Quick Flinders Long Weekend

[kenny5000 Advanced Member Find all posts View Profile Close kenny5000]

Hi all,
I'm taking the new camper up to the Flinders for an extended long weekend over the Queens Birthday. As I haven't been there before just after some info on where to go and what to see as well as a few campsites away from people.
Cheers.

[Guest Close Guest]

We stayed at Angorichina Village in one of the houses there. There are a few campsites there I think. On recommendation by the owner, we went for a drive up to Nuccaleena Mine Ruins north of Angorichina village. There is no need to pay national park fees.

[RBJET Member Find all posts View Profile Close RBJET]

Can I ask why there is no need to pay national park fees? I take it they never check?
I'm heading up in August and just curious how they go about it.

[Razorback81 Advanced Member Find all posts View Profile Close Razorback81]

we stayed at Rawnsly Pk
we went over and did the Mena morna station drive and then went up and did the Alpana station drive up past Blinman
both were really good Alpana was more challenging with the creek and climbed quite high over some of the hills to see the Lakes in the distance

Rawnsly had fuel and it was $1.25 when we were there
Blinman has no fuel
Hawker was .5c cheaper than Rawnsly
i cant remember the place outside of Blinman but they were $1.19
that was for Diesel

if you on the west side near the railway line we found piles of sleepers

[Guest Close Guest]

Can I ask why there is no need to pay national park fees? I take it they never check?
I'm heading up in August and just curious how they go about it.

That area is outside the park boundary.

[RBJET Member Find all posts View Profile Close RBJET]

Well that explains that then.
If I was heading into Flinders and just spending one night on my way through, what would be peoples recommendations on where to stay and a track or two to do on the way through.

I'd just be by myself so no crazy tracks where I'm going to get stuck. Just something nice and scenic with river crossings if possible.
Also just plan on camping bush.

[Piratepete Member Find all posts View Profile Close Piratepete]

If it's your first time to the Flinders, try the well known spots first. Adelaide to Wilpena with overnight stay. Do the gorges, Brachina, call in to Parachilna, Prairie Hotel for lunch. Parachilna Gorge to Blinman & stay night, eat at pub, check out Blinman mines.. Blinman back to Parachilna via Glasses Gorge up to Leigh Creek and if you are keen on to Arkaroola on Copley - Nepabunna- Arkaroola Rd. Stay at Arkaroola. If you have time, spend day & overnight at Arkaroola then big drive back to Adelaide next day (or stay at Prairie Hotel camping area to break it up). Plenty of time for all the good tracks after you've seen all the sights.

[RBJET Member Find all posts View Profile Close RBJET]

Probably should have mentioned I'm continuing north on my way from Melbourne but that's pretty much what I was after.
Thanks for the tips Pete, I'll check them out throughout the day.

[kenny5000 Advanced Member Find all posts View Profile Close kenny5000]

Isnt there a 4wd track that runs NE from somewhere around Quorn? I cant seem to find any info on it and cant remember its name.

[sweetpea Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close sweetpea]

Probably should have mentioned I'm continuing north on my way from Melbourne but that's pretty much what I was after.
Thanks for the tips Pete, I'll check them out throughout the day.

I usually do Melbourne to Waikerie and stay at the motel and then across on the ferry and camp at Wilpena Pound. Sunset at Stokes lookout is always spectacular.

From Wilpena I usually go through Brachina Gorge stopping to look for fossils at the appropriate places.

Lunch at the Road Kill Café or as Piratepete called it The Prairie Hotel. The mixed Road Kill grill is my favourite.

So much more to see and do if you have the time.

S.

[Piratepete Member Find all posts View Profile Close Piratepete]

Hey kenny, if you want to do something a bit more adventurous, try the road from Blinman to wirrealpa (with slight detour on way to look at Chambers Gorge) and then up to Arkaroola. Only 155 km but you can take 6 hours if you want to check out the scenery. Gonna be a big long weekend though.
I've done the following;
Day 1. Adelaide to Wilpena
Day 2. Wilpena Brachina gorge parachilna parachilna gorge Blinman.
Day 3. Blinman wirrealpa chambers gorge Arkaroola (stuffed & needed a good rest after that drive)
Day 4. Arkaroola to Nepabunna, Copley leigh creek (worth a good look around including Aroona dam) call in to Beltana, down to Parachilna & stay night in pub.
Day 5. Parachilna to hawker, port Augusta & Adelaide (wash & clean Prado & pass out like a big bear in the woods)

You could easily spend extra day each at Blinman & Arkaroola.
If you want to do some really good 4wd tracks, i recommend doing the track into Nuccaleena mine on Moolooloo Station it's a PAR. If you stay on with the Farghers (who own the Prairie Hotel & Angorichina Station, they will let you do the Oratunga track which is on their Oratunga Station just west of Blinman. You only get access by staying with them). You could make a special visit just to do these tracks.

There is lots more you can do in the Flinders. Plenty of tracks around Wilpena, stations around Hawker, check out western side out from Parachilna, amazing dune country and of course, going north up to Lyndhurst & Marree.

When I was much younger I was the Project Engineer with Highways Dept and built the road from south of Parachilna up to Leigh Creek. Lived up in the area for 2 years so I know the area pretty well. Couldn't believe that I was getting paid to do that job. Have been back many times. It truly is God' country.

Another good trip, Adelaide to Parachilna, Parachilna to Marree, Marree to Roxby via Oodnadatta track & Borefield Rd, Andamooka & Woomera then back to Adelaide. Details for another time.

[kenny5000 Advanced Member Find all posts View Profile Close kenny5000]

G'day Pete,

It will be a big long weekend indeed and always chasing something more adventurous. The main reason will be to give the new camper a run but should be a good 4 days away!

Thanks for the info, some great ideas. I had just started looking into some of the PAR's in the area, Nucceleena Mine looks good. Apparently you can access part of the horizontal shaft.

Cheers, Cory

[gspy4u Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close gspy4u]

no queens birthday weekend for us anymore next month thanks stupid government

[Piratepete Member Find all posts View Profile Close Piratepete]

Hey kenny/Cory, it might seem from some of my routes that you could do more in a day. My friends on the stations tell me that it's the greenest it's been in 25 years. Kangaroos are everywhere. Last September I left Wilpena at 3pm going to Blinman where we were staying. Nice sealed but winding road now. Had to do about 60km/Hr all the way because of the kangaroos. Even leaving Blnman pub after dinner to place we were staying 2km out on Glasses Gorge road, had to crawl back due to Roos. This time of year, you don't want to travel any later than 4pm.

[kenny5000 Advanced Member Find all posts View Profile Close kenny5000]

Hey kenny/Cory, it might seem from some of my routes that you could do more in a day. My friends on the stations tell me that it's the greenest it's been in 25 years. Kangaroos are everywhere. Last September I left Wilpena at 3pm going to Blinman where we were staying. Nice sealed but winding road now. Had to do about 60km/Hr all the way because of the kangaroos. Even leaving Blnman pub after dinner to place we were staying 2km out on Glasses Gorge road, had to crawl back due to Roos. This time of year, you don't want to travel any later than 4pm.

Cheers for the heads up. I hope to be set up with a beer by then each day! Hopefully less pack up/set up since we will have a camper!!