Flinders Ranges 2023

Flinders Ranges - we will definitely be going back to spend more time in the Flinders Ranges. This trip just gave us a taste of the amazing area.

DAY 1: Brisbane to St George (501km) We headed out on the Warrego Highway through Jondaryn and Dalby. We then turned onto the Moonie Highway. We saw a sign to Lake Broadwater Conservation Park and took our first detour to check it out! (The movie starring Vince Colosimo called The Second was filmed at this lake and Jimbour House). A great camping spot. Headed back to the highway and stopped at Moonie for lunch (sandwiches in the van!) We went through Westmar, eventually turning onto the Carnarvon Highway which took us to St George. We took an afternoon walk around town and along the Balonne River.

DAY 2: St George to Thargomindah (481km) We drove through Bollon situated on the Wallam Creek and then onto Cunnamulla. We stopped for a lunch break and met the Cunnamulla Fella! We the travelled through Eulo and onto Thargomindah where we are camped for the night. We did a quick tour of the town to see the attractions - old gaol, old hydro power station, conduit art sculpture, old hospital, flood truck and Pelican Point Picnic area.

DAY 3: Thargomindah to Innamincka Today was a travel day - just open roads and no towns. We stopped at The Dig Tree for lunch. We found our first dirt road. We crossed the border into South Australia. Arrived at Innamincka where we are bush camped by the Cooper Creek for the night. Great spot with no-one around us.

DAY 4: Innamincka to Leigh Creek Today was another driving day as we got closer to our destination. We had an early start as we knew we were driving dirt roads today but were actually surprised by the amount of bitumen there is now since our last trip through here. Heading down the Strezlecki Track we passed through Moomba. We encountered a camel walking along the road and had to let a couple of emus cross the road! We stopped in at Montecollina Bore for morning tea. Sadly the bore was dry (5 years ago it was full of lovely warm water). We travelled through Lyndhurst and Copley to arrive at tonight's destination, Leigh Creek. I went for a walk, a loop around town (2km). This was once a thriving mining town. We are finally on the outskirts of the Flinders Ranges.

DAY 5: Leigh Creek to Willow Springs We headed south from Leigh Creek, drove through Parachilna and stopped in Harker for a couple of hours so Lauren could do some work. We looked at the old railway station there. We then drove north back to Parachilna to look at the town. When then crossed over the where we followed a dirt road (David's favourite type of road!) through Parachilna Gorge, eventually ending up at Blinman. We were then back on the bituman and followed Flinders Ranges Way to Skytrek Willow Springs Station (our base camp while here). We were already blown away by the landscape we had seen so far on our drive and were excited about what was to come. We went for a drive up Stokes Hills Lookout, where we at some nibblies and watched the sunset.

DAY 6: Exploring the Flinders Ranges In the morning we drove to Quorn and went on the Pichi Richi Railway. The train took us out to Woolshed Flats where we had devonshire tea and then back again. After finishing our train trip, David decided that since Port Augusta was only 40km away we should go and check it out. Only good thing to come from that trip was we found a Woollies so could get some supplies! On our travels we have seen alot of house ruins. We stopped on our way back and took photos of some of them.

DAY 7: Exploring the Flinders Ranges The day started with ice on our table and windscreen! In the morning we went to Blinman and did the mine tour. Blinman Mine is an old copper mine. We were the only two on the tour so got our own personal tour! We then had lunch at the local cafe/bakery. David has a miners Cornish pastie - veggie and meat with apple on one end so had to make sure you ate the right end first. They are based on what the miners actually ate to sustain them all day. where they got meat and veggies and then a sweet treat at the end. I got to drive today. The first track I took us down was to the Great Wall of China. This was an amzing rock formation on the top of a mountain. The next dirt track I cam across took us to the Appealinna Ruins. These were the ruins of an old homestead and it's many buildings. We then went to Huck's Lookout before heading back to camp for a couple of hours. David doing some maintenance and me some washing ans work. Tonight we went out for dinner. This was a dinner my youngest son had organised as a birthday present. He booked us into the Woolshed Restaurant at Rawnsley Park Station (about 35kms from our camp site). David and I shared a lamb platter. We were in sheep country so the lamb was absolutely delicious. Highly recommend.

DAY 8: Exploring the Flinders Ranges What an amazing day, doing what we love - four wheel driving. We did the Skytrek track here at Willow Springs where we are staying. They provided us with a map and document with information on the all the reference points.

DAY 9: Exploring the Flinders Ranges In the morning we drove south to Wilpena Pound to check out the resort. We also looked at Old Wilpena Station. We then went back to the main road and drove north. We turned left down Bunyeroo Gorge Road, that took us to the Bunyeroo Valley Lookout and Bunyeroo Gorge. From there we drove to Brachina Gorge and onto the Aroona Hut Ruins. We then went and looked at Wilkawillina Gorge before heading back to camp. The scenery today was just amazing and so beautiful.

DAY 10: Willow Springs to Quorn On our way out we checked out Rawnsley Park Station Caravan Park. Our choice if you wanted a powered site, we would choose Wilpena Pound over Rawnsley Park. We were very happy with our bush camp at Willow Springs though. We had a quick stop in Hawker - David need a part from the mechanics to arrive in Quorn. We were unable to check in till 12, so we wnt for a little walk around town to see some of the historic buildings and shouted ourselves lunch at a lovely cafe. After settling in to the caravan park, Lauren spent the afternoon catching up on some work. That night, we wnet and watched the Quorn Silo Light Show. It is like a movie screen on the silos and they play a number of short movies about the history of the area. Apart from it being freezing cold, we did enjoy it and found it very interesting.

DAY 11: Quorn to Broken Hill Today was a travel day. We left Quorn and travelled trough Wilmington and Orroroo. At Orroroo we checked out the Giant Gum Tree. We then drove to Peterborough where we stopped for morning tea. This a lovely country town and would come back here to stay for a couple of nights to explore. We saw a sign that said coffee so we decided to head into the building, paying no attention to what the building was. What a surprise when we got inside. It used to be the Capitol Theatre - so many knick knacks and memorabilia inside. We then checked out a few other places of interest as we walked back to the car. From there we went through the towns of Oddka Wirra, Yunta ad Manna Hill. We stopped in a town called Olary for lunch where we enjoyed a "tear and share" that we had purchased at the Peterborough Bakery. The only thing in Olary was a pub and it was for sale! We went through the town of Cockburn before passing over the border into New South Wales. We arrived at the Broken Hill Outback Resort (just out of town) where we are now camped on some lovely grass - our base to explore the area.

DAY 12: Exploring Broken Hill This morning was spent with Lauren doing some work and David doing some washing. We then went for a drive into town where we went to the Line of Lode Miners Memorial, Bell's Milk Bar and a walk up and down the street. We then spent some more time at camp where Lauren did some more work and David did some cleaning and relaxing. Just a quiet day which is needed sometimes.

DAY 13: Exploring Broken Hill We went for a 2km drive down the road from where we are staying to look at the Stephen's Creek Reservoir. We then headed into town where we looked at the old Junction Mine. From there we went to the Sulphide Street Railway and Historical Museum Complex. We drove out to the Living Desert State Park where we looked at the sculptures and did the Flora Trail walk. Very different scenery to what we had in the Flinders Ranges. This afternoon we had friends from Brisbane arrive at camp.

DAY14: Exploring Broken Hill Today we drove out to Silverton (with our friends) where we checked out the Silverton Hotel, the Mad Max Museum and the cemetery. We then drove out and checked out Mundi Mundi Lookout and the Umberumberka Reservoir. We came back to Broken Hill and looked at The Silver Mint. Spent time relaxing at camp catching up with our friends.

DAY 15: Broken Hill to Mildura As we were so close to Mildura, we decided that we would go there and then do the Darling River Run back up. We left Broken Hill on the Silver City Highway, past the Coombah Roadhouse (abandoned) then saw the amazing huge Lake Poplitah, to eventually arrive in Wentworth where we had lunch. We then travelled onto Mildura where we enjoyed the live music and camp fire. Mildura is a place we would like to come back and explore more.

DAY 16: Mildura to Broken Hill Today didn't go exactly as planned! We left Mildura and started the Darling River Run. We got to Pooncarie and encountered an issue. A big storm that had come through on Friday night had closed the roads so we were not able to go any further. We then took a very long dirt road back to the Silver City Highway, to eventually arrive back in Broken Hill. We checked back into our previous camp (where are friends still were). We dropped off the van and decied to do a run out to Menindee Lakes. Our friends came for a drive as well. Lake Menidee when full is three times the size of Sydney Harbour. The day ended well as we got to see the sunset over the lake and the drive back to Brokwn Hill was an amazing orange sky.

DAY 17: Broken Hill to Cobar Today was a boring driving day! The first 197kms to Wilcania with no towns, then 260km to Cobar with no towns. We booked into a lovely van park tonight with very roomy sites. I spent the afternoon catching up on some work.

DAY 18: Cobar to Lightning Ridge Before we left Cobar this morning, we went and took a photo of the Cobar sign and went to the Fort Hill Lookout where you get to look out over a mine. Cobar is a town we would like to come back and spend a little more time in. From there we went to Bourke ans saw the historic wharf at the Port of Bourke on the Darling River. From there we drove to Brewarrina. Here we saw the World Heritage Listed Aboriginal Fish Traps and had lunch at the Muddy Waters Cafe. We loved all the painted art work around this town. We left there to travel through the town of Goodooga to eventually arrive in Lightning Ridge.

We cannot get over the number of feral goats that we are seeing on our travles and today we saw close to 500 emus!

DAY 19: Exploring Lightning Ridge This morning started with the "Yellow Car Door Explorer Tour". This took is to a place called Lunatic Hill. From there we went back to the highway and found Stanley the Emu. We then did the Chambers of the Black Hand tour we had booked. All the sculptures were created by one man and a butter knife, fork and scourer. They are something you really need to see. In the afternoon we looked at Cooper Cottage and the Bottle House (closed). Then did the "Red Car Door Tour". Lightning Ridge was originally called Wallangulla. This road tour is past a house made of stones and bottles, The Ridge Castle, Wombat House and Sim's Hill. We stopped to look at Amigo's Castle. After that we did the "Blue Car Door Explorer Tour" which took you yo Opal Mine Adventures walk-in mine. This was the first tour ever set up in town but we didn't go into this one. We saw the cemetery - lots of white crosses and very few headstones. Finally we stopped in at the Heritage Cottage run by the historical society.

DAY 20: Exploring Lightning Ridge Today was a rest day where we stay at camp. Later in the afternoon we did the "Green Car Door Explorer Tour". This took us to Nettleton's First Shaft Lookout. There was a house there built with beer cans. There was also a Stone Labyrinth that was made by 4 people in 6 hours. They ask that if you see a stone out of place to re-align them in this spiritual place. We then watched the sunset.

DAY 21: Lightning Ridge to Dirranbandi Today was a short drive for our last overnight stop before we head home. We drove through the town of which consisted of a pub, general store and caravan park. We crossed back across the border into Queensland. We are staying the night in the lovely little town of Dirranbandi in a quaint caravan park. The actual house the owner lives in is an old convent. Before we checked in we went and looked at the Balonne River. We spent the after relaxing, enjoying our last day before joining everyone at happy hour at the camp kitchen.

DAY 22: Dirranbandi to Brisbane We left Dirrabandi for the drive home. We went through Thallon where we saw painted silos and the Big Wombat. We then drove through Mungindi, which is on the border so took us back to NSW. From there we drove through Boomi, to end up at Goondiwindi. We saw some sculpture art on the way out of town. We arrived at Yelarbon where we saw more painted silos and stopped for lunch. We then drove through Inglewood, Gore, Warwick and before arriving home.

This was our last trip in our BRS. They have been part of some amazing experiences over the last 5 years but sadly we have outgrown it and now await delivery of our larger Urban caravan.