Big Red Tour: Flinders Ranges

B I G R E D T O U R

Flinders Ranges - South Australia

WHERE TO GO

ROAD CONDITIONS
Smooth, nice gravel roads. Interesting 4WD in Chambers Gorge.

CAMPING
Almost anywhere. Big tourist camping at Wilpena Pound. Very nice to camp in Chambers Gorge. My favourite camping is in Parachilna Gorge. Do not camp under big branches that might fall off and kill you. These gum trees are called widow makers.

RECOMMENDATIONS
The Prairie Hotel in Parachilna is well worth visiting. Very friendly people and excellent gourmet food.
Kevin Hucks is a cameleer living in Parachilna or rather in the scrub next to the village. Kev can take you on a camel trip. He is one of the most friendly and interesting human beings I have met. His camels are like a flock of friendly Labradors, if you can imagine that.
Blinman is another friendly place if you get to talk to the locals. If Adrian and Claire are still around (ask at the Blinman pub) then say hello from me. Adrian can take you on meditation walks. We did one through the hills, which was a splendid experience.

The Flinders Ranges is an easily accessed mountain area in South Australia. Old mining towns like Blinman are scattered all over. Biggest tourist attraction is Wilpena Pound, an old volcano crater with good bushwalking.
I traveled two times through the Flinders Ranges. Since I came in from the deserts, it was all easy going for me. However, the Flinders is a good area to start an outback trip if you want to try a bit of camping and 4WD in easy conditions. Adventure in a very controlled way, far from the roughness of the Kimberleys or the Gunbarrel Highway.
The area is full of wildlife. Most tourists I met did not notice, but since I had been out for months in the desert, I guess it was easier for me to spot the animals.