Flinders Ranges - Wilpena Pound upto Arkaroola

Hi Smitty, sounds like you too had a great time. Don't go on too much about the place though, it's one of South Australia's Best Kept Secrets. The State is full of them. Check out link SA Secrets

Good on you SMITTY,

Glad you enjoyed the experience. 'Tis truly God's Country.

Well done smitty, we do like to share our little secrets, almost don"t need a 4wd over here.

sure is Smitty - Arkaroola would have to be one of the Best destinations - ok a wee tad dear - they have a captive audience food/eating wise however middle of Nowhere who cares. The Spriggs are wonderful people and Tours/Observatory etc great. Our favorite spot - amazing thing is the two places altho cple hundred K's apart are so entirely different but both spots top spots - the Yunta-Ark road is worth it for a round trip from Vict. the Skytrek is just fabulous but the MOONWALK well words cant describe. If anyones going there ask Brendan&Carmel can u do the Moonwalk
(gotta be experienced tho) . Tell them Mr&Mrs Wees of the Neva Neva said to say hello. They have a fantastic set-up on the Station as a base & Accommodation etc.
Not sure how their Camping arrangements progressed these days though.
...bazza

We went to Arkaroola in October as part of our SA trip. I have to say I was a little disappointed.

It's obviously a long time since it won any tourist awards, and it's starting to show. The elder Spriggs have passed on and though the family still has it it looks as though Reg's project has slipped a bit.

The toilet block in the campground is in dire need of work and many things around the place could use some TLC.

It was just after school hols and with young kids it was disappointing to see that all of the interps programs were aimed at big paying adults.

Georgie (the new ecotourism girl) and her offsider are obviously keen to develop the resort in this area and it will be good to see the bits they are adding to the information centre when they are finished. She is certainly keen and was great with the kids (and Louie the ring necked parrot was a hit too.)

We did a bit of 4wding, walking is limited when you have a 2y/o in tow, and found some interesting spots but at $85 a seat the Ridgetop tour was beyond us this trip. Besides Lynne gets crook in the front seat let alone sideways in the back of a ute.

Don't get me wrong. The scenery is spectacular. More spectacular than much of the area around Wilpena. But to continue to charge what they do for powered sites they need to do a lot of work on the toilet block and pump out the sewerage (it was ripe). A toilet block for the unpowered sites (bush) would make them accessable to families - otherwise powered sites are the only option as the climb from the bush camps is too steep for wife or kids during the day let alone at night.

I'd go back, but maybe when the kids are much older.

Having to move from our flooded camp site at 630 in the morning didn't thrill me either, but that's not their fault.

As soon as the roads opened after the rain we moved on.

Dave