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Outback South Australia and the Flinders Ranges begin
200km north of Adelaide and they extend to the state's
borders as far as 1100 kilometers to the north of
Adelaide. The region covers 80% of the State's area
but has less than one percent of its population.
This
is a land of extreme contrasts from arid cattle grazing
lands in the north to magnificent wetlands. The Flinders
Ranges is noted for its scenic beauty, unique flora
and fauna, fascinating geology and heritage. This
is one of the most ancient landscapes on Earth, estimated
at 1.8 billion years old, the remains of dinosaurs
and the earliest life are found as fossils at many
sites. The region contains seven significant National
and Conservation Reserves and it has been home to
Aboriginal people for tens of thousands of years.
A
strange geological formation in the Flinders Ranges
and covering 83 square kilometers is Wilpena Pound.
It rises as an immense, crater-like fusion of stark
purple ridges and overhanging bluffs, strewn with
tough and colorful vegetation, in jarring contrast
to the flatness of the surrounding plains. The interior
of the Pound must be explored on foot and kangaroos
and euros are often seen among the yellow wattle trees.
In season, you'll find the brilliant reds and pinks
of Strut's desert pea, Flinders Ranges bottlebrush,
hop bush and Strut's desert rose. The varied vegetation
is home to 97 species of birds.
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There are three major deserts in the northern area
- Strut's Stony Desert, the Simpson Desert and the
Great Victorian Desert. Scattered throughout the Outback
are vast dry salt lakes of enormous size, the largest
being Lake Eyre, heavy rains transform this dry bed
into a massive inland sea, but it has only happened
three times in the last century.
The
discovery of opals in the Outback resulted in the
establishment of mining towns; most notably Coober
Pedy, the largest opal-mining town in Australia and
best known to the world for the unusual underground
lifestyle its inhabitants have adopted.
 On
the Eyre Peninsula, north west of Adelaide are the
Gawler Ranges, a spectacular wilderness area of unspoiled
beauty resulting from powerful volcanic activity millions
of years ago. Vast domes of volcanic rock display
a vivid array of color against the pure white of the
many salt lakes in the area, including Lake Gairdner.
The ranges are renowned for their display of wildflowers
in the spring.
There
are some 140 species of birds recorded in the Gawler
Ranges, including the emu, Wedge-Tailed Eagle, Major
Mitchell Cockatoo and the Singing Honey Eater. Also
found in the ranges are the Red and Western Grey Kangaroo,
Euro, Southern Hairy Nosed Wombat, Pygmy Possums and
Hopping mice. The Gawler Ranges National Park is home
to 21 rare and endangered animal and plant species
including the Yellow Footed Rock Wallaby.
Little
is known of the Aboriginal people who lived in this
region, our expert guides will be able to show you
reminders of their presence.
Of
South Australia’s 3700 kilometers of coastline
the Eyre Peninsula comprises 2,000 kilometers of ruggedly
beautiful and unspoilt coast. The wildlife is unique
and varied as the landscape - from whales and wombats
to wedge-tail eagles. The region offers the ultimate
in ''escape the stress'' experiences and some highlights
are viewing Southern Right Whales, swimming with dolphins
and sea lions, sleeping under canvas in the wilderness,
walking deserted beaches, fishing and learning of
the region's early explorers, tall ships and mining
history.
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