Cape Borda & Harvey’s Return

How to get there

1. Allow a dedicated half-day from Kingscote or the visitor centre — this is northwest, not next door to Remarkable Rocks.
2. Check road conditions after rain (4WD notes can apply on Harvey’s Return access).
3. Fuel and food in town first.

How to do it (step by step)

1. Visit the lightstation precinct and clifftop views first.
2. Only then choose Harvey’s Return (steep, short) or Return Road (long).
3. Turn around if knees or weather fail on the steep section.
4. Do not start the 9 km option after 2 pm in winter.

What to expect

A quieter lighthouse headland with real height. The short hike is steeper than its kilometre count suggests. The long hike is a half-day.

Self-guided lightstation access is included in Flinders Chase entry on current official wording — [VERIFY] if you hold a Tour Pass instead.

Which hike to pick

Harvey’s Return is about 1 km with steep sections — a short, honest descent/ascent. Return Road is about 9 km / 3 hours on the old cart track. Pick one. Both plus a southern-icon revisit is how groups finish after dark.

Do not start Return Road after 2 pm in winter. Turn around if knees fail on the first steep pitch of Harvey’s Return — the lightstation views already paid for the drive.

Drive, fuel and reverse

This is northwest, not next door to Remarkable Rocks. Fuel and food in Kingscote or Parndana first. After rain, treat Harvey’s Return access as 4WD until staff say otherwise.

Reverse is the same road. There is no café at the cape. If whales are in season, binoculars from the precinct beat scrambling for a closer cliff.

Map (orientation)

Pin may be approximate. Confirm trailheads, parking and track status on parks.sa.gov.au before you drive.