I suspected it when I first saw him in the distance.  Then he slipped on his super-cool aviator sunnies* and I knew it for sure. Our pilot and tour guide for the flight over Lake Eyre was a dead ringer** for Freddie Mercury!

Of course looking like the Queen ex-frontman didn’t guarantee anything.  But a top priority—not just for Freddie lookalikes but for ANY pilot—would be to keep yourself alive, wouldn’t it?

Good to know when you’re a nervous flyer waiting for the hammer to fall. Because during the four-hour tour, we’d fly over some of the most remote and inhospitable outback countryside in Australia!

The booking form had a field for total weight including the clothes you’d be wearing on the flight. I was tempted to lie, but figured I’d be outed as a fat-bottomed girl just by turning up. And besides, before Freddie (not his real name!) could make the 13-seater plane spread its wings and fly, he’d need to work a kind of magic and ensure it was properly balanced.

Easier said than done with a range of 13 different body sizes, shapes and weights to fit into super-narrow seats with super-constricting seat belts from which I knew I’d want to break free.

But even under pressure Freddie managed to play the game.  He matched people to seats, made sure our headphones were fully operational, and hurtled down the runway before we could say “God save the Queen”.

Leaving Coober Pedy

After leaving opal mining town Coober Pedy’s distinctive moonscape of mullock heaps*** behind, the first leg of the flight north-east to Lake Eyre North covered some spectacularly arid scenery. That was unsurprising given that the town’s rainfall for the year to date before this mid-June flight had totalled just 19.8 mm (0.8 inches).

Rolling rocky ranges in the rich outback colour palette of ochres, reds and greens unfolded far beneath, and massive dry riverbeds cut feathery patterns into the sand and rock far below.  Trees cast long shadows in the early morning light, and straight roads bisected the dry country below where occasional vehicles seemingly heading into oblivion traversed the endless landscape trailing powdery plumes. Out here in the harsh desert environment, being prepared could determine if another one bites the dust or not.

Although 1974 was the last time its area of 9,500 km² (3668 mi²) was filled to capacity, Kati Thanda-Lake Eyre is Australia’s largest salt lake, and one of the largest in the world.

It also has Australia’s lowest natural point at 15 metres (49 ft) below sea level.  If flying over the lake wasn’t considered cheating, I could tick two more Aussie records off my list.

Kati Thanda-Lake Eyre

After two days experiencing Coober Pedy’s arid conditions and 90 minutes of flying over the dry and dusty desert we were completely unprepared for a volume of water so massive it merged with the horizon.  Larger than life–just like Freddie’s namesake–but really to be expected out here where huge distances, huge landscapes and huge skies are just the norm. As my shutter-button finger went into overdrive, I felt this crazy little thing called love for the outback and its magnificent, but ever-changing panoramas.

From Lake Eyre North, we flew south along the lake’s western edge where flocks of birds could occasionally be seen below. The salt-encrusted lake’s edge contrasted with the colours of the water in a breathtaking array of coloured lines and patterns and tiny vehicles came and went from the Halligan Bay Point camping area.

William Creek

A short time later we were touching down in William Creek for morning tea at Australia’s most remote pub while the plane was being refuelled.  The smallest town in Oz, closest town to Lake Eyre, and home of Wrightsair (our tour operator), its permanent population of three**** was outnumbered by the planes on the runway. Now that water from heavy rains in the northern catchment a few weeks earlier was flowing into Lake Eyre North, Wrightsair scenic tours, especially the flight over Lake Eyre were in hot demand and pilots from all over were working around the clock.

But the show must go on, so Freddie herded us back to the plane for the return flight west to Coober Pedy. Now nearly noon, the day was warming up and the flight over the little-known Anna Creek Painted Hills promised to be the ‘we will rock you’ leg. But who wants to live forever anyway?! The bumpy flight combined with the amount of morning tea some passengers had eaten was a killer combination. But no matter, Freddie had pointed out the on-board barf bags, which ensured it was heaven for everyone!

Anna Creek Station, 34 km (21 mi) from William Creek and 160 km (99 mi) east of Coober Pedy, is the largest working cattle station in the world and at 23,667 km² (9,142 mi²) in area, just a little bigger than Israel or El Salvador or Belize. Station land completely surrounds William Creek, and the property is also over seven times bigger than King Ranch in Texas, often cited as one of the largest in the world.

Anna Creek Painted Hills

The Anna Creek Painted Hills unfolded below in a symphony of colours and shapes.  Only accessible by air and on a guided tour, I could see a lucky tour group exploring the area below and was consumed by jealousy. Was it so wrong to want it all?  A few hundred (give or take) photos later, we left the hills behind—but I knew I was born to love them.

Then in a flash we were flying over the bohemian rhapsody that makes up the distinctive landscape of Coober Pedy’s mullock heaps***, mines, accommodation and rock formations again. With so many hazards on the ground, it was no bicycle race down there. Freddie’s flight radio was going ga-ga as we touched down. But as the plane taxied down the runway, I wanted to scream ‘don’t stop me now’, and turn around to do it all again. It’s a hard life.

Yes, the tour really is that good. Tie your mother down if that’ll get you on a Lake Eyre flight—although I can’t guarantee you’ll be piloted by fab Freddie, who, by the way, obligingly posed for photos once we’d disembarked.

Kati Thanda-Lake Eyre Flight Fast Facts:

Where to find it: Kati Thanda-Lake Eyre is 647 km (402 mi) north-east of Adelaide, and is part of the Kati Thanda-Lake Eyre National Park.

How to get there: Fly or drive to Coober Pedy, 850 km (528 mi) north-west of Adelaide.  From Coober Pedy, it’s a further 166 km (103 mi) to William Creek. The lake is also accessible from Marree at the start of the Oodnadatta Track 655 km (407 mi) north of Adelaide.

Things to do:  Experience the lake from above by taking a flight.  We flew with Wrightsair, based in William Creek and flew from Coober Pedy with a stopover in William Creek.  Flights are also available from Port Augusta, Marree, William Creek, Rawnsley Park (Flinders Ranges) and Parachilna (and some further afield) all of which offer accommodation, although availability should be checked before arrival.

On the ground, drive to the lake via the Oodnadatta Track from Coober Pedy/William Creek or Marree. Campgrounds are available in the National Park, and a Desert Parks Pass is required for access. Extreme care must be taken when travelling in the remote outback (see below for link).

When to go: Although it rarely fills to capacity, Lake Eyre has some water most years, but is most spectacular when flooded by outback rains.  The Australian winter months of June to August are the most comfortable for outback travel.

Want MORE?

• Coober Pedy and William Creek, South Australia
• WrightsAir Scenic Flights
• Photos of Kati Thanda-Lake Eyre and Anna Creek Painted Hills
• Guide to Australian Outback Travel

*  Sunnies = Australian for sunglasses
** Dead Ringer = Aussie slang for lookalike
*** Mullock Heap = a cone-shaped mound of loose stone left over from mining operations
**** According to the Wrightsair website

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The post Freddie and the Flight over Lake Eyre! Coober Pedy, South Australia appeared first on Australia by Red Nomad OZ.

Much of Kangaroo Island’s 509 kilometre-long (316 mile) coastline is rugged and rocky, with dramatic and spectacular scenery.  The soaring cliffs, towering dunes, dense coastal vegetation, and rock formations that make up much of the shoreline are frequently battered by strong winds and pounding seas.  And several active lighthouses scattered around the island indicate further offshore hazards.

The conditions are perfect for shipwrecks.

But despite the dangers, they’re also perfect for beaches.

There are over 50 Kangaroo Island beaches, in fact—each with its own unspoilt beauty and charm.  They’re not all safe for swimming, but discovering the characteristics that make each of them special is an excellent way to explore the island’s different regions and find your own special “KI” (Kangaroo Island) spot. 

Come here outside the peak holiday season, and many of the beaches are deserted—apart from seals, penguins, dolphins, sea-birds and the occasional whale out at sea, that is.  

With so much choice, however, finding the perfect beach to match your mood can be time-consuming.  So narrow it down with my 10 favourite Kangaroo Island beaches and see if there’s one that suits you!

You’re welcome!

Penneshaw Beach

After a rough ferry ride on heaving seas from the mainland to Kangaroo Island (KI) across Backstairs Passage, Penneshaw’s sheltered harbour with its deep, turquoise waters and sweeping curve of white sand is a welcome sight and wonderful introduction to the island’s natural attractions.

Just 600 metres (1968 feet) long, the beach stretches around the bay from the jetty terminal to Baudin Conservation Park.  Walk the historic trail along the foreshore, try fishing from the beach or jetty, and admire the brilliant colours from vantage points on the walking tracks.  At dusk, take a guided tour to see the world’s smallest penguins return from the sea to their nests on the rocks near the beach. 

Spend a little time here, and your sub-tropical island beach fantasy may just come true!

Antechamber Bay

From Penneshaw, the road to Cape Willoughby lighthouse passes through Lashmar Conservation Park on the banks of the Chapman River, which flows through the park and out to sea into the beautiful Antechamber Bay.  The bay is a 4.2 kilometre-long (2.6 mile) stretch of more of that distinctive KI white sand we first saw in Penneshaw, with beautifully coloured aquamarine waters lapping its shores.

Camp in the park to take full advantage of the spectacular views across Backstairs Passage to the Fleurieu Peninsula.  Walkways on either side of the river lead to the beach, perfect for walking and swimming.  In the distance at the bay’s easternmost point is the unattended Cape St Albans lighthouse.

Picturesque and protected, the bay and its amenities are so relaxing, it’d be possible to spend your entire KI stay here!

Mouth Flat Beach

Despite—or perhaps because of—being hard to reach, unsafe for swimming and difficult to explore, Mouth Flat beach is easily my favourite of the Kangaroo Island Beaches. The Willson River meanders through the dune system before entering the sea at Mouth Flat on the Dudley Peninsula’s south coast.

The rough track leading to the flat eventually becomes a private road, so the only way to reach the beach without trespassing is to hike a rough, overgrown and undefined trail along the eastern river bank’s high cliffs through the often impenetrable coastal scrub and through the dunes.  Keep the river on your right and the dunes on your left for a couple of kilometres (1.2 miles) and you’ll eventually get to the beach.  Watch out for snakes!

Wild seas lash the uneven shore that drops away quickly into treacherous rips and currents. Small footprints in the sand around rocky hollows and small caves in the cliffs at the western end of the beach are evidence that penguins nest and roost here. However, the “path” through the dunes would be difficult to walk at dusk when the penguins are active, and virtually impossible in the dark.

Retracing our steps was difficult enough in daylight, as our footprints weren’t always visible.  After exploring the beach, cliffs and river mouth, then deciding that returning via the river bed could be tricky, we bush-bashed our way back through the dense coastal scrub instead.

Untamed, pristine and totally deserted, Mouth Flat beach is the ultimate KI natural attraction that even some locals haven’t been to.  Seek it out if you dare!

Pennington Bay

Site of KI’s most scenic public loo (IMHO), Pennington Bay is a surfing and fishing beach surrounded by high sand dunes on the south-western coast of the Dudley Peninsula.  The loo—and the magnificent coastal scenery—compensate for the dangerous rips and rough seas that can make the beach unsafe for swimming.  Vantage points overlook the beach at various locations, and watching the ever-changing ocean colours as the waves roll in can be mesmerising.  Dolphins—and sometimes whales—can be seen from the lookouts too.

Several access points lead down to the white sand beach, where you’ll often be the only visitors.  Don’t miss the surfboard storyboards on the tracks to the beach, or the awesome view from the loo!

Seal Bay

Admiring the killer coastal view, inspecting a whale skeleton in the dunes, and watching (and photographing!) the ever-present seals frolicking on the beach and in the surf replace traditional beach activities at Seal Bay, on KI’s south coast.  

Access to this beach is limited to guided tours, ensuring that the colony of around 1,000 sea lions that live here are not disturbed by visitors. Alternatively, take a self-guided tour and descend the long, sloping boardwalk (see photo in introduction) down to a vantage point above the beach and watch the seals at rest and play.  Above, from a lookout on top of the cliff, the spectacular coastal views are some of the best on KI.

But the seals are the real stars of Seal Bay, and watching them is one of the best beach activities the island has to offer.

Vivonne Bay

The horror bushfires of the 2019/20 Australian summer burned right down to Vivonne Bay’s shoreline.  But with its multi-shaded blue waters and six kilometres (3.7 miles) of white sand, it’s still easy to see why the beach was voted best in the world in 2003, and still regularly makes it into Australian Top 10 Beach lists.  Including this list of Kangaroo Island beaches!  And in photos, the blackened vegetation makes a nice counterpoint to the beach’s vivid colour palette too.

Explore the Vivonne Bay Conservation Park at the western end, fish from the jetty or snorkel the clear waters over the reef. Otherwise walk around the bay and admire the captivating view.  On a fine day, the bay is pretty close to paradise!

Western River Cove

From the access road on the high, rocky cliffs above Western River Cove, the beach is like a small, brightly coloured jewel amidst craggy, glistening rocks.  Up close, the north coast’s rugged scenery is postcard-perfect with clean lines and intense colours.  Watch out for the endangered glossy black-cockatoos feeding in the patches of sheoak near the road as it descends steeply to the bay.

The Western River enters the sea here, and there’s a small beach on the river bank below a campground and picnic area complete with scenic loo.  Swim in the beautifully clear water, or explore the rocky cliffs on either side of the bay. Unless there’s a group of school children present, as there was during our visit, it’s a peaceful and picturesque place in which to chill out. 

Snellings Beach

Atop Constitution Hill, high above Snellings Beach, the view over the surrounding steep, rolling hills and the beautiful Middle River as it flows into the sea at the small bay’s eastern end is spectacular.  If you are lucky enough to stay in accommodation overlooking the beach, waking up to the magnificent view is an added bonus.

Be careful when walking the beach—the tiny beach-nesting hooded plover, with a conservation status of “vulnerable”, can sometimes be seen here.  Check the trees around the area too, as koalas are frequently sighted (and heard!) in the area. 

Centrally located on the north coast, Snellings is an excellent base from which to explore KI’s top end, but its main attraction is its scenic beauty.

(Little) King George Beach

The otherworldly jagged rock formations and smoothly pebbled shore of what I am reliably informed is actually “Little King George Beach” couldn’t be further from the traditional white sand/turquoise water combo found elsewhere on the island.  

While it isn’t a conventional swimming beach, it’s good for fishing and excellent for exploring.  The colours of the oddly-shaped rocks in the late afternoon sun are spectacular, and walking around the western headland, while taking care not to slip on the rocks, opens up many photo opportunities.  So different from the other KI beaches, this little gem is definitely worth visiting.

Stokes Bay

Finding the “real” Stokes Bay isn’t easy.  The car park overlooks a pleasant stony beach, but it doesn’t look anything like the photos. So take the narrow path east to what looks like an impenetrable rocky cliff, follow it through a gap in the rocks, squeeze through an even smaller opening and suddenly you’re on a beautiful stretch of beach. It’s worth the effort.

A series of natural rock pools near the entry and exit point near the cliff are safe for swimming and exploring.  It’s a pleasant stroll along 300 metres (980 feet) of white sand to the other end of the beach where you’ll discover some unusual rock formations.  

An escape through the unusual entrance onto the secluded cove of Stokes Bay beach is an escape from your cares for a few hours.

Of course this is just an introduction to the amazing array of beaches to explore on Kangaroo Island—there are plenty more to discover and enjoy.

Want More?

• Beautiful beaches aren’t the only natural attractions on Kangaroo Island.  See what else I discovered on this amazing island HERE
• For a local perspective, visit the KI Tourism Alliance website HERE.
• And … for Authentic KI, go HERE.

The post 10 Beautiful Kangaroo Island Beaches appeared first on Australia by Red Nomad OZ.

Kangaroo Island Bushfires

Choking back tears, he told me “I looked out over the plain and howled. It’ll take a long time to recover, and it probably won’t be in my lifetime”.  

I was talking to David, a now-retired guide who had spent 15 years conducting eco-tours in Flinders Chase National Park and the adjoining Ravine des Casoars Wilderness Protection Area on South Australia’s Kangaroo Island. He was telling me about his reaction to the horrific bushfires, started by lightning strikes, that burnt more than 46% of the island’s 440,500 hectares (1,700 square miles) over several weeks of the 2019/2020 Australian summer.  Two lives and 50 houses were lost in the blaze, numerous farms and businesses ruined and thousands of animals—both livestock and wildlife—perished.

I knew what he meant.  I had just seen the devastation he was describing for myself from the Bunker Hill observation point that looks out over the coastal plain. Over 72,000 hectares (278 square miles), or about 96% of the bushland in the park was destroyed by the fires, and it was a confronting sight.  

Kangaroo Island Today

Once covered in lush eucalypt woodlands and dense coastal scrub, the rolling hills and plains were open and bare where the understory and low vegetation had been burnt away. In many places, only scorched tree trunks remained, very different to the verdant forests I remembered from my only other visit to Kangaroo Island 15 years earlier.

The bushfires have had devastating environmental, economic and personal consequences for Kangaroo Island’s 4,500-strong population, and have forever separated its history into “before” and “after” the blaze.  Recovery on all fronts has been long, slow and hindered even further by COVID-19 restrictions. 

Despite the extensive fire damage, it’s easy to see why the national park still attracts many of Kangaroo Island’s 140,000 annual visitors. Nearly ten months on, the bushland’s regeneration is well under way.  A mantle of green is starting to cover the blackened ground and new growth sprouts from the burnt tree trunks.  

The island has become a land of dramatic contrasts. In the forest and farmland, the fire’s trail of destruction can end abruptly, leaving bare, burnt ground and untouched greenery side by side. Rocks, dunes and land formations are now strikingly bare where ground cover and the understory once hid them. In places, where the flames reached the sea, there is now an eerily beautiful juxtaposition of blackened vegetation against the island’s signature aquamarine waters.

Visiting the island now is not only a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to witness its regeneration first hand, but  also to assist community recovery by providing much needed cash flow to affected businesses and tourism operators.

Kangaroo Island, or “KI” (pronounced “kay-eye”) as it is known to locals, is Australia’s third-largest island after Tasmania and Melville Island. 

Travelling KI’s 155 kilometre (96 mi) length is a journey through a stunning wilderness landscape with 540 kilometres (335 mi) of rugged coastline. Explore untouched beaches and dune systems, rivers and lakes, lush forests and oddly-shaped rocky outcrops. Diverse animal and plant life, fresh regional produce and friendly locals all add to the relaxed island vibe.  Despite the devastation of the fires, the attractions are all still here. A day or two will not be enough to experience everything the island has to offer.

How to get here

The fastest way to reach KI is a 30-minute flight from Adelaide, capital of the state of South Australia, to KI’s Kingscote Airport. Alternatively, take the ferry for a 45-minute ride across Backstairs Passage to KI’s Penneshaw, 22 kilometres (13.6 mi) from the closest mainland ferry terminal at Cape Jervis. 

From Adelaide, it’s a 90-minute drive through the Fleurieu Peninsula to cover the 100 kilometres (62 mi) to Cape Jervis at its south-western tip. Driving from Adelaide gives the option of taking your own vehicle on the ferry, recommended for those who wish to explore the entire island. Caravans, camper trailers and campers can also be taken on the ferry, although tours are available for those without transportation.

My travelling companions and I decided to drive from Adelaide and first explore parts of the Fleurieu Peninsula’s western coastline en route to the Cape Jervis wharf. As we only had a few hours before our ferry departed, a full exploration of the peninsula’s stunning coastline and picturesque inland region wouldn’t be possible. 

Instead, we chose a cross-section of attractions, including Port Noarlunga’s long jetty and red rocky walls above the Onkaparinga River mouth; the rolling vales and dramatic cliffs sweeping down to the sands of Sellicks Beach; the memorial to Australia’s only saint, Mary McKillop, in the Yankalilla township; the clear blue waters of Normanville beach; and Second Valley’s unusual coastal rock formations.

Backstairs Passage, the strait between Cape Jervis and Penneshaw, is known for its rough seas so choosing the best time to cross can be like picking a winning lottery ticket. According to ferry staff, our afternoon crossing was a rough one, but not as bad as the morning trip when most of a large school excursion group became violently sea-sick.  

A turbulent crossing isn’t always bad news though. For us birdwatchers, heavy seas can mean a greater chance of spotting ocean-going birds such as shearwaters, petrels and albatross, not usually seen this close to land.  The only trick is to stay upright on deck and hold the binoculars steady as the ferry heaves and rolls through the waves and cross-currents.

Kangaroo Island History

Discovery of stone tools, middens (ceremonial sites), campfire sites and cave shelters on KI are proof of Australian Indigenous occupation, thought to pre-date colonial settlement by up to 65,000 years. It is believed that a group of people remained on the island when rising waters separated it from the mainland 10,000 years ago during the last glacial period.  Evidence also indicates they left the island 2,000 – 4,000 years before European colonisation, although it is unclear how or why.

Indigenous people from the mainland knew the island as Karta Pintingga or “Island of the dead”. This is because during the Aboriginal Dreamtime, the period in which life was created, a Spirit Ancestor travelled to the island en route to the Milky Way and was followed here by spirits of the dead seeking the afterlife.

There is some doubt as to when colonial exploration of KI began. The generally accepted version starts in 1802 when Matthew Flinders landed here while on an expedition to map Australia’s southern coastline for the British Government aboard HMS Investigator.  He unimaginatively recorded it as “Kanguroo Island”, for its many kangaroos, a welcome source of fresh meat.

After leaving the island, the Investigator met French ship Le Geographe, captained by Nicolas Baudin. Although their countries were at war, the two captains exchanged information and later that year, Baudin mapped part of the KI coastline, giving many of its geographic features French names.

However, the discovery of an inscription on a tree in the Cygnet River locality dated 1800 and stating “The place for fat meat” indicates that the island was already known by then. To whom, and for how long is unknown.

Baudin’s crew later met some American sealers aboard the brig Union and passed on details of the island to them. The Americans had a quota of 12,000 seal skins, and so KI’s sealing industry began, closely followed by the arrival of whalers.

In 1836, the first free (non-convict) European settlement in Australia was established on KI by the British based South Australian Company.  Faced with many difficulties, most of the colony relocated to the mainland four years later, leaving behind a few settlers whose tenacity and ingenuity in surviving harsh conditions are characteristics still evident in the present-day KI community.  

Nowadays, KI produce is renowned for its quality and exported around the world. A variety of industries includes honey from the purest strain of Ligurian bees in the world; boutique wineries, breweries and a distillery; aquaculture and seafood; eucalyptus oil, lavender and olive products; oats and other cereal crops; along with livestock, sea salt, free range eggs and beauty products, all available from local outlets and shopfronts.

Penneshaw and the Dudley Peninsula

The ferry docks at the small town of Penneshaw, located at the island’s eastern end, a good base for exploring the Dudley Peninsula. Untouched by the fires, the peninsula’s natural attractions are a good introduction to life on KI. 

We spent a day exploring the three conservation parks along the Dudley Peninsula’s south-eastern coastline. From mid-May to late October, southern right whales and the occasional humpback whale can be seen from the cliff tops along this section of the coast. Blue whales, the world’s largest animal, can also be seen from the shores, although they are more likely to be found feeding in upwelling zones further offshore, where nutrient-rich cold water rises from the ocean depths.

Baudin Conservation Park, with its coastal hiking trails and historic sites, is only two kilometres (1.24 mi) south-east of Penneshaw, not to be confused with Baudin Beach to the south-west.

Lashmar Conservation Park, halfway between Penneshaw and Cape Willoughby, is noted for its fishing, swimming, birdwatching and canoeing.  There’s a popular camping area where the Chapman River, which flows through the park, enters the ocean at Antechamber Bay, with its beautiful sandy beach.

At KI’s easternmost point is the isolated Cape Willoughby lighthouse outpost, where South Australia’s first lighthouse was built in 1852. The lighthouse, attached museum and walking trails around the cape are now part of the Cape Willoughby conservation park.

Back in Penneshaw, watch the sunset over Christmas Cove.  Then take an evening tour to see little penguins (Eudyptula minor) coming ashore on the beaches and cliffs after a day feeding out at sea.

Hog Bay Road follows a string of beaches, including Baudin Beach, south-west from Penneshaw to Prospect Hill, right on the peninsula’s narrow neck where it adjoins the central and western parts of the island. Follow in Matthew Flinders’ footsteps and climb the large sand dune, KI’s highest point, for 360 degree views north across Pelican Lagoon to American River and south to Pennington Bay. These days, a 350-step staircase makes the steep climb easier while protecting the fragile dunes beneath.

American River

From Prospect Hill it’s a 10 kilometre (6 mi) drive north to the small settlement of American River.  After staying in Penneshaw overnight, we moved here for the remainder of our stay as it offers easier access to the rest of KI’s attractions.

The locality was named in true Aussie style for a group of American sealers who camped on the shores of Pelican Lagoon, an ocean inlet which they mistakenly thought was a river. Sunrise over the inlet can be spectacular, with black swans (Cygnus atratus) and other water birds plentiful.  

“Every morning I’d be given a koala to nurse for the day,” Kylie, an accommodation host based in American River, told me. “The next morning I’d be told that the koala I’d been looking after had died during the night. It was heartbreaking.”  She and her husband had only lived on the island a short time before the fires, and even though the American River community wasn’t directly under threat, the smoke was so thick they thought they’d have to leave. They and their neighbours spent some tense nights watching the glow in the sky and hearing horror stories about what was happening at the other end of the island.

Once the fires raged out of control and all visitors had returned to the mainland, Kylie volunteered to help out at the wildlife rescue centre, set up to care for the influx of injured animals rescued by locals and firefighters.

While exact pre- and post-bushfire numbers are unknown, it is believed that 80% of the estimated 50,000 koalas on KI perished.  About 40% of those treated in the centre were rehabilitated to be released back into the wild, thanks to the tireless work of volunteers and donations from around the world.

The Mercure Kangaroo Island Lodge where I was a guest, is located right across the road from the American River inlet.  With comfortable and well-appointed rooms, an excellent restaurant and friendly, helpful staff, it’s also a good base from which to explore other parts of the island. Don’t miss sunrise over the inlet—the colours, reflections and waterbird silhouettes can be stunning.  Afterwards, treat yourself to the wonderful breakfast buffet in the restaurant.

Famous for its seafood, American River’s most well known (and possibly most visited) attraction is the Oyster Farm Shop. It offers a daily selection of fresh seafood including local oysters, abalini (baby abalone), marron (freshwater crayfish), King George whiting and calamari. 

Just outside town a hiking trail leads to the remains of the town’s historic fish cannery, established around 1890, but abandoned two years later as there was no way to store and keep excess fish. A short drive north-west of town is Redbanks, where multi-coloured cliffs tower above the beach.

KI is home to an endemic subspecies of the critically endangered glossy black cockatoo (Calyptorhynchus lathami halmaturinus), and the American River flock can often be seen around the town and nearby bushland. 

Kingscote and North Coast

Kingscote, located 38 kilometres (24 mi) north-west of American River, is KI’s largest town and commercial centre. The first free Australian settlement was set up at nearby Reeves Point, now a reserve with walking trails and historic sites listed on the South Australian Heritage Register. The Nepean Bay jetty is a well known fishing spot, and great for sunrise or sunset shots. Look for sea lions and dolphins in the waters, and if you are lucky, you may see a koala wandering Kingscote’s main street.

Explore the north coast’s secluded beaches from here, including the white sands of Emu Bay; the rocky portal leading to Stokes Bay; and the superb swimming and fishing at Snelling Beach. Parts of this region were hit hard by the bushfires, but much of the north-coast, especially the eastern end, is now accessible.

Snellings View, where I was a guest, makes an excellent base from which to discover the delights of the North Coast’s stunning coastal scenery—or just hide away and relax. With magnificent views over Snellings beach and the surrounding farmland from the deck, the open-plan lounge/dining area and both double bedrooms, this luxurious getaway is fully self-contained. Photos from a book produced by the owners show that the bushfires burned right up to the deck.

“I was wearing my mother’s engagement ring and a ring belonging to my late sister that day.  My other jewellery and belongings were obliterated in the fire,” Priscilla, a north-coast local told me, describing the devastating losses the day that she and her partner lost their home.  

“A year later, I’m still discovering things I didn’t realise were gone, and I feel the loss all over again. Luckily I had uploaded a lot of photos to Facebook because my hard drive and backup were destroyed.” The displacement of living in temporary accommodation without a permanent home to which they can return isn’t easy either.

Priscilla and her partner are now rebuilding, but the process is hampered by the logistics of living on an island. Returning to normal life is still a long way off but the support of the KI community, all of whom have been affected in some way by the fires, has been invaluable.

The South Coast

The South Coast road is known for its nature- and adventure-based attractions.  Although the fire reached the sea here, the stunning colours, white sandy beaches and rock pools of Vivonne Bay make it easy to see why this beach was declared  best in the world in 2003, and is arguably KI’s best beach location.  Spend a day swimming, surfing, snorkelling, fishing, hiking or canoeing the Harriet River which meets the sea at the bay.

Nearby is Little Sahara, a coastal dune system popular for sandboarding and tobogganing. Sand buggies, quad bikes or fat bikes are also on offer by tour companies, with guided walking tours and kayaking also available.

Further east, the Seal Bay Conservation Park’s Australian sea lion colony can be observed from the Visitor Centre viewing platforms. Take a self-guided boardwalk tour, or get even closer on a guided tour.

Flinders Chase National Park

From American River, we took the 105 kilometre (66 mi) drive south-west to the Flinders Chase National Park entrance, taking about 75 minutes. En route, the fire damage became progressively worse until we reached the Bunker Hill lookout mentioned above, where the worst effects of the fire can be seen.

In the far south-west at Cape du Couedic, the low coastal vegetation is intact, a stark contrast with other coastal sections of the park now blackened and burnt.  The Kangaroo Island Wilderness Trail, a five day trek passing through here, was badly damaged by the fires, but a modified version is now open. It is a rare opportunity to see bushland regeneration firsthand and view open landscapes not previously visible when covered by dense vegetation. Guided bushfire tours are also available.

Seals and other Wildlife

From the cape, a boardwalk descends into the cavernous Admirals Arch, a haven for the 7,000-strong long-nosed fur seal (Arctocephalus forsteri) colony living and breeding on the cape and Casuarina islets.  By the 1880s, fur seals had been hunted almost to extinction for their thick, water repellent pelts.  From 1900, various levels of protection have applied to the islets, and now the Western Kangaroo Island Marine Parks protect the waters these seals call home.

Wildlife is returning to the bushfire zone, although much of the habitat they relied on for food and shelter was destroyed. Rosenberg’s goanna (Varanus rosenbergi), a large monitor lizard, and the KI subspecies of short-beaked echidna (Tachyglossus aculeatus multiaculeatus) are able to bury themselves underground during bushfires in order to survive.

Weirs Cove

KI’s treacherous coastline and unpredictable waters have been responsible for over 80 shipwrecks. After lighthouses were built at Cape Willoughby and Cape Borda, the Cape du Couedic lighthouse was completed in 1909 after five ships and 79 lives were lost in the surrounding waters. Before road access to the cape, all lighthouse supplies—and visitors—were hoisted from the nearby Weirs Cove landing up a 92 metre (300 ft) high sheer cliff face to the settlement via a primitive “flying fox” winching system made of pulleys and ropes.

Remarkable Rocks

Ironically, no vegetation obscures the park’s most well known feature—the Remarkable Rocks—thanks to the bushfires. The tumbling pile of fractured granite blocks, weathered over millennia, sits on a large dome of exposed granite above a sheer cliff, clearly visible from Weirs Cove and the coast-hugging road. A coating of bright orange lichen renders some of the rocks even more bizarre. 

Featuring in films such as “Napoleon” (1995), and “The December Boys” (2007), the rocks have also starred in countless home movies and social media posts. Many visitors have their photo taken under the “Turtle Beak”, a piece of hollowed-out rock shaped like a hooked finger dangling above the rocky base.  Exploring the odd shapes and textures of the rocks can take a while if you’ve got a camera, and watching other people exploring the rocks can take even longer.

Although these were the only park attractions open to the public during our stay, I wasn’t disappointed.  Seeing the park’s recovery firsthand replaced the despair I had felt when watching the horrifying blaze on the news night after night.  I’m already looking forward to returning once more attractions have reopened.

Come to Kangaroo Island

Indisputably, the close-knit KI community is known for its resilience and courage, and for working together to preserve and protect the island they love.  After seeing the beauty that remains and regeneration in the bushfire zone, it is even more apparent that this island is a special place. 

While full recovery may take many more years, don’t leave it too long to experience its wonders.  Kangaroo Island’s attractions await!

Want MORE?

• More about Kangaroo Island HERE
• More about the Fleurieu Peninsula HERE
• The original version of this article first appeared in GlobeRovers Magazine July 2021. For more interesting travel stories check out GlobeRovers HERE.

Pin it for Later!

The post Beauty and Bushfires: Exploring Kangaroo Island, South Australia appeared first on Australia by Red Nomad OZ.

The serrated peaks of the Flinders Ranges zig-zag dramatically across the skyline – the unmistakeable silhouette of a 430 km (265 miles) line of mountain ranges that jumps from a standing start right out of the vast outback plain. Blindfold me and drop me in the middle of it and I’ll know EXACTLY where I am.

Praise be I’m in South Australia, so I’ve pretty much got that killer landscape all to myself!

St Mary’s Peak, 1171 metres (3842 ft) above sea level and highest point, is pretty low by world standards. But from the plains below, it soars to the apex of a 17 km (10.5 mile) stretch of jagged pinnacles forming the outer rim of Wilpena Pound, best known attraction in the Flinders Ranges.

Cars on the road below, dwarfed by these ancient landforms eroded over millenia to a fraction of their original size, will rust into oblivion before these timeless ranges turn to dust.

Yes, channelling my inner philosopher while travelling the folds and faults of the Adelaide Geosyncline forming these ranges is WAY too easy!

It’s also WAY too easy to admire the staggering scenery, especially because there’s no amazing view that can’t be enhanced by an awesome scenic loo! IMHO. But even if you’re not an amenities admirer or dunny detective like me, it’s got enough mountains, gorges, historic sites, wildflowers, rock formations, lookouts, 4WD tracks and wildlife to keep you busy.

VERY busy.

SO … if you HAVEN’T been here, you’ll be wondering where to start, right?

DON’T PANIC! All you need to do is keep reading!

This 7 Day Flinders Ranges itinerary is mostly based in the Central Flinders Ranges, and Ikara-Flinders Ranges National Park.

That’s because I’m being gentle with you – after all, it’s your first time!

There are LOTS of Southern, Northern and Central Flinders Ranges things to do, but you can’t do everything in 7 days, right? So I’ve made it it easy for you with a week’s worth of some of my favourite activities and attractions in three great Flinders Ranges destinations.

You can thank me later.

Ready? GO!

HOW to get there:

Get started by driving to Quorn, 335 km (208 miles) north of Adelaide in the Southern Flinders Ranges. Pick whichever self-drive route from Adelaide which appeals to you the most.

• Route 1 – Food and Wine trail via Clare: drive 143 km (89 miles) to Clare (detour via the Barossa Valley on the way if you like), then 193 km (120 miles) to Quorn via Laura, Wirrabara and Wilmington.
• Route 2 – Country South Australia: drive 216 km (134 miles) to Jamestown via Clare, then 148 km (92 miles) to Quorn via Orroroo and Wilmington (detour into Alligator Gorge near Wilmington if you like). Yes, this way is a bit longer.
• Route 3 – Coastal Ports (tautology alert!) via Port Augusta: drive 306 km (190 miles) to Port Augusta via Port Wakefield, Port Pirie and Port Germein (add a few extra km for detours into the ports), then 41 km (25.5 miles)to Quorn.

Be WARNED: If you’re sightseeing along the way, getting to Quorn will take nearly a full day. To make the most of the Flinders Ranges, I suggest starting your trip a day early!

Choosing THINGS to DO:

Select from my lists of things to do in each destination. Attractions and activities are split into MUST DO – my suggested top picks; and MORE Things to DO – alternative/extra activities and attractions.

And for the most pleasurable places to do your business, look out for my *Scenic Loo alerts!

Days 1 and 2: Quorn and Southern Flinders Ranges

STAY: Quorn Caravan Park (Campground, Cabins). A range of other accommodation is available in and around Quorn including Motel, Hotel, Bed and Breakfast, Cottages and Air BnB

MUST DO in Quorn:

• Pichi Richi Railway – Half-day Steam Train tours leave from Quorn every weekend, so plan your trip accordingly and book ahead
• Dutchman’s Stern – Hike the 10.5 km (6.5 mile) loop to the Dutchman’s Stern summit for spectacular views over the ranges and Gulf and fantastic Southern Flinders scenery
• Buckaringa Gorge – Drive the ~80 km (50 miles) loop (some dirt roads) through classic Southern Flinders Ranges country and historic sites of interest to Buckaringa Gorge and Lookout

MORE Things to DO in Quorn:

• HIKES: Devils Peak (1.3 km return); Warren Gorge (5.2 km loop – *Scenic Loo alert!); Mt Brown Summit Hike (15 km loop); Mt Brown Hike (11.6 km)
• DRIVES: Alligator Gorge (via Wilmington – 55 km one way); Quorn/Port Augusta/Wilmington Loop (125 km loop, sealed roads)
• QUORN: Flinders Ranges Visitor Information Centre; Heritage Walk (4.7 km); Quorn Native Flora Reserve (2 short walks); Cafés

MORE about the Quorn Region:

• Pichi Richi Railway
• Dutchman’s Stern Climb
• Quorn, South Australia

Days 3, 4, 5 – Wilpena Pound and Flinders Ranges National Park

On Day 3 drive 67 km (41.5 miles) to Hawker.

MUST DO en route to Hawker/Wilpena Pound:

• Kanyaka Homestead and Death Rock – stop at these historic sites en route from Quorn to Hawker for insights into local colonial and indigenous heritage.
• Wilpena Panorama – View this amazing 360º painting at Hawker’s Jeff Morgan Gallery of the summit view from Flinders Ranges highest point St Marys Peak (see trail notes below)

From Hawker, drive 52 km (32 miles) to Wilpena Pound.

STAY: Rawnsley Park Station (Campground,Cabins, Units, Eco-Villas); or Wilpena Pound Resort (Campground, Standard and Deluxe Rooms, Safari Tents). Other options including Station Stays and campgrounds in Ikara-Flinders Ranges National Park are also available in the area.

MUST DO at Wilpena Pound:

• St Mary’s Peak – This strenuous hike (14.6 – 21.5 km (9-13.5 miles) depending on route taken) is a Flinders Ranges showpiece. But if you viewed the panorama in Hawker (see above), you already what’s to be seen from the summit! (ps I haven’t done this hike either).
• Wilkawillina Gorge – Drive the 34 km (mostly dirt) past the Bunkers. The gorge hike is 11.4 km (7 miles) one way – even if you don’t do the whole walk, the scenery is spectacular.

• Brachina Gorge – drive about 50 km (31 miles, mostly dirt) via the Bunyeroo Valley and Gorge then along Brachina Gorge’s Geological Time Tunnel with interpretive signs and lookouts, walks and classic outback scenery. Return the same way, or via the ABC range and main road. (*Scenic Loo alert!)
• Hucks and Stokes Hill Lookouts – 10 and 13 km (6.2 and 8 miles) from Wilpena Pound. Visit them en route to Wilkawillina or Blinman.
• Bridle Gap – Part of the Heysen Trail, this 18.8 km return hike crosses the Pound and offers great views from the Bumbinyunna Range on the other side. Much of the hike is flat and easy going and is an alternative to the much more difficult St Mary’s Peak trail.

MORE Things to DO at Wilpena Pound:

This is just a sampler of alternative activities – ask for more details at your accommodation.

• HIKES: Hills Homestead (6.6 km); Wangara Lookout (7.8 km – incl Hills Homestead); Ferntree Falls (5.2 km); Pines Cave (5.4); Rawnsley Bluff (12.6 km)
• HERITAGE: Old Wilpena Station, Sacred Canyon
• DRIVE: Arkapena Track for Scenery and Lookouts, Moralana Scenic Drive
• RIDE: Scenic Flights; Willow Springs Skytrek 4WD (self-drive and escorted tours); Mountain Biking on Mawson Trail

MORE from the Central Flinders Ranges:

• Kanyaka Historic Site
• St Marys Peak
• Wilkawillina Gorge Hike
• Bridle Gap Hike
• Bunyeroo and Brachina Gorges

Days 6 and 7 – Blinman and Angorichina

On Day 6 drive 59 km (36.5 miles) north to Blinman.

MUST DO en route to Blinman:

• Hucks and Stokes Hill Lookouts – stop if you haven’t already seen these (see above)
• Perawurtina Cultural Heritage Site – Adnyamathanha rock paintings and engravings
• Mt Emily and the Great Wall of China – Interesting rocky outcrops, and yet another Great Wall – this one Flinders Ranges Style!

MUST DO at Blinman:

• Blinman Underground Experience – the Blinman Mines Tour comes with a Sound & Light show, expert local commentary and a fascinating dose of the area’s mining and social history

Drive 14 km (8.7 miles) from Blinman to Angorichina Village.

STAY: Angorichina Tourist Village (Campground, Cabins and *Scenic Loo alert!). Alternatively, there’s a range of accommodation in Blinman including Hotel, Cottages, Station Stays

MUST DO at Angorichina:

• Blinman Pools Hike – Follow Parachilna and Blinman Creeks through sheer cliff faces, gorges and rocky creek beds for 10 km (return) to 1^st pool, then 1 km (return) to 2^nd pool.
• Glass Gorge – A 43 km loop via Blinman through the picturesque Glass Gorge
• Nuccaleena Historic Mine Site – add another 34 km onto the Glass Gorge loop and visit this remote mine. This leg is 4WD on rough, rugged roads and station tracks.

MORE Things to DO at Angorichina:

• HIKE: Heysen Trail – this 1200 km (745 mile) hike starts in Parachilna Gorge. You won’t have time to walk the whole trail (!), but take a 6 km return hike into the Gorge along the track to experience this part of the ranges
• RIDE: Mountain Biking, 4WD tours
• BLINMAN: Blinman Walking Trail (3.5 km); Cafes and Gallery, Mine Office

MORE about Blinman and Angorichina

• Things to do in Angorichina and Blinman
• Heysen Trail

More Adventures

So … now your 7 days are up and it’s time to go. But the adventure isn’t over yet.

Return to Adelaide by driving 18 km through Parachilna Gorge to Parachilna (*Scenic Loo alert!)for a Feral Mixed Grill and a Fargher Lager!

A great end to a great week.

But the good news is that if you’re not yet ready to end your holiday, you can check out the things to do in Port Augusta on your way back!!

Flinders Ranges Fast Facts:

• WHAT: The Flinders Ranges is a 430 km long region of mountain ranges in the South Australian Outback. It includes the Ikara-Flinders Ranges National Park; Vulkathanha-Gammon Ranges National Park, Mt Remarkable National Park, several Conservation Parks, many natural attractions and numerous sites of historic and cultural significance.
• WHERE: The Flinders Ranges are north of Adelaide. From Adelaide, it’s 335 km (208 miles) to Quorn, 400 km (248 miles) to Hawker and 508 km (315 miles) to Blinman.
• WHEN: The best time to go is from April to October. Temperatures in the hotter months of November to March can range from 30º – 45º C (86-113 F)
• DRIVING: Self-drive is the easiest way to get around. PLEASE NOTE: some of the roads and trails described in this post require 4WD or high clearance. Please check road conditions and vehicle suitability before you drive.
• FACILITIES:  Meals, groceries and other supplies are available in smaller centres such as Wilpena Pound Resort, Rawnsley Park Station, Blinman and Angorichina Tourist Village. Fuel is available at Quorn, Hawker, Wilpena Pound, Angorichina Tourist Village and Parachilna.

Want MORE?

• Flinders Ranges Visitor Information Centre 

The post 7 Days in the Flinders Ranges, South Australia – A Beginners Guide appeared first on Australia by Red Nomad OZ.

He probably wasn’t an axe murderer.

I mean, skidding into the carpark in a cloud of dust, ‘Uptown Girl’ blaring from the stereo, and parking well away from the only other car in the car park?

Despite my lack of hands-on experience with axe murderers, I was pretty sure this wasn’t archetypal behaviour.

Was it?

But through the clouds of red dust partially obscuring our view of the intruder from our vantage point half way up Wild Dog Hill, I couldn’t help wondering.

Was it just a coincidence that he’d arrived here in the wilds of the otherwise deserted Whyalla Conservation Park car park right after we did??

And apart from listening to an outdated, albeit entertaining, 80’s play list (by now BJ had switched to ‘Call Me’), he wasn’t doing ANY of the things on the Whyalla Conservation Park attractions checklist.

The longer we watched the longer the list of things he WASN’T doing got. More specifically, as Blondie switched to ‘Funky Town’, he wasn’t:

• having a picnic OR

  

• drinking (alcohol or otherwise);
• hunting the elusive Western Grasswren, OR
• trying to spot any other (feathered) birds;
• taking photos;
• checking out the rock formations;
• walking the track around the base of Wild Dog Hill OR
• hiking the 1.5 km loop trail to the summit of Wild Dog Hill;
• reading the interpretive signs about arid land plant adaptation OR
• admiring the diversity of sometimes rare arid land plants in the park; OR
• just looking for wildflowers and rare lichens OR
• Western Myall and Bluebush spotting (Note: sightings of both these arid land plant species in the Whyalla Conservation Park is what’s known as a ‘sure thing’)

Which pretty much covered off on the Park’s ‘Main Attractions’ list!

He also wasn’t

• waiting for anyone.

Other than a possible imaginary friend. Because although he changed into a different T shirt shortly after arriving, no one else showed up.

Which, according to the axe-murderer avoidance manual, was probably a good thing.

Because being the only witnesses to a drug drop or illicit liaison mostly isn’t a story that ends well.

Especially so if you use the ‘I-didn’t-see-a-thing-I-really-only-used-these-binoculars-around-my-neck-for-bird-watching-not-to-watch-you-no-really’ defence.

Only 10 km north of – yes, you guessed right – Whyalla, on South Australia’s Eyre Peninsula, the dirt track from the main road through the 2000 hectare Whyalla Conservation Park leads through a landscape lifted straight from the remote Outback.

That means the public loo in the picnic area, a few kilometres over a rough, rocky road from the main entrance, simulates a remote Outback dunny almost exactly.

So even though Iron Triangle town Whyalla isn’t that far away AND you can see the coast from the expansive 360° view at the top of Wild Dog Hill, the (mostly) trackless arid landscape makes an outstanding Outback outhouse setting.

Plonk an alien (or clueless tourist) down there and they’d think they’d landed on Mars.

But despite its impressive credentials, our carpark companion hadn’t driven all the way out here to visit the loo either.

Because by the time we reached Wild Dog Hill’s summit and Pseudo Echo had switched to (strangely appropriate) 500 Miles, I could see he also wasn’t:

• scenic-loo-spotting OR
• scenic-loo-using.

No, my psychic powers hadn’t turned hyperactive. The only track I could see leading through the scrub from the picnic area was the path to the dunny, and he wasn’t on it.

Besides, the Proclaimers had switched to ‘Reckless’ and if I could hear it from way up on Wild Dog Hill, then it must have been dynamite right next to the car. He sure wasn’t leaving THAT excitement just to take a pee! Or to do anything else other than wander aimlessly around in the scrub near the parking area.

But maybe.  Just maybe he’d seen the empty car and figured we’d return sooner or later. And that’s when he’d make his move!

Australian Crawl faded away behind us as the track led down the other side of Wild Dog Hill and around its base en route to the scenic loo.

And back to the car – tyres un-slashed, windscreen unbroken, locks intact. And ‘All Out of Love’ – possibly the most inoffensive, innocuous, insipid 80’s song EVER echoing through the car park.

It seems our conservation park comrade also wasn’t:

• otherwise indulging in axe-murderish behaviour OR
• interested in us AT ALL.

So OK.

If you’re thinking I’m showing the signs of early-onset (or perhaps advanced) paranoia, just remember that no one thought Wolf Creek was sinister either until the movie!

But as we drove the 65 km back to our campsite in Port Augusta I developed a working theory.

The Whyalla Conservation Park is no Wolf Creek (see link below) but if anything DID happen out there amidst the bluebush and western myall trees, there’d be no one to hear you scream.

Although listening to a few eighties hits might be pleasantly nostalgic, a prolonged overdose in a confined space could easily bring on a screaming fit.

Or worse.

So what’s a not-so-sinister-somebody hanging out for an eighties-music-hit who’s lives in a zero-tolerance household to do?

Yep, you got it.

Want MORE?

• Whyalla Conservation Park
• Things to do in Port Augusta
• MORE Australian Scenic Public Loos
• Wolf Creek

The post Amenities, Attractions and Axe Murderers at Whyalla Conservation Park, South Australia appeared first on Australia by Red Nomad OZ.

The Dutchman’s Stern Hike

‘Visit the Crazy Horse – but not on Monday’ the log book entry read.

Why, with the magnificent 360° panorama from the summit of the Dutchman’s Stern hike surrounding them, would two German hikers be reminded of an Adelaide nightclub 300 kilometres away? (Note to self – what IS the Monday deal at the Crazy Horse, anyway??)

Good question.

Did they have ANYTHING in common?

Surprisingly, YES.

The Dutchman’s Stern has dominated its small Conservation Park only marginally longer than the Crazy Horse has dominated the west end of Adelaide’s Hindley Street.

And that’s the only connection I can find between the two!!

When I first climbed the Dutchman’s Stern in 2010, reading the summit log book was almost worth the effort of completing the 10.5 km circuit. A pot-pourri of names, dates, weather reports, wildlife sightings, and surprisingly high number of countries of origin was supplemented by a range of comments both comical and asinine.  I’ll let you decide into which category the one above falls!

But disappointingly, 7 years later on my 2nd ascent, the log book comments had lost that edgy zing. You know, the one that made you wonder what a hiker was thinking to record the exact time it’d taken to reach the summit.  I mean, I could just write in a random time too, right?

In fact, the log book made for such dull reading, I was forced to admire the view instead.  The endless panorama of rolling mountains, rocks and totally deadly-looking roads was a LOT more gripping than the log book.  And it’s not every day you see a couple of Wedge-tailed Eagles somersaulting through the air at eye level.  Photos?  Sorry, no.  Too busy watching. You’ll just have to make the climb and see them for yourself!

But even back in 2010 a log book full of intriguing oddities wasn’t enough to detract from the jaw-dropping view.  It’s almost a complete 360º.  From the west, there’s Port Augusta and the top of Spencer Gulf; Devil’s Peak, Mt Brown and the Richman Valley further south; Quorn (nearest town) and Wilpena Pound, the Elder and Yappala Ranges to the north.

Apparently, both times we attempted the Dutchman’s Stern Hike we got lucky – according to the log book the view has been blocked by fog more than once! I would have been seriously peeved to climb steadily for 4.2 km to see NOTHING!

Especially when if you CAN see something, it’s such a spectacular, stupendous something!!

The medium-grade hike to the 820m high Dutchman’s Stern summit isn’t so much difficult as lengthy.

Unsurprisingly for a hike up a mountain, it’s a relentless 4.2 km climb to the summit.  And if I say it’s not a hard walk, you can depend upon it – I’ve got a well-documented aversion to excessive energy expenditure!

But it would’ve been too embarrassing to record the exact length of time it took to reach the summit in the log book.

So no one will EVER know how long it took us – either in 2010 or in 2017!

Let’s just say it’d take some doing to knock me off my ‘world’s slowest hiker’ pedestal!

On our first ascent, Pilchard and I meandered the ever upwardly zig-zagging trail through low grassland, purple with introduced weed Salvation Jane (Echium plantagineum) and dotted with the endemic Quorn Wattle (Acacia quornensis).

Although the 2017 climb followed the same route, it was too early for those flowers, but we got a LOT of grass trees instead.

And a LOT of kangaroos in the grasslands.

I’m not sure what’s better!

The trail then passes through Sugar Gum woodland, before reaching the spring wildflower extravaganza (still flowering in October 2010) of the heathland.

Finally, it rises through the more sparsely vegetated rocky outcrops towards the summit.

And although there weren’t quite as many wildflowers on our June 2017 climb, there WERE lots of grass trees, along with bright red Heath and a few small pink orchids.  Apart from a few landslips, the track was almost exactly as we remembered.  And it was nice to know that the passage of 7 years hadn’t slowed us down.

Much.

Even the scary bit (if walking a dodgy narrow track along a steep hillside with the ever-present danger of plunging down a gorge gives you the cold shivers like it does me) was still doable – just as well, because it’d be a long way back round the other way if I’d lost my nerve.

After climbing the 4.2 km to the summit and sighting the resident Peregrine Falcon – no sign of the eagles in 2010 – we chose the longer 10.5 km loop for our return.

Take the shorter 8.4km return route if you don’t mind retracing your steps.  The 6.3 km return route we selected passes  through Drooping Sheoak and Sugar Gum woodlands into the steep, scary, scree-lined slopes of Stony Creek gorge before returning to the trail head.

And if birding’s your thing, Chestnut-rumped Heathwren’s (subspecies pedleri) appearance ALMOST made up for the Gilbert’s Whistler absence in 2010 – but we went one better in 2017 and saw them both.

Just between us though, choosing between a summit view free of fog and a rare bird sighting is a no brainer.  I’d go for the view any day!

Just don’t tell birdo Pilchard!!

This post about the Dutchman’s Stern Hike first appeared on my blog in 2010 after our first ascent.   In 2017 we climbed it again so I’ve updated and re-posted the original to include updated information along with our most recent experience. AND new photos!

The Dutchman’s Stern Hike, just one of several walks in this former pastoral lease and also intersected by the Heysen trail, is an awesome way to experience this part of the Flinders Ranges.  It was just as good the second time around 7 years later.  Check it out!

Want MORE?

• Dutchman’s Stern Conservation Park Website
• Dutchman’s Stern Hike and Conservation Park Brochure (PDF Download)
• Flinders Ranges Visitor Information Centre, South Australia
• MORE RedzAustralia Hiking Adventures
• MORE Flinders Ranges Photos on Flickr HERE

The post The Dutchman’s Stern Hike! Southern Flinders Ranges, South Australia appeared first on Australia by Red Nomad OZ.

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.

The Limestone Coast is WAY too big for one blog post – that’s why you’ll find Part One of my Limestone Coast Beginners Guide HERE!

In Part One, there’s 6 SUPER cool natural Limestone Coast attractions close to Mount Gambier – best place for the amazing volcanic activity that helped make the region what it is today!

In Part Two (below) I’ve got 6 RED HOT Limestone Coast things to do along the coast, in the Southern Ports Highway towns Beachport and Robe, and further south in the Southern Rock Lobster capital and largest lobster fleet of Australia – Port MacDonnell, my personal favourite!

So if you’re ready for wild and rugged coastline; amazing sunsets; heritage trails and hikes; endless deserted beaches; bizarre rock formations; scenic drives; and some AWESOME lighthouses, you’ve come to the right spot!

Just sit back, relax and discover 6 MORE wonderful Limestone Coast attractions!

1 South OZ’s Southernmost Point

Cape Northumberland‘s rugged rocks and sensational scenery, with nothing between you and Antarctica except 5700 km (that’s a LOT of miles!) of Great Southern Ocean is as far south as is possible in South Australia!

By day, explore the Heritage and Nature Park for eroded rocks in fantastic shapes; magnificent coastal scenery north to Cape Douglas and south to Port MacDonnell; and a short walk to the site of the old lighthouse – it’s REALLY obvious why it was moved back up behind the point!

The shape of the Cape is perfect for watching sunrise (so they tell me), but I caught a killer sunset over the sea instead! After sunset, wait on the viewing platform until it’s dark for the Little Penguins (Eudyptula Minor) – only penguin to breed in Australia – to come home from eating their body weight in fish.

You’ll even get to see them if you’re smart enough to bring a torch or spotlight that actually works – like we didn’t!!

Cape Northumberland is a great place to explore – take the drive north along the coast to Finger Point for beaches, surf breaks, part of the Admella Shipwreck Trail (see below) and a lookout back to Mount Gambier. There’s even a signboard with the bizarre story of how this rugged part of the coastline became a firing range!

2 Do a Lighthouse Crawl

There’s a LOT of shipwreck sites along the Limestone coast so it’s no wonder there’s also a high concentration of lighthouses!

Start at Cape Northumberland (see #1). One of the noticeboards tells the tragic tale of Ben Germein, Cape Northumberland’s first Lighthouse Keeper, and don’t miss the walking trail I mentioned above!

A little further north, the Cape Banks (named for botanist Joseph Banks) Lighthouse near Carpenter Rocks at the southern end of Canunda National Park is such a toxic shade of orange it hurt my eyes. It’s also part of the Admella Discovery Trail (see below) and the coastal scenery is stunning.

Then it’s 45 minutes or so to Beachport at the northern end of Rivoli Bay – walk up to the lighthouse overlooking Cape Martin and Penguin Island or view it from several vantage points along the Bowman Scenic Drive (see below).

Robe, about half an hour further north on Guichen Bay, has a VERY modern lighthouse on a VERY rugged stretch of coast with another 30 shipwrecks. But it’s overshadowed somewhat by the VERY distinctive Cape Dombey Obelisk! The Obelisk was used to store rockets – essential for getting life lines to ships wrecked in the bay.

Head north and go right past the Cape Jaffa turnoff, because the Cape Jaffa Lighthouse is now at Kingston SE! It’s a distinctive and decorative little lighthouse on the esplanade amidst the houses and holiday shacks and it’s open during school holidays!

The next lighthouse is 183 km further north at Point Malcolm, near Narrung on the cusp of Lake Albert and Lake Alexandrina. Technically, it’s not on the Limestone Coast, but it IS the Southern Hemisphere’s only inland lighthouse!

(BONUS: Read more about the Narrung lighthouse and other notable South Australian Lighthouses HERE!)

3 Walk the Shipwreck Coast at Robe

The Limestone coast is wild and rugged! A walk in high winds with lashings of rain really adds to the atmosphere, the coast is STILL wild and rugged even when it’s fine! But there’s more than rugged rocks to see along the coast and Robe has one of the BEST selections of walks.

There’s an excellent hiking trail from the Breakwater to the Obelisk at Cape Dombey, then along the cliffs – there’s the lighthouse, water-sculpted rocks out to sea, the Blowhole and the old Gaol Ruins.

From the Robe marina, follow the coast track past Town Beach and along the cliffs to Fox’s Beach and the Outlet. Or take a walk out the back of Robe to Beacon Hill Lookout for a panoramic view over the town.

For a change of pace, head out of town to Little Dip Conservation Park and take a walk all the way around Freshwater Lake, with different woodland habitats and beautiful spring wildflowers. And snakes … even though I didn’t see any on this trip

4 Drive the Limestone Coast!

Follow the Admella Discovery Trail‘s 21 markers that tell the sad story of the SS Admella, wrecked off Carpenter Rocks in 1859 with 89 deaths. But it’s not just a tale of South Australia’s worst maritime disaster, the 130 km (~80 miles) self-drive tour is a great way to discover lots of Limestone Coast attractions!

For a cool coast experience without the history lesson, take the Bowman Scenic Drive from Beachport. What’s NOT to love about this awesome drive with lookouts, surf and fishing beaches, blowholes, rock formations and the Pool of Siloam – 7 times saltier than the sea?

PS There’s a cool Scenic Loo there too!!

5 Explore the Coorong

It’s about 130 km (~80 miles) from one end of the Coorong to the other – making it Australia’s longest, thinnest National Park! If you’re travelling to or from Adelaide, leave enough time to stop and take a look because it’s one of the more unusual Limestone Coast attractions, or make an early start if you’re planning a day trip!

The string of salt lakes separated from the ocean by the massive dunes of the Younghusband Peninsula is formed by the Murray-Darling – Australia’s biggest river system – as it flows into Lakes Alexandrina and Albert before reaching the sea up the coast at Goolwa.

The Princes Highway runs alongside the Coorong between Kingston SE and Meningie at the northern end. Other than the natural attractions there’s the Heart of the Coorong Roadhouse at Salt Creek where signs and leftover machinery mark Australia’s first oil exploration site with some interesting facts about the area. Take the walk from the roadhouse, or drive the coastal loop for more historic remains and to see the waterways and dunes up close.

Drive through to the sea from 42 mile crossing – walk the last part if you’re not in a 4WD – or via a couple of other 4WD only crossing points. Take the track in to Jack Point to see one of Australia’s largest Pelican breeding grounds. Find a quiet spot for fishing – Coorong Mullet is a South Australian delicacy – but if you’re out of luck, head back to the Roadhouse for a Coorong Mullet burger!

(BONUS: Read about the Little Loo the Government Forgot at Salt Creek HERE!)

6 A Day at the Beach

Limestone Coast attractions include so many beaches choosing just one could be tricky! So visit a few from my selected favourites – or discover your own!

For deserted beaches choose anywhere between the amazing stretch of deserted beach behind the coast car park at Piccaninnie Ponds (see Part 1), the collection of holiday shacks and a Scenic Loo at another long stretch of deserted beach at Brown’s Bay, the Port MacDonnell safe swimming beach protected by the breakwater, and several surfing and swimming beaches en route to Finger Point north of Cape Northumberland.

For wild and windswept, try anything in Canunda National Park (see Part 1) north of Carpenter Rocks, or play it safe at Southend‘s spectacular protected swimming beach where the national park ends.

For a dash of danger, head to the other end of Rivoli Bay, where Beachport’s Bowman Scenic Drive beaches have jagged rocks and undertows – but are perfect for fishing, especially at the Salmon Hole!

For a popular holiday spot, take the coast road from Beachport and Robe and stop at Nora Creina beach. Further north, Kingston SE‘s beaches on Lacepede Bay are perfect for swimming and fishing, and for a cool beach 4WD experience, head 20 km north of Kingston for a LONG stretch of beach at the Granites, a random collection of boulders!

There are a LOT more Limestone Coast Attractions – like wineries; parks and reserves; historic buildings and museums; bird- and wildlife watching; and dining experiences – but we’re out of time! And that’s the fun of exploring, anyway – visit my 12 Limestone Coast attractions and I’ll guarantee you’ll discover more regional delights that’ll make it even more special for YOU!

Limestone Coast FAST FACTS:

WHERE: South East South Australia, from Meningie and the Coorong National Park at its northern tip to Port MacDonnell in the south. Mount Gambier is the largest centre.

HOW to get there: Self-drive from Adelaide to Mount Gambier (~450 km); or Melbourne to Mount Gambier (~450-550 km) – distances vary depending on route taken. Coach from Adelaide or Melbourne. Fly from Adelaide or Melbourne. Hire cars available.

WHEN: All year round. Average maximum temperatures range from 14°C in winter to 30°C in summer.

WHERE to stay: There’s a range of accommodation throughout the Limestone Coast – campgrounds, caravan parks, motels, apartments, B&Bs etc. We stayed in Mount Gambier, Port MacDonnell and Robe which were central to the attractions we wanted to see.

Want MORE?

• The Ultimate Beginners Guide to the Limestone Coast – Part One
• Limestone Coast, South Australia
• More Limestone Coast Photos on Flickr HERE

The post The Ultimate Beginners Guide to Limestone Coast Attractions – Part Two! appeared first on Australia by Red Nomad OZ.

Wild rocky coastline littered with lighthouses and shipwrecks; dormant volcanoes, jewel-like caves and craters; oddly coloured lakes, mysterious pools and deep sinkholes; long, deserted beaches full of fishing spots, surf breaks and secluded bays; spectacular coastal scenery and the Southern Rock Lobster Capital of Australia – if not, the WORLD!

And not many travellers even know it’s there!

It’s South Australia’s SUPER Cool Limestone Coast and it’s a nature-lovers paradise; an unspoilt scenic sensation and an awesome outdoor adventureland.

It’s so cool, it’s HOT!

But with so much to see and do, how does a Limestone Coast beginner know where to start?

Take my two-part beginners guide and I’ll show enough RED HOT Limestone Coast things to do that’ll keep you busy for at least a week.

In Part One (just keep on reading below) I’ll show you 6 amazing things to do mostly around Mount Gambier and the southern end of the Limestone Coast (see the fast facts at the end of the post). And in Part Two (take the link below!) we’ll see more of the coast and head further north.

But for now relax, grab a drink and discover some awesome Limestone Coast things to do!

1 Go Caving!

The hardest part of going underground on the Limestone Coast is choosing which of its 800 cool caves to explore first! They’re all part of the Kanawinka Geopark – the remnants of volcanic activity in the dim, distant past – at least I hope so!

Not all the caves are accessible though, so here are FOUR (entry fees apply) to get you started!

Take a 45 minute guided tour of the Engelbrecht Cave system right underneath Mount Gambier – if you do, then tell me what it’s like! I didn’t have time to take the tour myself on this visit!

Then head north along the Princes Highway towards Millicent for a self-guided tour of the Tantanoola Cave and its spectacular formations

If I hadn’t already seen the awesome Marsupial Lion at the World Heritage listed Naracoorte Caves on a guided tour – which included a trip to the Bat Cave – from Wonambi Fossil Centre just out of Naracoorte, it would have been first on my list.

But instead, I crossed the border into Victoria to take a 45 minute tour 14 metres underground into the fantastic

otherworldly splendour of the Princess Margaret Rose Cave, named for Princess Margaret by a woman born on the same day! There’s a superb range of veil and wedding cake formations, stalactites, stalagmites, helictites – and even a newish stalagmite the same age as me!

But I’ll leave you to visit the caves yourself if you want to find out how old it is – and I am!

Above ground, the Lower Glenelg National Park surrounding the cave complex is pretty awesome too with a picnic and campground, walks and a lookout over the Glenelg River.

For a great day out, take a return 3½ hour cruise up the river from Nelson to the cave for the tour (PS – there’s a LOT to do at Nelson, too)!

(BONUS: Read about my Naracoorte Caves adventure HERE!)

This killer cave collection has something for everyone! That’s if you’re not claustrophobic, afraid of dark, enclosed spaces or bats, or full of pointless fears about that unsupported roof right above you crashing down!!

2 See Scenic Sinkholes!

Ever wondered if the roof of a cave could ever collapse? Check out EXACTLY what happens at FOUR of the Limestone Coast’s biggest Sinkholes (all with FREE entry)!

Every night, the FREE sound and light show in Mount Gambier’s Cave Garden fires up the caverns as well as giving the indigenous history of the area – it’s an awesome view from the lookouts suspended high above the sinkhole.

By day, it’s good, but not as impressive as the Umpherston Sinkhole Gardens, a magical below-ground-level open-air experience where the rugged limestone walls are hidden behind a beautiful garden.

But sinkholes are more impressive in the wild – if you can find Caroline Sinkhole in Penambol Conservation Park just out of Mt Gambier, you’ll see what these massive circular depressions actually look like in their natural state. The above-ground walking trail from the car park through the forest is pretty too!

It’s even harder to find Hells Hole – apparently the sign keeps getting pinched! I get that – it’d probably look cool at the front gate or in the garden!! Hells Hole is at the end of a pleasant walk through the pine forest, and a scary suspended walkway 30 metres above the water level, with a sign telling (omigod-you’ve-got-to-be-kidding) divers to close the gate behind them!

I SO didn’t bother getting a diving permit

3 Experience Life on the Ponds

A much smaller (but WAY more picturesque) version of the sinkholes are TWO limestone karst wetlands full of clear water freshly filtered through the limestone from the aquifer beneath.

The three ponds connected by Eight Mile Creek (and a walking track) that make up the Ewens Ponds Conservation Park are generally open for swimming, snorkelling and diving. It’s a pretty spot even without going in the water!

Permits are required for cave diving in the 110 metre deep ponds in the Piccaninnie Ponds Conservation Park, but the walking track through the coastal scrub, then along a magnificent stretch of beach to the Outlet Creek and boardwalk is a varied and interesting hike.

4 Look out for the Lakes!

It’s pretty hard to miss Mount Gambier’s famous four Crater Lakes (all with FREE activities) – especially from the vantage point of Centenary Tower (see last photo), a steep climb along the network of mountain bike and walking trails, lookouts and rest areas linking the Lakes to the Mount’s highest point.

It’s also got excellent views over Mount Gambier, South Australia’s 2nd largest city, and over to Mount Schank (see #6 below), an extinct volcano on the Kanawinka Geotrail, Australia’s biggest volcanic province. Then it’s all downhill – praise be!

The Leg of Mutton Lake was dry on our visit – but there’s a walking trail around it! In autumn, the deciduous trees once part of a nursery on the site make a fine display of colour.

Browne’s Lake was also dry on our visit, but can be seen from the road through the lake complex.

Have a picnic down at Valley Lake (yes, it’s down in the valley at the bottom of the crater) and take a walk through the Valley Lake Conservation Park. On our walk, we saw koalas, kangaroos, lizards, Cape Barren Geese, manic Blue Wrens – but thankfully no snakes! Barbecues and boat ramps make it easy to spend the whole day here.

The famous Blue Lake reaches its bluest blue from November to March – see it up close on an Aquifer tour (fees apply) down the old well shaft to the water level, or just admire it from the walk around the rim.

But for an even closer look at that famous blue water take a drive out along the Port MacDonnell road to Little Blue Lake. It’s a micro-mini version of its bigger, more famous buddy, but it’s actually got a swimming platform and rails so you can take a dip! For FREE!

5 Walk on the WILD Side at Canunda National Park

Take a 4WD drive along Canunda National Park‘s 40 km of rugged coastline between Southend and Carpenter Rocks and discover rocky cliffs, surfing breaks, sandstone formations, rock stacks beaches, fishing spots, massive dunes and camping spots.

No 4WD? No problem! Drive to Cape Buffon at the northern end of the park for walking tracks, lookout points and the beautiful beaches and bays of Southend. 2WD roads from Millicent and Carpenter Rocks give access to other areas of the park, including the toxic orange Cape Banks Lighthouse!

Yes, with FREE entry, this is one of the best places to see exactly why this stretch of the Limestone Coast is also known as the Shipwreck Coast!

6 Climb an Extinct Volcano!

Mount Schank and Mount Gambier (the mountain, not the city) were Australia’s most recent eruptions – recently enough to be recorded in the area’s Indigenous history. It’s also re-enacted on the big screen (for FREE) every day at the Main Corner Dress Circle in Mount Gambier (the city, not the mountain).

But without any eruptions in a VERY long time, Mount Schank is now considered extinct.  Let’s hope it stays that way!!

It’s also been a VERY long time since I climbed Mount Schank, about 15 km south of Mount Gambier. But not long enough to forget the awesome landscape all around this 158 metre high mountain – and the fantastic view below me in the crater.

Experience life in a volcano by continuing the walk around the rim and down a VERY steep trail into the crater!

(BONUS: Read about my other adventures on the Kanawinka GeoTrail HERE)

Like what you’ve seen so far?

Then go straight to Part Two of The Ultimate Beginners Guide to the Limestone Coast – Link BELOW!!

Limestone Coast FAST FACTS:

• WHERE: South East South Australia, from Meningie and the Coorong National Park at its northern tip to Port MacDonnell in the south. Mount Gambier is the largest centre.
• HOW to get there: Self-drive from Adelaide to Mount Gambier (~450 km); or Melbourne to Mount Gambier (~450-550 km) – distances vary depending on route taken. Coach from Adelaide or Melbourne. Fly from Adelaide or Melbourne. Hire cars available.
• WHEN: All year round. Average maximum temperatures range from 14°C in winter to 30°C in summer.
• WHERE to stay: There’s a range of accommodation throughout the Limestone Coast – campgrounds, caravan parks, motels, apartments, B&Bs etc.We stayed in Mount Gambier, Port MacDonnell and Robe which were central to the attractions we wanted to see.

Want MORE?

• Limestone Coast, South Australia
• Kanawinka Geopark and Geotrail
• More Limestone Coast Photos on Flickr HERE

The post The Ultimate Beginners Guide to the Limestone Coast – Part ONE appeared first on Australia by Red Nomad OZ.

Maybe Salt Creek’s just off the radar.

Or perhaps someone just forgot about it.

Or possibly there’s a proposal still in the pipeline.

Whatever the reason, Salt Creek has NO public amenities!

Which is weird, because from whichever way you approach it, this small settlement on the coast road (aka Princes Highway) between Adelaide and Mount Gambier giving access to the Limestone Coast is the perfect place to stop for a break.

It’s about 2 ½ hours drive south of Adelaide.

It’s about 2 ½ hours drive north of Mount Gambier.

And it’s just about the only place to stop along the section of the ‘Highway’ (either an overgenerous description or blatantly false advertising) that passes through the Coorong, longest, thinnest National Park in Australia. Or maybe anywhere!

That means even travellers with no plans to STAY in Salt Creek often stop to have a look. And Salt Creek, first oil exploration site in Australia and home of world exclusive mineral Coorongite, has enough facilities to make your stay – however long that may be – worthwhile.

It’s also gateway to The Coorong, a 150 km long waterway between the coastal dune system of the Younghusband Peninsula and the mainland, is a wildlife wonderland, fisherfolk paradise and 4WD Adventureland.

So why isn’t there a public loo at Salt Creek?

Taking a break from driving every 2 hours or so is a commonly accepted road safety strategy. So it makes sense that a government committed to reducing the road toll would factor that into their action plan.

Right?

And ensuring there are actually rest stops along Australia’s vast road network inviting enough for traveller to actually want to take those breaks every couple of hours is a logical progression.

Right??

And where does the average person head first when they stop after two or more hours on the road?

Yep, the loo.

Right??? Or is that just me?!

But that’s where Salt Creek’s Heart of the Coorong Roadhouse comes in.

Along with fuel and food – including the famous Coorong Mullet – it’s got accommodation and a campground. There are walking trails and a self-drive loop track that takes you on a tour past some historic sites and right up close to the Coorong itself.

And there’s a loo.

But tragically, although it’s at the recommended distance for a break, and despite government commitment to reducing the road toll by (in part) reminding travellers to take rest breaks and make rest stops every couple of hours, this particular loo isn’t publicly funded by ANY level of government.

SO … the cost of providing a loo at the most logical rest stop on the Coorong has been picked up by the Heart of the Coorong Roadhouse where owner Dove and his staff clean the loos; provide (and replenish) loo paper and hand towels; and arrange and pay for septic pumping (we’re not in the city here, folks).

What’s wrong with this picture?

Maybe it’s just expected that a small business in an out of the way settlement picks up the tab for underfunded government policy. That’s a big ask – especially when many travellers who stop don’t want anything except a dunny break, which puts Dove and the Heart of the Coorong Roadhouse out of pocket.

I’d like to think there’s a government department somewhere that IS responsible for a coordinated approach to to developing a national network of roadside rest stops and loos. I’d also like to think that instead of pushing the costs of maintaining a loo down to small business, they just forget about Salt Creek.

Yes, this might just be the little loo the government forgot.

But until it ‘remembers’, if you stop in Salt Creek to use the dunny, make a small donation to loo maintenance, or buy something – like fuel, or a drink; a magazine, or a postcard. Or a Coorong Mullet Burger!

That way the little loo the government forgot will be there next time you want to use it!

Want MORE?

• Heart of the Coorong Roadhouse, Salt Creek 
• Coorong National Park, South Australia
• Limestone Coast, South Australia
• MORE Limestone Coast Photos on Flickr HERE

Previous Post:  11 Photos; 9 Bloggers; ONE Awesome Rock!

NEXT Post:  The Ultimate Beginners Guide to the Limestone Coast – Part ONE

The post The Little Loo the Government Forgot! Salt Creek, South Australia appeared first on Australia by Red Nomad OZ.