Flinders Ranges
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Flinders Ranges

Difficulty: Trek rating 1 of 5 - Click for details   Suitable for: 4WD AWD Camper Bike 
The Flinders Ranges is semi-arid, harsh yet beautiful. There are many unique features here including gorges, ramparts and dry creekbeds.This is the region that Hans Heysen loved to paint and is a popular part of the Australian outback.
StartClick to Reverse the Dynamic Map and Driving NotesArkaroola Village
Trek
FinishPort Pirie
Distance498.42 kmMinimum Days2
Average Speed66.72 km/hrDriving Time7 hr 28 min
Article By: ExplorOz Team   Updated: 26 Feb 2008
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 Description

The Flinders Ranges stretches around 430kms from Port Pirie to Lake Callabonna and is South Australia’s largest mountain range. The ranges feature magnificent landscapes, rugged mountains, deep and spectacular gorges, creeks lined with River Red Gums and abundant wildlife.

The most characteristic landmark is Wilpena Pound which is a large sickle-shaped and naturally-made amphitheatre. It covers approximately 80 square kilometres and has the highest peak in the Flinders Ranges which is St Mary Peak at 1170 metres.

There are plenty of things to do in the Flinders, including: walking, cycling, horse-riding, bird watching and photography. Although driving in the ranges in a 4WD is great, a lot of the Flinders is easy for 2WD vehicles. There are also many half and full day tours to choose from and are widely available right across the region, including organisations that offer Aboriginal rock art tours and ancient fossil tours.

 Interactive Route Map

Arkaroola VillageThe PinnaclesOld Bolla Bollana SmeltersWealthy King MineTourmaline HillUmberatanaYankaninnaOwieandanaMount SerleCamel GapLeigh CreekBeltana RoadhouseRoute B83 & Nilpena Station AccessPrairie HotelBrachinaWonokaHookinaWild Dog GlenSimmonstonProbys GraveYarrah Vale GorgeQuornWillmington TerkaMelroseBangorPort Germein GorgeWyra WarraPort Pirie
Arkaroola Village
Arkaroola Village is the settlement and resort at the hub of a 61,000 hectare wilderness sanctuary in the Northern Flinders Ranges in South Australia, adjacent to Gammon Ranges National Park and the Mawson Plateau.
Features: Populated PlaceService Station,Roadhouse Caravan Park Fuel Water Supply Toilet Food,Shopping Resort,Motel Point of Interest
Position: 139.3362ºE   30.3119ºS (GDA 94)
Next Place: The Pinnacles
Distance: 4.58km
Average Speed: 22.04km/h
Features: Mountain,Peak,Hill
Position: 139.3065ºE   30.2969ºS (GDA 94)
Next Place: Old Bolla Bollana Smelters
Distance: 3.65km
Average Speed: 25.26km/h
Features: Point of Interest
Position: 139.2714ºE   30.2955ºS (GDA 94)
Next Place: Wealthy King Mine
Distance: 21.6km
Average Speed: 19.64km/h
Features: Mine
Position: 139.2811ºE   30.1678ºS (GDA 94)
Next Place: Tourmaline Hill
Distance: 16.33km
Average Speed: 20.18km/h
Features: Mountain,Peak,Hill
Position: 139.1749ºE   30.2381ºS (GDA 94)
Next Place: Umberatana
Distance: 4.92km
Average Speed: 23.12km/h
Umberatana
No description entered. Enter description or photos.
Features: Populated Place
Position: 139.1301ºE   30.2437ºS (GDA 94)
Next Place: Yankaninna
Distance: 17.01km
Average Speed: 39.35km/h
Yankaninna
No description entered. Enter description or photos.
Features: Populated Place
Position: 139.0589ºE   30.3631ºS (GDA 94)
Next Place: Owieandana
Distance: 17.34km
Average Speed: 39.01km/h
Owieandana
No description entered. Enter description or photos.
Features: Populated Place
Position: 138.9510ºE   30.4458ºS (GDA 94)
Next Place: Mount Serle
Distance: 17.37km
Average Speed: 49.46km/h
Mount Serle
No description entered. Enter description or photos.
Features: Populated Place
Position: 138.8558ºE   30.5429ºS (GDA 94)
Next Place: Camel Gap
Distance: 9.18km
Average Speed: 55.02km/h
Camel Gap
No description entered. Enter description or photos.
Features: Pass,Gap
Position: 138.7724ºE   30.5315ºS (GDA 94)
Next Place: Leigh Creek
Distance: 41.53km
Average Speed: 86.12km/h
Leigh Creek
No description entered. Enter description or photos.
Features: Populated PlaceService Station,Roadhouse Caravan Park Fuel Water Supply Toilet Pub Food,Shopping Police Station Medical Services Resort,Motel
Position: 138.4049ºE   30.5931ºS (GDA 94)
Next Place: Beltana Roadhouse
Distance: 32.06km
Average Speed: 93.87km/h
Features: Populated PlaceService Station,Roadhouse Fuel Toilet Food,Shopping
Position: 138.3235ºE   30.8398ºS (GDA 94)
Next Place: Route B83 & Nilpena Station Access
Distance: 10.58km
Average Speed: 103.06km/h
Features: Rail Crossing
Position: 138.3342ºE   30.9305ºS (GDA 94)
Next Place: Prairie Hotel
Distance: 22.36km
Average Speed: 89.98km/h
Prairie Hotel
what more can you say about one of Australia's great outback pubs its near the Flinders it has cheap accommodation or 4-5 star it has beer and the menu is great if you go there you have to do the great feral menu or camel kangaroo or emu plus other native delites.
Features: Service Station,RoadhouseCaravan Park Fuel Airstrip Water Supply Toilet Pub Food,Shopping Camp Fee Resort,Motel Point of Interest
Position: 138.3952ºE   31.1326ºS (GDA 94)
Next Place: Brachina
Distance: 24.97km
Average Speed: 106.93km/h
Brachina
No description entered. Enter description or photos.
Features: Populated PlaceResort,Motel
Position: 138.4130ºE   31.3358ºS (GDA 94)
Next Place: Wonoka
Distance: 48.46km
Average Speed: 107.28km/h
Wonoka
No description entered. Enter description or photos.
Features: Populated PlaceToilet Resort,Motel
Position: 138.3333ºE   31.7562ºS (GDA 94)
Next Place: Hookina
Distance: 9.86km
Average Speed: 68.76km/h
Hookina
First settled in 1863 as a stopover for the overland teams and then wheat farming was established in the area during the 1870's. The town consisted mainly a hotel, store and blacksmith shop, however the town declined and the hotel closed in 1892.
Features: Point of Interest
Position: 138.2619ºE   31.8053ºS (GDA 94)
Next Place: Wild Dog Glen
Distance: 3.79km
Average Speed: 75.77km/h
Features: Populated Place
Position: 138.2569ºE   31.8368ºS (GDA 94)
Next Place: Simmonston
Distance: 28.24km
Average Speed: 59.96km/h
Simmonston
Simmonston was surveyed as a town when it was thought the railway would go through here. It was said the town would one day become the biggest settlement in South Australia outside of Adelaide.
Features: Point of Interest
Position: 138.1545ºE   32.0712ºS (GDA 94)
Next Place: Probys Grave
Distance: 6.81km
Average Speed: 62.65km/h
Probys Grave
Hugh Proby was the third son of the Earl of Carysfort and he had brought a sizeable amount of wealth with him from Scotland. He had come to purchase land and run sheep and cattle in the new lands to the north of Quorn.
Features: Cemetery,Grave Site
Position: 138.0899ºE   32.0834ºS (GDA 94)
Next Place: Yarrah Vale Gorge
Distance: 20.07km
Average Speed: 68.97km/h
Features: Gorge
Position: 138.0607ºE   32.2203ºS (GDA 94)
Next Place: Quorn
Distance: 18.45km
Average Speed: 71.53km/h
Quorn
Historic railway town in the Flinders Ranges Located 334 klm north of Adelaide and 40 klm from Port Augusta , Quorn is a small service centre at the southern end of the main Flinders Ranges and is a historic railway town in the Flinders Ranges
Features: Populated PlaceService Station,Roadhouse Caravan Park Fuel Water Supply Toilet Pub Food,Shopping Police Station Medical Services Resort,Motel
Position: 138.0418ºE   32.3468ºS (GDA 94)
Next Place: Willmington
Distance: 38.05km
Average Speed: 72.53km/h
Willmington
Located 292 km north of Adelaide, Wilmington has a highly original main street where there is no footpath as such but there are trees between the road and the buildings creating a kind of natural division between the road and the footpath.
Features: Populated PlaceService Station,Roadhouse Caravan Park Fuel Water Supply Toilet Pub Food,Shopping Medical Services Resort,Motel
Position: 138.0988ºE   32.6511ºS (GDA 94)
Next Place: Terka
Distance: 7.33km
Average Speed: 97.78km/h
Terka
No description entered. Enter description or photos.
Features: Populated Place
Position: 138.1426ºE   32.7084ºS (GDA 94)
Next Place: Melrose
Distance: 16.07km
Average Speed: 95.65km/h
Melrose
No description entered. Enter description or photos.
Features: Populated PlaceService Station,Roadhouse Caravan Park Fuel Water Supply Toilet Pub Food,Shopping Medical Services Resort,Motel
Position: 138.1880ºE   32.8273ºS (GDA 94)
Next Place: Bangor
Distance: 15.48km
Average Speed: 71.58km/h
Bangor
No description entered. Enter description or photos.
Features: Populated Place
Position: 138.1571ºE   32.9528ºS (GDA 94)
Next Place: Port Germein Gorge
Distance: 4.91km
Average Speed: 73.49km/h
Features: Pass,Gap
Position: 138.1275ºE   32.9638ºS (GDA 94)
Next Place: Wyra Warra
Distance: 24.19km
Average Speed: 80.84km/h
Wyra Warra
No description entered. Enter description or photos.
Features: Populated Place
Position: 138.0633ºE   33.1016ºS (GDA 94)
Next Place: Port Pirie
Distance: 13.25km
Average Speed: 88.29km/h
Port Pirie
Industrial city with all facilities. They claim to be the City of Friendly People and this is a fair claim.
Features: Populated PlaceService Station,Roadhouse Caravan Park Walk Track Airstrip Rubbish Bin,Tip Fuel Water Supply Toilet Pub Food,Shopping Bay,Inlet,Cove Beach Police Station Medical Services Resort,Motel
Position: 138.0175ºE   33.1918ºS (GDA 94)

Route Control

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 Permits

Generally, no permits are needed to traverse through the Flinders Ranges on public roads. Entry and camping fees, however do apply in National Park areas.

 Things to See & Do

Prairie Hotel - SA   RatingRatingRatingRatingRating
Service Station,Roadhouse Caravan Park Fuel Airstrip Water Supply Toilet Pub Food,Shopping Camp Fee Resort,Motel Point of Interest
what more can you say about one of Australia's great outback pubs its near the Flinders it has cheap accommodation or 4-5 star it has beer and the menu is great if you go there you have to do the great feral menu or camel kangaroo or emu plus other native delites. pop in and say hello to the freinly Flinders pub. have been there so much think i want to live there
Port Pirie - SA   
Populated Place Service Station,Roadhouse Caravan Park Walk Track Airstrip Rubbish Bin,Tip Fuel Water Supply Toilet Pub Food,Shopping Bay,Inlet,Cove Beach Police Station Medical Services Resort,Motel
Industrial city with all facilities. They claim to be the City of Friendly People and this is a fair claim.
Arkaroola Village - SA   
Populated Place Service Station,Roadhouse Caravan Park Fuel Water Supply Toilet Food,Shopping Resort,Motel Point of Interest
Arkaroola Village is the settlement and resort at the hub of a 61,000 hectare wilderness sanctuary in the Northern Flinders Ranges in South Australia, adjacent to Gammon Ranges National Park and the Mawson Plateau. The Arkaroola Wilderness Sanctuary is located 700 km north of Adelaide in South Australia.
Simmonston - SA   
Point of Interest 
Simmonston was surveyed as a town when it was thought the railway would go through here. It was said the town would one day become the biggest settlement in South Australia outside of Adelaide. Unfortunately, this never happened and some 600 empty blocks and part of an old stone wall and cellars from the hotel is all that remains today.
Probys Grave - SA   
Cemetery,Grave Site 
Hugh Proby was the third son of the Earl of Carysfort and he had brought a sizeable amount of wealth with him from Scotland. He had come to purchase land and run sheep and cattle in the new lands to the north of Quorn. Subsequently, the station, one of the largest in the district was called Kanyaka.
Hookina - SA   
Point of Interest 
First settled in 1863 as a stopover for the overland teams and then wheat farming was established in the area during the 1870's. The town consisted mainly a hotel, store and blacksmith shop, however the town declined and the hotel closed in 1892.
The Pinnacles - SA   
Mountain,Peak,Hill 
No description entered. Enter description or photos.

 Preparation

Fuel Supplies & Usage

Fuel SymbolArkaroola Village, Leigh Creek, Beltana Roadhouse, Prairie Hotel, Quorn, Willmington , Melrose, Port Pirie Diesel4cyl 70 litres ULP4cyl 81 litres LPG4cyl 100 litres
6cyl 77 litres6cyl 120 litres *6cyl 88 litres
8cyl 80 litres8cyl 83 litres
Usage is averaged from TrekFuel (* specific to trek) submissions and calculated based on trek distance.

Best Time To Visit

April to October to avoid the heat of summer and to see the wildflowers in bloom.

Closest Climatic Station

Hawker
Distance from Trek Mid Point 26.86km SW
 JanFebMarAprMayJun JulAugSepOctNovDec
Mean Max. °C 33.933.430.225.4 20.216.515.917.8 21.525.629.131.9
Mean Min. °C 17.718.014.810.8 7.24.63.74.4 6.79.713.315.9
Mean Rain mm 20.320.616.319.7 30.938.634.232.5 28.124.922.321.6
    Best time to travel      Ok time to travel      Travel NOT recommended

Services & Supplies

The following locations have various services and supplies: Arkaroola Village, Leigh Creek, Beltana Roadhouse, Prairie Hotel, Quorn, Willmington , Melrose, Port Pirie

 Camp Sites & Accomodation

Prairie Hotel - SA   RatingRatingRatingRatingRating
Service Station,Roadhouse Caravan Park Fuel Airstrip Water Supply Toilet Pub Food,Shopping Camp Fee Resort,Motel Point of Interest
what more can you say about one of Australia's great outback pubs its near the Flinders it has cheap accommodation or 4-5 star it has beer and the menu is great if you go there you have to do the great feral menu or camel kangaroo or emu plus other native delites. pop in and say hello to the freinly Flinders pub. have been there so much think i want to live there
Willmington - SA   RatingRatingRating
Populated Place Service Station,Roadhouse Caravan Park Fuel Water Supply Toilet Pub Food,Shopping Medical Services Resort,Motel
Located 292 km north of Adelaide, Wilmington has a highly original main street where there is no footpath as such but there are trees between the road and the buildings creating a kind of natural division between the road and the footpath.
Port Pirie - SA   
Populated Place Service Station,Roadhouse Caravan Park Walk Track Airstrip Rubbish Bin,Tip Fuel Water Supply Toilet Pub Food,Shopping Bay,Inlet,Cove Beach Police Station Medical Services Resort,Motel
Industrial city with all facilities. They claim to be the City of Friendly People and this is a fair claim.
Quorn - SA   
Populated Place Service Station,Roadhouse Caravan Park Fuel Water Supply Toilet Pub Food,Shopping Police Station Medical Services Resort,Motel
Historic railway town in the Flinders Ranges Located 334 klm north of Adelaide and 40 klm from Port Augusta , Quorn is a small service centre at the southern end of the main Flinders Ranges and is a historic railway town in the Flinders Ranges
Arkaroola Village - SA   
Populated Place Service Station,Roadhouse Caravan Park Fuel Water Supply Toilet Food,Shopping Resort,Motel Point of Interest
Arkaroola Village is the settlement and resort at the hub of a 61,000 hectare wilderness sanctuary in the Northern Flinders Ranges in South Australia, adjacent to Gammon Ranges National Park and the Mawson Plateau. The Arkaroola Wilderness Sanctuary is located 700 km north of Adelaide in South Australia.
Leigh Creek - SA   
Populated Place Service Station,Roadhouse Caravan Park Fuel Water Supply Toilet Pub Food,Shopping Police Station Medical Services Resort,Motel
No description entered. Enter description or photos.
Brachina - SA   
Populated Place Resort,Motel
No description entered. Enter description or photos.
Wonoka - SA   
Populated Place Toilet Resort,Motel
No description entered. Enter description or photos.
Melrose - SA   
Populated Place Service Station,Roadhouse Caravan Park Fuel Water Supply Toilet Pub Food,Shopping Medical Services Resort,Motel
No description entered. Enter description or photos.

 Driving Directions

Time
Direction
Distance
Arkaroola Village to The Pinnacles 4.58 km NW 300° 12 min
The Pinnacles to Old Bolla Bollana Smelters 3.65 km W 273° 8 min
Old Bolla Bollana Smelters to Wealthy King Mine 21.6 km N 4° 1 hr 5 min
Wealthy King Mine to Tourmaline Hill 16.33 km SW 233° 48 min
Tourmaline Hill to Umberatana 4.92 km W 262° 12 min
Umberatana to Yankaninna 17.01 km SW 207° 25 min
Yankaninna to Owieandana 17.34 km SW 228° 26 min
Owieandana to Mount Serle 17.37 km SW 220° 21 min
Mount Serle to Camel Gap 9.18 km W 279° 10 min
Camel Gap to Leigh Creek 41.53 km W 259° 28 min
Leigh Creek to Beltana Roadhouse 32.06 km S 196° 20 min
Beltana Roadhouse to Route B83 & Nilpena Station Access 10.58 km S 174° 6 min
Route B83 & Nilpena Station Access to Prairie Hotel 22.36 km S 164° 14 min
Prairie Hotel to Brachina 24.97 km S 176° 14 min
Brachina to Wonoka 48.46 km S 189° 27 min
Wonoka to Hookina 9.86 km SW 231° 8 min
Hookina to Wild Dog Glen 3.79 km S 188° 3 min
Wild Dog Glen to Simmonston 28.24 km S 200° 28 min
Simmonston to Probys Grave 6.81 km W 258° 6 min
Probys Grave to Yarrah Vale Gorge 20.07 km S 190° 17 min
Yarrah Vale Gorge to Quorn 18.45 km S 187° 15 min
Quorn to Willmington 38.05 km S 171° 31 min
Willmington to Terka 7.33 km SE 147° 4 min
Terka to Melrose 16.07 km S 162° 10 min
Melrose to Bangor 15.48 km S 192° 12 min
Bangor to Port Germein Gorge 4.91 km SW 246° 4 min
Port Germein Gorge to Wyra Warra 24.19 km S 201° 17 min
Wyra Warra to Port Pirie 13.25 km SW 203° 9 min
Arkaroola Village to Port Pirie 498.42 km     7 hr 28 min
Distance is GPS recorded driving distance (not straight line), Direction is straight line from start to end, Time is calculated from actual GPS driving data.

 Trek Feedback

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What Others have Posted

allan62 : 23 Apr 09 09:10
Where is a good central camping area in the flinders to base yoursel...
Helen and Bruce : 25 Mar 09 21:07
Where is the best camping between Camel Gap and Wealthy King Mine? W...
dustmike12 : 15 Mar 09 18:02
hi has anyone been on the moralana scenic track, and what difficu...
Member - Craig C (SA) : 10 Mar 08 10:13
Bendleby ...
KSV. : 29 Jan 08 08:53
Hi All! Was thinking to go Flinders during Easter. Biggest questi...

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