Bundaleer Walking Trails
Sturdy, sensible footwear is recommended for walkers attempting any of these walks.
Maple Walk 45 minute stroll( 1.5 km return) Rating: Basic
Enter the Maple Walk through the cast iron gate on the western edge of the picnic grounds.
The path twists and turns its way through a section of forest which features a glorious array of native blue and red gums, European deciduous ornamentals, as well as carobs and a giant cork tree.
Enjoy the sounds of frogs croaking from the creek and birds calling from the tree tops. Keep watch for kangaroos, euros and echidnas.
Take in the community sculptures on your return to the picnic grounds.
Sculpture Walk 20-30 minute stroll( less than 800m return) Rating: Basic
This is a short walk, but full of family fun, thanks to a series of intriguing sculptures created as part of the biennial Bundaleer Festival.
Play music on the giant percusssion instrument, lose yourself in the arboreal sculpture, see the giant sundial, and check out the huge‘ postcards’ of Bundaleer and Jamestown.
Scenic Trail up to 1.5 hours duration( 4.6 km return) Rating: Advanced
The Scenic Trail commences at the
south-eastern end of the picnic grounds. Your effort will be rewarded with a magnificent panoramic view of the forest and valley. Marvel at the original dry stone wall along the ridge, built in the 1800s, including eucalypt and radiata plantings of various ages and growth stages. Keep an eye out for local bird and animal life.
Conservator’ s Trail 1.5 hours( 4.6 km return) Rating: Moderate
The Conservator’ s Trail can be accessed from the picnic grounds or from the arboretum on Neindorf Road, a beautiful plantation of native gums and European species.
The trail passes the newly restored Bundaleer cottage and stables, old nursery beds and the Conservator’ s Hut, where early forest conservators would stay. Enjoy truly spectacular views of Bundaleer Valley.
Bundaleer, the birthplace of Australian forestry
In the 1870’ s South Australia’ s native trees were being swept away by eager pioneers in their rush to find materials for buildings, railway sleepers, jetty pylons and supports for mining shafts and tunnels.
The need to find a suitable forestry timber species was crucial.
In 1876, Bundaleer was chosen as the site for the first trial plantings of commercial forestry trees from Europe, North America and all over Australia.
It was soon discovered the Californian radiata pine was the species most suited to forestry in Australia and this species went on to become the mainstay of not only Australian forestry, but also forestry in Chile, New Zealand and South Africa.
The Woods and Forests Department( now Forestry SA) was formed in 1882 and the Bundaleer Forest Reserve was established with the planting of 400 ha( 1000 acres) of forest.
Today, Bundaleer Forest is the state’ s smallest pine plantation( just 1500ha) but one that injects $ 10 million
annually into the local and state economy and employs more than 100 people directly and indirectly.
Bundaleer produces timbers with superior structural strength, a result of the slow growth at Bundaleer( radiata pines in SA’ s South-East grow three times faster).
The forest’ s high density timbers are widely used in the building industry for verandah and pergola posts. These structural timbers are milled locally.
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