The top 10 walks you can do from and around Funday farm. Adventure & accommodation Adelaide Hills

Short walks (under 4km)

Start: Funday Farm front door → Turn left, at the old shed go through the gate, across the paddock, over the creek & up the hill. At Moores Rd turn left, stay on the property) & follow the path back down the hill, past the dam & back up to the house.
Distance & time: 1.2 km, 15– 25 mins.
Difficulty: Moderate / hard (one very steep hill).
What you’ll see: Massive candlebark trees, cool valleys, koalas, kangaroos and absolute solitude!

Start: The Scenic Hotel → stroll up to Norton Summit township (Scenic Hotel, St John’s Church) and loop back via quiet lanes.
Distance & time: 2 km, 30 mins.
Difficulty: Easy (some gentle hills).
What you’ll see: Cherry orchards, old stone buildings, the Playford statue, sweeping city views from the Scenic Hotel – drop in for a coffee or a beer!

More info from walking SA on this walk

Start: Mount Lofty Botanic Garden (Lower Car Park).
Distance & time: 1 km, ~20–30 mins.
Difficulty: Easy.
What you’ll see: Mirror lake, deciduous plantings, seasonal colour bursts; great with kids.

more info from the botanic gardens on this walk

Start: Hahndorf Academy / Visitor Centre, stroll the main street and side lanes.
Distance & time: ~3 km, 60–90 mins (allow longer for shops and bakeries).
Difficulty: Easy.
What you’ll see: 19th-century German village streetscape, heritage buildings, avenue of 1885 trees.

more info from Walking SA on this walk

Short to medium walks (3 - 7km)

Start: Walk ~1.2 km along Woods Hill Rd from Funday Farm to the Giles CP gate, then complete a ridge loop and return.
Distance & time: ~4.5–5.5 km total, 1.5–2 hrs.
Difficulty: Moderate (undulating ridgeline).
What you’ll see: Stringybark forest, views to the plains, frequent koala and rosella sightings.

Start: Morialta Falls Rd trailhead.
Distance & time: 1.6–3.5 km (out-and-back or small loop), 45–75 mins.
Difficulty: Moderate (short, steep pinch to the lookout).
What you’ll see: Clifftop panorama, First Falls in the distance, often peregrine falcons riding thermals.

Start: Morialta Falls Rd trailhead.
Distance & time: ~5.2 km circuit, 1.5–2 hrs.
Difficulty: Moderate (rocky sections, some stairs).
What you’ll see: Sheer quartzite cliffs, First & Second Falls viewpoints, classic gorge scenery.

Longer walks (7 - 13km)

Start: Funday Farm gate → follow public roads/lanes to pick up the Yurrebilla Trail (Section 4) near Norton Summit; continue into Morialta to Second Falls, then return the same way.
Distance & time: ~10.6 km return, 3.5–5 hrs.
Difficulty: Moderate–hard (length + hills).
What you’ll see: Norton Summit orchards, creeklines, Morialta barns complex, waterfalls, abundant birdlife.
Map: Same as above, but start at Funday farm.

Start: Walk or drive to Horsnell Gully CP trailhead (Coach Rd), hike the Waterfall Hike past historic Giles ruins; return the same way to farm.
Distance & time: 9.7 km one way from Funday Farm on foot (or ~4–5 km return if starting at the trailhead); 2–3.5 hrs.
Difficulty: Moderate (narrow valley tracks, occasional creek crossings).
What you’ll see: Steep ferny gullies, slate-lined water races, cottage ruins, koalas.
Map: Horsnell Gully & Giles Conservation Parks map - same as walk 5but start at Funday Farm

Start: Waterfall Gully car park.
Distance & time: 7.8 km return, 1.5–3 hrs (steep).
Difficulty: Hard (Grade 4; continuous climb, 475 m vertical).
What you’ll see: Cascading falls, stringybark forest, big views at the summit café/lookouts.

more info from Walking SA on this walk

Helpful notes

Access & etiquette: Stick to public roads and marked trails only; do not enter private property. Always carry water, sun protection and a charged phone. After rain, Morialta’s waterfalls are spectacular but rocks can be slippery.
Wildlife to watch for: Koalas (Giles & Horsnell Gully are excellent), kangaroos (Chambers Gully & Cleland vicinity), kookaburras, rosellas and (in Morialta) peregrine falcons, (the fastest animals on earth reaching up to 390kmh in a dive).
More options nearby: If you’d like a wilder half-day, the Chambers Gully Circuit (9.5 km, ~4 hrs, Grade 4) offers fern gullies, city lookouts and frequent wildlife. Map/guide here. (Trail Hiking Australia)