal presence along the coast.

The protected area was established to conserve the island’s natural and geological features and has been managed for conservation, visitor access and bushfire recovery where necessary. Infrastructure focuses on visitor carparks, walking tracks and lookouts at the main sites.

Flinders Chase lies at the western tip of Kangaroo Island, off the coast of Adelaide, and is accessed by ferry to the island followed by road travel; the nearest service town on the island is Kingscote, with the park located several tens of kilometres west of the main ferry terminal.

• Wildlife viewing tips: Best times for wildlife viewing are early morning and late afternoon; the park is a prime spot for seeing kangaroos, koalas and a resident colony of New Zealand fur seals at sea cliffs.
• Access and facilities: Park access is by road across Kangaroo Island; facilities and marked trails are concentrated at the main attractions such as Remarkable Rocks and Admiral’s Arch.

What to See#

• Remarkable Rocks: Remarkable Rocks - a group of sculpted granite boulders perched on the headland, formed by wind and sea weathering and offering panoramic coastal views.
• Admiral’s Arch: Admiral’s Arch - a natural rock arch above the sea with an accessible boardwalk viewpoint and a nearby colony of New Zealand fur seals.
• Cape du Couedic area: Cape du Couedic and lighthouse - a granite headland with a historic lighthouse, walking trails and coastal lookouts overlooking the Southern Ocean.

Access Kangaroo Island from Cape Jervis (South Australia) by SeaLink ferry to Penneshaw (ferry ~45 minutes). From Penneshaw drive across the island to Flinders Chase National Park on the island’s west end - plan on roughly 100-120 km of driving across island roads and about 2 hours driving time from Penneshaw. From Adelaide, drive to Cape Jervis (about 100 km, ~1.5 hours) to catch the ferry; there are also light aircraft services from Adelaide to Kingscote, from which Flinders Chase is a further drive of around 1.5-2 hours.

• Buy the required South Australian national parks pass before arrival and aim to reach Remarkable Rocks at sunrise for the best photographic light and far fewer day-tour buses.
• Visit Admirals Arch late afternoon or early evening for better chances of observing the New Zealand fur seals on the rocks below and to avoid the peak mid-day crowds.
• If you want quieter walking tracks, plan to explore the less popular inland trails (away from Remarkable Rocks and Admirals Arch) late in the day or on weekdays when tour traffic is lowest.