Arkaroola Wilderness Sanctuary Flinders Ranges review | SA’s Great Travel Planner

The bloke who had set up his camera tripod next to his caravan reckoned we might as well have been camping on Mars. The red, arid, rocky, windswept landscape bore more than a passing resemblance to the third rock from the sun.

The bloke who had set up his camera tripod next to his caravan reckoned we might as well have been camping on Mars.

I could certainly see where he was coming from. The red, arid, rocky, windswept landscape bore more than a passing resemblance to the third rock from the sun. Plant life was minimal, not a blade of grass could be seen, natural shade was non-existent and more than one peg had been sacrificed in an attempt to secure our camper’s annex.

But while Old Mate from Tasmania might have been grumbling when he made his otherworldly comparison, I was delighting in the barren beauty of the spectacular and remote scenery.

We were at Arkaroola Wilderness Sanctuary in the Northern Flinders Ranges, just out of the Vulkathunha-Gammon Ranges National Park – and about 700km north of Adelaide. It was a long drive to get here but proof of the old adage that the journey can be just as important as the destination.

We had turned off the Outback Highway at Copley, just north of Leigh Creek, and spent two hours driving east and then north on the 128km unsealed road which meanders through the Gammon Ranges to Arkaroola. The road is sometimes rocky and corrugated but can be comfortably managed in a two-wheel drive vehicle in dry conditions – and they haven’t had a decent rain up here for more than two years.

The terrain on the drive in was breathtaking as we passed through innumerable creek beds but once we arrived at Arkaroola the scenery was next level.

Visitors can choose to stay in motel rooms, the main camping area (which boasts more than 50 powered sites) or can bush camp, depending on their levels of independence. We had towed the camper trailer along, so set up in the main area, which also boasts well-maintained and clean toilets and showers. Near the ablutions block are a couple of old-fashioned pay telephones for those wanting contact with the outside world. There is no mobile service, but if you want to bombard your social media friends with updates and pictures from your magnificent location, you can pay $10 per device for Wi-Fi.

Yellow-footed rock wallabies gather for their nightly feed at Arkaroola Wilderness Sanctuary. Picture: Paul Ashenden

The main camping area is large enough that each of the campers – most of them were in caravans – had plenty of room to spread out, and there was ample space for campfires.

The visitor centre boasts a bar, restaurant, pretty basic shop, a couple of petrol bowsers, a pool and outdoor barbecue area. But the village is merely a launching pad for exploring the plethora of activities and natural wonders the 610sq km, privately-owned sanctuary has to offer.

Bushwalking and four-wheel-driving were the two that soaked up our time but we quickly discovered that our planned three-night stay was never going to be enough to fit in everything we wanted to do.

The sanctuary offers a renowned, but quite pricey, half-day ridgetop tour, which takes people on tracks inaccessible to private four-wheel-drives. For those with even deeper pockets, there are scenic flights over the ranges and to nearby Lake Eyre.

We spent most of our time trekking – first on the 8km Bararranna loop, then 6km along the Acacia Ridge and finally about 8km on the Mawson-Spriggina Hike. None of the walks was particularly taxing.

I tested my better-half’s nerves on the 4WD-only Station Backtrack, we had time for a few games of camping favourite Finska and even managed to kick the footy around with the kids.

Owner Doug Sprigg, a legend of the SA Outback, is hands-on in the running of the sanctuary, and delivers celery and pellets at dusk each night for a mob of more than 20 rare, yellow-footed rock wallabies. Their visit, and Doug’s accompanying tutorial about the plants, animals, geology and history of the area provided another highlight to a visit which exceeded all expectations.

Reviews are unannounced and paid for by SAWeekend.

This review was first published in October 2019 and details updated in March 2021.

• 2948 Arkaroola Rd, Arkaroola Village
• [phone]
• arkaroola.com.au
• LOCATION 670km north of Adelaide.
• ACCOMMODATION Caravan park with powered and unpowered sites, bush camping, suites, two motel-style cabins, budget cabins, self-contained cottages.
• FACILITIES Village centre has restaurant, shop, fuel, interpretative centre. Caravan park has camp kitchen, pool, showers, toilets, laundry.
• PRICE $50 per night (powered site, two adults, three children), $40 (unpowered).