We leave Yorke Peninsula and head north toward the Flinders Ranges, the largest mountain range in South Australia stretching over 430 km. You’ll hear Wilpena Pound mentioned in this blog. That’s because it’s the centrepiece of the National Park – the oval shaped mountain range with its steep walls and jagged peaks is one of the best known features of the Flinders Ranges.
Its hard to imagine that 120 million years ago most of the sun-burnt continent of Australia was under water. Even harder to imagine is a time 800 million years ago when the Flinders Ranges in South Australia were created. Hence why some of the fossils found in this landscape are so unique and why geologists had to revise the geologic time-line of the Earth’s history, identifying a new era called the Ediacaran period. It’s no surprise why this environment, one of the oldest surviving on Earth, has been nominated as one of Australia’s ‘National Landscapes’.
From the Yorke Peninsula we head north and stop in the town of Quorn (A), which sits on the southern end of the Ranges. Its another historic town and was once one of Australia’s most important railway junctions. It was here that the Ghan name was first used and until the 1950s, the Ghan provided a crucial link with the vast Outback.
We travel to Warren Gorge (B) for our first night camp in the Flinders Ranges. Its an easy drive to the campsite and we find a nice spot under gum trees and our arrival is carefully watched by the local kangaroos. The colorful rock formations in the gorge are a stark contrast to the bright blue sky.
We make our way to Hawker where we stop for lunch, and then continue to Merna Mora Station (D) for our second night of camping. Merna Mora is a working cattle and sheep station and like many other stations in the Flinders, also offers a variety of accommodation and tours. We stay and bush camp for one night and enjoy the beautiful views of the western side of Wilpena Pound.
We head off the next day taking the Moralana Scenic drive (D-E). This takes us across the Ranges following Wilpena Pound and the Elder Ranges.
Our next stop is Rawnsley Station, another working station who have branched out into tourism. The name comes from Rawnsley Bluff, the southern tip of Wilpena Pound. Originally tourism was developed as a sideline to grazing, but has now become the major business of Rawnsley Park.
The next day we take a drive through the Bunyeroo (F) and Brachina Gorges (G). The drive down the valley gives spectacular views of Wilpena Pound. Then onto Brachina Gorge which was once used as a pass through which bullock teams pulled their loads. JV doesn’t have any trouble navigating the gorges but you will need a high clearance vehicle in certain spots. Luckily there hasn’t been any rain so no water crossings to contend with (much to Mr Carter’s chagrin!)
We carry on toward the town of Parachilna (H), originally surveyed closer to the foothills of the Ranges, but then moved from its present location when the Great Northern Railway was built about 10 kms away. It now has just the Prairie Hotel which offers ‘feral’ food so it you like Emu, Camel, Kangaroo etc, then this is the place to come and eat.
We drive through the Parachilna gorge which is very scenic but quite ‘tame’ compared to the other two.
We reach Blinman but everything is shut so we carry on to our last stop in Flinders, Alpana Station (I). The Henery family has been running the 60,000 acre station for 6 generations starting in 1878 when Paddy Henery emigrated from Ireland and started the business with 133 acres.
We leave Alpana Station heading south east across gravel roads towards Broken Hill. Its time for us to start heading back to the coast as we fly out mid December back to New Zealand for the summer. We leave Flinders Ranges behind us in the rain.
I love how you are taking the back tracks and staying off the tar seal
The only way to go
hi
just admit that your lost!!
just kidding- enjoy