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Van Trip 2007
Peterborough to Rawnsley Park
Days 15 to 18
182 kms Travelled
We left Peterborough at 9:55am on our journey to The Flinders Ranges, travelling through Orroroo, Carrieton, Craddock and Hawker.
Hawker is a town in the Flinders Ranges, 365 km north of Adelaide. It has a population of 229.
The main economic activities in the area are tourism and pastoral runs of sheep and increasingly cattle. Hawker is 55 km south of Wilpena Pound, It was a thriving railway town from the 1880s until 1956 as it was on the famous Ghan railway line, until the route was moved further west when the line was upgraded. The town is also home to many magnificient heritage buildings, it is a 20-minute drive from Rawnsley Park, while further south, the town of Quorn is home to the Pichi Richi steam railway.
Upon our arrival at Rawnsley Park Station van park, we located our van on site 11C. The weather was pleasant with a cloudless sky. We were to stay in this beautiful setting for 4 nights.
Nestled at the foot of Wilpena Pound, Rawnsley Park Station is a 12,000-hectare working sheep station in the Flinders Ranges. The van park was rugged but very well set out with excellent facilities and amenities. Offering a variety of accommodation, it features an on-site restaurant called The Woolshed, and an outdoor pool.
The Flinders Ranges is the largest Mountain range in South Australia, which starts approximately 200 km North West of Adelaide. The ranges stretch for over 430 km from Port Pirie to Lake Callabonna. It's most characteristic landmark is Wilpena Pound, a large, sickle-shaped, natural amphitheatre covering nearly 80 square kilometres containing the ranges highest peak, St. Mary's Peak 1170 metres, and adjoining the Flinders Ranges National Park.
Four-wheel drive tours, scenic flights and mountain bike hire are all available from Rawnsley
Park Station.
From our location at the Van Park we were perfectly situated for exploring the Flinders Ranges National Park, and the region's most well-known landmark, Wilpena Pound, which we drove to on our second day. We took a 7km walk to Hill's Homestead and I also climbed up to St. Mary's Peak with magnificent views over Wilpena Pound.
We rounded off a great day with dinner in the evening at the Woolshed Restaurant.
On our third day we drove through the mountains to Bunyeroo Gorge and Brachina Gorge and then on to Parachilna for lunch. After lunch we drove to Leigh Creek and Copley, returning to Rawnsley Park via Hawker. This journey covered 366 kilometres, and the drive through the Gorges was spectacular.
Parachilna was first surveyed in 1863 due to its closeness to a government water well, it is on the railway line and road between Port Augusta and Leigh Creek. Today, the Prairie Hotel, railway station, airstrip and a few buildings remain. The road east into the Flinders Ranges leads through Parachilna Gorge, recognised for its scenic beauty, to Blinman.
Leigh Creek (formerly Leigh's Creek) is a coal-mining town about 70 kilometres north of Parachilna, on the edge of the desert, to the west of the northern Flinders Ranges. The current town is 13 km further south than the original town—it was moved in 1982 to allow the expansion of the mine.
On our last day in the Flinders Ranges we took a 45 minute flight in a small aircraft over the area, including the Ranges, Wilpena Pound, & Parachilna. On our return to the airstrip we did a low flight over Rawnsley Park Station. This was one of the highlites of our visit and to see Wilpena Pound from the air was awe inspiring.
After preparing our Van for the trip next day to Port Augusta, we celebrated our visit to the Ranges with dinner at the Woolshed Restaurant which is within the Rawnsley Park Station.
Days 15 to 18
182 kms Travelled
We left Peterborough at 9:55am on our journey to The Flinders Ranges, travelling through Orroroo, Carrieton, Craddock and Hawker.
Hawker is a town in the Flinders Ranges, 365 km north of Adelaide. It has a population of 229.
The main economic activities in the area are tourism and pastoral runs of sheep and increasingly cattle. Hawker is 55 km south of Wilpena Pound, It was a thriving railway town from the 1880s until 1956 as it was on the famous Ghan railway line, until the route was moved further west when the line was upgraded. The town is also home to many magnificient heritage buildings, it is a 20-minute drive from Rawnsley Park, while further south, the town of Quorn is home to the Pichi Richi steam railway.
Upon our arrival at Rawnsley Park Station van park, we located our van on site 11C. The weather was pleasant with a cloudless sky. We were to stay in this beautiful setting for 4 nights.
Nestled at the foot of Wilpena Pound, Rawnsley Park Station is a 12,000-hectare working sheep station in the Flinders Ranges. The van park was rugged but very well set out with excellent facilities and amenities. Offering a variety of accommodation, it features an on-site restaurant called The Woolshed, and an outdoor pool.
The Flinders Ranges is the largest Mountain range in South Australia, which starts approximately 200 km North West of Adelaide. The ranges stretch for over 430 km from Port Pirie to Lake Callabonna. It's most characteristic landmark is Wilpena Pound, a large, sickle-shaped, natural amphitheatre covering nearly 80 square kilometres containing the ranges highest peak, St. Mary's Peak 1170 metres, and adjoining the Flinders Ranges National Park.
Four-wheel drive tours, scenic flights and mountain bike hire are all available from Rawnsley
Park Station.
From our location at the Van Park we were perfectly situated for exploring the Flinders Ranges National Park, and the region's most well-known landmark, Wilpena Pound, which we drove to on our second day. We took a 7km walk to Hill's Homestead and I also climbed up to St. Mary's Peak with magnificent views over Wilpena Pound.
We rounded off a great day with dinner in the evening at the Woolshed Restaurant.
On our third day we drove through the mountains to Bunyeroo Gorge and Brachina Gorge and then on to Parachilna for lunch. After lunch we drove to Leigh Creek and Copley, returning to Rawnsley Park via Hawker. This journey covered 366 kilometres, and the drive through the Gorges was spectacular.
Parachilna was first surveyed in 1863 due to its closeness to a government water well, it is on the railway line and road between Port Augusta and Leigh Creek. Today, the Prairie Hotel, railway station, airstrip and a few buildings remain. The road east into the Flinders Ranges leads through Parachilna Gorge, recognised for its scenic beauty, to Blinman.
Leigh Creek (formerly Leigh's Creek) is a coal-mining town about 70 kilometres north of Parachilna, on the edge of the desert, to the west of the northern Flinders Ranges. The current town is 13 km further south than the original town—it was moved in 1982 to allow the expansion of the mine.
On our last day in the Flinders Ranges we took a 45 minute flight in a small aircraft over the area, including the Ranges, Wilpena Pound, & Parachilna. On our return to the airstrip we did a low flight over Rawnsley Park Station. This was one of the highlites of our visit and to see Wilpena Pound from the air was awe inspiring.
After preparing our Van for the trip next day to Port Augusta, we celebrated our visit to the Ranges with dinner at the Woolshed Restaurant which is within the Rawnsley Park Station.
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