Mawson Trail

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.{{cite web | title=The Mawson Trail – Bicycle SA’s spectacular creation | website=Bicycle SA | date=1 August 2022 | url=https://bikesa.asn.au/cycle-magazine/f/the-mawson-trail-%E2%80%93-bicycle-sa%E2%80%99s-spectacular-creation | access-date=30 June 2025}}

The trail was later named after geologist and Antarctic explorer Douglas Mawson,{{cite web | title=The Mawson Trail | website=Wonoka Station | date=28 July 2024 | url=https://wonoka.com.au/the-mawson-trail/ | access-date=30 June 2025}} who had carried out geological studies in the Flinders Ranges.{{cite web | last=Croke | first=Tracey | title=Australia's trail where life began | website=BBC | date=20 April 2022 | url=https://www.bbc.com/travel/article/20220419-australias-trail-where-life-began | access-date=30 June 2025}}

The cycling and walking trail{{cite web |title=Mawson Trail - Full Trail |url=http://www.southaustraliantrails.com/trails/mawson-trail/ |website=Trails SA}} starts just east of Adelaide in the Adelaide Hills and extends almost {{convert|900|km}} to Blinman in the Flinders Ranges.{{cite web |url=http://www.southaustraliantrails.com/top_trails.asp?mawson |title=Mawson Trail |publisher=Office for Recreation & Sport |work=Trails SA |date=15 April 2014 |accessdate=16 September 2014 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20140910161620/http://www.southaustraliantrails.com/top_trails.asp?mawson |archivedate=10 September 2014 }} It is suitable for mountain bikes.{{cite web |url=http://cycletrailsaustralia.com/2_trails/mawson-trail-sa |title=Mawson Trail, SA |publisher=Cycle Trails Australia |date=4 August 2013 |accessdate=16 September 2014}}

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.{{cn|date=June 2025}}

Since 2002, Bicyle SA has hosted a guided two-week tour of the entire length every second year.

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:{{cn|date=June 2025}}

• 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

• List of long-distance hiking tracks in Australia

{{reflist}}

• [https://web.archive.org/web/20140910161620/http://www.southaustraliantrails.com/top_trails.asp?mawson Mawson Trail (South Australian Government webpage)]
• [https://australiancyclingholidays.com.au/cyclewayz/cyclewayz-blog-page/cyclewayz-blog-mawson-trail-south-australia-part-1/ Mawson Trail Blog Article and full guide and maps]
• [https://www.findthefun.com.au/mawson-trail-app Mawson Trail Guide App]

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Category:Cycling in South Australia

Category:Cycleways in South Australia

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Category:Hiking and bushwalking tracks in South Australia