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Published: November 11th 2008
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On Thursday morning, we departed Whyalla quite late, making a brief stop at
Fitzgerald Bay Conservation Reserve . We passed the southern end of the Stuart Highway as we drove into Port Augusta and for just a fleeting moment Alex and I looked at one another and wondered whether we should make a left turn and head back home. But we continued on to Port Augusta and stopped for lunch (barbecued sausages) at a nice picnic area/playground overlooking the river. It was very warm and we were tempted to join the locals for a swim, but changed our minds when we felt the water temperature.
We arrived at Wilpena in the
Flinders Ranges around 5pm, but decided we'd head further into the park to stay at a park camp ground for a few nights rather than the privately run Wilpena Pound Resort. We headed north on the road to Oraparinna, which has recently been tar sealed. We decided to make camp at Dingley Dell camp ground as it was getting reasonably late by now.
The hot day had brought the flies out in force so we erected the mozzie dome for the first time since leaving Darwin. We could probably have set up
Stuart Hwy turnoff
Hmmm, should we short cut back home? the camper trailer awning and full annexe, but the dome gave a bit more room with lots of ventilation.
The next day we drove into Youngoona and then stopped at Aroona Valley to do the Red Hill Lookout hike. We started the walk with dark clouds gathering over the ranges to the west and by the time we came to the junction with the Yuluna hike, it had started to rain lightly. We decided we wouldn't see much from Red Hill, so we continued on the 8km Yuluna hike instead. Light rain continued - it seemed to get heavier when we were exactly half way through the hike. By the time we got back, we were all a bit damp!
We continued on driving down through Brachina and Bunyeroo gorges as well as through the Bunyeroo Valley. By this time the rain was getting a bit heavier, so the 'dirt' road was aptly named and a bit slippery. We didn't get to see much of the ranges and when we got back to the camp ground the car was covered in mud and slush.
Our camp site survived the rain although the mozzie dome was more like
a pond. Fortunately only a little rain had gotten into the camper trailer tent so it seems the water-proofing we had done back in Streaky Bay had helped quite a bit. It continued to rain that evening but stopped overnight.
The next day (Saturday) was fine and cool (with no flies - yippy, but where did they all go?), so we headed into Wilpena Pound and hiked to Mt Ohlssen Bagge where Thomas lost another tooth. On the way down we hooked into the Drought Buster hike, where we were briefly escorted on the track by an emu. He was one of three and didn't seem to want to let us pass. We also had a look at the Wilpena Solar Power Station as well as the Cazneaux Tree on the way back to the camp site.
On Sunday we packed up camp and headed south, although we stopped in the southern end of the park to view the aboriginal rock paintings at Arkaroo. We had lunch at Quorn and then drove into Mount Remarkable National Park. We drove the steep road up into Alligator Gorge and did the gorge hike, then drove down to the very salubrious
Mambray Creek camp ground (a DEH camp ground with hot showers!) to stay the night. Mark and Thomas did the short Daveys Gully hike before dinner.
The next morning we packed up camp and went on the Sugar Gum Lookout hike. Then it was southwards into Adelaide.
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