 Bushwalking or Hiking?
(General information)
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South Australia (SA):
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Although 70 percent of this state is considered outback country – vast and rugged, it has some of the best national parks in the world containing desert flora, spectacular birdlife and many other forms of wildlife. It also features some of the country’s most legendary landscapes such as the breathtaking
Flinders Ranges, rich in magnificent gorges, waterholes, Aboriginal sites and ruins of early European settlement. The longest dedicated walking trail in the country is the Heysen Trail extending approximately twelve hundred kms from Parachilna Gorge (part of South Australia's world renowned Flinders Ranges) to
Cape Jervis (at the tip of the Fleurieu Peninsula which is south-west of Adelaide). The Trail wends its way south, generally following the Mt. Lofty Ranges, the spine of South Australia through the Adelaide Hills and Barossa Valley and eventually reaching the magnificent coastal scenery abutting the Southern Ocean. |
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At the northern end of the Flinders Ranges lie the Gammon Ranges. There are no towns close to the park and it is situated between the tiny settlements of Arkaroola (a private sanctuary) and Copley. The backbone of this park is a high plateau covered in scrub. Off the sides of the plateau are a series of creeks that have carved deep gorges into the
soft sandstone rocks. The best known of these is Bunyip Chasm, (an easy two day return walk), Shelf Chasm and Fern Chasm. To visit all the gorges on the southern side of the plateau, allow 5 days from Grindells Hut or 7 days from Italowie Gap. There are no tracks in the park and hikers must find their own way. Navigation is usually easy as the areas are mostly open scrub, but the walking can be rough through the rocky creek beds. Often one needs to carry
water for at least 2 days and this area is only recommended for experienced walkers. Within the Flinders Rangers National Park, is one of the most extraordinary formations in the country, Wilpena Pound. A vast natural amphitheatre surrounded by sheer cliffs and jagged rocks and covering almost 8 000 hectares. |
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It is a huge flat plain covered in scrub and trees and it is ideally suited for bushwalkers. Certainly it is true that the road to the 'pound' traverses some of the most beautiful country in the whole of the Flinders Ranges but when the traveller arrives at Wilpena Pound there is nothing to do but walk. |
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Other parks of interest are located in the following areas: The South-East – Coorong, Canunda Adelaide – Belair, Great Australian Bight Barossa Valley – Murray River Yorke Peninsula – Innes Eyre Peninsula – Lincoln, Coffin Bay, Nullarbor, Gawler Ranges |
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A not-to-be-missed location is Kangaroo Island, Australia’s third largest island situated 16 kms off the tip of Fleurieu Peninsula. |
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The island is home to the Flinders Chase National Park encompassing stunning coastal landscapes and many walking trails leading into the vast areas of wilderness |
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