Flinders Ranges

Rugged mountain ranges, spectacular gorges, sheltered creeks lined with river red gums and abundant wildlife are just some of the attractions that make up the Flinders Ranges. Our first stay was at Mount Remarkable in the Southern Flinders Ranges and we camped at Mambray Creek that has very good facilities for a park campground. However, swarms of flies spoiled our stay and we left after two nights after spending the whole day behind fly screens or inside the Quantum. We then travelled north to Wilpena Pound in the Flinders Ranges National Park and camped there for three days. There were almost no flies but lots of birds and kangaroos. One kangaroo is clearly spoilt by campers and has lost its natural fear of humans. Last night he grabbed our recycling bag and I had to rescue it in a tug of war which left the bag torn and the contents spilled. I also had to chase it away from the kitchen almost every night.

Wilpena Pound is a natural amphitheater of mountains which is actually a remnant valley floor from an ancient range of mountains that have been eroding away over millions of years. The higher walls of the pound are quartzite, a rock which is very resistant to weathering. Wilpena Pound, including the ranges, is approximately 17km long by 8km wide.

We did two hikes, one to the Aboriginal rock carvings at Sacred Canyon and the other to Arkaroo Rock with its fascinating Aboriginal rock paintings. Aboriginal people have lived in the Flinders Ranges for tens of thousands of years. For the Adnyamathanha - the hills or rock people, the ranges are still of immense cultural significance.

The highlight of our stay was a 30 minute scenic flight over Wilpena Pound. The flight completed a circuit of Wilpena Pound where our pilot pointed out the Heysen Range, Elder Range, Edeowie Gorge, Lake Torrens, Bunyeroo Gorge, Brachina Gorge, St Mary Peak and the Pound Gap. We clearly saw how the Flinders Ranges appear to be a backbone on the landscape.

Tomorrow we will travel back south to Port Augusta to start our tour of the Eyre Peninsula and to get the Land Cruiser serviced.

Isolated mangroves in the Spencer Gulf at low tide with the Southern Flinders in the distance

Grazing kangaroo

Arkaroo Rock Aboriginal paintings

Eroded rocks at Sacred Canyon

Sacred Canyon Aboriginal rock carvings

Sacred Canyon

Wilpena Pound

St Mary Peak in the Heysen Range

Heysen Range

ABC Range

Yellow-throated Miner