Catchya at Copley!*

We leaped from the car and hit the ground running as a convoy of 4WDs pulled into the car park behind us. Car doors slammed. They were gaining on us, but we were still a few vital seconds ahead as we slid through the door and reached the counter first.

And that’s exactly where I needed to be to score one of the Quandong Café’s legendary quandong pies this late in the day.

Play fair? No way! Because if I missed out, things would’ve gotten UGLY. So as the wave of humanity washed up around me, I deployed my secret weapon.

That’s what ‘elbows’ are for, right?’

540 km (336 miles) north of Adelaide and deep in the South Australian Outback isn’t where you’d normally expect to find an oasis of civilisation.  After all, it’s the driest place in the driest state of the driest continent on earth

But the small town of Copley is no ordinary place. The Copley Caravan Park managers (and café owners!) made it easy to base ourselves there for a few days to discover its hidden secrets.  Like us, you might just find that the longer you stay, the longer you WANT to stay!

Not just to sample those fine quandong pies again. Or check out the array of Outback Scenic Loos!

Here’s a few of my favourite Copley things to do in a handy 4-9 Day itinerary.  Look out for the *STAY Another Day! signs for optional extra days if you’d like to extend your stay!

You’re welcome!!

Day 1: Explore Copley

Aroona Dam Sanctuary

I never saw the ‘before’ picture.

Back in the 1990’s, a 200+ person community project turned 44 km² of once-degraded bushland around the 5000 megalitre Aroona Dam into a Sanctuary. So now all you’ll see is the ‘after’ picture – the stunning scenery of the northern Flinders Ranges AND a scenic Aussie Loo!

All this makes the sanctuary a cool place to hang out, have a picnic, take a walk and spot the wildflowers. If you get lucky, you could also spot one of the yellow-footed rock wallabies reintroduced into the area.

The Retention Dam

It’s a tough choice between fishing and bird-watching so at the Retention Dam just out of town heading north.  So it’s just as well you can do BOTH.

Or neither!

Climb Flat Top

It’s big. It’s RED. It’s just out of town – and visible from pretty much everywhere in Copley. And if you can’t work out what the locals call a small mountain with its top sliced off, you’re just not trying.

Welcome to Flat Top (see photo above). There’s no marked walking track, but don’t let that stop you – the views from the top are sensational! Not that energetic? Walk around below it. Not THAT energetic? Sit out the front of the cafe and watch everyone else walking up or around it!!

Find the Head

To really experience the environment in which towns like this survive, drive up into the ranges west of Copley.

Better still, stop the car and take a walk along these remote country roads.

Expect a surprising array of wildflowers (in season), a starkly beautiful Outback landscape full of amazing colour, and a different perspective of Copley from the lookout point high above.

And the HEAD. But only if you get REALLY lucky

Day 2: THREE Iconic Aussie Tracks in ONE DAY!

Yes, you CAN drive the Strzelecki, Birdsville and Oodnadatta tracks in a day. And you don’t need a special rig, or even a 4WD to do it!

No, REALLY – as long as you don’t expect to actually drive the full length of each track, that is! But you can visit each starting point, and you can easily do it in one day from Copley.

AND see a lot of other great Outback attractions along the way.

Lyndhurst

Just 33 km north of Copley, you’ll find a bush philosopher’s gallery, an unexpected lake and famous bushranger Captain Starlight’s legacy.  They’re all wrapped up in the tiny town of Lyndhurst.

Drive out onto the Strzelecki Track’s tyre-shredding rock and stone ‘road’.  You’re now on the original route Harry Readford – aka Captain Starlight – used to drive 1000 stolen cattle from Queensland to Lyndhurst.

MORE about Lyndhurst and the Ochre Pits HERE

PS Don’t miss the scenic public loo!

Ochre Pits

Want a great sunset shot?

Then leave the Ochre Pits a few kilometres north of Lyndhurst for the return trip to Copley. The late afternoon sun makes the amazing colours of this Indigenous heritage site glow.  Like this.

Farina – The Back-of-Beyond Bakery

I couldn’t believe my luck when I saw the ‘Bakery Now Baking’ sign on the side of the dusty road just 24 km north of Lyndhurst. It HAD to be an antique. Didn’t it?

Actually, no. You CAN combine outback travel with FAAAAABULOUS food!

How? Because in an astonishingly civilised move by the Farina Restoration Society, Farina’s derelict Bakery was the first building in this historic ghost town to be reconstructed. Now it operates for around 8 weeks a year raising funds to restore more of the Farina historic site.

Wander the open air museum, strolling the walking tracks or visiting the campground’s scenic loo combined with awesome goods baked on the premises.  That’s a killer way to make history fun.

And it’s all the better for knowing my significant personal contribution to the bakery fundraiser will account for a LOT more upgrades!!

MORE about Farina Bakery HERE

*STAY Another Day – Day #5! Return to Farina and book the 3-4 hour Farina Springs tour.  Travel in the Farina Station 4WD or Tag-along – the bakery will still be there when you get back!

Marree and the Postal Delivery Route from Hell

If you can tear yourself away from the fleshpots of Farina and drive another 45 km up the road, you’ll find remote outback town Marree.  It’s at the end of the Old Ghan railway line and start of the legendary Birdsville and Oodnadatta tracks.

Actually, ‘legend’ is a word that’s used a lot around Marree.

Especially about Tom Kruse, the (legendary) outback mailman.  His (legendary) adventures delivering mail along the 517 km of rocks, sand dunes and gibbers that make up the (legendary) Birdsville track in his (legendary) Leyland Badger Truck were immortalised in a (legendary) movie “The Back of Beyond”.

Experience the legend yourself, at least for a few minutes. Drive a short way along the Oodnadatta and Birdsville tracks which, together with Lyndhurst’s Strzelecki, mean you’ve travelled on three legendary Aussie roads.

In ONE DAY!

MORE about Marree HERE

Now all you have to do is drive back to Copley. The setting sun should be lighting up the Ochre Pits right around now

*STAY Another Day – Day #6! Drive back to Marree, then have a longer experience on the Birdsville Track and drive about 50 km to Clayton Station.

*STAY Another Day – Day #7! Alternatively, take a drive on Witchellina Nature Reserve. Three 4WD nature drives show you the rugged outback at its best.

Day 3: Wilderness Adventure

Saying Arkaroola Wilderness Sanctuary is an eco-adventure wonderland is a bit like saying Uluru is quite a big rock.

There are the painted hills surrounding the tourist village and stunningly scenic hikes through amazing gorges and chasms.  Super-challenging 4WD tracks through wild mountain ranges and historic sites and astronomical marvels courtesy of unpolluted skies.  Arkaroola is a total outdoor adventure package surrounded by the best collection of geological marvels in Australia.

Yes, it’d take more than just a day trip to see all THAT!

But if you want to see the very BEST of Arkaroola and you’ve only got a day to spare, then book in to the AMAZING Ridge-top Tour.  It’s a 4.5 hour drive to Sillers Lookout through rugged ranges on rough tracks in a purpose built 4WD tour vehicle. Be warned though – to do this in a day, you’ll have to leave early to get there in time! But it’s SO worth it!

MORE about Arkaroola’s Ridge-top Tour HERE!

Luckily, Arkaroola has its own campground with powered and unpowered sites. But if your rig’s not up to the 130 km all-weather dirt road east of Copley, leave it at the Copley Caravan Park and stay in one of the lodges or cabins. And if your vehicle isn’t up to it, leave that at Copley as well and hire a 4WD!

MORE about Arkaroola HERE

*STAY Another Day – Day 8! The road to Arkaroola can be an interesting day trip in itself.  There are Indigenous Cultural tours run by the local Adnyamathanha people at Iga Warta, Italowie Gorge walking trail and picnic area, views over Lake Frome and Grindells Hut in the Gammon Ranges.

Day 4: History and Heritage

As we sped, bouncing and bumping over a stretch of road so rocky I was practically levitating, I felt grateful for just one thing.

Praise be we weren’t travelling in OUR car!

But our travelling companion’s 4WD managed the drive south of Copley without mishap. As we drove a network of dirt tracks through the stunning northern Flinders Ranges, we explored some significant sites in South Australia’s colonial history.

Puttapa Gap

You won’t see anything much just driving through the gap where the old Transcontinental Railway line once ran through the ranges en route to Beltana.

Stop the car and discover some of the old structures around the rock cutting and the classic outback country through which it once ran.

Beltana

Shifting the railway line a few kilometres away was the end of the viability of State Heritage Area town Beltana, built in 1870. The town is still inhabited, but an interpretive trail leads past some of the remaining building ruins.  These include the old Dunesk Mission building with links to the Rev. John Flynn, instrumental in founding the Royal Flying Doctor Service.

Sliding Rock

22 km further on along that rocky stretch of road above is the ruins of a copper ore mine at Sliding Rock.  It’s got the only combination loo/visitor information depot I’ve EVER seen in OZ!

This remote State Heritage listed site with its duelling chimneys – one round (Cornish) and one square (Welsh) – hunks of copper ore and picturesque setting is a great place to explore.

*STAY Another Day – Day 9! Return to Sliding Rock and keep going to the privately owned Warraweena Conservation Park with its own campground and series of self-drive 4WD tracks.

SO … with its amazing array natural attractions, small towns, historic sites, hikes, self-drive tours, wildflowers, scenic loos AND the opportunity for Bakery mega-overload, Copley just might be the ultimate accessible Outback destination!

FAST FACTS

• Where:  Copley is 540 km (336 miles) north of Adelaide in the Northern Flinders Ranges
• Stay:  Copley Caravan Park, or nearby Leigh Creek Caravan Park.  Other campgrounds are at Lyndhurst, Farina, Marree, Arkaroola, Warraweena
• When:  The best time to travel is from May to October when temperatures are cooler and more attractions are open
• How to get there:  Self Drive is the best option.

Want MORE?

• Copley Caravan Park
• South Australia’s Outback
• MORE Copley Photos on Flickr

*The phrase “Catchya at Copley” is from the excellent tourist brochure produced by the Copley Caravan Park.

The post Catchya at Copley! Things to Do and See in Outback South Australia appeared first on Australia by Red Nomad OZ.

So what are Australia’s best activities?  A simple state by state word association test will more than likely give you results like these:

Northern Territory = Uluru.

Queensland = Barrier Reef.

New South Wales = Sydney Harbour Bridge and Opera House.

Tasmania = Cradle Mountain.

Victoria = The Great Ocean Road.

Western Australia = Wildflowers.

Australian Capital Territory = Parliament House! And all those wonderful politicians …

But South Australia = ? Well … WHAT??

OK, so you think South Australia doesn’t have a main attraction?  Well, I say who needs just one, when South Australia is chock-a-block with things to do! Whether you’re looking for a fun family holiday, a swag of adventure activities, some cool country towns to visit, fabulous natural attractions, or just a romantic weekend away South Australia is the place to be!

So just check out this list of the best activities to do in South Australia you can choose from with confidence because they’re hand-picked by a local – me – and they’re some of my faves!

You’re welcome!

1 Ridge Top Tour, Arkaroola

Getting to Arkaroola Wilderness Sanctuary, Australia’s premier eco-tourism destination, by car is half the fun – and a tour of some of the most spectacular South Australian Outback scenery to boot. The Sanctuary Village is set amidst a stunning landscape of fantastic rock formations, low ranges, multi-coloured minerals and a massive sky. So how do you top that? Take the Sanctuary’s signature Ridge-top Tour – a rugged 4 hour return 4WD adventure through the (almost) trackless wilderness to Sillers Lookout.

I’m calling it the best lookout AND one of the best adventures in OZ!  But don’t take my word for it – here’s where you’ll find even MORE About Arkaroola Wilderness Sanctuary!!

2 Lions at Naracoorte Caves

It’s just as well that Thylacoleo carnifex is extinct. It’s scary enough seeing a ghostly skeleton silhouette deep underground in the Naracoorte Cave system when you know it’s long dead. But imagine meeting a real live one face to face above the ground? These days, the scariest wildlife (not counting snakes) above the ground along the Limestone coast are the bats – and the wombats!

The Naracoorte Caves complex (South Australia’s only World Heritage listed site) is an awesome blend of fascinating Pleistocene megafauna fossils, stunning limestone formations and intriguing pre-history.  And the Bat Cave.  Don’t forget the Bat Cave!

MORE About Naracoorte Caves National Park

3 Whale Watching at Head of Bight

I’m not sure if the LOOOOONG drive across the Nullarbor Plain just above the LOOOOONG curve of the Great Australian Bight stretching for thousands of kilometres along the southern coastline and the LOOOOONGest unbroken line of sea cliffs in the world means the Head of Bight whale-watching experience qualifies as EXTREME whale-watching!

In season, from May to October, Head of Bight becomes a whale nursery with 40 or more whales and calves cavorting below the cliffs.

But you won’t come across it by chance – it’s over 800 km west of Adelaide so it’s best experienced as part of a Nullarbor crossing en route to Perth (or Adelaide if you’re heading east).

And that’s a pretty cool road-trip adventure in itself!

MORE About Whale Watching at Head of Bight

4 Wilpena Pound and the Flinders Ranges

Unless you’re planning a lengthy stay in the magnificent Flinders Ranges, it’s way too big to see it all in just one visit. So get started by exploring its iconic centrepiece, the spectacular Wilpena Pound, a massive 8 x 17 km natural rock amphitheatre once used by early pastoralists as a grazing ground!

If Wangara Lookout near the old Homestead doesn’t give good enough view; or a sighting from atop St Mary’s Peak is too challenging; or a flight over the Pound too expensive, take the up close and personal (and fewer people) option and walk across it! The Bridle Gap trail (also part of the Heysen trail – see below) crosses Wilpena Pound and climbs its southwestern edge for spectacular views back across the Pound and out across the layers of ranges beyond.

Once you’ve seen the Pound for yourself, why not stay a while longer and check out Sacred Canyon, Mt Ohlssen Bagge, St Mary’s Peak, the Cazneaux Tree and lots of other hot spots.

Not sure where to start?  There’s a LOT more in my beginners guide to exploring the Flinders Ranges HERE!

5 Troubridge Island

Troubridge Island is about 2000 km too far south to make it into the tropics. But if you were washed ashore on a fine day, you’d think you really WERE on a deserted tropical island. Luckily, a Troubridge Island escape means you can stay on this tiny island, deserted but for the Little Penguins and Cormorants for whom this is a breeding ground AND whoever else you brought with you to share the solitude!! But snorkelling the clear waters surrounding the island, hauling in a fish or two for the BBQ, wandering the beaches and staying in a renovated lighthouse-keeper’s cottage about 6 km offshore from Edithburgh on the Yorke Peninsula is a mighty fine deserted-tropical-island substitute.

MORE About Troubridge Island

6 Remarkable Rocks on Kangaroo Island

The odd-shaped wind and sand-blasted granite Rocks aren’t the only remarkable thing about the third largest of Australia’s 8222 islands! Vivonne Bay regularly makes the lists of the top 10 eco-friendly beaches in Australia, if not the world. Because of its relative isolation it’s got the purest strain of Ligurian bees in the world – just one of the reasons that foodies flock here. And if you like the smell of fish, get up close to the permanent seal colony! BUT … head back to Flinders Chase National Park to see why these rocks ROCK!

MORE About Kangaroo Island

7 Going Underground at Coober Pedy

Just between us, you don’t actually have to go underground to find your very own piece of Australia’s national gem, the Opal! I found a piece in Coober Pedy’s main street without too much effort at all – although it WAS in a shop attached to a rather attractive ring with a price tag of just $600

Mostly underground, tiny outback opal mining town Coober Pedy is classic South Australian Outback with a harsh climate, distinctive mining town moonscape, the only underground campground in the world, the BIG Winch and just up the road, the longest man-made structure on earth – the Dog Fence!

It’s not short of natural attractions either, with the stunning natural landscape of the Breakaways a few kilometres down the road.

MORE About Coober Pedy and Opal Mining

8 The Cockle Train

It’s not just South Australia’s first railway line AND first public line laid with iron rails in Australia; this coastal railway line running from Goolwa to Victor Harbor is also unbelievably scenic.

Break your journey and explore the stunning coastline at Middleton and Port Elliot; then take a stopover in Victor Harbor and take the horse-drawn carriage to Granite Island.

Back in Goolwa, there’s the Murray Mouth and Coorong – end of Australia’s longest river system (see top photo), and the chance to explore the wonderful coastline visible from the train.

MORE about Goolwa and the Cockle Train

9 Farina Bakery

7 hours north of Adelaide, the driest part of the driest state of the driest continent on earth isn’t the most logical place to set up a town to service a fledgling wheat-growing industry. Maybe that’s why Farina is now a ghost town – except for a few weeks in May, June and July when the Farina Restoration Group move on-site. But historic site restoration isn’t the only attraction on offer at Farina – one of the first buildings to be restored was the smokin’ HOT Farina Bakery! All the better for being so unexpected, the Bakery’s volunteer bakers turn out an extraordinary amount of perfectly baked goods in the middle of the Outback!

In 2020, the Farina Bakery is open from 23rd May to 19th July!  Don’t miss it!!

MORE about Farina Bakery

10 The Heysen Trail

One of Australia’s Great Walks, the 1200 km Heysen Trail is a great way to see the best of South Australia. And if you haven’t got a spare 60 days to do the whole walk, then use the route map as a guide, choose a few sections in areas like the Barossa Valley, Mount Lofty Ranges, the Mid North and Flinders Ranges and see the highlights on foot. There’s something for everyone on this trek!  Starting in Parachilna Gorge and ending at Fleurieu Peninsula coastal town Jervis Bay, the walk is named for legendary artist Sir Hans Heysen, whose works showcase the beauty and diversity of South Australia.

MORE about the Heysen Trail

Of course there are plenty more RED HOT South Australian experiences to be had, but you’ve got to start somewhere, right?  And if you’re ready for a South Australian adventure, take a look at the best flights and get started!

Have YOU been to South Australia? Do share YOUR favourite things to do in South Australia in the comments below!!

PSSST!  MORE South Australia Photos on Flickr!

The post Red’s BEST Activities in South Australia! appeared first on Australia by Red Nomad OZ.

STOP PRESS!  2020 Farina Bakery Update:  Due to COVID-19 the Farina Bakery South Australia will NOT be operating in 2020.  However, the Farina historic township and Farina campground will be open and can be visited in line with South Australian state government border closures and travel restrictions. 

The sign shimmered through the haze of dust and heat like a mirage. Or the product of too much wishful thinking. Or the BEST kind of fantasy …

Whichever it was, the Bakery Baking Today sign at the turn-off to the Farina Historic Township in the middle of the South Australian Outback just HAD to be too good to be true.

Where is Farina?

Because over 600 km (370+ miles) north of Adelaide, we were on the last stretch of continuous bitumen for several hundred kilometres.  Which kind of put us in the middle of nowhere!

We’d already passed Lyndhurst, a roadhouse and small settlement at the beginning of the tyre-shredding Strzelecki track.  That notorious stretch of dirt through the Strzelecki desert connects Lyndhurst with Innamincka, 469 km (291 miles) to the north east.  We’d driven a short distance along the track, but pulled out before all four tyres became punctured.

From Marree, there were only two ways out.  East along the Oodnadatta track, a 607 km (377 miles) dirt track through the remote Outback that joined the Stuart Highway at Marla.  Or the fabled Birdsville track to – you guessed it – Birdsville, 519 km (322 miles) further north.

Yes, we were on the outskirts of Australia’s Boys Own Adventureland.  A 4WD and/or motorcyclists’ paradise traversed by groups of three (WHY ALWAYS THREE???) blokes.  And on this day, we would, for the first time, visit the start of each of these iconic tracks.

Now, en route to Marree, we’d heard about Farina, a ghost town full of ruins.

Wasn’t it??

A Bakery in a Ghost Town

The white marquee rising incongruously above the partially restored stonework of the Farina ruins in the distance suggested otherwise.

As did the banner indicating South Aussie icon Laucke Flour’s personal interest in this little bakery in the middle of nowhere.

Clearly, further investigation was required, so I turned to Pilchard – but the car had already swerved towards the turn-off. No bakery-seeking-sensor required in THIS car!!

As we drew closer to the knot of vehicles gathered around the cluster of old buildings surrounding the marquee, the smell of freshly baking bread gave the game away.

Yes, there really WAS a fully functional bakery in this remote ruin. And judging by the roaring trade being done with the constant arrival of incredulous visitors from both north and south, a Back-of-Beyond Bakery was just what the doctor ordered.

A VERY Civilised Restoration!

In a masterstroke so civilised it should be made mandatory, the underground Bakery was the first building to be restored to full working order by the Farina Restoration Group Inc (FRG).

Ironic, given that Farina is, of course, the Latin word for flour. And the town was so named in expectation of it becoming the ‘Granary of the North’. Sadly, the unpredictable climate, remote location and lack of water ultimately meant its decline, despite its one-time position as the railway head for all northern lines.

But in one of those undeniably symmetric coincidences, Farina is finally living up to its name.  Now the Underground Bakery opens for a few weeks every year in the Australian winter months.  It’s become a focus for fund-raising, publicity and – of course – a completely unexpected opportunity for an excellent Back-of-Beyond Bakery pig-out.

This was one of those times that sacrificing myself for the sake of my blog became not just a duty, but a pleasure!

Farina Bakery Volunteers

Bron and Syd, volunteers from FRG that keeps the Bakery operational for a few weeks in May, June and July, expertly fielded queries, served customers and – in my case – mopped up the coffee I overturned in the excitement of finding this bizarre bakery.

All while posing for photos!

The FRG, now about five years old, was founded by Tom Harding.  Along with current station owners Kevin and Anne Dawes,he saw Farina’s potential as an historic site and set about restoring it as a tourist attraction.

Apart from partnerships with various organisations and professional stonemasonry, all work on site is done by volunteers – to volunteer in 2021, use the online registration form HERE.

Those who are planning a similar venture should not underestimate the effectiveness of having a Bakery drawcard!  Word of mouth has already worked its magic at Farina – as winter’s onset signals the start of the Outback Adventure season and all sensible travellers head north for warmth.

Judging by the number of vehicles out the front, most of them stop at the bakery, spending up big on baked goods and souvenirs.

Stay at Farina Station Campground

Of course it helps that Farina station has also set up the excellent Farina campground with barbecues, fire pits, toilets (look out for one of them in MY BOOK!) and hot showers.  All this luxury can be yours for just $AUD5 per person per night. It’s an excellent staging post en route to the rough stuff of the tracks further north. But it’s a destination in its own right with walks along the river and along the disused railway tracks.  The story boards along the way detail the history of the town’s rise, fall and restoration.

The Group’s volunteers stay on site in the campground for the annual restoration activities while the bakery is operating.  Some are reportedly the bakery’s best customers, and they work on a roster system to ensure the bakery stays open.

I almost joined up on the spot!

What’s on Offer?

Of course it also helps that the Bakery goods are absolutely top shelf.  The old Scotch oven in the underground kitchen turns out an astonishing array of sweet, savoury and plain breads and rolls; pies; sausage rolls; and pasties.  Oh, and the best cream buns I’ve ever had the privilege of tasting.

Martin, the baker du jour, dexterously whipped trays of superbly baked goods out of the oven while telling us he’d co-opted a few of his baker buddies to volunteer for a stint at Farina.

‘Well, they USED to be my friends,’ he laughed, while proving – at least to MY satisfaction – that 80 years of disuse didn’t seem to have affected the oven’s effectiveness.

The oven’s underground location probably also helped to preserve it.   One of the many storyboards around the ruins mentions the destruction of outside dunnies in violent storms.  And that, my friends, means no Scenic Public Toilet pic from the Farina ruins.

However, there IS an awesome dunny in the picnic area down in the campground to be found in my book Aussie Loos with Views!

But I digress …

One of the Driest Places on Earth!

This arid part of the South Australian Outback is the driest part of the driest state in the driest continent on earth.  As we drove to and from Farina, it was easy to see the hardships faced by the early settlers in these outback towns. After a long, hot and dry summer, today’s green and fertile pastoral country could be tomorrow’s dust bowl.

But the FRG’s hardy bunch of volunteers are putting Farina back on the map by offering their unique Bakery at the Back-of-Beyond experience!

And that puts it well and truly on the map for THIS Aussie traveller!

STOP PRESS:  The Farina Underground bakery will NOT be open in 2020 due to COVID-19.  However the historic township of Farina and the Farina campground will be open in line with South Australian border closures and travel restrictions.

Want MORE?

• Farina Restoration Group Official Website
• Copley things to see and do, Outback South Australia
• Lyndhurst things to see and do, Outback South Australia
• Strzelecki Track
• Oodnadatta Track
• Birdsville Track

* PLEASE NOTE:  The Bakery is only open for a few weeks in May/June/July.
** Oscar Wilde said it first, and best

The post The Bizarre Back-of-Beyond Bakery – Farina, South Australia appeared first on Australia by Red Nomad OZ.