Find the real Australia at Flinders Ranges
A trip to Flinders Ranges is otherworldly, ethereal. An area of sweeping landscapes and red desert. This is South Australia's awe-inspiring outback.
The easiest way to reach Flinders Ranges is a short flight from Adelaide, but a car journey (although it will take around six hours) will take you through some more of this region’s astounding countryside. What is definite is that you will feel slightly alien here, however you arrive. This is the perfect place to experience the real Australia, a place to see the country’s mesmerising landscape and wildlife as it has been for generations. The rugged, rocky land is more than 600 million years old and you may feel more like you are stepping onto Martian territory. It’s a far cry from the developed city of Adelaide and the wineries of Barossa Valley.
Activities here include guided hikes and luxurious helicopter flights, National Parks and Aboriginal culture. You can view carvings at the Sacred Canyon and then head to Wilpena Pound along a beautiful 11 kilometre gorge. Treks inside the pound and the surrounding area are highly recommended, as is a view from the air, just to be able to comprehend its sheer size.
The area is also home to the unique Arkaba Conservancy. This is how to do Flinders in style in a private conservation park where you can sleep out in a swag under the stars and gaze at the spectacular constellations. It’s worth also gearing up to the challenge of tasting the feral mixed grill at the Prairie Hotel – if you’ve not yet tried traditional bush tucker of emu, kangaroo, goat and camel, this is the place to do it.