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Day 8 - Flinders Ranges Nat Pk
Today was a short leisurely drive into the National Park to Brachina Gorge, a camping area at the north-western end of the park.
The drive through the park was full of vistas of mountain ranges coming out of the ground,...
... with a new one seemingly around each corner.
On arrival at the camp site, we found the welcoming committee asleep under a tree.
After the trailers had been set up and lunch out of the way, we set off on foot to explore the gorge. With the gum trees and bare rock walls, it looked like something straight out of a Hans Heysen painting.
We were not alone on our walk. We now realised why John had asked if we had fly-veils with us before we left Horsham!
Day 9 - Flinders Ranges Nat Pk
Today we drove around the western end of the park and re-entered to take a look at Wilpena Pound; probably the most well known landmark in the Flinders Ranges. It takes the form of an elongated crater and looks like it could have been formed by a meteorite, but is actually the result of the earth's folding combined with erosion.
(Disclaimer - not my photo! We didn't go for a flight here.)
Because of the topography, there is only one route in to the pound. That is via the resort just outside the Pound's walls. You have to walk in as there are only walking tracks into the Pound itself.
This is a small homestead built by the Hill Family who farmed here at the end of the 19th century. It is the only building inside the Pound.
Next to the homestead is an aboriginal memorial. On the reverse side is the Dreamtime story of how the Pound was created from the bodies of two huge serpents.
Day 10 - Flinders Ranges Nat Pk -> Vulkathunha - Gammon Ranges Nat Pk
While having breakfast this morning around John & Sandy's table, we heard a noise at the other side of our trailer.
With no guilt whatsoever, this thief was raiding our garbage! It demolished half an old capsicum and a banana skin before we convinced it to move along. While we always make sure there's no rubbish left around at night (possums and 'roos are great scavengers), next time, we'll secure the rubbish a bit better during the daytime.
Today's drive was out of the Flinders Ranges Nat Pk and north to the Vulkathunha - Gammon Ranges Nat Pk. This is a park with more and higher mountains than the one we were leaving, and also had more 4WD tracks to explore.
It's essential to stop and check on tyre pressures, etc when on outback tracks. It's also a good excuse to stretch your legs and have a cuppa!
We arrived in the Gammon Ranges and headed off for another remote camping site called Grindell's Hut. The SA Parks Dept have put in fire pits to try and contain careless campers' fires. We had brought our own wood with us from Wilpena Pound.
The actual hut was built in 1918 by John Grindall as the hut for Worturpa station. The hut was restored in 1988. Grindell supposedly murdered his son-in-law and was sentenced to death by hanging, however it was commuted to life imprisonment and he was subsequently released after 10 years.
Not exactly 5 star!
Surrounding the campsite was a variety of mistletoe parasite that attached itself to just about anything. I have no idea what it's called, but the colours were pleasing.
Day 11 - Vulkathunha - Gammon Ranges Nat Pk
Today was an 'exploring' day. We took a number of the 4WD trails around the park.
John is a keen prospector and so we looked at some of the numerous old mine sites in the area.
Even though it was late Autumn, there were some colourful patches of wildflowers by the sides of the road.
Sue and Sandy model the latest in fly-mitigation ware. It might look silly, but if it saves you from swallowing flies with your food, it's certainly worth it! Fortunately the little pests went to sleep when the sun went down, so by dinner time it was generally fly free.
Speaking of food,...
... here's what we were waiting for - damper cooking in the camp oven. And...
... cooked to perfection. All that was needed was butter and jam. Is your mouth watering yet? :-)
Day 12 - Vulkathunha - Gammon Ranges Nat Pk -> Arkaroola
Another exploring day on the 4WD loop before we moved on to Arkaroola Resort.
Gill's Lookout in the Gammon Ranges. The arrow on the left is thoughtful touch, because you approach this lookout up a very steep track and can't see over the bonnet to the sheer drop immediately behind the sign!
The Ochre Wall, exposed by erosion in the creek bed.
This evening saw us pull into the caravan park at Arkaroola Resort. Tonight was the first power and water we'd had since we left Horsham and didn't the hot shower in the amenities block feel refreshing!
Time to settle back with a drink and watch the full moon rise over the adjacent hills while the sun was setting and painting them red from the other direction. There must be worse things to do?
Day 13 - Arkaroola
Today's trip was the 30km drive out to Paralana Hot Springs, a mildly radioactive set of springs to the East of Arkaroola.
Some of the countryside is a bit bare!
On the way, we found an old watering trough for stock. The grey blob at the bottom right is another pesky fly, this time on the lens. They get everywhere!
This trough is no longer in use as the current owners of Arkaroola have removed most non-native animals from the land.
As you can see by the steam, the hot springs really are hot (but not boiling). They also have the most delightful selection of slimy algaes ranging from light green to dark yellow.
The radioactivity doesn't seem to be doing these plants (or the local wallabies) any harm, but...
...has Sandy just seen the Creature From The Black Lagoon in the water?
The Aboriginal Dreamtime legend about how the hot springs came into existence.
Day 14 - Arkaroola -> Occaboolina Outstation
Time for someone else to do the driving! There are some extreme roads around Arkaroola, and one is the Ridgetop Tour. Private vehicles are not allowed, so we all climbed into an Arkaroola-modified Toyota Troopy to see the sights.
From here we could look back over the resort.
Arkaroola Resort. Note the 2 astronomical observatories (Click on the photo to enlarge it if required).
The next stop was Mt Painter.
The hillsides were covered in spinifex and these stunning grass trees (Xanthorrhoea).
The final stop for morning tea, was Siller's Lookout. Note where the Troopy is parked. It's on the only piece of flat-ish ground at the lookout, and took a 33 point turn to get it pointing the right way! The view is to the East and Lake Torrens, a salt lake.
This is Siller's Lookout from a bit further down the hill. While it doesn't look too bad, that track was very hard to walk up and down due to the slope. Far easier in the 4WD!
Having made it back in one piece from the Ridgetop Tour, we packed up and set off West to intercept the main road to Marree and the Oodnadatta Track. We stopped for the night at the edge of the Nat Pk at a place called Occaboolina Outstation. No facilities but a pleasant site near a dry creek bed.
Continue to Week 3 -> SA - Week 3
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