Mount Crawford Forest is managed for sustainable wood production, while also providing for the conservation of native flora and fauna and community use for recreation and events.
Land was first purchased for forestry at Mount Crawford in 1909, with commercial plantings beginning in 1914 and continuing to expand until the 1960s. Many of the original plantations have since been clear felled and replanted.
Mount Crawford’s proximity to Adelaide, just an hour’s drive from the city, also makes it a popular place to visit. Every year, thousands of visitors come to camp and enjoy hut-style accommodation, bushwalk, horse ride, fossick, mountain bike and take part in a host of organised community events!
ForestrySA manages 10,000ha of plantation forest in the Mount Lofty Ranges. As leaders in responsible plantation management for 150 years, all trees are replanted following harvest, allowing for sustainable timber production well into the future. In addition, ForestrySA manages over 4,000 ha of Native Forest reserves protected for conservation and biodiversity. There is plenty to see and do, with more than 1,000,000 people visiting each year for activities such as camping and accommodation, bushwalking, hiking, running, bike riding, horse riding, fossicking, orienteering and rogaining, wedding ceremonies and so much more.
