Kuitpo Forest (pronounced kai-po) is situated about 40 km south-east of Adelaide CBD. Established in 1898, Kuipto Forest was the first of many forest plantations in the Mount Lofty Ranges , planted at the turn of the 20th Century to ensure a suistanable timber supply for South Australia. The forest serves as both a community forest and a commercial venture. Kuitpo is one of the more popular plantation forests; it is regularly frequented by locals and tourists alike, as an escape to nature. It is equiped with many walking trails, and a ForestrySA interpretive centre provides insight into both the forest ecology and the history of Kuipto. It is also available for camping and picnics.
The Kuipto Forest Reserve covers an area of some 36 square kilometres, the majority of which is softwood plantation. Attempts at growing native woods were largely abandoned as they proved to slow-growing. Instead, the tree of choice became radiata pine, a California native, although many other woods are still grown.
Travel to the forest is relatively fast and easy, with a tourist route guiding the way, which begins at a turnoff from South Road, O'Halloran Hill , onto Chandlers Hill Road, and from there, as the signs direct, to Clarendon and Meadows .
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