Swan Reach Loop Trail
A full-day loop through the sheltered backwaters of Yacto Creek and the Murray River — towering limestone cliffs, black swans, and 30-metre fossil-studded walls rising above the waterline at one of the river’s most scenic reaches.
- Distance
- ~14 km loop
- Difficulty
- Easy
- From Adelaide
- 178 km north-east
The Swan Reach Loop Trail is a full-day paddle through some of the most dramatic scenery on the Murray River — passing through the sheltered, log-strewn backwaters of Yacto Creek before returning along the main river channel beneath 30-metre limestone cliffs that were once the bed of an ancient inland sea. A more adventurous variant adds two easy portages for paddlers seeking an extra challenge.
About This Trail
The trail starts at Swan Reach at the Swan Reach/Stockwell Road intersection and follows Yacto Creek — a sheltered backwater lined with river red gums and tangled fallen timber — before looping back to the launch site via the Murray River main channel. The creek has numerous fallen trees and logs which can make navigation challenging, but the trail is passable without portaging for paddlers comfortable with manoeuvring in tight spaces.
A bridge and regulator at the Yacto Creek entrance means a portage that was once required is no longer necessary. River traffic on this section is generally light.
Paddle SA is the governing body of paddle sport and recreation in South Australia. It leads and supports paddling in South Australia and encourages the safe exploration of our waterways.
Paddling Trails South Australia has a range of trails to suit different abilities. Know your ability.
🌐 paddlesa.au →Launch Sites & Route
There are two launch options on either side of the Murray River. If launching from the eastern bank (Swan Reach Caravan Park), take care to avoid the Swan Reach Car Ferry when paddling north from the launch point. The western bank launch at Tenbury Hunter Reserve has no facilities on site — bring everything you need. Unsecured parking is available at Tenbury campground; secure parking is available at the Swan Reach Campground. Bring your own firewood.
| Site | Location | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Swan Reach Caravan Park Boat Ramp | GPS: 34.5668 S; 139.5955 E. Full facilities at the caravan park. Take care to avoid the Swan Reach Car Ferry when paddling north. | |
| Tenbury Hunter Reserve | GPS: 34.5617 S; 139.6011 E. No facilities on site. Unsecured parking at Tenbury campground. Bring own firewood. |
Route Description
From either launch site, paddle north along the Murray River. The entrance to Yacto Creek is approximately 3.3 km north of the Swan Reach ferry. This is Point A (GPS: 34.5404 S; 139.6049 E). A bridge and regulator now mark the entrance — no portage is required. If attempting the Adventurous Route, note Point C (the regulator, GPS: 34.5541 S; 139.6113 E) on the river before reaching Point A — this is your optional entry point for the circular variant.
Enter Yacto Creek and paddle upstream through the sheltered backwaters. The creek has numerous fallen trees and logs — navigation can be challenging but is possible without portaging. The Pumping Station Reserve campground at Point B (GPS: 34.5051 S; 139.5699 E) provides a good location for a break or lunch stop.
Complete the loop by returning to the launch site either back down Yacto Creek to Point A and then south along the Murray, or by continuing through the creek system to rejoin the Murray River main channel. Either way, paddle south back to your launch point.
Instead of returning via the creek from Point B, the adventurous circular route leaves the Murray River at Point C (GPS: 34.5541 S; 139.6113 E), involving 2 easy portages, and rejoins Yacto Creek approximately halfway along. Only attempt if water level ≥ 0.6 m at Swan Reach — check Waterconnect before setting out.
Swan Reach — Ngaiawang Country
Swan Reach lies within the traditional Country of the Ngaiawang people (also recorded as Ngalawang), the Traditional Custodians of this stretch of the Murray River and its surrounding lands. Prior to European settlement, it is estimated there were approximately 1,200 Ngalawang tribal members in the Swan Reach area. They lived along the river on a semi-permanent basis — using reed baskets woven from the riverbanks, building low stone walls across the river to trap fish, and using animal skins to keep warm through winter.
Swan Reach gained its name from the large flocks of black swans that once thrived here. The natural break in the limestone cliffs made for an ideal river crossing for travellers and stock long before the ferry arrived. Before the lock and weir system was installed, it was possible during drought years to walk from one bank to the other.
Paddling Trails South Australia acknowledges the Ngaiawang people as Traditional Custodians of the lands and waters along this trail, and pays respect to Elders past, present and emerging.
Swan Reach History
In the early 1850s, Thomas Luscombe was leasing 182 square miles along the Murray River — known as the Swan Reach Run — where 23,000 sheep grazed on open plains of native speargrass and mallee. The land surrounding Swan Reach was once covered in this native vegetation, large areas of which were cleared for crops including stone fruits, oranges, grapes, onions, potatoes, pumpkins, garlic, almonds, and Geraldton Wax flowers.
In 1896, Paul Hasse purchased 520 acres including the Swan Reach homestead. In 1899 a survey divided a portion of his land into 46 town allotments — approved in 1900 — with the homestead later becoming the Swan Reach Hotel, which still overlooks the river today.
The arrival of paddle steamers transformed the town. Vessels including the Ruby, Marion, Gem, Pyap, Tyro, Nellie, and Moolgewanke regularly stopped at Swan Reach, carrying wheat, wool and firewood to Murray Bridge and Goolwa. In 1874, the Moolgewanke ’s boiler exploded at nearby Big Bend, killing three people.
Geology — Lake Bungunnia & the Limestone Cliffs
The striking limestone cliffs rising to 30 metres along this reach of the Murray are far older than they appear. The cliffs contain fossilised sea urchins, shells, and sharks’ teeth — evidence that this landscape was once the bed of an ancient sea.
Between approximately 2.5 and 0.5 million years ago, earth movements near Swan Reach blocked the Murray River, forming the vast freshwater Lake Bungunnia. At its maximum extent, the lake covered 33,000 km² — stretching north toward the Menindee Lakes and south toward Boundary Bend. The lake drained approximately 600,000 years ago in what must have been a dramatic event, leaving the deep clay and limestone formations visible in the cliffs today. The 248 km to the River mouth from Swan Reach has been the scene of this ancient geological story for millions of years.
Wildlife & Environment
The Murray River and Yacto Creek backwaters along this trail support rich birdlife. Black swans — the namesake of the town — are commonly encountered, along with pelicans, herons, cormorants, ducks, and spoonbills. Eastern grey kangaroos and echidnas inhabit the mallee scrub above the cliffs and are often seen on the river banks, particularly in the early morning.
The limestone cliff faces and cave systems provide daytime roost habitat for bat colonies, which emerge in large numbers at dusk. The river red gums along Yacto Creek provide critical habitat for nesting hollow-dependent species. The Swan Reach Yabbie Farm nearby is a good introduction to one of the river’s most prized local foods.
For nocturnal wildlife, the Big Bend by Night tour operation runs guided night eco-tours to the Punyelroo Cave and Big Bend cliffs — spotting southern hairy-nosed wombats, bats, owls, kangaroos, and trapdoor spiders. An excellent complement to a daytime paddle from Swan Reach.
Trail Gallery
5 photos
