Kaitjaba Hill (Stamford Hill) Hike, Lincoln National Park

Jul 4

We would like to acknowledge the Barngarla people, the traditional owners of the land on which we walk, and pay our respects to their Elders past and present and extend that respect to other Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people who are present today.

Although this short walk is part of the Investigator Trail, it can easily be done as a day walk. As the highest landform in the park, Kaitjaba is visible throughout, and we have seen it at a distance almost every day of our walking. The views from the top are stunning in every direction, which is no doubt why the walk is one of South Australia’s Great Short Walks.

The hike can be done as a simple 1.8 km out and return on a smooth walking track with a few shallow steps, or as a longer 5.8 km circuit, with the descent being narrower and more rough. We did the 5.8 km circuit.

Stamford Hill hike map with elevation gain graph showing 190 metres elevation gain.

Wide gravel walking track with bridge over a samll drain. There are two hikers ahead on the track walking away from the bridge.

It’s a well made smooth track for easy walking

Wide gravel track meandering through well vegetated forest consisting of tall shrubby vegetation. A hiker is sitting on a bench seat on the side of the track.

We come across a reference to the First Nations People! The first one we’ve seen anywhere in the park! Oh wait, look at the context. It’s really about Flinders, not them!!

A blue sign along the track describing explorer Matthew Flinders' encounter with aboriginal people.

Ah well…

the nicely built track continues with steps through the steeper sections

Even if you can’t get all the way to the top, the views begin surprisingly early.

From the lookout looking towards a bay with dense vegetation stretching between the lookout and the coast.

And just a little further to the top, there are glorious panoramic views from Taylors Landing to Surfleet Cove, where we walked the previous three days.

Two hikers at an interpretative at a lookout looking across dense vegetation below at the distant coastal view across the bay. — Stamford Lookout

Stunning views of the bay to the south

Enjoying the view, but the story presented along the track is really about Flinders’ search for water. From the sign: Flinders writes on February 25th 1802, “…A boat was sent to dig pits for water at the base of Stamford Hill, notwithstanding the many native huts about, no freshwater could be found.”

Doomed crewmen were sent for water, with a plaque commemorating them at Memory Cove. But the long search was finally successful near Tulka. Today, the western sections of the park have numerous freshwater bores that still supply Port Lincoln and other local towns.