The Amy Gillett Pathway is a delightful 17km trail in the Adelaide Hills, perfect for cycling, walking, and horse riding.

Stretching from Oakbank to Mount Torrens, this path meanders through lush valleys, charming small towns, and passes wineries, while offering beautiful country views along the way. The trail is both safe and accessible, as it's separated from the road and predominantly flat.

The pathway follows a paved bitumen track along an old railway line. Since trains struggle with inclines over 5%, the trail is mostly flat or features very gentle slopes over long distances.

Named in honor of Amy Gillett, a member of the Australian women’s cycling team who tragically died in 2005 while training in Germany, the pathway aims to promote the joy and safety of cycling.

Loved by locals as a peaceful, traffic-free route connecting townships, the Amy Gillett Pathway is also a hit with visitors. It's an ideal way to explore rural scenery, visit cool climate wineries, and experience the relaxed farming lifestyle of the Adelaide Hills.

• Section 1: Oakbank to Woodside (5km)
• Section 2: Woodside to Charleston (3.5km)
• Section 3: Charleston to Mount Torrens (8km)
• Section 4: Mt Torrens to Birdwood (under construction)

You can find dedicated parking on Gillman Road at the Oakbank end, as well as near the oval in Mount Torrens. Additionally, there is parking available halfway along the trail, next to the Pony homeware shop in Charleston.

Section 4 - Mount Torrens to Birdwood

The Adelaide Hills Council is excited to announce the extension of the Amy Gillett Pathway from Mount Torrens to Birdwood. This new section adds 5.2 km of shared pathway, starting at Oval Road in Mount Torrens and ending near the junction of Bleeze Street and William Street in Birdwood.

Project Funding and Overview:

• Total Budget: $5.7 million
• Funding Sources:
  • Federal Government: $2.6 million
  • State Government: $2.6 million
  • Council: $500,000

With all final access and funding agreements signed by the State Government, we are ready to start work on the old railway corridor. Since the Council approved the construction in February, our project team has been busy designing the shared path and bridges. We've also received approval from the Native Vegetation Council to remove necessary vegetation, and work began on July 15th, with an expected completion by mid-August.

Bridge Construction:

• New Bridges: Two new bridges will be built over Angas Creek and William Creek, replacing those removed when the railway was decommissioned.
• Existing Bridge: The original bridge over Burford’s Hill, just north of Mount Torrens, will undergo extensive repair and rehabilitation.

Current Activities:

• Our Construction Manager and Arborist are conducting initial investigations and preparing contracts.
• A site office and vegetation processing areas have been set up off Burford’s Hill Road, on a Council-owned parcel of land.
• Early work has cleared dead and dying trees from the area that was impacted by the Cudlee Creek fires, making it suitable for a trailhead and natural open space.

Next Steps:

• Construction at the southern end (Mount Torrens) will begin soon, starting with an initial 500m of the path to meet federal funding requirements.
• We will tender for bridge construction and the shared pathway soon, with major civil works scheduled to start in September/October 2024.

Completion Date: The target completion date for Stage 4 is June 2025.