After the 2019–20 fires: how to read the recovery landscape
Most of Flinders Chase burned in 2019–20. Infrastructure has been rebuilt. The regenerating woodland is part of the visit — not a reason to stay away.
By Ian Piggott · Farming Domains · Unofficial guide · ~9 min read
Updated · re-check parks.sa.gov.au before travel
Best for: Visitors wondering “is the park still closed / still burnt?”
Unofficial guide — always verify track conditions, closures, fees and safety with parks.sa.gov.au. Place photos are Wikimedia Commons / CC where credited — not official NPWS SA imagery and not live conditions.
Some stay, tour and gear links may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Park entry fees, official camping bookings and KI Wilderness Trail permits are never affiliated.
Flinders Chase landscape
Bernard Gagnon · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons
The 2019–20 bushfires burned the majority of Flinders Chase. That is true. It is also true that the visitor centre, Remarkable Rocks boardwalks, many trails and cottages have been rebuilt, and wildlife is abundant in recovering country.
Do not treat a five-year-old photo of black trunks as a live closure. Check parks.sa.gov.au for today’s status. Do treat the recovery as something you came to see.
What you will actually see
West Bay woodland
John Jennings · CC BY 2.0 · Wikimedia Commons
Boardwalks and the new visitor centre feel finished. Woodland walks still show fire story: epicormic growth, open understorey, timber on the ground. That mix is the west-end character now.
Some remote roads and camps remain more seasonal than the sealed icon road. Recovery of vegetation is not the same as recovery of every 4WD track after rain.
What has been rebuilt
The visitor centre, Remarkable Rocks boardwalks, many day walks and heritage cottages have been rebuilt. Treat “is it still closed?” as a live parks.sa.gov.au question for individual tracks, not a verdict on the whole park.
KIWT walks through regenerating interior on purpose. That is part of the product, not a hidden caveat.
Shade, water and leave-no-trace
Open understorey means more sun. Carry more water than pre-fire trip reports suggest. Pack waste out — there are no rubbish bins.
The place is still healing. Shortcuts off signed tracks and firewood collection are how recovery goes backwards.
Photography without making it a disaster aesthetic
Green on blackened trunks is honest and worth photographing. Do not stage “ruin” shots by leaving the path or moving timber.
Wildlife is abundant in recovering country. That is a success story, not a zoo. Distance still applies.
FAQ
Tap a question to expand the answer.
Is Flinders Chase still closed after the fires?
No — the park is operating with rebuilt visitor infrastructure. Individual tracks, roads and buildings can still close for wind, fire danger or works. Only parks.sa.gov.au can answer for your date.
Will it look “burnt and ugly”?
You will see fire story in the woodland. You will also see rebuilt boardwalks, abundant wildlife and green recovery. Come expecting both. Do not skip the park because of a five-year-old photo.
More articles
- Remarkable Rocks and Admirals Arch: a calm first-visit plan
How to do Flinders Chase’s two icons in one day — boardwalks, wind closures, seals, ferry clocks and what not to stack. Always verify with parks.sa.gov.au.
- Platypus Waterholes and west-end wildlife — without treating it like a zoo
How to walk Platypus Waterholes and the Rocky River precinct honestly: dawn odds, recovery woodland, kangaroos on the road, and what not to promise kids.
- When to visit western Kangaroo Island: seasons, crowds and wind
Year-round park with winter wild weather, spring flowers, busier summers and fire-danger closures. Shoulder seasons often win for the icons.
- Kangaroo Island Wilderness Trail: booking, water and honesty
KIWT is a separate booked product — not a casual add-on to the icon day. Caps, Grade 4, water carry and limited bail-outs.
- Adelaide same-day Flinders Chase usually fails the ferry clock
Cape Jervis to Penneshaw is a ferry, then about 1.5 hours to the visitor centre. Why stacking Adelaide + both icons + a dusk sailing is the failure, and what overnight actually buys.
- Wind closed the rocks: Platypus Waterholes is the plan, not Ravine
Severe wind can close Admirals Arch and Remarkable Rocks. Why hunting an unofficial viewpoint fails, and why Platypus Waterholes — not West Bay or Ravine — is the honest Plan B.
Free classic-day checklist
Printable packing, ferry clock, Rocks + Arch order of stops and official parks.sa.gov.au links — free PDF and HTML, no email required.
- Before-you-leave packing ticks
- Classic icon-day order of stops
- What to skip when wind or the ferry clock fails
- Official parks.sa.gov.au links to verify conditions
Free direct download — no email required. Also available anytime from Maps & resources · Itineraries · Privacy.
← All articles · Plan your visit · Browse tours (GYG)
Stays, tours & gear after you plan
Optional only — after the guide and official resources. Park fees and official parks.sa.gov.au bookings are never affiliated.
Nearby stays
Kingscote (primary) · Penneshaw · Vivonne Bay
- Hotels & stays in KingscoteMain island hub — fuel, food, ~90 min to the visitor centre
- Penneshaw (ferry gateway)Ferry arrival town — longer west-end drive
- Vivonne Bay areaCloser south-coast base toward the park
All Booking.com links open in a new tab and may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Official park camping and cottage bookings are never affiliated.
Guided tours
Optional — Adelaide ferry days, Penneshaw scenic loops and wildlife products (confirm inclusions live)
- Full-day from Adelaide (ferry + coach)
- 2-day small-group from Adelaide
- Penneshaw half-day coach
- Browse more Kangaroo Island tours
A tour does not replace checking parks.sa.gov.au alerts, wind closures, or coastal safety yourself.
What to bring
Practical kit for Southern Ocean wind, cape boardwalks and patchy coverage
- Water 2–3 L+ per personRemote sections and KIWT have no reliable drinking water. Rainwater at camps is non-potable.
- Windproof / waterproof shellCape du Couedic and Remarkable Rocks are exposed Southern Ocean headlands — wind closes sites.
- Sun hat + high SPFBoardwalks and granite are open; post-fire woodland still has thin shade in places.
- Grip walking shoesBoardwalks are easy; Snake Lagoon / Ravine rock-hops get slick after rain. Stay off seaward rocks.
- Day pack 20–30 LWater, layers, snacks and a small first-aid kit for the icon day plus any extra walk.
- Offline maps (Avenza)Telstra can be patchy; download official park maps while you still have reception.
- HeadlampDawn platypus walks and winter ferry days run out of light faster than mainland visitors expect.
- First-aid + blister kitRemote west-end days are a long way from Kingscote if something goes wrong.
- Satellite messenger (remote / KIWT)Optional planning note for West Bay, Ravine and KIWT — 000 needs reception. Not required for the sealed icon road.
- Insect protectionPlatypus Waterholes and swamp edges can be buggy, especially after rain.
- Warm mid-layerWinter and wind at the capes feel much colder than Kingscote or Adelaide.
- Power bankScreenshot alerts, ferry tickets and offline maps; charging is limited west of the visitor centre.
Some stay, tour and gear links may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Park entry fees, official camping bookings and KI Wilderness Trail permits are never affiliated. Affiliate disclosure · Privacy