Outback and Flinders Ranges, SA

I had the opportunity to see the Flinders Ranges region more than twice: on my way south to Adelaide from Alice Springs, on a long weekend trip in the Central Flinders Ranges and on my new experience in the Wirrabara Forest, in the heart of the Southern Flinders. I couldn't visit all the places unfortunately and see the northern section, but I know quite good the Southern Flinders and I spent 5 days cruising around the Central section and the Flinders National Park.

I've written this article from my little old caravan accommodation offered by the family I'd been visiting: it is located in Wirrabara Forest on a private property known as Talaree Orchard. 

web site: www.talaree.com.au

It's a wwoofing experience, that means I'm supposedly a willing worker on organic farm. I'm in the right place because Talaree Orchard is an organic farm and produces its own jam, stone fruits and honey but I'm probably not a willing worker, I need to finish the days for the second working holiday visa and this is the reason why I'm here. So far, anyway, I'm enjoying this beautiful country with little green hills full of fruit trees and vegetables and the relaxed atmosphere that this environment inspires.

I'm even learning a bit more about gardens and care for them. 

I had the occasion to take some walks around the forest, that was known by Aboriginal people as Wirrabara, 'a place of big trees'. The name of it derives from it and the translation explains the forest itself: it was first during the 1840's when european settled in the district and started to cut extensively all the timber in the area

; in order to preserve it the area was reserve for forestry purposes in 1875 and two years later a nursery was established to grow and plant forest trees. Trees arrived from every part of the world and was discovered that a pine from California was the most suitable to grow in the forestry.

In the forest there are even three creeks, known as White, Crews and Ippinitchie, that run east and combine into the Rocky Ruver. The forest is situated 3 hours drive north from Adelaide and it's part of the Southern Flinders Ranges as I said, north of Clare Valley. It is worth a stop either for the landscape and the environment, plus the wild animal and plenty native birds, or for the food that is all natural and organic or tasty and delicious, especially if you have stop at the bakery in Stone Hut ;)

Take the route number 2 described below if you want to explore more.

I try to sum up some of the routes you can follow, so that you can discover more of the region:

following the drive from Coober Pedy to Adelaide, you'll be encounter the outback of South Australia and part of the Flinders Rangres. You will be driving on the explorer way, as it is called on the touristic brochure of South Australia and the main way most of the explorers used to follow going north from Adelaide to the Northern Territory. This way passes through Coober Pedy, Glendabo, Pimba (from which is possible to deviate north - east in Woomera direction, heading to Roxby Downs, Olympic Dam and Andamooka), Port Augusta, Port Germein, Port Pirie and Crystal Brook. 

An alternative to this route is a journey through the centre of the Southern Flinders Ranges, heading to Wilmington from Port Augusta, going passed to Melrose, Murray Town, Wirrabara, Stone Hut, Laura, Gladstone, Georgetown and Yacka to enter finally the Clare Valley. 

From Port Augusta is even possible to head north east and enter the Central Flinders Ranges and the Flinders National Park and from there following north to the Northern Flinders Ranges. [see article: Flinders Ranges National Park]

Everywhere in this section of South Australia, you can experience and discover interesting spots, cultural areas rich of Aboriginal history and remains, unspoilt and beautiful wild nature with a lot of native wild animal and different environtment, supreme food and wine from the region, warm homestead and farm experience.