Little Para
Enjoy, explore, preserve Little Para Reservoir Reserve
Little Para Reservoir is South Australia’s youngest reservoir, situated north of Adelaide alongside the suburbs of Greenwith and Golden Grove, providing an opportunity for adventure, family fun and environmental preservation.
This beautiful natural reserve offers almost four kilometres of trails with two picnic areas, making it a welcome stop for local bike riders, runners and walkers. A scenic lookout provides the perfect way to relax and take in the reservoir and dam wall.
The facilities at Little Para Reservoir Reserve are designed to add value for the local community, building on existing recreational opportunities in adjoining public land and nearby green spaces..
While people from other areas are welcome to enjoy the low-key facilities at Little Para, we encourage you instead to visit other nearby reservoirs reserves that cater for higher visitor numbers and offer a greater range of activities, such as Hope Valley Reservoir Reserve, and the Warren and South Para Reservoirs reserves which form part of the Southern Barossa Reservoirs network .

At a glance
Open 7.30am - 5pm (standard time), 7.30am - 8pm (daylight saving time). Closed on Total Fire Ban Days, Christmas Day, and for operational activity (gates will be closed).
Walking/running
Cycling
Picnicking
Wildlife and birdwatching
No dogs (assistance animals allowed)
Activities and facilities
Before visiting, please check the conditions of access.
Walking/running/hiking
More than 3km of paths through native bushland and gentle rolling hills, including a 2km loop trail, provide an exciting addition to the local green spaces for nearby residents and the local community.
A lookout offers visitors a sweeping view across the reservoir towards the dam wall and down the valley.
Cycling
Little Para offers cyclists a great side-track for adventure, with more than three kilometres of both easy and intermediate skill level shared trails to explore. Families looking for a picturesque spot to cycle together will also enjoy the trails and opportunities to stop and discover the local birds and wildlife.
Picnicking
Little Para Reservoir Reserve provides trail seating and picnic areas, all perfect for enjoying a bite to eat. Or find a quiet grassy spot with views of the water to lay out your blanket for lunch.
Getting there
The entrance to Little Para Reservoir Reserve is located at the end of Para Valley Road Greenwith, next to the Tea Tree Gully motocross track. This can be accessed by walking or riding through the adjacent Greenwith Little Para Reserve park,using one of the several entry points.
Little Para Reservoir Reserve has been designed for the local community to access on foot or by cycling, rather than by a vehicle. Limited parking is available.
With the exception of assistance animals, dogs are not welcome at reservoir reserves as they can carry harmful organisms that can easily contaminate the water and present a risk to the safety of the drinking water. Dogs also pose a threat to local native birds and wildlife.
A print-friendly version of this map can be downloaded here.
Maps on your mobile
If you have a smartphone or tablet you can download the free Avenza Map app and have interactive reservoir reserve maps on hand when you need them.
The app uses your device’s built-in GPS to plot your real-time location within the reserve onto a map. The app can be used without a network connection and without roaming charges. You can also measure area and distance, plot photos and drop placemark pins.
How to get it working on your device:
1. Download the Avenza Maps app from the app store (iOS/Android) whilst you are still in range (its free!).
2. Open up the app and click the shopping cart icon.
3. Click ‘Find’ and type the name of the reservoir reserve you are looking for.
4. Click on the map you are after and install it (all our maps are free).
5. You will now find a list of your installed maps on the home page of the Avenza Maps app.
6. Use our maps through the Avenza Mapa app while in the reserve and never take a wrong turn again.
What sets Little Para apart
Capacity: 20.8 gigalitres (that’s almost 21 billion litres) - enough to fill more than 10,400 Olympic swimming pools.
Built: 1979
Little Para Reservoir collects and holds water which is then filtered and treated at the Little Para Water Treatment Plant before being supplied to customers north of Adelaide, including Hillbank, Para Hills and Burton.
The surrounding catchment area is relatively small, so the water supply from Little Para Reservoir is often supplemented by water from the Murray River via the Mannum to Adelaide water pipeline.
You can check current reservoir levels at SA Water's website.
Water quality
Little Para Reservoir is one of 16 across the state that help supply water to more than 1.7 million South Australians.
Water from Little Para flows is treated by SA Water at the Little Para Water Treatment Plant onsite before being supplied to customers north of Adelaide, including in Hillbank, Para Hills and Burton.
Treating drinking water before it’s supplied to homes, businesses, schools, hospitals and more, is important to make sure it is clean and safe to drink straight from the tap. You can learn how SA Water treats water and maintains the quality its customers value and rely upon.
