The Flinders Ranges are a superb destination.

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In our last blog we indicated we were heading to Quorn. Our plan was to travel on the Picci Ricci Railway at Quorn but unfortunately there were only limited train trips & it was all booked out. We overnighted in Peterborough at the recreation ground. Petersborough is one of only two places in the Southern Hemisphere where you can see three railway gauges, broad, standard & narrow. Petersborough has a very nice streetscape. We then travelled onto Orroroo & then the 1880 picturesque town of Hawker where we lunched before travelling a further 37 kilometres to Rawnsley Park Station where we are staying 4 nights.

The Flinders Ranges are quite majestic & an iconic outback destination. It has ancient gorges, hiking, 4wd tracks, mountain biking & much more. We were blown away by the size & facilities at the campground at Rawnsley Park Station. Whilst at the station we did a morning hike to Clem Corner with great views of the “Hills of Arkaba” to the Elder Range. In the afternoon, Stephen hiked to Pines Cave & Alison Saddle returning via the ridge of Ulowdna Range which gave great views over the campground area. We marvelled in the views of the ranges. Regrettably, the weather was lousy for photography & it was always a cutting wind.

Pines Cave

We forayed into Ikara-Flinders National Park & visited Wilpena Pound – a natural amphitheatre of jaw-dropping splendour & hiked to Wangara Look Out. We drove through Bunyeroo & Parachina Gorges & were very pleased we were not towing Wally! We also drove & hiked to Sacred Canyon where we saw Adnyamathanha engravings. We also did the Moralana Scenic Drive & saw many kangaroos.

Branchina Gorgenear Cazneaux TreeRazorback                                                                                                                         Sacred Canyon

Hucks Lookout

Stokes Lookout

Mount Wangara Lookout

After Rawnsley Park we travelled to the northern part of the park & stayed at Alpana Station near Blinman for three nights. On one day we travelled to Blinman which has an 1869 hotel, old mine & bakery which makes marvellous but expensive bread & Quandong Pies to die for. We also drove through Glass Gorge & then onto Nuccaleena Mine Ruins. We had to travel on the private property of Moolooloo Station. The track service is rough & rocky & took 70 minutes to do 14 kilometres. The mine was started in 1860 & closed in 1869. The Great Northern Copper Mining spent 57,000 British pounds for a return of 16,000 pounds.

Nuccaleena Mine ruins

We also drove to Angoricha Village & then Parachilna Gorge before ending up at the Prairie Hotel where we crossed off another bucket list item. We each had a famous FMG. The Feral Mixed Grill is a kangaroo fillet, emu mignon & a camel sausage with roast potato & pumpkin. We also visited the Great Wall of China.

Prairie hotel

After Alpana Station we headed a further 153 kilometres to Arkaroola in Vulkathunha-Gammon Ranges National Park. All roads in the area were open & our road had recently been graded, however, disaster struck 53 kilometres from Arkaroola. The driver’s side tyre on Wally blew, luckily, we were on a straight bit of road & we pulled up straight & quickly. It turns out our alloy wheel rim had cracked causing the incident. Not only did we ruin an alloy rim & tyre, but we wrecked a mudflap & broke our waste pipe & waterpipe as well as brake cable.

Arkaroola Road