Perched 710 metres above sea level, Mount Lofty is the highest point in the Adelaide Hills and one of South Australia’s most spectacular lookouts. Just a 25-minute drive from the city, it offers panoramic views stretching from the coastline to the rolling hills. The Mount Lofty Summit Visitor Centre provides an ideal starting point, complete with café, souvenir shop and viewing platforms that capture the city skyline and Gulf St Vincent.
For nature lovers, the surrounding Mount Lofty Ranges form part of the Cleland Conservation Park, home to native wildlife including koalas, kangaroos and colourful birds. Visitors can enjoy gentle walking trails, guided summit tours or scenic drives that wind through forested slopes and wildflower-filled gullies. Whether you arrive by car, coach or the Adelaide to Mount Lofty bus, the moment you step onto the summit feels like standing at the edge of the sky.
Mount Lofty is more than a lookout; it’s an experience that begins the moment you ascend the winding roads of the Adelaide Hills. Visitors can take in 180-degree views stretching across Adelaide’s skyline to the shimmering waters of Gulf St Vincent. The café here offers the perfect stop for coffee with a view. Take a moment to pause, breathe and savour the stillness of the summit.
The surrounding landscape is a haven for wildlife and walkers alike. Trails connect the summit to Cleland Conservation Park, where kangaroos graze, koalas sleep in eucalyptus trees, and rosellas add bursts of colour to the sky. Guided Mount Lofty tours often include visits to Cleland Wildlife Park, where travellers can hand-feed wallabies or snap photos of native animals in natural bushland settings.
Every visit charts a new side of this mountain, from picture-perfect misty mornings to bright spring days filled with wildflowers. Cool evenings offer a front-row seat to watch the city lights shimmer below. Whether you join an Adelaide Hills coach tour or linger over lunch at the summit café, Mount Lofty will leave you wanting to see more of South Australia’s natural beauty.
There’s a world to explore in the Adelaide Hills beyond Mount Lofty’s iconic heights. The Mount Lofty Botanic Garden spreads across 97 hectares on the eastern slopes and showcases cool-climate and native plants, including rhododendrons, magnolias and towering tree ferns.
For walkers, the Heysen Trail and the path from Waterfall Gully to the summit pass through a mix of forest gullies, rocky outcrops and scenic ridge lines. The Mount Lofty Summit itself, managed by Parks SA, welcomes over 350,000 visitors annually and features a café, visitor centre and viewing decks with sweeping views from Yorke Peninsula to Kangaroo Island on clear days.
Whether your passion is gardens, wildlife or bushwalking, Mount Lofty and its surrounds invite you to slow down and explore the natural beauty of South Australia’s high country.
Yes. Mount Lofty offers panoramic views of Adelaide, native wildlife, walking trails, and nearby attractions like Cleland Wildlife Park and Mount Lofty Botanic Garden — making it one of South Australia’s most popular lookouts.
The walk from Waterfall Gully to Mount Lofty Summit takes around 1.5 to 2 hours one way, depending on fitness. It’s a steep but well-maintained trail popular for both exercise and sightseeing.
Yes, access to Mount Lofty Summit and walking trails is free.
The summit is open year-round. The visitor centre and café operate daily from 9 am to 5 pm, closing on Christmas Day.
Autumn and spring offer mild weather, colourful scenery and excellent visibility. Early morning visits provide the clearest views and fewer crowds.
Yes. Luxury stays like Mount Lofty House offer boutique accommodation, fine dining and easy access to the summit and nearby Adelaide Hills wineries.
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