The Bluff, Glencoe (taken from SA Life , Kate Hill)
There’s a feeling of discovering a local secret when you conquer this short hike, which has no signage or online directions to guide you.
Ask a local about directions to The Bluff and they’ll say with a smile, “Just follow the towers.” Travel out from Mount Gambier along the Millicent Road and past the first turn to Glencoe, you’ll spot a group of telecommunications towers on the hill – this is The Bluff. Park off the highway in the forest and follow the roads upwards. This short, demanding hike gives you an insider’s look at the multiple stages of the region’s biggest industry – forestry – as you stride through towering pre-harvest pines and alongside newly planted rows the size of a Christmas tree. Reach the ridgeline and you’ll be rewarded with one of the region’s best views out over Mount Gambier and towards the Port MacDonnell coastline.
In summer months, this is the chief domain of fire spotters, whose job it is to sit high on an isolated platform and watch for rising smoke spires in the forest reserves.
Wander down the hill to find your car and head off to the Glencoe General Store for a well-deserved coffee. On weekends, you may hear motorbikes or a paddock of cattle lowing in the distance but this is a perfect hike for lovers of peace and quiet.
Location: Head out on the Glencoe Road and follow the towers.
Best time: Any time but clear skies will deliver the best view for keen photographers.
Physical rating: Demanding