The Mawson Trail is a long-distance cycling and walking trail in South Australia, stretching from the Adelaide Hills to Blinman in the Flinders Ranges. It was developed by a group of cyclists in the 1990s.
History In early 1990, a group of SA Touring Cyclists' Association (SATCA; now Bicycle SA) members had ridden from Blinman to Adelaide to test out a route for an off-road cycling trail. In June 1990, a group of cyclists representing SATCA, the Cycling Protection Association (now Bicycle Institute of SA), the Cycling for Pleasure Group, and the Mountain Bike Club (now Adelaide MTB Club) met to plan the new trail. Volunteers then started marking out and then establishing a trail, using state forest and national park fire trails, farm access tracks, unmade or unused roads, and roads with very low traffic on them.
The trail was later named after geologist and Antarctic explorer Douglas Mawson, who had carried out geological studies in the Flinders Ranges.
Description The cycling and walking trail starts just east of Adelaide in the Adelaide Hills and extends almost to Blinman in the Flinders Ranges. It is suitable for mountain bikes.
The Mawson Trail traverses remote areas of the Mount Lofty and Flinders Ranges, mostly away from bitumen roads, and often off-road on tracks and unmade road or forest reserves. It also passes through a number of country towns. It starts at the upstream end of the Torrens Linear Park on Gorge Road, leading into the Adelaide Hills, so that it is directly connected by dedicated pedestrian and cycleway to the coast at West Beach.
Since 2002, Bicyle SA has hosted a guided two-week tour of the entire length every second year. Route The route is generally described south-to-north, although it can be ridden in either direction. Signage along the route is provided for both directions.
The towns passed through are: Adelaide (outskirts) Lobethal, a historic town with German settler history Birdwood, home of the National Motor Museum Rowland Flat, a town in the Barossa Valley Tanunda, a large town with bakeries, pubs and cafes in the Barossa Valley Nuriootpa, main commercial centre of the Barossa valley Kapunda, with cafes, supermarkets and pubs Riverton, with pubs and cafes Auburn, with a pub and cafes Clare, a large town with a large supermarket, bike shop and cafes Burra, a large historical town with several pubs, supermarkets and cafes Hallett, with a service station/general store and a pub Spalding, with a general store and pub with barbed wire museum (Near Jamestown) Laura, with a supermarket and cafes Melrose, with a bike shop cafe, two pubs, and several cafes Wilmington, with a pub, general store and cafe Quorn, a large historical town with four pubs and several cafes Cradock, a tiny hamlet with a pub Hawker, a small town with a roadhouse/general store and a cafe Rawnsley Park Station, a caravan park with pub and general store Wilpena, a very large caravan and campsite with pub, general store and information office Blinman, a small tourist village with pub and mine tours
See also List of long-distance hiking tracks in Australia
References
External links Mawson Trail (South Australian Government webpage) Mawson Trail Blog Article and full guide and maps Mawson Trail Guide App