McBeans Pound Trail Northern Loop
A 16 km loop from Lazy B Landing north of Blanchetown — through Sinclair Flat and Donald Flat Lagoons, past river cliffs alive with nesting cockatoos, and to the ruins of the last post office to close on the Murray River. Trail 04.
- Distance
- ~16 km loop
- Difficulty
- Easy
- From Adelaide
- 145 km north-east
The McBeans Pound Trail Northern Loop is a peaceful 16 km circuit from the historic Lazy B Landing at McBeans Pound, paddling upstream through two magnificent Murray River lagoons — Sinclair Flat and Donald Flat — and returning via the river past sandstone cliffs echoing with nesting cockatoos. No portages are required, and both lagoons offer outstanding birdlife year-round. The trail is rated Easy, making it accessible to paddlers of all experience levels outside peak holiday periods.
About This Trail
Starting from the Lazy B Landing at McBeans Pound north of Blanchetown, the trail sets off upstream (north) along the Murray River. The route passes through two sheltered lagoons on the outward leg — Sinclair Flat Lagoon and Irwin Flat Lagoon — before returning south through Donald Flat Lagoon and back along the river to the launch site. River traffic in this area is generally light outside public and school holiday periods.
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🌐 paddlesa.au →Launch Site
| Site | Location | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Lazy B Landing — McBeans Pound | Take the McBeans Pound road just after the first stock grid on the Blanchetown–Morgan Road. Turn right onto the dirt road heading toward the river. Proceed down the cliff to the Pound and turn immediately right where the bitumen ends. Launch site is approximately 200 m ahead. No facilities at launch; limited parking. Short-term camping permitted on adjacent Crown land (limited numbers). |
Route Description
Set off upstream (north) from the Lazy B Landing. After approximately 2 km, the entrance to Sinclair Flat Lagoon appears on the right at Point A (GPS: 34.2777 S; 139.6402 E). There is a low bridge across the channel here. ⚠ If the bridge is not passable at current river level, skip to Point C: return to river and continue upstream ~3 km to Irwin Flat Lagoon.
If the bridge is passable, paddle through and into Sinclair Flat Lagoon. Paddle northwards through the lagoon. At the north-eastern corner of the lagoon is Point B (GPS: 34.2588 S; 139.6327 E), the exit point with a second low bridge. ⚠ Second low bridge at Point B — water level dependent.
Exit Sinclair Flat Lagoon via Point B and return to the river. Continue upstream approximately 3 km to Point C (GPS: 34.2342 S; 139.6439 E) — the entrance to Irwin Flat Lagoon. At this point the track heading up the cliff face leads to the ruins of the Woods Flat Post Office, the last post office to close on the Murray River, in 1971 (see History section).
The trail can be extended north to Murbko, connecting with the Murbko Loop Trail. Camping is permitted at Murbko, however there are no facilities at the site.
The return trip takes paddlers through Donald Flat Lagoon. The entrance is at Point D (GPS: 34.2448 S; 139.6334 E). There are always large numbers of pelicans to be seen in this lagoon — Donald Flat is the premier wildlife highlight of the trail.
Emerge from the southern end of Donald Flat Lagoon and return south to the launch site along the river. The sandstone cliffs along this section are a feature of the return leg — Sulphur-crested Cockatoos nest in the cliff face, and their loud calls and vivid white plumage against the red-gold stone are one of the most memorable sights on the trail.
Wildlife
Both lagoons on this trail — Sinclair Flat and Donald Flat — support outstanding birdlife year-round. Donald Flat in particular is consistently home to large aggregations of Australian Pelicans. The sandstone cliff sections of the Murray between McBeans Pound and the lagoon entrances provide nesting habitat for cockatoos and raptors.
Australian Pelican (Pelecanus conspicillatus)
The only pelican species in Australia, these majestic birds are a defining feature of any Murray River paddling trip — whether soaring high overhead, coming in to land on the water like a water-skier, or swimming in convoy across a lagoon. They are found throughout South Australia, moving inland to ephemeral lakes in wet years from their normal habitat near the sea, along the river and the Coorong. Donald Flat Lagoon reliably hosts large numbers.
Whistling Kite (Haliastur sphenurus)
Named for their distinctive call — a descending “seeeeo” followed by a fast ascending sequence of 4–7 staccato notes — Whistling Kites are often heard before they are seen. They are frequently seen circling lazily overhead, displaying their distinctive underwing pattern with pale “windows”. You will find them along this stretch of the Murray and its tributary creeks throughout the year.
Sulphur-crested Cockatoo (Cacatua galerita)
Common along the River Murray, these showy white birds with their spectacular yellow erectile crest can be seen in great numbers moving through the river environment. Cockatoos commonly nest in holes in the sandstone cliffs — visible along the return section of the trail — especially during the breeding season from August to January. Their loud, grating calls echo dramatically off the cliff faces.
Little Pied Cormorant (Microcarbo melanoleucos)
One of Australia’s most common waterbirds, entirely black above and white below, often found in large flocks on open waterways or solitary on inland streams. Look for them perched on dead branches over the lagoon edges, wings outstretched to dry.
History & Points of Interest
McBeans Pound & the Lazy B Landing
McBeans Pound takes its name from Lachlan and Alexander McBean, who established Roonka Homestead on the Murray in the mid-1840s — one of the oldest river homesteads in South Australia. The Pound itself was one of the first sites considered in the late 1850s for a railway crossing of the Murray River, though the crossing ultimately never came. Today the site is a popular houseboat mooring — the MV Proud Mary overnights at McBeans Pound on its Murray cruises — and the shaded beach at Lazy B Landing offers short-term Crown land camping for paddlers.
Blanchetown & Lock 1
The nearest town is Blanchetown, 145 km north-east of Adelaide and home to Lock 1 — the first lock built on the Murray River system, completed in 1922. The town was surveyed in 1855 and named by Governor Sir Richard MacDonnell after his wife Lady Blanche MacDonnell. It began as a stopover for mail coaches on the Sydney Road and grew as a riverbank terminal where goods from paddlesteamers were cleared through the local Customs House. The town’s prosperity suffered when the railway bypassed it in favour of upstream Morgan. Blanchetown’s towering limestone cliffs are famous for their changing colours, and closer inspection reveals fossilised starfish, shells and fish — the same geology visible along this trail’s sandstone cliff sections.
First Peoples of the River Murray and Mallee Region
This trail paddles through the traditional country of the First Peoples of the River Murray and Mallee Region, the Traditional Owners of the Murray from the Victorian border to Morgan. The Ngaiawang people’s territory ran along this stretch of the Murray from Herman Landing (Nildottie) to Penn Reach near Qualco — directly encompassing the McBeans Pound area. These Aboriginal nations believe Murrundi (the River Murray) is a living body, formed during Creation, and that they are part of its existence. Paddling Trails South Australia acknowledges the First Peoples of the River Murray and Mallee Region as the traditional custodians of this Country and pays respect to Elders past, present and emerging.
Trail Gallery
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