The Flinders Ranges

Day 8 – Easter Monday 5th April
Flinders Ranges
We didn’t have a long drive on this day so we took our time checking out towns we drove through – Orroroo & Hawker. These towns service the local pastoral and farming lands as well as the tourists who pass through the area.
20km West of Orroroo is the famous ‘Magnetic Hill. We followed the instructions to leave the car in neutral with no handbrake and wait for the forces of nature to pull your car miraculously up the hill. - BIG disappointment -, maybe our modern car has too much plastic. Anyhow seconds after Jamie thought about relieving himself next to the fake magnet he saw the police turned up & try the trick themselves. Obviously not much police work to do around here, we bet that they try this every day.
We arrived on a very rainy day in the Flinders – a strange sight at this time of year. They have had a lot of rain for summer so we are lucky to see the area so green and full of wildlife.
Flinders ranges National Park became a national park in the 80’s when the families that owned the farm land in the area gave it over. The land has been used by ‘white man’ since 1870 for wheat farming and sheep grazing, but was never successful due to unreliable rain. Wilpena Pound is the main centrepiece of this region – an amazing geological sight that every Australian should see! The shape of the pound (i.e. an enclosure) has been formed over millions of years( and still continues to do so) due to earth movements and changes in the climate.

Since the rain didn’t go away that afternoon and Vanessa again couldn’t remember the rules of backgammon, we drove to the Sacred Canyon – a sight that was a special area for the Aboriginal people of the area that contains etchings of life back then. It was a very spiritual place to be in as the rain sprinkled down.
That evening we were surrounded by drunk grey nomads who drank the afternoon away – quite a funny site.




Day 9 – Tuesday 6th April
Being awoken by locusts in your tent isn’t something that happens everyday but it was this morning due to the winds throughout the night and the shelter the tent provided for the lovely jumpy insects.
Thankfully the rain had subsided and we were able to take a 4-5hr hike/climb the mountain peak near our campsite – Rawnsley Bluff. However, being the intrepid explorers we are we decided to bush bash off the path for an extra 20-30mins and then rock climb up the mountain back onto the path that we left.
An amazing sight to see not only for the formations of the ranges but the contrasting colours – red and yellow rock, green and brown flora and red soil. The challenging hike also had a lookout of the Pound.
Afterward we headed to Wilpena (& resort), from where we hiked into the Pound to the old homestead, Pound lookout and a brush with fame – Spider Everett (an ex-AFL player) He was filming something for a caravan and camping show near the homestead (OK maybe more of a scratch than a brush with fame).





Day 10 – Wednesday 7th April
In the morning we went for another challenging 2hr hike from Wilpena up Mount Ohlssen to another lookout for a different aspect of the Pound from above.
From Wilpena we drove in to the core of the NP past Bunyeroo Gorge & on to the spectacular Brachina Gorge.
The NP is a sanctuary to the endangered yellow footed rock wallaby , being 1 of 2 main remaining areas (the other being Mutuwintji NP - they were hiding). The YFRW is an amazing creature & we were we lucky enough to see a fragile colony. In the photo you should be able to see at least 12 YFRW.
Wow, what a moment!!! They have such impressive colours & a surprisingly long tail.





Day 11 – Thursday 8th April
Camping at Brachina East Gorge again, next to a dry gorge
Wilkawillina Gorge walk – nice walk, a favourite area for YFRW (they were hiding again), saw plenty of Emus, plenty of fox footprints, a dead fox (a win for the NPs the “Bounceback Program” to rid the NP of feral animals & amazingly interesting rock formations.
WHAT THE CAMPSITE LOOKED LIKE ON THURSDAY EVENING.....


Day 12 – Friday 9th April
This morning we are waiting for the Brachina East Gorge to subside, today is definitely a lay day (surfing competition speak for “do nothing” due to conditions), as you see last night at 2pm it began to rain & continued with heavier rain at 4pm. Around that time Vanessa awoke to claim that she heard water flowing in the previously bone dry gorge/creek bed, Jamie thought Vanessa was sleep walking/dreaming again. She was right.



By 8am the water flow was a raging torrent (& the rain has ceased).
We thought we would have to stay an extra night and watch the hero 4WDs take on the challenge & make mistakes first.
It is astonishing how quickly the conditions, landscape & therefore colours change in the Flinders.
HOWEVER.... we met some other campers who found a way out so we packed up and then....TBC