Stage one of the Witton Bluff Base Trail is now open, with a new boardwalk accessible from Port Noarlunga. From mid-2025, the 1.1km shared-use trail will fully connect the foreshores of Port Noarlunga and Christies Beach.
Review by Carla Caruso
Port Noarlunga has that special holiday vibe, which makes you feel like you’re hours from the city (instead of just 40 minutes).
And now it feels extra specky, thanks to the opening of Stage 1 of the Witton Bluff Base Trail. Launching in December 2024, beachgoers now have a 3m-wide, shared-use boardwalk to meander from Port Noarlunga to the tip of the bluff.
An upgrade of the existing path at the Christies Beach end of the bluff will complete the project. Work to repair the sea wall to the north of the new boardwalk is also underway and will help protect the cliff’s infrastructure from erosion and rising sea levels.
The fully completed 1.1km Witton Bluff Base Trail – jointly funded by the state government and the City of Onkaparinga – is expected to open mid-2025 and will connect the foreshores of Port Noarlunga and Christies Beach.
Local MP Chris Picton said the project will “fix the missing link in the walking trail from Christies North to Moana”.
Much work has been undertaken to ensure any potential impacts from the trail on Aboriginal heritage and the environment are minimised.
I checked out the new boardwalk with my family in January 2025, beginning at Port Noarlunga. The picturesque seaside village, about 30km south of Adelaide, was alive with sun lovers on the day we visited.
On the sand, people were busy sunbathing, playing beach volleyball, and heading in for a dip. The jetty, meanwhile, was teeming with punters fishing, jetty jumping, and getting set to scuba dive.
Port Noarlunga is home to a reef aquatic reserve, which is a diver’s and snorkeller’s paradise and viewable from the end of the jetty.
Before we set off on our walk, we lunched at Mamma’s Beach Hut on the Esplanade. Think hot chips, pastries, toasties, ice-creams, and more. Other nearby eateries include Drifters Pizza Bar and Ampika’s Kitchen.
Then, after my sons had had fun building sandcastles and looking under rocks at the beach, we took off along the boardwalk.
There are photo moments galore, care of the red sandstone beach cliffs and crystal-clear waters, plus lookouts to ensure you stop and smell the ocean!
The boardwalk is smooth and flat to wander, with enough room for prams and the like. It can get a little windy cliffside, so make sure your hat is secured, and to also wear sun protection.
My boys reckon they had a lot of fun on our outing.
Once the trail is complete, it’ll help bring the state government’s vision for a 70km coastal path from North Haven to Sellicks Beach one step closer.
We were impressed with this section of the path. It’s awesome to get up-close to the cliffs and makes for a pretty spectacular day trip. Why fly to a sunny locale when you have this right here on your doorstep?
Location:
Port Noarlunga to the tip of Witton Bluff.
For more information, please visit the City of Onkaparinga website.
All photos by James Elsby for Play & Go Adelaide
At Play & Go Adelaide we make every effort to provide accurate information to the best of our knowledge at the time of publication. We recommend confirming times, dates and details directly before making any plans as details may be subject to change.
As per all our Play & Go reviews, this is not a sponsored post and our review is done completely independently. All photos are by Play & Go (unless specified).
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