Family Activities
Big things, mazes and farm fun
The best family activities in Crafers
Climb a giant rocking horse, get lost in a hedge maze, ride a heritage steam train and feed the animals on a day made for kids.
The Adelaide Hills is made for family days out, with wildlife encounters, big open spaces and quirky landmarks all packed into an easy drive from the city. Kids can get nose-to-nose with native animals, climb a giant rocking horse, ride a steam train and burn off energy on nature playgrounds and gentle trails.
Top of the list is Cleland Wildlife Park, where children can hand-feed free-roaming kangaroos and meet koalas, while the towering Big Rocking Horse at Gumeracha pairs a climb with a free wildlife park and toy factory. Morialta Conservation Park has a justly popular nature playground beneath its waterfalls, and the Mount Lofty Botanic Garden offers space to roam.
For a change of pace, the National Motor Museum at Birdwood and volunteer-run heritage railways add a dose of history, and the region's farm shops and pick-your-own orchards turn a snack stop into an adventure.
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Family Activities in Adelaide Hills - frequently asked questions
What is the Adelaide Hills known for when it comes to family activities?
The Hills is known for native wildlife encounters and quirky big-scale landmarks, all within an easy half-hour drive of Adelaide. The signature day out combines Cleland Wildlife Park near Crafers, where you can feed roaming kangaroos and meet koalas, with The Big Rocking Horse at Gumeracha, the giant climbable horse that towers about 18 metres over its toy factory and free-roaming animal park.
Where can you get up close to native animals and hold a koala in the Adelaide Hills?
Cleland Wildlife Park at Crafers is one of the few places where you can hold a koala (an extra paid experience) and wander among free-roaming kangaroos, emus and wallabies with a bag of feed. For more options, Gorge Wildlife Park at Cudlee Creek runs daily koala holding sessions, while Warrawong Wildlife Sanctuary at Mylor is the only place on mainland South Australia where you can spot wild platypus on a guided tour.
Are there hedge mazes and outdoor play spaces for kids in the Adelaide Hills?
Yes. Woodhouse Adventure Park at Piccadilly is the standout, with a giant split-level Labyrinth maze and the Challenge Hill obstacle course set across a large bushland site. The Hills also has plenty of nature playgrounds and gentle trails, including the walking tracks and waterfall lookouts at Morialta Conservation Park.
Do you need to book Adelaide Hills family attractions in advance, and are they open every day?
Many of the big draws like Cleland Wildlife Park, Gorge Wildlife Park and Woodhouse Adventure Park are open daily and you can usually just turn up, though paid extras such as koala holding are best pre-booked. The SteamRanger heritage steam trains from Mount Barker run only on selected days rather than daily, so always check the current timetable and book ahead before you go.
When is the best time of year for a family day out in the Adelaide Hills?
Spring and autumn bring mild weather that is ideal for wildlife parks, mazes and bushwalks, while the school holidays are when SteamRanger and the wildlife sanctuaries tend to add extra tours and activities. If your kids love picking fruit, time a visit for the strawberry season at Beerenberg Family Farm in Hahndorf, where pick-your-own usually runs from around November to April.