Autumn season
Please note that Mount Lofty Botanic Garden is very popular during the autumn season. Weekends and public holidays are particularly busy and, where possible, visitors are asked to make their trip here on a week day when visitation is lower.
Due to COVID-19 and the Garden’s COVID-safe plan, a capacity limit is in place and visitors will be asked to move on to a different beauty spot in the Adelaide Hills when the car parks are full.
Visitors are asked to use the QR codes on display to check into the garden, and respect social distancing requirements whilst there.
Visitors are also reminded not to pick and eat wild mushrooms, which can cause serious illness and even death. Find out more here.
Thank you for your co-operation and we hope you enjoy your visit.
Hours
Mount Lofty Botanic Garden is open every day of the year, including public holidays.
| Opening times |
Closing times |
- Monday - Friday 8:30am
- Weekends and public holidays 10:00am
|
- Monday - Friday 4pm
- Weekends and public holidays 5pm
- Weekends and public holidays during daylight savings 6pm
|
Fire Danger
Mount Lofty Botanic Garden is closed on days when the fire danger rating is severe, extreme or catastrophic. Please check the ratings prior to visiting during the fire season.
Admission
Free entry.
Location and Map
There are two entrances to the garden:
Upper entrance and car park: Mount Lofty Summit Rd, Crafers
Lower entrance and car park: Lampert Rd, off Piccadilly Rd, Crafers. The Main Lake and accessible lakeside trail is most easily accessed from this entrance.
South Australia, 5152, Australia.
Getting there
From Adelaide, Mount Lofty Botanic Garden is barely a 25-minute drive from Adelaide’s CBD, following the Princes Highway and National Highway M1, taking the Crafers exit.
From there, either following Summit Road to reach the Upper Carpark, or Piccadilly Road/Lampert Road for the Lower Carpark.
Check Adelaide Metro for public transport services into the Garden.
Parking
There is an upper car park (accessed via Mawson Drive) and a lower car park (accessed via Lampert Road).
On popular days, both car parks can fill up quickly. If the car parks are full, we encourage visitors to consider moving on to an alternative nature spot, and returning to the garden another day.
Ticketed car parking is available in both car parks using coin-operated ticket machines. Some machines also accept credit and debit cards.
There are accessible car parks in both car parks (four in the lower car park and three in the upper car park).
Funds collected from ticketed parking directly support the garden’s world-class botanical collections, and education and conservation programs.
| Zone |
Duration |
Rate
Mon-Sat per hour |
Sundays & Public Holidays |
| Upper car park |
Garden opening hours |
$1 per hour or $4 flat fee for the day |
Free |
|
Lower car park
|
Garden opening hours |
$1 per hour or $4 flat fee for the day |
Free |
Find out more about parking .
Please note that all large coaches can only access Mount Lofty Botanic Garden via the Lower Car Park off Lampert Road.
Accessibility
There are disabled facilities at Mount Lofty Botanic Garden and the Lakeside Trail offers universal access. This scenic sculpture-dotted route is accessible to everyone.
Each piece of the interpretation has been translated and embossed in braille for people with vision impairments, and an audio trail has also been developed to complement the trail (available through the MyParx app).This trail is accessed via the lower car park.
Visitors are advised that the garden is very hilly in some parts, particularly the gullies. Steep inclines and descents make it challenging for people using wheelchairs or prams/strollers.
Refreshments
Local chocolatier Bracegirdle’s will park their refreshment bus in the lower car park at Mount Lofty Botanic Garden on weekends and public holidays from 10am - 3pm.
Bracegirdle’s will be offering their full drinks menu along with some delicious sweet and savoury offerings specifically designed for Mount Lofty Botanic Garden visitors.
Make a day of it! Bring a picnic rug and relax on the lawns with a tasty morning tea, lunch or afternoon tea from the Bracegirdle’s bus. Find out more.
It will be open on:
- Sat 23 - Sun 24 January - CANCELLED due to severe fire danger forecast.
- Tuesday 26 January (Australia Day)
- Sat 30 - Sun 31 January
- every weekend after this.
Regulations
Botanic gardens are different from public parks in that they're living museums, filled with valuable living collections. For this reason some activities - such as allowing dogs to roam the Garden - have the potential to damage or destroy valuable plants.
Botanic Gardens are also internationally-regarded as places for visitors to seek peace beauty and tranquillity, so activities that impede this (such as the use of drones) are also discouraged. You must not:
- Bring dogs or other pets into the Garden
- Fly drones in or above the Garden (under CASA guidelines. Learn more at our Filming and Photography page)
- Ride bikes / bicycles, scooters, skateboards or rollerblades
- Drive vehicles into the Garden
- Damage or remove plants
- Enter garden beds
- Bring alcohol into the Garden
- Play ball or throwing games
- Bring BBQs into the Garden
Wildlife
The Botanic Gardens of South Australia are home to a huge variety of bird and animal life that are attracted to the Gardens’ flora. We do, however, ask that you do not feed the wildlife. Find out more about animal welfare and the Botanic Gardens of South Australia.
