Flinders Ranges

The Flinders Ranges run north-south in the centre of South Australia, for some 400km north of Adelaide. They comprise of numerous sub-ranges.

This is an area of very rugged, very ancient hills (mountains in the British not Himalayan sense) whose geological history stretches back some 600 million years. Geological highlights include extraordinary Wilpena Pound and the Edeowie and Brachina gorges. 

This is very dry, very hot countryside, with classic Aussie wildlife to match: wallabies and kangaroos, snakes, and a wide variety of birds. The seemingly oppressed vegetation explodes with colour in spring - if the rain falls. 

The highlight, Wilpena Pound, is reminiscent of the South American "lost worlds" on their towers of rock: a huge amphitheatre surrounded by sharp ridges which reserve their steepest slopes for the outside. 

Fine walks include:

• Parachilna Gorge
• Wilpena Pound. There are various excellent walks within the pound, including the clamber to the Wangarra lookout. The best must be a 17km circuit which climbs St Mary's Peak (at 1,150) on the rim and traverses the Pound floor. The Wilcolo Valley on the Heysen Trail is well spoken of.
• Mount Remarkable, and other trails in the southern end of the range.
• Brachina Gorge, a spectacular if faintly haunted-feeling gash in the range. On the Heysen Trail.
• Edeowie Gorge
• Arkavroo rock, a climb to an aboriginal site.
• The Arkaroola - Mount Painter Wildlife Sanctuary
• Stretches of the Heysen Trail, such as Melrose to Woolshed Flat and Hawker to Parachilna.

The Arkaba Walk would be a wonderful way of experiencing the Flinders; a 3 day walk across Wilpena Pound and on through varied and exciting country to Arkaba Station Homestead. www.arkabawalk.com. This is proper glamping, the evenings as delightful as the days are thrilling. But it is not for the financially fainthearted. 

This page is at an early stage of development. Please help us by recommending your best walks, making suggestions and sending photos! T