Mannum Waterfalls Hike in Mannum, Australia

jana meerman mannum waterfalls hike australia-01

Mannum Waterfalls is a gorgeous hike through an oasis in Mannum, just outside Adelaide, the capital of South Australia. It's a total hidden gem and such a great short trek.

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We're currently living full-time in our campervan, a 2018 Mercedes Sprinter, and exploring Australia, with a plan of "driving the lap" (completing the entire perimeter of the country). I first visited Australia in 2019, following the classic backpacker route, mostly visiting big cities, staying in hostels and traveling by public transport. This time, with the freedom of our campervan, we're trying to hit the lesser known spots and go slower.

For thousands of years, the Nganguruku people lived on this land, long before any Europeans arrived. Mannum is derived from the Aboriginal word manum meaning "the place of many ducks".

Fed by the Adelaide foothills, the Mannum Waterfalls are a beautiful collection of natural falls and rock pools running over pink granite along the Reedy Creek. They have been a Crown Land recreation reserve since 1964.

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How to Get to the Mannum Waterfalls

Mannum Waterfalls is a beautiful hike in a Crown Land recreation reserve near the historic town of Mannum on the Murray River.

By car: The best way to reach the Mannum Waterfalls is with your own wheels. It's just ten minutes from Mannum or an hour and ten minutes from Adelaide. There is free parking at either the Lower Carpark or Upper Carpark. I recommend parking at the Lower Carpark acnd hiking up through the valley to the Upper Carpark, from where you can walk back along the road to your car.

By guided tour: You can join a sightseeing day tour of the Murraylands area with Ambler Tours who include a visit to Mannum Waterfalls.

There is currently no public transport available to reach Mannum Waterfalls.

Mannum Waterfalls Hike Details

When: year-round

Where: the start of this hike begins at either the Lower Carpark or Upper Carpark. I recommend parking at the Lower Carpark and hiking up through the valley to the Upper Carpark, from where you can walk back along the road to your car.

Difficulty: intermediate

Length: from the Lower Carpark along the Mannum Waterfalls trail to the Upper Carpark and then back along the road, we hiked a 3.5km loop trail which took us about an hour

Directions: from the Lower Carpark, go past the toilets and follow the trail into the oasis. The trail is fairly well marked heading up towards the Upper Car Park. It's truly such a hidden gem; we didn't see a single other person on the hike! At drier times of year, there might not be very visible falls, however we enjoyed the Lower Pool and then walking all across the top to see the views of the valley from above. We walked back along the road to our car.

→ Check out my exact route on Strava!

Bathrooms: yes, near the Lower Carpark

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Jana Meerman

Hi! I’m Jana, a Dutch-German-British-Canadian with a dream of seeing every country in the world. I am a storyteller, photographer and adventurer passionate about documenting and sharing my travels.

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