Flinders Ranges Recommendations

Skytrek at Willow Springs is a good drive if you have a 4wd. If not, Camping there is good, with very clean facilities.

Laz what tug do you have? It would be handy to know the vehicle you drive as it would influence the recommendations. Given the van I'm assuming it's a largish SUV or 4x4 vehicle.

Look forward to your advice.

Mick

Have camped at Willow Springs several times over the years.
Another place worth looking up is Alpana Station, with camping (powered and unpowered) available close to the homestead, or at their Horse-yards bush camping location. We have just recently spent a week at the Horse-yards and loved the remoteness, but still within an easy drive to either Blinman or the Prairie Hotel at Parachilna. There is also the Angorachina "Tourist" Village just up the road if you need replenishment of supplies.
It just depends on what type of camping experience you desire.

Alpana Station

I drove the the area a month back and found a magazine with list of attractions and places to stay.
This was so full of good info that I kept the mag. They have the same info online.
2019 Flinders Ranges Magazine

And below is a link to their more general website.
https://flindersandoutback.com.au/

Hi Laz,
The Flinders Ranges are spectacular, there is sort of 3 different sections in the Ranges starting at the South you have The Flinders Ranges with Wilpena Pound being a must see, it has many drives & you must not miss The Moorilana scenic loop drive. You do it so that the sun is behind you or the view gets spoilt by the glare. In the morning go E to west & in the evening go west to East.
There are lovely gorges which are gorgios just out of the Wilpena pound area
southern end.

As the Ranges extend North they are in drier climates and this year has been extremely dry.
The top section has the beautiful Arkaroola it is very expensive because of it's
isolation. It is the other extreme as the southern Flinders are usually lush, the Northern end is usually very arid.Arkaroola is a sancturary and the restaurant is very expensive, they are trying to save the sanctury from mining.
If you have the time you could spend ages in both areas depending on your preferred weather conditions and if your fun is 4x4 and beautiful scenery.
Be warned that the water at Arkaroola is bore water & washing your hair in it isn't a good experience because it's very salty it sort of cements your hair. Water for drinking is very expensive, we usually take our own. Always find out what the weather is doing on each day.
There is so much to see,we've been back several times as holidays just weren't enough.
Wilmington has a very nice caravan Park if you like quiet.
As said, good idea to get the visitors book & pick out the places you think you'd like to do before you leave. I don't know if they still have these books at visitor centres but your best bet is to go into Port Augusta to the Warialda centre or ring them from home & get them to post one to you pre trip. They used to do it for me. Have a great holiday
Take care, safe travels.Ma.

G'day Laz, Rawnsley Park Station is a good spot to camp.
Great views towards Rawnsley Bluff, you can buy firewood there and if you feel like eating out the restaurant in the wool shed is first class.
Regards, Gary M.

Hi Laz

Further to the replies above, here is my 2 cents worth.

As for places to stay, there are many great locations where you can stay with your van, and then do further sightseeing for your chosen location.

If you wish to get a lowered site close to most of the easy drives, you can not go past either Wilpena Pound or Rawnsley Park. I have stayed at both locations and are both suited for all setups, but Wilpena Pound does fall within the National Park regulations, so no pets and limited number of powered sites. If you with to stay a little further out, still with power, Merna Mora is a great little site with less facilities.

The most important drives , ie the Brachina Gorge and Bunyeroo Drives can be undertaken in a stock standard conventional vehicle, proving it is dry, and please do not let anyone tell you any different. Also other great drive for any type of vehicle is the Glass Gorge drive, heading north from Blinman. Again there is a great side track off of this road out to the great Nuccalinna mine site and well worth the detour. One time we were out there, I thought that someone ahead of me must have been going too fast, as many of the small creek crossing showed scrape marks, with turned out to be a very small Holden Barina.

One very popular 4X4 track (well over priced and not as good as other track through the Flinders is Skytrek, its great to do, but there are others that blitz it in both scenery and true full on four wheel driving.

In my opinion, the Arkapenna drive from Rawnley Park kills Skytrek, as do the drives from Merna Mora, which are a lot cheaper as well.

A drive when in Hawker that is well worth the drive is out to Jarvis Hill, as well as a number of locations around the town.

The Flinders Ranges are a top location that we have been exploring for over 45 years, when it was all dirt roads and no national park where you could camp along the creeks and pay a very small fee to the station owners.

It does not matter how many times that you visit the area, it will always lure you back.

Enjoy one of South Australia's best locations.



Cheers



Stephen