Visitor Information

Top tips when visiting Mount Lofty Botanic Garden for the autumn colours.

• If possible, we recommend visiting on a week day and early in the morning, when the Garden may be slightly quieter.
• While both the upper carpark and lower carpark are filling up quickly during this peak time, sometimes there is more availability in the upper carpark. Just remember it is a steep walk down, and back up!
• Please be considerate to other drivers and do not park across drive ways or in front of gates, and be aware of ‘no parking zones’.
• While we encourage visitors to take photos, for everyone's safety and enjoyment, our regulations don't permit members of the public to use drones in the Garden.
• The Autumn colours are expected to last for another few weeks, so perhaps delay your visit until after school holidays and public holidays.

You can learn more here on What to expect at Mount Lofty's Autumn Colours as well as some other locations for experiencing the Adelaide Hills during autumn here.

Hours

Mount Lofty Botanic Garden is open every day of the year, including public holidays.

Fire Danger

Mount Lofty Botanic Garden is closed on days when the fire danger rating is 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.

Mount Lofty Botanic Garden brochure.

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 ticket machines. These machines only accept credit and debit card payment and do not accept cash.

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.

Find out more about parking.

Please note:

All large coaches can only access Mount Lofty Botanic Garden via the Lower Car Park off Lampert Road.

Accessibility

There are accessible toilets at Mount Lofty Botanic Garden in the upper car park and lower car park.

Please note that the accessible toilet in the lower car park is a portable toilet. New upgraded facilities will be available from late March 2023.

The Lakeside Trail is a scenic, flat, bitumen pathway with sculptures at various locations around the trail.

Each piece of the interpretation has been translated and embossed in braille, 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.

Facilities

Public toilets are available at five locations in Mount Lofty Botanic Garden. These are:

1. Upper carpark (B4 on the map)
2. Lower carpark (J5 on the map).
3. Bottom of Rhododendron Gully (F5 on the map)
4. Top of Fern Gully (H1 on the map)
5. Near the Woodland Garden (E6 on the map)

Refreshments

Local chocolatier Bracegirdle’s will park their refreshment bus at Mount Lofty Botanic Garden on weekends and public holidays from 9 March - 10 June 2024 for the autumn season.

From 9am-3pm on Saturdays, Sundays and public holiday Mondays, Bracegirdle’s will be offering a selection of hot and cold drinks, savoury and sweet snacks and more.

So 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 menu, specifically designed for Mount Lofty Botanic Garden visitors.

Regulations

Botanic gardens are different from public parks in that they're living museums, filled with plant collections with conservation value.
For this reason some activities are not permitted as they have the potential to damage or destroy plants.

Botanic Gardens are also places for visitors to find peace and tranquility, so activities that negatively affect this are not permitted.

You must not:

• ride bikes / bicycles, scooters, skateboards or us rollerskates/blades
• bring dogs or other pets or animals into the Garden
• fly drones in or above the Garden (Learn more at our Filming and Photography page)
• bring alcohol into the Garden
• use BBQs and portable gas cookers in the Garden
• smoke or vape in the Garden
• drive vehicles into the Garden
• damage or remove plants or enter garden beds
• play ball or throwing games
• swim in or enter lakes, ponds or waterways.

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.