SA - Flinders and Outback Adventure - Suggestions sought

[mroelink]

Hi all.

I'm Michael *Waves*

I'm 24, quit my job, and about to set out on an adventure taking in the Flinders Ranges, Gammon Ranges, SA Outback, Alice Springs + Kings Canyon Region, Katherine, Darwin, Ord River, Kimberly's, Pilbra and the rest of the WA coast etc Nullarbor back to Adelaide (maybe, eventually, who knows)

I've started to gear up and will head off in June on my 6 month + adventure.

I just want to make sure I don't miss anything along the way!!

So here's where you all come in. There's a wealth of information amongst you, and I'm sure you know the best spots for camping, hiking and photography.

I'm hoping you're willing to bestow your wealth of knowledge upon me. I have a few books and maps, and I've been scouring the internet, but there's nothing like insider knowledge.

I'll be keeping a blog as I travel, so I'll be sure to let everyone know where I am and what I've been up to in exchange for your insights.

Well thats it. Over to you. I thank you in advance for your help.

Cheers,

Michael

[Maelgwn]

Hi Michael

Welcome to the forum.

Are you looking for overnight bushwalking, or day walking or the sights to see or ... ?

Are you taking a 4wd?

For the flinders ranges: Ridgetop tour at Arkaroola gets pretty rave reviews and the short walks in the area are also very good, Blinman pools near angorichina village are nice (and kinda unique), Bridle Gap and St Mary's Peak are both recommended at Wilpena Pound. Views from Dutchmans Stern are also good, but I would recommend concentrating on the areas north from here ...

For camping areas, free camping is available at World's End George near Burra and Warren Gorge north of Quorn, and they are both nice areas.

[philm]

Hi Welcome to the forum

My suggestions for must see would be:

Mount remarkable national park - 2-3 days some good day walks for overnighters - Hidden Gorge (18km), Alligator Gorge - 9km, or longer routes.

Wilpina Pound and Flinders Ranges National Park - must walk - Bridle Gap (18km), St Mary's Peak 20-25km, Edilowie Gorge, other more remote walks are available in other parts of the park - mostly off track but some great spots

Blinman - good spot to stop and the Blinman pools walk is good.

Gammon Ranges - some of the locations will require local aboriginal approval but highlights will be Morrow Gorge, Red Gorge (permits needed)

Gammon Ranges park - camp in the pound near Grindels hut - many great walks - the Terraces, Bunyip chasm, etc. - allow 5-7 days to do a loop walk

Arkaroola - must due is the observatory at night + ridge top during the day - also some great drives walks out to the west to old cooper mines and several water holes.

If really advnturous then the Freeling Hieights is a challenging, remote but great spot - allow 5 days

Not much knowledge of NT so will not comment here.

[Maelgwn]

I should add in the comment that lots of Mid/Norther South Australia is very remote and conditions can be tough (dry, rocky, wild, remote ...) and even simple thing like getting a flat tire fixed at a servo or tourist village can take a long time. If you are spending a long time in the Flinders Ranges I would recommend finding a second spare tire for your vehicle. Also, dont rely on finding a decent supply of ok value food in the Flinders either. Take as much with you as you can.

Walking by yourself in Wilpena Pound or Mt Remarkable should be ok, there is some phone reception (Telstra) and people around, but further north is probably not recommended for anything more than one or two hours.

[vagrom]

Chapman does a very thorough piece on the Gammons circuit in his Bushwalking in Australia. That's the one i've heard most non-South Aussies refer to as a distant "One day...". There's a lot of interesting smaller stuff on the way up there but for that wilderness feeling, it tops the rest. And, you're walking between mostly reliable waterholes.
Adrian Heard's general guide is long out of print. Google some more about that.
The Balcanoona, Parks station is close by. The road gets rougher closer to Loch Ness Well. I shouldn't have taken the Civic in there but we had a great time.

[Eremophila]

Yep once you are north of the Flinders there's not much in the way of phone reception - you will get reception at Coober Pedy, after that probably nothing until Yulara. There may be one small patch which is signed along the highway somewhere....
I was in the Gammons many years ago, there is a cabin which you can rent from Parks, can't remember the name of it now, it was about 12km off the "main" road. There was a small hut off to the side which was open, had a lovely fireplace and a place to hang your solar shower.
You will be copping some nice frosty mornings through that part of the country??!
Mt Gillen on the outskirts of Alice Springs is a great short walk. Especially on a full moon night! You can also walk up the (locked) road to the communications towers at Heavitree Gap, or do Mt Gillen/Heavitree Gap as a circuit, normally you would have a vehicle at each end.
The Western MacDonnells/Glen Helen area is awesome, and of course the Larapinta Trail. Contact the local bushwalking club to see what they have on their schedule when you get there.
Brekkie at Olive Pink Botanical Gardens in the Alice... sit and watch the birds. They also have art/photography exhibitions there.
If you are in Alice at the end of June, the Beanie Festival is worth a look (!)
Wander around the Alice Springs Golf Course early morning/evening, when there aren't any golfers around, for some nice light & views.

[mroelink]

Hi all.

Thanks for the replies.

Some brilliant places to check out!!!

I have a Subaru Forester. Not planning on going too far off the beaten track.

[LTM]

The forester will take you many great places for camping and walking through these areas. There has been plenty of rain the last two years so great opportunity to see the area.

I'll second Mt Remarkable/Mambray Ck, at least do the Hidden Gorge walk. Mt Brown, Devils Peak and Dutchman's Stern great day walks around Quorn. Heaps to do between Wilpena and Arkaroola, get a good guide book. Stop for a beer at the Blinman and Parachilna pubs. Do the drive from Maree to Coober Pedy taking in lake Eyre and the mound springs.

[mroelink]

Thanks for ideas.

My Trangia came today. Nearly all geared up now. Just over 3 weeks til I set off. Can't wait for June 6.

[walk2wineries]

Arkaroola has paid and free camping - and they were very generous; allowed the free camper (it was quieter down there) to join the Acacia Ridge walk for free - they gave us a lift so we could walk it one way. (then again, we all repaired rapidly to the bar on return and our thirst was barely assuaged after a round each!) I was lucky that they had the new tyres I needed and I would absolutely second not touching the Oodnadatta without 2 spares - and particularly the road to Arkaroola.
Warren Gorge is not only free its one of the loveliest spots to camp I've seen. The freebie publication from the Tourist bureau on the Flinders Ranges National parks gives most of the walks, but you might consider looking for Warren Bonythen's account of walking the entire length of the range, as its been reprinted. Incidentally Warren Gorge is council-run and does not appear in National Parks brochures or websites. Dutchman's Stern might be very popular - and infested with feral goats - but its still a great walk. Take the time to visit the Arid Lands botanic gardens at Port Augusta. If you do Blinman & find the trail would you mind marking it for me.....

[LTM]

The Blinman Pools walk is actually at Angorichina and not Blinman. A lovely day walk. Angorichina is on the Parachilna to Blinman road.

[vagrom]

Google: 'Rays Waterhole' , for a look at the terrain just north of the Gammons, on the Mawson plateau. Ray's ( Hickman -Flinders Uni Science) looks much like the lowest photo. A magic place if you ever get there. We came in from the north, close to Mt Fitton; a few hours walk from there.

[walk2wineries]

The Blinman Pools walk is actually at Angorichina and not Blinman. A lovely day walk. Angorichina is on the Parachilna to Blinman road.

Thanks, we found the beginning of the Blinman Pools walk, and the first pool and falls, but couldn't work out how to get past that - we tried a few dead ends. Walking buddy isn't much into boulder hopping & wasn't pleased! Depends on what you want - I forgot, the Bunyeroo Wilcolo loop was beautiful, and a good choice if you are feeling like an easy day. Oooh - I want to go back!

[peregrinator]

Arkaroola has paid and free camping - and they were very generous; allowed the free camper (it was quieter down there) to join the Acacia Ridge walk

I've been several times to Arkaroola but have not seen a camping area which is free. Can you explain where it is located?

but you might consider looking for Warren Bonythen's account of walking the entire length of the range, as its been reprinted.

C. Warren Bonython's "Walking the Flinders Ranges" is a beautifully written book. Couldn't recommend it highy enough.