The Flinders Ranges was something we had been looking forward to for most of the trip. An incredibly well-known National Park, with so much history, beauty and coming with several recommendations. We had skirted it once, loved the Gawler Ranges and it was our final chance to see the elusive Yellow Footed Rock Wallaby.
Koolamon – A Campground to Remember
This was a campground to remember. It was incredibly remote and beautiful. The site was down the far end of the National Park. Sitting right on a river, with a hike and some history adjacent we were happy. Getting into Koolamon wasn’t easy and by this point we were confident towing through the tough stuff. Still, this needed a couple of low creek crossings, traversing the mud and following some rutted, tight tracks. Taking it slow and steady we easily got there. To make our own lives harder, we were coming in late. We had made a stop to do the Arkaroo Rock walk and a chat with some travellers at the very start of their adventure had slowed us down. Plus, we took our time enjoying our first views of the Flinders Ranges.
Picking sites in National Parks is hit and miss. This site combined the hits and the misses all in one. The hit – it was incredibly private, right on the riverbank with a great fire pit and view. The misses – it turned out to be a very difficult one to access. The site was down a one-way track, with a tight entry between two trees. There was very little space to manoeuvre our 13ish meters of length. It took a few tries to get in there and parked. We even had to dig out under a wheel to get level (another first). But, once we were in – wow. Getting out was future Christian’s problem. In the end, we never shared the entire campground with a soul.
Yuluna
The Yuluna Hike passed our camp site by on the other side of the river. It was a different hike, starting at the old station, allowing you to take in some history before winding through the back country. Seeing the old house, with its packed earth floors, lime washed walls and the extraordinary efforts needed to maintain water supply meant the residents were in for a hard life.
The walk though was something different. The biggest surprise was the vegetation – the hike was full of beautiful native pines. The full hike is a multiday job, so we did the loop, but it still gave an idea of the area and the landscape. It was a great walk, with a few up and downs, hugging some cliffs before eventually returning to our camp site.
Brachina Gorge
One of the most popular features of the Flinders Ranges National Park is the Brachina Gorge geological trail. The trail is centred on Brachina Gorge and runs from the Flinders Ranges Way all the way through to the Outback Highway.
We started out following the trail, but relatively quickly realised the geological elements of the trail were a bit of a non-event for us. There were certainly some cool features; the Ediacaran Pin (showing distinct point between geological eras), some long dead stromatolites as well as various rock formations were all interesting, but it was far more enjoyable just to take in the scenery.
The Gorge itself is very beautiful and sunset visits in crease its beauty, the colours change as the sunsets. The drive is a bit of fun too; it follows the creek bed, there is water, river rocks and a few other obstacles to navigate. Easy enough in a 4WD, but more challenging for the tourists who fail to read signs. Sure your hired Toyota Corolla will probably make it, but it will be a slow trip – for you and everyone stuck behind.
The Sighting
It was deep in the Brachina Gorge that we finally saw the Yellow Footed Rock Wallaby. They inhabit a large section of the gorge and it was a case of keeping an eye for them. Hannah’s eagle eye was the first to spot one. It necessitated a hurried (but cautious) stop to try and get our collective eyes on this elusive prize.
All our waiting, searching and what was becoming frustration was certainly rewarded. This little marsupial was incredibly cute. The colours were easily seen, it’s yellow feet and striped tail clearly distinguishing it. After we spotted our first, we saw several more, before we made the viewing area.
At that stop we were able to stop, get out and patiently wait. Eventually their movement as they hopped around the rocks and along the hillside got your attention and you could watch them do their thing from a distance. It was so good, we all agreed we’d come back the next day too. Nothing like having your afternoon tea in the presence of these amazing creatures.
Wilpena Pound
Arguably the most popular and spectacular feature of the National Park is Wilpena Pound. It’s now home to a resort and the National Park Headquarters. It was originally a failed farming operation, where the owners took advantage of a unique geological feature to get effectively free fencing. The stock had only one way in and out of the pound.
Wilpena Pound resembles a meteorite crater but was formed by the weathering of the rock layers. Given the arid, dry nature of the rest of the park this place was an oasis. The walk to see the pound had flowing creeks, a huge amount of greenery and was a cool change by comparison. There were a heap of walks to choose from, but with more park to explore, we limited ourselves to the Wangara Lookout Hike. It took in the old homestead and gave an absolutely incredible view of the pound from the upper lookout. Walking around the rim would have to be done another time.
The climb up the lookout was short and steep, but from the top you could see why they thought the farming venture would be a successful one. The pound was full of vegetation, but the evidence of where sections were cleared was still apparent.
We used the long drive back to the campground to explore the Bunyeroo Trail, a drive trail that shows some of the geological features that the park is famous for. Folded rocks, stark layers and the always present ranges are a pretty amazing backdrop for a drive.
Our time in the Flinders Ranges was everything we’d hoped for and then some. The landscape was beautiful and by staying away from Wilpena (most of the time) we felt like we had the place to ourselves. We were not disappointed.