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Well it was school holidays and we needed something to do to keep the squids happy. We had some friends working up at Ranwsley Park, we had access to the inlaws camper trailer and the friends in Ranwsley had access to a few private tracks so why not head on up the Flinders Ranges for a bit. In Winter :?
I had four days off work plus a weekend so we packed everything up and headed off on Thursday. Towing the inlaws camper which is an older Cameron Canvas camper that they have had for about 17 years. The inlaws have a 100 series and the camper had the old tyres that my father inlaw on his 100 series, Grandcraps! Traffic was pretty quite and we arrived at Rawnsley at about 4:00pm to setup camp in the bush camping area. Thursday afternoon evening was a simple erection of the camper without the anwing.
The spot we picked was basically the first bush camping spot and head an incredbile view of Ranwsley Bluff and could also see the dam.
Friday we finished setting up the camper putting up the awning and the end panels and eventually set off to have a look up near Wilpena. On the way in we stopped and had a look at the Photovoltaic Cells. Great to see solar in use but it was a shame about the display photo they had on the far right as the quality was so poor. From there we headed into the Visitor Information Centre to get some info on walks and then headed into the Pound itself.
We walked along the entrance track into the old restored homestead. My 4 your old kept saying she was tired so so had a piggy back for about 6kms. There was a lookout not far from the homestead but I'd be buggered if I was goign to carry my daughter any further than I had to. Was a shame as I heard the lookout was quite good.
After we arrived back at the car I looked around the carpark. There were at least ten Prados (120s and a couple of 150s) but no stickers. We had a quick lunch and then headed north up to Stokes Hill lookout up near Willow Springs. On the way back we stopped at the Cazneaux Tree just outside the pound.
Friday night a hugh storm came through. Our beautiful spot turned out to be a little exposed. The storm started about 5:00pm and kept going throughout the night until about 8:00am. It did die down during the night but that was only to change direction. The front anwing took the brunt of the storm and was flapping around like mad. Didn't matter how many times I went out to drive the pegs in the storm kept ripping them out. The following moring, after very little sleep, we surveyed the site. No damage to the camper and everything was good. Quite a few people around who had been in tens didn't last the night and just threw the tents in the bin and headed home (we were told)
Saturday we went for a big drive out from Rawnsley out to Martins Well HS, then the Wirrealpa Road past the Bunkers Conservation Park back into the Flinders Ranges NP. We found a shortcut track that took us north past the Ranges Headquarters and then headed up to Bilman fo lunch.
After lunch we had a look around at the old Copper Mine. Rather impressive to see the size of the hole they dug out so long ago but it was cold so we didn't stay for long.
From there we head out along the Glass Gorge track and then out to Parachilna, then down the bitumen to Bratchina and through the Gorge to Aroona Valley. With the wife being a geologist we spent a bit of time stopping along the Brachina Geological trail and getting the kids to look for fossiles and things. At the top of Aroona Valley we had a look at the hut and the old ruin. Due to the water level being low they are currently working on cleaning up the well.
We then headed south and took the Bunyeroo Gorge track. It would have been great to stop and spend some time up on the Razorback as the lighting was perfect but the kids were getting bored and it was getting late.
On the Sunday we spent the day around Ranwsley. We took a walk out to Kangaroo Gap and up a mesa directly in front of Ranwsley Bluff. The kids also had fun doing a "Rawnsley Park Ranger" activity pack that you purchase for a couple of dollars from the shop.
Monday we headed off with our friends who had the day off for a couple of tracks that they had access to. The first was the Widowmaker track up at Willow Springs. Apparently the Australian Top Gear group had been through recently and couldn't make it. We didn't have any issues and enjoyed the slow crawl up and down a few steep hils and heading along the narrow winding creek bed. Towards the end we needed to do some track repairs to fix up a washed out section of track but no other dramas.
After that we started to run out of time to do the other track we wanted so we headed into the Arkapena Scenic Adventure track. We descided to try this track with the centre diff out (just for laughs). There was no dramas getting through this up to the final lookout. Managed all of it with no wheel spin, but the tyres were down to 24psi.
Finally on Tuesday we packed up the camper ready to head home. Just as we finished packing we had a visit from some of the locals the live around the dam. We finally headed off for a nice slow trip back to Adelaide. We had to stop as a couple of trucks taking parts for mining rigs head by.
We all arrived home feeling that we had all enjoyed our time in the Flinders. I know we will be back there again soon, but when it's warmer. I'm actually heading up there again in August as part of a boys trip. Will be seeing the Cooper Creek in flood and then after that still to be determined.
I had four days off work plus a weekend so we packed everything up and headed off on Thursday. Towing the inlaws camper which is an older Cameron Canvas camper that they have had for about 17 years. The inlaws have a 100 series and the camper had the old tyres that my father inlaw on his 100 series, Grandcraps! Traffic was pretty quite and we arrived at Rawnsley at about 4:00pm to setup camp in the bush camping area. Thursday afternoon evening was a simple erection of the camper without the anwing.
The spot we picked was basically the first bush camping spot and head an incredbile view of Ranwsley Bluff and could also see the dam.
Friday we finished setting up the camper putting up the awning and the end panels and eventually set off to have a look up near Wilpena. On the way in we stopped and had a look at the Photovoltaic Cells. Great to see solar in use but it was a shame about the display photo they had on the far right as the quality was so poor. From there we headed into the Visitor Information Centre to get some info on walks and then headed into the Pound itself.
We walked along the entrance track into the old restored homestead. My 4 your old kept saying she was tired so so had a piggy back for about 6kms. There was a lookout not far from the homestead but I'd be buggered if I was goign to carry my daughter any further than I had to. Was a shame as I heard the lookout was quite good.
After we arrived back at the car I looked around the carpark. There were at least ten Prados (120s and a couple of 150s) but no stickers. We had a quick lunch and then headed north up to Stokes Hill lookout up near Willow Springs. On the way back we stopped at the Cazneaux Tree just outside the pound.
Friday night a hugh storm came through. Our beautiful spot turned out to be a little exposed. The storm started about 5:00pm and kept going throughout the night until about 8:00am. It did die down during the night but that was only to change direction. The front anwing took the brunt of the storm and was flapping around like mad. Didn't matter how many times I went out to drive the pegs in the storm kept ripping them out. The following moring, after very little sleep, we surveyed the site. No damage to the camper and everything was good. Quite a few people around who had been in tens didn't last the night and just threw the tents in the bin and headed home (we were told)
Saturday we went for a big drive out from Rawnsley out to Martins Well HS, then the Wirrealpa Road past the Bunkers Conservation Park back into the Flinders Ranges NP. We found a shortcut track that took us north past the Ranges Headquarters and then headed up to Bilman fo lunch.
After lunch we had a look around at the old Copper Mine. Rather impressive to see the size of the hole they dug out so long ago but it was cold so we didn't stay for long.
From there we head out along the Glass Gorge track and then out to Parachilna, then down the bitumen to Bratchina and through the Gorge to Aroona Valley. With the wife being a geologist we spent a bit of time stopping along the Brachina Geological trail and getting the kids to look for fossiles and things. At the top of Aroona Valley we had a look at the hut and the old ruin. Due to the water level being low they are currently working on cleaning up the well.
We then headed south and took the Bunyeroo Gorge track. It would have been great to stop and spend some time up on the Razorback as the lighting was perfect but the kids were getting bored and it was getting late.
On the Sunday we spent the day around Ranwsley. We took a walk out to Kangaroo Gap and up a mesa directly in front of Ranwsley Bluff. The kids also had fun doing a "Rawnsley Park Ranger" activity pack that you purchase for a couple of dollars from the shop.
Monday we headed off with our friends who had the day off for a couple of tracks that they had access to. The first was the Widowmaker track up at Willow Springs. Apparently the Australian Top Gear group had been through recently and couldn't make it. We didn't have any issues and enjoyed the slow crawl up and down a few steep hils and heading along the narrow winding creek bed. Towards the end we needed to do some track repairs to fix up a washed out section of track but no other dramas.
After that we started to run out of time to do the other track we wanted so we headed into the Arkapena Scenic Adventure track. We descided to try this track with the centre diff out (just for laughs). There was no dramas getting through this up to the final lookout. Managed all of it with no wheel spin, but the tyres were down to 24psi.
Finally on Tuesday we packed up the camper ready to head home. Just as we finished packing we had a visit from some of the locals the live around the dam. We finally headed off for a nice slow trip back to Adelaide. We had to stop as a couple of trucks taking parts for mining rigs head by.
We all arrived home feeling that we had all enjoyed our time in the Flinders. I know we will be back there again soon, but when it's warmer. I'm actually heading up there again in August as part of a boys trip. Will be seeing the Cooper Creek in flood and then after that still to be determined.
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