Flinders Ranges

25th September

Today was our first day to explore. Thanks to Ron Moon’s bible of the Flinders Ranges we had much information of where to go and what to see.

Firstly we drove the “Moralana Scenic Drive”. This drive is said to be the best drive in the Flinders Ranges. This was very beautiful and a very well maintained road and could really have been done in a sedan (good weather permitting of course).

 

It follows the Elder Ranges and the edge of the Wilpena Pound. It is 28km long and really didn’t take us long at all to do.

This drive came out on the road to Wilpena. This was a very busy place (being the school holidays) with lots of places to park your van or camper trailer. There were many powered sites and unpowered sites as well. At Wilpena you can purchase most things including fuel. It was here that you could walk to the edge of the pound. We couldn’t do that this time but will certainly come back in the near future to see the pound.

We paid a small fee and visited the Old Wilpena Station which was once a large sheep station. The main homestead has been well looked after and is used as offices for the property. All the other outbuildings were in relatively good condition. Thank god for the many different groups who get together to help restore them.

Outbuilding on Old Wilpena Pound Station
 

From there we did the Bunyeroo Gorge Drive. Another beautiful drive and very easy to do. Dust everywhere though.

We checked out the Aroona Ruins then drove through the Brachina Gorge. Now that was a beautiful drive – the best of the day. Again well maintained and we passed just as many sedans as 4wds.

As mentioned in my last blog the start of the Moralana Drive was opposite the entrance to Merna Mora and we ended the Brachina Gorge Drive 20kms north. Too easy.

 

Having not travelled to the top end or to Western Australia I am sure there are places that people would say are nicer and more beautiful than the Flinders. I however believe that so far it is one of the nicest places I’ve seen. The land and mountains are nothing like I have ever seen before. I could probably do without the high temperatures of 37 degrees and the dust though.

Until again…