To Lake Eyre | Over the lake | Around Wilpena Pound | North Flinders and return | Movies
Part 3: Around Wilpena Pound and Flinders Range National Park
Leaving Parachilna, we took a scenic drive into Brachina Gorge and down to Wilpena Pound in the Flinders Ranges. We stayed two nights at the pound, and climbed St Mary's Peak, which was quite an adventure since we took the less-travelled South Face route (and this was no small undertaking). Finally got back to base after a 22km walk, which was hard, but fun. On the last day, we took almost every side road and track into look-outs, historic sites, cultural sites, and more to absorb what we could. It was fabulous.
[click for larger images/more detail, including latitude, longitude, elevation]
The empty train heading north again (each day) |
Prairie Hotel signage was hard to miss! |
4WD'ing into Brachina Gorge, south of Parachilna |
Brachina Gorge |
Pip searching for rock wallabies... |
...whilst I photographed magnificent river red gums |
Looking south to Wilpena, at Two Gums Lookout |
More views of the Flinders Ranges, from the Bunyeroo Road trail |
At Wilpena Pound Resort (with other 4WD wannabees) |
On the epic trek to St Marys Peak |
Here we climbed for a while... |
...and here is where we almost turned back (it was hairy) |
Finally on top, after discovering that there was an easy route up |
Panoramic view south from St Marys Peak |
Looking north to the peak itself |
We found a new/old route through here... |
...and here is a view that we hope we never see again! |
In Wilpena Pound itself, walking back (22km) |
Finally on the Pound Gap Track heading back to base |
1280 solar cells provide 20-60% of Wilpena Pound Resort's power |
Walking back from solar cells to road |
Cazneaux Tree, first photographed in 1937 |
Our first gate! (enroute to Sacred Canyon) |
Sacred Canyon |
More of Sacred Canyon |
A meeting place for aboriginals for many centuries |
The rocks had a very different colour |
You can just make out the rock carvings... |
We kept walking up the gorge |
More aboriginal carvings |
Another type of rock, well-worn by water |
Tree bark on a river gum |
Count the emu chicks! |
Shingleback lizard |
Shingleback with very pink mouth and blue tongue! |
A relief map of the Flinders Range, and Wilpena |
To Lake Eyre | Over the lake | Around Wilpena Pound | North Flinders and return | Movies | itrundle.com © October 2010