Things to do in Lincoln National Park

Last reviewed 13 Sept 2026 · verify live conditions with Parks SA

Most first visits revolve around Stamford Hill plus a Boston Bay beach, with Donington Loop as a full-day peninsula. Booked Memory Cove and Sleaford–Wanna dunes are different sports (key / 4WD). The Investigator Trail is a trek, not a lookout. Do not try to collect every corner on a first visit. Adelaide is about eight hours away.

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1. 1

   Stamford Hill Hike

   Icon walk · ~45 min · sealed-road start

   The classic first-visit climb: 1.6 km return, about 45 minutes, Flinders Monument over Boston Bay. Moderate incline, sealed-road start. A complete first day can stop here plus a beach and still succeed.

   Trail guide →Short-walk articleStamford area
2. 2

   Boston Bay beaches & granite coves

   Easy–moderate · family possible · sealed road

   Stamford Beach, Surfleet Cove, September Beach — sheltered harbour granite and sand on sealed roads. Rips still exist. Not Memory Cove and not the Southern Ocean dune face.

   Stamford–Surfleet walk →Half-day planSeptember Beach
3. 3

   Donington Loop & Cape Donington

   Moderate · ~2 hr loop · sealed road

   Peninsula granite, lighthouse precinct and the 6.2 km loop — or the 1 km family link to September Beach. Sea-lions on Donington Island: watch from shore, legal distances. Full-day sedan product.

   Donington Loop →Full-day itineraryDonington area
4. 4

   Memory Cove (booked)

   Booked · key · 4WD · 15 vehicles/day

   White-sand wilderness bay with a locked gate. Fifteen vehicles a day. Book vehicle entry and camping, collect a key in Port Lincoln ($50 cash deposit on the official fees tab — VERIFY). 4WD at times. Not a public beach car park.

   Area guide →Book + key planKey required
5. 5

   Sleaford–Wanna 4WD dunes

   4WD · VERIFY dune alert · full day

   Southern Ocean sand, limestone cliffs, red-marker track. Getting bogged is common. Western Sleaford entrance blocked (snapshot 13 Sep 2026) — main Proper Bay Road entrance only. Not a sedan afternoon from Stamford Hill.

   Dune area →Sleaford entrance Plan BOvernight camp plan
6. 6

   Whale lookouts (May–October)

   Seasonal · lookouts · not a guaranteed sighting

   Southern right whales may be seen off Sleaford Bay. Wanna and Lone Pine are the named lookouts. Possible, not guaranteed. Legal distances. 4WD / live dune-track alert still apply.

   Whale-season itinerary →Whales articleOptional boat tours
7. 7

   Investigator Trail (when fit & planned)

   Hard · multi-hour treks · self-sufficient

   Linked official sections (30.7 km / 36 km / 26.3 km treks) — navigation and water required. Not a lookout shuffle and not an official 80–90 km circuit. Never impulse-add after a chaotic Stamford morning.

   Trail overview →Taylor’s LandingEntrance / Pillie
8. 8

   Fishing & Taylor’s Landing boat ramp

   Marine park rules · tides · boat ramp

   Sheltered bays, beach fishing and a park boat ramp. Thorny Passage Marine Park sanctuary rules apply — Sleaford Bay sanctuary (Wreck Beach to Wanna Lookout) is shore-based rec fishing only for other methods. Check PIRSA. We do not publish bag limits.

   Taylor’s Landing →Thorny Passage Marine ParkVisit logistics
9. 9

   Wildlife (etiquette first)

   Year-round · no feeding · bees at water

   Western greys and emus in coastal mallee; more than 130 bird species listed for the area. Distance is respect. Never feed. Feral bees at water, especially spring–autumn.

   Visit & safety →Park areasStamford Hill