Wednesday, Oct 26 - Exploring the Southern Flinders Ranges

We got up at seven to a completely clear sky! We had a delicious breakfast of homemade muesli for me and a cheese, bacon and egg-filled damper (large roll) for Bob. We set off right after breakfast as it is a long ways to drive anywhere. We had tried to get reservations at the two resorts within the parks, but six weeks before our trip, they were already filled. But the Prairie Hotel is a gem, so we’ll just have to drive.

We set off east to the town of Blinman, stopping at a seasonally-running stream to watch a kangaroo and a sheep with twin lambs foraging along the stream while Australian Ravens gave out their unique mournful cry and Kookaburras chortled and laughed. Quite idyllic!

(pic:  Long-billed Corella)

We reached tiny Blinman, complete with cute café and general store and drove into the Blinman Coppermine Historic Park for a walk around the old mine site that was in operation from the late 1800s to ~1930. We also came across a field of camels! Australia has the most feral camels in the world.                                                                          

We then headed south along paved roads to the Wilpena Pound, the highlight of the southern Flinders. There is a gas station, store, campground and resort there, plus a bus to take you into the Pound, a round valley of ~20,000 acres surrounded by steep small mountains. The Pound was settled in the late 1800s by the Hill family for sheep grazing as it is a natural corral, but the periodic droughts ruined the family and finally the Pound was left to return to its natural state of Red River Eucalyptus groves, spinifex (bunch grass) and small shrubs.

(pic:  Mallee Ring-necked Parrot)

(pic:  Australian Ravens, adult with two young)

We had a very pleasant walk along the one stream that flows through the only break in the circle of mountains into the Pound and saw several male emus herding their chicks along. The female emu deserts the nest after laying her eggs and the male hatches the eggs and raises the young - Mother Nature at her best!

We hiked 2.5 miles into the Pound to the Hill homestead where Bob rested his foot and I climbed up to a lookout to get an idea of the extent of the Pound. Bob’s foot was still bothering him so we waited for the bus to ride back to the resort. We started back and reached the Hotel at six, had beer and coke, cleaned up, and went in to dinner at seven.

I had a delicious Mediterranean pizza and Bob had a large T-bone with salad and chips, with a bottle of Adelaide Hills Nepenthe Pinot Noir 2009. At eight, I joined the others to dash outside to see the coal train pass by!