2nd April, 2006
Warren Gorge Flinders RangesSouth Australia.
Farewelled the Hopleys around 10.15 a.m. and then headed across
Adelaide to the A1. Fuelled just out of town then it was north along Spencer Gulf to
Port Pirie. The country was very arid and dry. The only thing thriving was the extensive cactus garden one soul had planted around their house in the middle of nowhere.
![Warren Gorge SA]()
Warren Gorge SA
At
Port Pirie we fuelled again and then hit Safeway for a few days worth of groceries. We tried to get another container at Kmart but no luck. Back out onto the highway and to historic
Port Germein and it’s long timber
jetty and 1.5 km mudflats – great (NOT!). The drive east up the Germein
Gorge was scenic though and put us across the hills to Murray town,
Melrose and the Mount Remarkable Nat Park. Had wanted to visit
Alligator gorge but found that the access was off limits to towing vehicles as you couldn’t turn at the end. Oh
well on to
Wilmington and then
Quorn.
![Warren Gorge SA]()
Warren Gorge SA
Took the road less travelled out the Arden Valley Road past
the Dutchman’s Stern Conservation Park to
Warren Gorge. Found it to be a picturesque and rugged
gorge populated by the Yellow Footed
Rock Wallabies, many of who stood as quite sentinels marking our arrival. Set up under the native pines and enjoyed a spag boll and vino for dinner. It’s cloudy overhead with rain forecast. Lets hope not. Tried out the satellite phone for the first time.
![Yellow footed Rock Wallaby - Warren Gorge SA]()
Yellow footed Rock Wallaby - Warren Gorge SA
A strange one during the night. Was woken by what I thought was water pouring on the ground (sleep induced interpretation that was). What ever it was it just didn’t sound right so I crept to the door of the tent with flashlight in hand. Zipped open the door light blazing to spring a scrawny fox standing about five metres away from the tent, the handle of the rear jack winder in it‘s mouth trying to drag it off into the scrub. The look on the foxes face was just priceless.
![Camp at Warren Gorge SA]()
Camp at Warren Gorge SA
It couldn’t turn left or right because of the weight of the handle or drag the item off backwards at any speed but was still reluctant to let go of it’s prize. In the end it gave me a “who me” look, dropped the winder and scampered off. Why the winder? I have no idea. Fox shooed, handle retrieved and me back to bed.