A return to the Flinders Ranges

Loaded up and ready for our 576km drive

And, as usual, we had a back seat driver

Last time we went to the Flinders Ranges, we travelled through the Barossa Valley and then on to Hawker. This time we let Gladys guide us and 'she' took us to Port Wakefield which has to be one of the least inspiring drives we have had. The drive on from there to Quorn was little better but it did gradually improve as we neared Hawker (for any new readers, 'Gladys' is our Garmin satnav and has such a prissy (male) voice that we nicknamed it Gladys).

The town of Hawker was proclaimed on 1 July 1880 and named after George Charles Hawker, an early settler, Commissioner of Works and a member of the South Australian Parliament 1858-1865 and 1875-1883 (thanks to Wikipedia and Aussie Towns).

The old Ghan (railway) line ran through Hawker and I had hoped to find where this ran but we were running out of time, so continued on into the Flinders Ranges. We were here in March last year but this time, although it is still magnificent country, it is much drier and animals and birds appeared to be less obviously abundant, although still enough to keep us happy.

We stayed at Skytrek Willow Springs Station which is excellent, with several good walks and a long 4WD trail which we did not really have time for and, in any case, were not game to undertake the drive in our hired vehicle in view of the constraints in the hire agreement! We stayed in the Overseer's Cottage which had been used for the School of the Air and was well equipped and very comfortable. On our last trip, we visited the ruins of Appealinna Station Homestead and have now found that Willow Springs Station is part of that original station, giving a sense of continuity.

The entrance to Skytrek Willow Springs Station

We arrive at the Overseer's Cottage

One of the original radios used for the School of the Air

On our first full day based there, we headed up nearby Stoke's Hill (the only place we could get a 'phone signal) and Judith was able to post
a Facebook entry from there just to keep in touch. We then revisited Wilpena Pound where we had a picnic lunch and then cruised back, stopping at Wood Duck Pond where we hauled our chairs out and relaxed for the afternoon, watching birds come and go and wallabies coming down to drink.

The mast on Stoke's Hill which we needed to get near to check emails¬

A view from Stoke's Hill

Wilpena Pound in the far distance with a relief map of the pound in the foreground on Stoke's Hill

Wallaby startled by a family of Grebes interrupting drinking time

Whistling Kite perched in tree by the pond

Whistling Kite soaring over the pond

When we got back to the cottage, we ran the tap for a cuppa but after a short time, our water then stopped. We reported this to the office and just about everyone on the station turned out to trace the problem and then dig up the pipe where the blockage had occurred (calcification). In the process, one of the guys managed to puncture the pipe so they had to charge around finding a long enough but thinner hose plus reducing joiners and we had water back on tap shortly after sunset.

Some of the guys waiting for the reducing joiners to be found

On our arrival, the owners had kindly made bookings for us for the mine tour at Blinman followed by lunch at The Prairie in Parachilna. On the way to Blinman we pulled off to see the massive rock formation known as the Great Wall of China.

The drive up to the Great Wall of China

Part of the Great Wall of China

Panoramic view of the Great Wall of China

The mine tour took us underground where we could see the old workings and the conditions under which the (mainly Cornish) workers laboured - obviously H & S did not exist back then! The town grew to about 1,500 people at its peak but after the mine closed as being no longer economical, the population dwindled to around 200 and is now about 18 (although there are 20 on the Progress Council as two local station folk have been co-opted).

A band of malachite, a copper compound, in the mine

View from underground to open shafts

We drove from Blinman through Parachilna Gorge to get to lunch. This gorge is another very attractive and interesting drive with more lovely river red gums lining the route. My favourite is still Brachina Gorge but this was most enjoyable.

River red gum in the gorge

View through the gorge to the ABC Ranges with our vehicle parked on the side

Once through the gorge, we left the ranges behind and drove through very flat country to get to Parachilna, where we enjoyed a shared platter of 'feral' mixed grill - kangaroo fillet, emu burger and camel sausage, the latter being surprisingly good.

The Prairie at Parachilna

Aboriginal art in the dining area of the Prairie

Our feral tucker - already carved by Judith for us to share

Having relaxed for a while in this rather odd place, we drove down to Brachina Gorge where we enjoyed the drive just as much as last time, although there was even less water at the Aroona River crossing than there had been last year. Nonetheless, it was a good spot for birds - it would have been even better if it weren’t for the Easter traffic! The camp grounds in the gorge are understandably very popular.

On our way into Brachina Gorge

A Wedgetail Eagle soaring over us when we stopped at the Arooma River crossing

It has been great to get away from 'city lights' and have a good view of the sky at night. Just now, we have had an almost full moon so although we have seen the stars more clearly, we haven't yet had a clear view of the Milky Way.

Having reached this far, it is now time for an update on why the road travelled is called the Explorers Way. The invention of the telegraph led to the next bout of exploration, including Burke & Wills' tragic attempt. In 1859 Charles Todd had the dream of an overland telegraph which would cross the continent from Port Augusta in South Australia to Port Darwin in the Northern Territory. This could then be linked to existing submarine cables to reach the rest of the world. At this time, it was taking several weeks for messages to be transmitted by sea. Various explorers had set out to find inland rivers, or dreamed of pastoral land, north of Adelaide, including Stuart's first expedition under the leadership of Charles Sturt. Stuart's second expedition, his first as leader (not counting various surveying missions that he had carried out), started in 1858. On one of these he had come across promising country north of the Flinders Ranges and his patron, James Chambers took out a holding which became Oratunga Station; it was from here that Stuart set out in 1858, financed by William Finke, with a squatter named Foster and an Aboriginal companion. On this trip, they travelled to the west of Lake Torrens and progressed for a considerable way before turning back when they were near Coober Pedy and could not find a source of water.

The following year, Stuart again headed north, this time with William Kekwick as his second in command, in search of a safe stock route. This time he travelled to the east of Lake Torrens and reached the site of present day Marree. He continued northwestwards finding more springs near the site of today's Oodnadatta. We are now headed for Marree (formerly known as Herrgott Springs, named after the artist who travelled with Stuart)