I’m always drawn to the Flinders Ranges. The landscapes are ancient and rugged, the camping is peaceful. It is also home to impressive geological formations and the oldest mountain ranges in the world, formed more than 600 million years ago. At the southern end, there’s the majestic and stunning amphitheatre of Wilpena Pound and to the north, there’s the drier and more isolated areas of Arkaroola as you head past the Gammon Ranges.
The largest mountain ranges in South Australia, the Gammon Ranges have a complex series of properties that make up the Flinders. They are almost 430km long and have the second-highest mountain in the state.
MOUNT FREELING
Getting away from the mainstream tourist trail, I decided to explore the more remote area of the far north, and in particular the Mount Freeling track eastward towards Arkaroola and Lake Frome.
Fuelling up at Lyndhurst, I was soon on my way up the Strzelecki Track, which today is far from a ‘track’. Now, nearly as much of it is sealed as unsealed. The country is dry and desolate. About 40km along, I passed Mount Lyndhurst Station and some old rock ruins near the dry Frome River.
From there, it’s another 40km to the Mount Freeling Road turn-off to the east. Mount Freeling Station is just 25km up the road, offering amazing camping, 4WD tracks to explore and plenty of history on the property dating to 1870. Leaving Mt Freeling, it was just another 20km to the dry Macdonnell Creek, where I had my first glimpse of the Mt Fitton talc mine.
While the access tracks are closed to the general public, the sheer size of the talc mine is impressive. High-grade talc was mined here from 1949 until a few years ago.
Passing the talc mine access tracks, the Mount Freeling Road turned into a rough 4WD track with sharp and rough dry creek beds and plenty of ruts, until I came across the ruins of Mount Fitton homestead. These ruins dated back to 1870 when it was a successful sheep station through the 1920s. Around the old homestead, there was plenty to see. It’s hard to imagine what life was like out there nearly 100 years ago. In the distance, I could see the remains of an old copper mine and where a test of explosives was conducted.
HEADING TO ARKAROOLA
It wasn’t long before I left Mount Freeling Station. Passing through a gate, I was in Moolawatana Station, where my next stop was Hamilton Creek.
This creek is not just a waterhole that often has a number of waterbirds; it’s actually a geological feature of the Flinders. This is Terrapinna Waterhole, which was close to the south pole about 133 million years ago, when Australia and Antarctica were nearly joined. Over a complex number of years and different periods, glacier activity had been found near the waterhole through examinations of the rock layers and sampling.
My destination, the world-renowned Arkaroola, was still a few hours away. At the end of the Talc Mine Road, it’s a right-hand turn to head down Mount Hopeless Road for another 95km to Arkaroola’s turn-off.
Most people have heard the story of when Sir Douglas Mawson spent time in the Flinders with his then-student, Reg Sprigg. Over time, the Sprigg family fought to make Arkaroola a wilderness sanctuary and to eradicate the large number of feral animals in the area.
Today, Arkaroola attracts visitors, geologists, hikers and keen four-wheel-drivers from around the world who want to experience this stunning area.
EXPLORING ARKAROOLA
Basing myself in Arkaroola, I headed out to explore some of the region’s remote 4WD tracks and the array of ruins that make this area so famous. My first stop was the old Bolla Bollana smelter ruins, just 20km to the west.
In 1870, a copper smelter serviced the small copper mines scattered across this harsh landscape. Info boards around the site explained the history, hardships and workings of the smelters, which only operated for a short time.
Leaving the smelters, I headed along the Four-Mile Creek Track, towards the Old Illinawortina stone ruins and Idninha outstation. Wandering around Illinawortina, it was hard to imagine life out there, isolated from the mainstream and working in all conditions.
The stonework, which still stands, was incredible and was only crumbling due to its age. As well as the main house, there’s an underground cellar.
At Idninha, the outstation is in better condition and nowhere near as old. It had a new roof and closed-off entry points – with those preservation works, the site should last another 100 years.
From Idninha, I headed towards the Wurtupa Loop Road, where there are plenty of old bore tanks, windmill ruins and remote camping areas. Midway along the track, Grindell’s Hut could be hired out as an accommodation option to explore this section of the Gammon Ranges.
Grindell’s Hut has a grizzly past. The daughter of Worturpa Station owner John Grindell married a nearby property owner, George Snell, of whom John Grindell did not approve. After a muster, Snell didn’t return home. His body was found burnt next to a campfire. Fingers pointed towards Grindell and he was arrested for murder and sentenced to death. After much protesting by his family, he was sentenced to hard labour and released 10 years later.
I allowed two days to find the ruins, explore the area and take it all in. The tracks are 4WD only, slow and rough. My next port of call was Balcanoona, which was once a thriving pastoral lease from 1856 until 1980, when it was purchased by the South Australian government and proclaimed as part of the Gammon Ranges National Park.
Around Balcanoona there are self-guided walks, information boards, buildings and relics to explore. There are also campsites where travellers can grab a shower and top-up with water.
To the east, 35km away and along the Lake Track, Lake Frome is a stunning, unusual endorheic lake to visit. This vast, inland, shallow lake rarely fills but when it does, it retains all the water. The local Adnyamathanha people named it Lake Munda, but Europeans named it after Edward Frome who mapped the area in 1843.
The Flinders and Gammon ranges are a vast area with a huge amount of European and Aboriginal history, stunning scenery, a host of walking and 4WD tracks, ruins, gorges, and some of the best camping and station stays that South Australia has to offer.
The Flinders need to be visited at least once in your life to understand the sheer vastness and beauty of the area.
FLINDERS RANGES FAST FACTS
GETTING TO ARKAROOLA
The Mount Freeling Track branches off the Strzelecki Track about 85km out of Lyndhurst in remote South Australia. An isolated and rough station track leads you through the beautiful northern Flinders. This is very remote country where you probably won’t see another vehicle across the whole track.
Ending at Arkaroola, there are plenty of outstation ruins and more remote 4WD tracks to explore, not to mention the stunning colours for which the Flinders is known.
WHAT TO SEE AND DO
Explore ancient gorges with your 4WD, camp in remote places and stargaze, find the many station ruins and cast your mind back to how hard life would have been. Walk around old mine sites or take a tour from Arkaroola.
Mount Freeling offers camping and its own station stay in the old shearers’ quarters, but in Arkaroola you’ll find some of the best camping in the northern Flinders.
ESSENTIALS
A well-kitted-out 4WD is important. There’s no fuel for several hundred kilometres between Lyndhurst and Arkaroola and no phone signal.
The trip can be done in one day, but allow several days to explore the many tracks and features of Arkaroola, the drive to Lake Frome and the northern Flinders.
