Punyelroo Loop Trails
Two easy loops from Punyelroo on the Murray River — paddle through a peaceful lagoon to an ancient limestone cave, upstream to Swan Reach, and optionally downstream to the tallest cliffs on the Murray at Big Bend. Half a day each loop.
- Distance
- 8 km & 12 km loops
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Trail type
- 2 Loop trails
- From Adelaide
- 178 km north-east
The Punyelroo Loop Trails are two easy half-day paddles from the Punyelroo Public Boat Ramp on the Murray River — an intimate, unhurried exploration of a stretch of river famous for its ancient limestone cliffs, a mysterious cave steeped in Aboriginal legend, and the sweeping grandeur of Big Bend. The loops can be paddled independently or combined for a full day on the water.
About This Trail
Loop 1 (8 km) heads upstream through Punyelroo Lagoon — a sheltered backwater almost directly opposite the Punyelroo Caravan Park — to the entrance of Punyelroo Cave (Point A), then continues upstream along the river to Swan Reach (Point B). The town is a 400 m walk from the river and makes an ideal lunch stop, with a hotel, general store, and river views. The trail returns downstream to the launch along the same route.
Loop 2 (10–12 km) is an optional downstream extension from the launch, heading south along the Murray to the magnificent limestone cliffs of Big Bend (Point C) — the tallest cliffs on the entire Murray River and the longest single bend in the river. This section returns upstream to the launch.
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🌐 paddlesa.au →Launch Site & Route
Both loops launch from the Punyelroo Public Boat Ramp. Parking is limited near the public ramp. The Punyelroo Caravan Park, located immediately nearby, has full facilities including toilets, a picnic area, and its own boat ramp — ideal if you are camping overnight.
| Site | Location | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Punyelroo Public Boat Ramp | Punyelroo SA. GPS: 34.6038 S; 139.6032 E. Limited parking. Full facilities at adjacent Punyelroo Caravan Park including its own boat ramp. |
Route Description
From the boat ramp, the entrance to Punyelroo Lagoon is almost directly opposite the Punyelroo Caravan Park. Paddle into the lagoon and follow it upstream to Point A — Punyelroo Cave (GPS: 34.5943 S; 139.6112 E). The cave entrance is visible in the cliff face at the water’s edge. A worthwhile stop to view the entrance — do not enter beyond the first section without caving experience and equipment.
Continue upstream from the cave along the lagoon to Point B — Swan Reach (GPS: 34.5730 S; 139.5940 E). The Swan Reach town centre is a 400 m walk along a path from the water. There is a short creek alongside the path but it may not be navigable. Swan Reach has a hotel, general store, and excellent river views — an ideal lunch stop before the return paddle.
Return downstream along the same route through the lagoon back to the Punyelroo Public Boat Ramp. Total distance approximately 8 km.
For the second loop, paddle downstream from the launch point along the Murray River toward the towering cliffs of Big Bend (Point C, GPS: 34.6463 S; 139.6233 E). The river curves through an approximate 180-degree bend, revealing the full spectacle of the Murray’s tallest limestone cliff walls. This section adds a further 10–12 km return. Return upstream to the launch point.
Punyelroo Cave — Legend & Geology
Punyelroo Cave is the longest of the several caves found in the Murray Plains area — extending approximately 3 km into the limestone cliff face. The cave is well known to Aboriginal people in the area and carries deep cultural significance. In 2021, a Caves Australia article proposed Punyelroo Cave as the historical lair of the Whowie — a fearsome creature of Australian Aboriginal mythology said to have haunted this section of the Murray River.
An Aboriginal legend recorded in The Mail, Adelaide (10 December 1927) by T.P. Bellchambers tells of a crow and a goanna who had a great fight. The crow, using ‘quoree’ (magic), won and chased the goanna into a hole in the cliffs. After a long time the goanna returned, and the crow found a ‘big feller’ hole where the goanna had emerged — said to be the cave. A second story tells of a warrior who chased a rival through the long passage between the caves, emerging ahead of him and fighting a legendary battle. The story tells that he left his spears behind — and today two large red gum logs, weighing over 200 kg each, lie inside the cave with no known explanation for how they arrived there.
A University of Adelaide natural science expedition explored the cave in December 1937, reporting cathedral-like spaces with many connecting corridors. The cave is home to bat colonies that roost in the cliff faces throughout this section of the Murray.
Big Bend — The Murray’s Great Spectacle
Big Bend is the longest single bend in the Murray River and the site of the river’s tallest cliffs — towering limestone walls up to 20 million years old, rich with the fossils of ancient marine creatures deposited when this landscape lay beneath a vast inland sea. The cliffs are home to bat colonies and abundant birdlife, and the caves within the escarpment have been continuously occupied for at least 8,000 years, and are sacred to the local Aboriginal community.
Viewed from a kayak at water level, the cliffs are even more imposing than from the road above. The river turns north-west past the south-eastern end of the shacks at Punyelroo, passes a lagoon, then makes the sweeping Big Bend turn through approximately 180 degrees before continuing around another 90-degree curve past Ngaut Ngaut Conservation Park.
Nganguraku Country
The Swan Reach and Punyelroo area lies within the traditional Country of the Nganguraku people — Traditional Custodians of this stretch of the Murray River and the surrounding mallee country. The Aboriginal name for the Swan Reach area is Kongorong, meaning ‘place of the black swans’ — a reference to the large flocks that once thrived here and gave the town its European name.
The caves at Punyelroo and the Big Bend cliffs are of deep cultural significance to the Nganguraku people. Just downstream, Ngaut Ngaut Conservation Park near Nildottie is one of Australia’s most significant Aboriginal archaeological sites — the location of the first stratified rockshelter to be scientifically excavated in Australia, in 1929 by Herbert Hale and Norman Tindale. The deposits were later radiocarbon dated to over 5,000 years old, providing the first clear evidence of long-term Indigenous occupation at a single site. Ngaut Ngaut is the birthplace of the Black Duck Dreaming. Guided tours of the conservation park are available through the Mannum Aboriginal Community Association — highly recommended for those with time to explore beyond the trails.
Paddling Trails South Australia acknowledges the Nganguraku people as the Traditional Custodians of the lands and waters along this trail, and pays respect to Elders past, present and emerging.
Wildlife & Environment
The Punyelroo Lagoon and Murray River backwaters along this trail are rich in birdlife. Black swans — the namesake of the area — are commonly seen on the lagoon, along with pelicans, herons, cormorants, ducks, and black-faced cormorants. The limestone cliff faces are home to bat colonies that emerge at dusk in spectacular numbers, and the caves provide daytime roosting habitat for several species.
Eastern grey kangaroos are frequently encountered on the river banks, particularly in the early morning and late afternoon. The nocturnal southern hairy-nosed wombat — SA’s faunal emblem — inhabits the dry mallee country above the cliffs and is occasionally spotted at dawn. Owls and trapdoor spiders are among the other residents of this stretch of river.
Points of Interest
- Punyelroo Cave (Point A) — GPS: 34.5943 S; 139.6112 E: The entrance to the longest cave in the Murray Plains area (~3 km). Visible from the water in the cliff face. Aboriginal legend and mythology connected to this cave. Bat colonies. View the entrance only — do not explore beyond without caving experience and equipment.
- Swan Reach (Point B) — GPS: 34.5730 S; 139.5940 E: Historic Murray River town, 400 m walk from Point B. Hotel with river views, general store, 9-hole golf course, 24-hour free government ferry. The Swan Reach Hotel is a great lunch stop.
- Big Bend (Point C) — GPS: 34.6463 S; 139.6233 E: The longest single bend and tallest cliffs on the Murray River. Limestone up to 20 million years old, rich with ancient marine fossils. Bat colonies in the cliff faces. Caves occupied continuously for at least 8,000 years. Best viewed from the water.
- Ngaut Ngaut Conservation Park (nearby — Nildottie): Australia’s first scientifically excavated stratified rockshelter. Birthplace of the Black Duck Dreaming. Guided tours by Nganguraku people via the Mannum Aboriginal Community Association. Not accessible from this trail by water but a short drive away — well worth combining with a trip to Punyelroo.
- Swan Reach International Dark Sky Reserve: The River Murray International Dark Sky Reserve covers this area — staying overnight at Punyelroo or Swan Reach offers exceptional stargazing conditions.