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| Trekking in the Flinders Ranges | |||||||||||||||||
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Guided walking staying in farm accommodation - 6 days / 5 nights |
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| Flinders Ranges - HEYSEN TRAIL TREK: 7 days / 6 nights | |||||||||||||||||
| Accommodation: Twin/shared rooms in
comfortable farm accommodation, often shearers quarters, with shared facilities
and welcoming, friendly hosts. Fitness level: the tour is graded easy/moderate. Max group size: 10 Departs from Adelaide with a minimum of 4 walkers (dates shown are not guaranteed and may be subject to change) |
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| ITINERARY: Heysen Trail Trek in Flinders Ranges | |||||||||||||||||
| DAY 1: Depart Adelaide at 8am on a seven-hour journey to the Flinders Ranges via the townships of Port Wakefield, Port Augusta, Quorn and Hawker. Your ntroduction to the Flinders Ranges and the Outback is when you visit the Wadlata Outback Interpretive Centre en-route. Arrive at your accommodation at Rawnsley Park, a large outback pastoral property near Wilpena Pound, in time to settle in and enjoy your first outback sunset over a glass of wine. (D) |
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DAY 2: Approx 9.2 km (5 hours return walking). Your first hike into the Flinders Ranges. Walk through one of the most peaceful and scenic gorges in the Flinders Ranges, the Bunyeroo Gorge. With its permanent water supply, the gorge provides great opportunities for observing wildlife and interesting rock formations. Bullock teams and coaches transporting copper, mail and produce used the gorge in the 19th century to access the western plains. From Bunyeroo Gorge, make your way to the Wilcolo Valley, giving stunning views of Wilpena Pound’s Eastern Wall. (BLD) |
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Day 3 Approx 9 km (4 hours return walking) Drive to Aroona Ruins, where the famous Australian artist Sir Hans Heysen, after whom the Heysen Trail is named, stayed on painting trips. Follow the Heysen Trail as it heads east over the Red Hill lookout and then turns south towards Brachina Creek. The views towards Wilpena Pound are superb! Hike along the beautiful Yuluna Creek back to Aroona. (BLD) |
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Day 4 Approx 10 km (5 hours return walking) Today visit the historic copper mining town of Blinman, where its namesake, Robert Blinman, discovered copper in 1859. The copper mine was the largest in the Flinders and was operational until 1908. Many of the early settler cottages and buildings remain in the town. Continue your journey through the Glass Gorge and in the afternoon you have the choice of hiking along the creek to Blinman Pools or exploring Wilpena Pound. Tonight enjoy local hospitality and a restaurant dinner at a Flinders Ranges favourite, the Woolshed at Rawnsley Park. (BL) |
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Day 5 This morning enjoy a short walk around the Rawnsley Park surrounding area, before travelling to the Southern Flinders Ranges. Alligator Gorge is in the aptly named Beautiful Valley area, and you take a delightful walk through the Gorge. Tonight you stay overnight in Melrose, a picturesque town nestled at the base of Mount Remarkable. Your accommodation is at the North Star Hotel, the oldest licensed hotel in the Flinders Ranges. (BL) |
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Day 6 Approx 10 km (5 hours walking) An early start this morning to hike to the summit of Mount Remarkable, where you will experience the sweeping views over the Willochra Plain and Spencer Gulf. Depart for Adelaide in the afternoon, along the way passing through quaint and historical towns, along with the Clare Valley, where you stop at Sevenhill Cellars, the oldest winery in the Clare Valley founded by Jesuits in 1851, with the purpose of producing sacramental wines. It has since expanded to produce red, white and fortified wines, as well as wines for religious use. Arrive in Adelaide at approximately 6.30pm after a wonderful taste of the Flinders Ranges. (B) |
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| Flinders Ranges Heysen Trail Trek Includes: | |||||||||||||||||
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* Five nights twin/share accommodation in comfortable farm
accommodation * Return transport from Adelaide (4WD or minibus) * Meals as shown in the itinerary- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner * All entry fees and permits * Professional tour leader |
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| This tour is fully supported, and all luggage is transported in our tour vehicle/s. At any point in the tour, should you wish to rest your legs and travel in the support vehicle, you have the option. | |||||||||||||||||
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The
mountain country which makes up the Flinders Ranges National Park,
located about 460 kms north of Adelaide, was an important area for Aboriginal
nomads long before the arrival of Europeans. The relative profusion of waterholes, vegetation and game
contrasts starkly with the surrounding semi-arid plains. In the
1930s
the renowned Australian artist Sir Hans Heysen captured the enchantment
and beauty of the area leading to a modest influx of adventurous
travellers. Today, Flinders is probably Australia's grandest
National Park with unique Wilpena Pound at its hub. 
The Flinders Ranges are traversed by the Heysen Trail, a long
distance walking trail stretching over 1,500 km through South
Australia's best walking country. The most interesting and scenic
sections are selected for the walks, visiting historic mines and
settlers' ruins, Aboriginal rock carvings and cave paintings. You will
visit Wilpena Pound, historic Blinman and the ruins of Kanyaka Homestead
and will walk through deep gorges of red quartzite, under towering
bluffs and to hidden springs and rock pools. Sightings of red kangaroos,
euros, emus and flocks of colourful parrots are common. Accommodation is
in historic, outback, pastoral property and you will walk without packs
and return to soft beds, hot showers and good food each night.