Investigator Trail (official sections)

Guide updated 26 Aug 2026 · verify live track status with Parks SA

Long-distance network named for HMS Investigator / Flinders 1802. Parks SA publishes three treks: Cape Donington–Pillie/Taylor’s 30.7 km / 10 hr; park entrance–Cape Donington 36 km / 12 hr; Pillie–entrance via Sleaford Mere 26.3 km / 9 hr. Full-circuit 80–90 km figures are third-party — do not treat them as official.

Decision summary

Best for: Experienced, self-sufficient walkers using Parks SA section times — not a casual day walk
Skip if: You wanted a 45-minute lookout. Use Stamford Hill.
Time needed: 10 hr · 12 hr · 9 hr for the three published treks
Dogs: Dogs are not allowed in Lincoln National Park or Memory Cove (Parks SA). Assistance dogs follow official policy — verify; Port Lincoln streets are not the park.
Kids: Not a family default. Use short official walks instead.
Entry / booking catch: Vehicle entry plus any camping bookings. No general walk permit. Memory Cove still needs its own key if you enter that WPA.
Today’s alerts: Check Parks SA change-of-conditions (not this page)

Planning from official Parks SA notes. We have not walked this track for this guide. Confirm signed distances and open/closed status on the day.

Do not pair: Do not add Memory Cove key logistics onto a 12-hour Investigator section the same day.

Turnaround: Treat checkpoints as decision points. Reverse to the last road-access camp if heat or time fails.

Quoting an 80–90 km “official circuit” that Parks SA does not publish.
Starting a 10-hour section with 2 litres and no shuffle car.

Long-distance sections · treks
10 hr · 12 hr · 9 hr for the three published treks
Official sections: 30.7 km · 36 km · 26.3 km (not an official full-circuit figure)
Effort: hard
Best for: Experienced, self-sufficient walkers using Parks SA section times — not a casual day walk

Distance, grade, time and open/closed status change — verify on Parks SA before you go.

Official Parks SA info (verify status)

Coastal heath and succulents above a sandy Southern Ocean beach, Lincoln National Park South Australia — Investigator Trail — Coastal heath
Jacqui Barker · CC BY 2.0 · Wikimedia Commons

Where you start

Depends on section — checkpoints 1–24

Clearly defined and marked with checkpoints. The trail also continues north outside the park via Tulka and Port Lincoln to North Shields (Parnkalla Trail through town) — that is outside this guide’s park-only scope.

How to get there

Pick one official section. Arrange a car shuffle. Do not start a 10-hour trek at midday.
Water is not guaranteed. Parks SA: no drinking water in the park. Especially critical in summer.
Pay vehicle entry. Book any campgrounds you will use overnight.

How to do it (step by step)

Cape Donington to Pillie Lake / Taylor’s Landing: follow checkpoints 15–20, 3, 2. Official 30.7 km / 10 hr.
Park entrance to Cape Donington: checkpoints 1–15. Official 36 km / 12 hr. Sheltered bays and sandy beaches.
Pillie Lake to main entrance via Sleaford Mere: checkpoints 2, 3, 21–24, 1. Official 26.3 km / 9 hr. Dunes, wind-swept cliffs, Sleaford Mere.
Use the official bushwalking brochure. Combine only the shorter walks the brochure lists — do not invent a circuit time.

Packing list (shell, grip, water) lives on the gear hub— not a shopping list on every walk. Pairing and Plan B: plan your visit · Sleaford entrance Plan B.

Map (orientation)

Pin may be approximate. Confirm trailheads, parking and track status on Parks SA before you drive.

Interactive map — pin may be approximate. Confirm trailheads and road status before you drive.

Open in Google Maps Get directions

Extra tips

Navigation experience required. Offline Avenza map.
PLB / satellite messenger is a sensible planning note for remote sections — not a park requirement.
Brian Clarke Hut (checkpoint 23) is a bushwalker shelter on the Wanna–Sleaford Mere hike, not a booked bed.

Itineraries that use this walk

Sand, limestone cliffs and Southern Ocean at Wanna, Lincoln National Park South Australia

Overnight in-park + 4WD dune day

Overnight camp and dune coast

Book a campground on parks.sa.gov.au (September, Surfleet, Taylor’s Landing, or a listed 4WD site). Next day: Sleaford–Wanna red-marker track and/or lookouts. Western Sleaford entrance blocked (snapshot 13 Sep 2026) — main entrance only.

Memory Cove white-sand beach, turquoise water and a yacht at anchor, Lincoln National Park South Australia

Full day including VIC key pickup

Memory Cove day (book + key)

Parks SA: 15 vehicles a day. Book vehicle entry and camping, collect the key from Port Lincoln Visitor Information Centre, then 4WD to the locked gate. Vehicle $14.40 + camping $34.10/night (checked 13 Sep 2026 — VERIFY). No fires or generators.

Area guide: Proper Bay, Pillie Lake & park entrance · Maps pin

Nearby stays (optional)

After the walk plan is solid: Port Lincoln beds if you still need them. Kit searches live on the gear hub. Official Parks SA camping, park fees and government bookings are never affiliated. Guided tours live on the Tours hub.

Nearby stays

Port Lincoln · Coffin Bay · Tumby Bay

Hotels & stays in Port LincolnPrimary gateway — fuel, food, VIC, Memory Cove key pickup
Coffin BaySecondary coastal town west — not a Stamford dawn base
Tumby BayEast-coast alternative when Port Lincoln is full

All Booking.com links open in a new tab and may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Official Parks SA camping and Memory Cove bookings are never affiliated.

Some stay, tour and gear links may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Park fees and Parks SA bookings are never affiliated. Affiliate disclosure · Privacy

Some stay, tour and gear links may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Park fees and Parks SA bookings are never affiliated. Disclosure · Tours hub