Info on Mt Remarkable National Park (SA)

At the risk of being disqualified as another Qlder...

In Mt Remarkable NP itself you'll have to walk. From Wilmington you can drive to Alligator Gorge, and walk down and along the gorge - definitely worth doing, but lots of steps down (and up). At Melrose, behind the caravan park, there is a track up to the top of Mt Remarkable, but it's about 6km. Not difficult if you're fit, and again worth doing at least 4km if you can.
Also available are Mt Brown, and Dutchmans Stern (more walking), but if you're not into that, how about 4WD driving on Argadells (N of Quorn), visiting some of the ruins of earlier settlement, the Pichi Richi railway?

Cheers, John

Hi Kevin

The Melrose/Mt Remarkable is a pretty area indeed, but personally can not be compared to the true Flinders Ranges further north, even though they claim the area as "The Southern Flinders".

Spend your time in Wilpena, as there is more to see and do there, and you will still have Telstra phone coverage. A great little walk at Wilpena is the walk around the old Wilpena Station which is now the National Parks Headquarters.

This is not what you would like to hear, but from our experiences there many times, yes it is a great place to see and visit and you could easy spend a half day looking around the town, but we would rather spend our time in the true "Flinders"


If you want to try out your phone coverage when in Birdsville, you can take a drive out to Big Red, then walk to the highest part once at the top and you will be able to have Telstra coverage and make a phone call, or surf the net.


Cheers



Stephen

There are a couple of nice easy things to do there. If you're into bicycles there are heaps of biking trails there. Also very good walking trails. You can camp at the melrose showgrounds. Alternatively you can also camp at a local winery there located on the top of a very big hill with a fantastic view. Don't want to seem like i'm advertising but it's called bartagunya. google it and you'll see. two or three days at the most though and you've probably done everything. very nice place to visit.

Steve is right, further north is better. We can recommend Rawnsley Park for a great bush camping area.Argadells mentioned above is also a nice camping spot. For some photos of that see my website www.nenke.org - there is a selection of photos of that area on there (and places further north). Or Google Argadells and you should pick up their website.

A lot of the PARs in the Flinders are worth a drive. Further North the Gammon Ranges and Mt Chambers George are worth a look. Good bush camps at both (but no 3G!). In the national park the drives through the gorges are good. The country should be in great condition.

Sacred Canyon about 12 km SE of the Wilpena turn off is worth a look as is the "Wool Wash" on the Wilpena Creek on the road between the Highway near Rawnsley Park and Martins Well

You can kill much more than a week there easily.

Cheers

Pete

Thanks folks for your input. By this point we will have spent 10 days in the Flinders Ranges and will be spending more time as we then head for Arkaroola via Chambers Gorge. Next G is too patchy north of Hawker for several hours work over a desk top connection to a remote server. I recall from a couple of years ago that at Wilpena I had to go to the top of Stokes Hill to get a decent signal.
Incidentally, we first visited the Flinders Ranges about 45 years ago in an FC Holden sedan converted to sleeper seats. Been back several times.
Thanks for the other suggestion. We don't do steps up or down as well as we used to but the vineyard sounds interesting and the other ideas look good. We had already included Quorn. Perhaps that will be the southern limit of the trip.
Thanks again.
Kevin

Hi Kevin,
You will get excellent Telstra 3G coverage around Quorn this is being sent by that modem now.
Places to visit around here are Warren Gorge, Walkerie Falls, Mt Brown conservation park, The Dutchmans Stern Conservation Park and various look outs.
Nice walks include The Dutchman, Devil's Peak, Mount Brown, Warren Gorge, Yourumbulla Caves and a walk down into Aligator Gorge.
Historic places to visit include Kanyaka Ruins, Proeby's grave, the ruins of the townships of Wilson, Gordon and Siminstown. All of those places have historic cemeteries.
There is also various community gardens around Quorn and the Pitchi Ritchi railway.
Always ready to help out someone who was born on such an important date..LOL.

Cheers
Graham

Dear Kevin,
Regarding Mt Remarkable NP. itself:

I went to Mt Remarkable NP last November. The sealed road into the park is an adventure in itself. There are signs to say that the road is unsuitable for towing caravans etc.. You had better believe it!! Ascending and descending are definitely low gear only; The brakes get a bit hot as well!
Information and maps are available upon entering the park, at a roadside registration and fee paying site, (Money in an envelope with your registration details etc.)
We did the Alligator Gorge walk- yes there are a lot of steps! (Not as many as at King's Canyon- so I found out!) The other walks- some being hours long, were well documented. Lots of flora and fauna about as well.
You do not say what time of year you will be around the park It would be uncomfortable there in the heat and with the flies. It is worth a look for those intrepid folk. And do not forget the drinking water!!!!

Have a look at the following site:
http://www.environment.sa.gov.au/parks/Find_a_Park/Browse_by_region/Flinders_Ranges_Outback/Mount_Remarkable_National_Park
Hope this is helpful. Enjoy your adventure.
Regards, Stanley

Hi,

Melrose has a good camping ground and cafe, nice place to camp for a couple of days. Good walks and generally relaxing spot.