Port Augusta-Flinders Ranges

After Port Lincoln it was back to Port Augusta, a town that we were familiar with after having left here to head towards the Northern Territory.

We decided to stay at a different caravan park this time, a Big4 one, it's a nice big park but a lot more pricey than the shoreline one we stayed at last time. We also asked them about caravan storage as we were heading of to do some camping at the flinders ranges, they were going to charge $16 and the park was empty!

We went back to the shoreline caravan park and found out that it was only $3 a night storage and you don't have to pay until you get back in case your longer than planned, so we left our caravan there and would also stay a night at a much cheaper price than the Big4 once we got back.

A sunny day in Port Augusta, it was freezing last time we were here!

Off to the flinders ranges.

We got up nice and early and headed out for a camping adventure at the flinders ranges national park, it took about an hour and half to get to the start from Port Augusta, you drive through lots of hills with great scenery and little towns then arrive in Hawker, that's when you know you are just around the corner.

Driving up to the flinders ranges.

Like many other national parks there is an entry fee and most of it is 4wd only, although you still see the odd wicked camper driving through!

Our first trip of the main track was trying to hunt down some aboriginal art, you have to walk down an old creek bed to get there, lucky it was a great day for a walk.

There was a heap of slate around this area.

Are we there yet?

Getting closer.

Brent unimpressed by the ancient art.

We think we found the art, they had examples at the start of the walk and it looked similar, nothing special though a few circles on the rock.

Word of warning, there are thousands of orb spiders out here!!!!!! 

Driving down the tracks you can see the web through nearly every tree for miles, walking down the creek bed with them all was not fun, Mum look away now......

One of the smaller orb spiders.

Our next stop was Bunyeroo Valley lookout, we had a bite to eat and got some great pics:

Watching a wedge tail eagle.

The creepy tree at the top of the lookout.

Amazing views of the ranges.

The main road was pretty good.

The road ahead.

Even the car is enjoying the views!

By the afternoon we were ready to set up camp and our main pre requisite for a camp site was not too many trees just above our heads, there are about 4 different sites, the one we chose even had an emu to greet us!

Setting up site.

There were plenty of spiders but they were high enough in the trees that we didn't worry too much, it was great to get away from the caravan for the night!

Our emu friend.

The next morning we were on the road pretty early due to our early wake up call from the local bird life, our aim was to get to Parachilna just after lunch and then to head home again.

We stopped on the way to see the 'the great wall of china', a limestone ridge that slightly resembles the great wall.

Too long to fit in to one shot.

Great views everywhere you turn.

Our only creek crossing! 

Almost at Parachilna.

At Parachilna you can head to the prairie hotel which is famous for it's 'feral meats':

'Flinders Feral Food
Bush food or Australian native cuisine or as we call it in the Flinders Ranges,  Flinders Feral Food - kangaroo, emu, yabbie, quandongs, native limes and bush tomatoes are just some of our fresh ingredients.'

I would love to say we tried some but when it comes to feral meats I'm not all that adventurous, so it was back to Port Augusta less the feral meat. 

A few old homesteads along the way.

We stayed in Port Augusta another night at the shoreline caravan park then it was off to Adelaide!

A rest stop along the way for lunch.