Southern Ranges Towns

Port Pirie (population 13,830) is a big lead- and zinc-smelting town on the edge of the Southern Flinders Ranges; the Nyrstar smelter dominates the skyline. It's a good spot to stock up on supplies before heading north. The Port Pirie Regional Tourism & Arts Centre (%1800 000 424, 08-8633 8700; www.pirie.sa.gov.au; 3 Mary Elie St; h9am-5pm Mon-Fri, 9am-4pm Sat, 10am-4pm Sun) has local info.

You enter the Southern Ranges proper near Laura (population 550), which emerges from the wheat fields like Superman's Smallville (all civic pride and 1950s prosperity). The long, geranium-adorned main street has a supermarket, chemist, bakery, bank, post office…even a shoe shop!

The oldest town in the Flinders (1853) is Melrose (population 200), snug in the elbow of the 960m Mt Remarkable. It has the perfect mix of well-preserved architecture, a cracking-good pub, quality accommodation and parks with actual grass. Don't miss the decaying multistorey ruins of Jacka's Brewery (1878) on Mount St, which once employed 40 staff. Mountain biking is big here: Over The Edge (%08-8666 2222; www.otesports.com.au; 6 Stuart St, Melrose; h9am-5pm Wed-Mon) has spares, repairs and a cafe.

Mt Remarkable National Park

Bush boffins rave about the steep, jagged Mt Remarkable National Park (%08-8634 7068; www.environment.sa.gov.au; per person/car $4/10), which straddles the Southern Flinders. Pay park entry fees via self-registration at Mambray Creek, off Hwy 1 about 21km north of Port Germein; or at Alligator Gorge on the inland route (Main North Rd between Melrose and Wilmington). Wildlife and bushwalking are the main lures, with various tracks (including part of the Heysen Trail) meandering through isolated gorges.

From the car park at Alligator Gorge take the short, steep walk (2km, two hours) down into the craggy gorge (no sign of any 'gators), the ring route (9km, four hours), or the walk to Hidden Gorge (18km, seven hours) or Mambray Creek (13km, seven hours). Or you can sweat up the track to the 960m-high summit of Mt Remarkable (12km, five hours); the trail starts behind Melrose Caravan Park.

If you want to stay the night, there's plenty of bush camping (per adult/child $18/free) and two lodges, at Mambray Creek (per night from $57) and Alligator Gorge (per night from $160). Both are solar powered; Alligator Gorge has better cooking facilities and showers. Book camp sites and lodges online; with cash at the Port Pirie, Port Augusta or Quorn visitor information centres; or at Over The Edge bike shop in Melrose.

Quorn

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Hawker

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Flinders Ranges National Park

One of SA's most treasured parks, Flinders Ranges National Park (www.environment.sa.gov.au; per car $10) is laced with craggy gorges, sawtoothed ranges, abandoned homesteads, Aboriginal sites, native wildlife and, after it rains, carpets of wild flowers. The park's big-ticket drawcard is the 80-sq-km natural basin Ikara (Wilpena Pound) − a sunken elliptical valley ringed by gnarled ridges (don't let anyone tell you it's a meteorite crater!).

The only vehicular access to the Pound is via the Wilpena Pound Resort's shuttle bus (return adult/child/family $5/3/10), which drops you about 1km from the old Hills Homestead, from where you can walk to Wangarra Lookout (another 300m). The shuttle runs at 9am, 11am, 1pm and 3pm. Otherwise it's a three-hour, 8km return walk between the resort and lookout.

The 20km Brachina Gorge Geological Trail features an amazing layering of exposed sedimentary rock, covering 120 million years of the earth's history. Grab a brochure from the visitors centre.

The Bunyeroo–Brachina–Aroona Scenic Drive is a 110km round trip, passing by Bunyeroo Valley, Brachina Gorge, Aroona Valley and Stokes Hill Lookout. The drive starts north of Wilpena off the road to Blinman.

Blinman & Parachilna

About an hour north of Ikara (Wilpena Pound) on a sealed road, ubercute Blinman (population 30), owes its existence to the copper ore discovered here in 1859 and the smelter built in 1903. But the boom went bust and 1500 folks left town. Today Blinman's main claim to fame is as SA's highest town (610m above sea level).

Much of the old Heritage Blinman Mine (%08-8648 4782; www.heritageblinmanmine.com.au; Main St, Blinman; tours adult/child/family $28/11/65; h9am-4pm, reduced hours Dec-Mar) has been redeveloped with lookouts, audiovisual interpretation and information boards. One-hour tours run at 10am, noon and 2pm.

Chunky slate floors, old-time photographs and colonial-style rooms collide at the renovated 1869 North Blinman Hotel (%08-8648 4867; www.blinmanhotel.com; Main St, Blinman; unpowered/powered sites $10/20, d motel/hotel $90/155; a), which has raggedy tent sites out the back (…D'oh! They filled in the pool!). The bistro (mains $20 to $30; serving noon to 2pm and 6pm to 8pm) plates up pubby delights. En route to Arkaroola, Angorichina Station (%08-8648 4863; www.angorichina.com.au; Blinman-Arkaroola Rd; upowered sites $20, shearers quarters per 5 people $200, cottage per 4 people $200; a) offers shearers'-quarters beds, camping and a lovely self-contained cottage.

The road between Blinman and Parachilna tracks through gorgeous Parachilna Gorge, where you'll find free creekside camping and chill-out spots. The northern end of the Heysen Trail starts/finishes here. Halfway between Blinman and Parachilna the Blinman Pools Walk (12km return, five hours) kicks off, following a creek past abandoned dugouts and river gums.

On the Hawker–Leigh Creek road, Parachilna (population somewhere between four and seven) is an essential Flinders Ranges destination. The drawcard here is the legendary Prairie Hotel (%1800 331 473, 08-8648 4895; www.prairiehotel.com.au; cnr High St & West Tce, Parachilna; powered sites $35, budget cabins s/d $65/80, hotel s/d/tr from $195/225/320; aW), a world-class stay with slick suites, plus camping and workers' cabins across the street. Don't miss a meal in the bar (mains $18 to $35; serving 11.30am to 3pm and 6pm to 8.30pm) – try the feral mixed grill (camel sausage, kangaroo fillet and emu). We arrived at 10.42am: 'Too early for a beer!? Whose rules are those?' said the barman.

Leigh Creek & Copley

In the early 1980s, the previously nonexistent town of Leigh Creek (population 700) was built by the state government – it's a coal-mining town, supplying the Port Augusta power stations. The Leigh Creek Tavern (%08-8675 2025; leighcreektavern@alintaenergy.com.au; Black Oak Dr, Leigh Creek; motel s/d $115/140, cabins s/d/f $100/110/150; a) offers jaunty '90s-style motel rooms, basic cabins and miner-sized bistro meals (mains $18 to $30; serving noon to 2pm and 6pm to 8pm). The Leigh Creek Visitor Information Centre (%08-8675 2315; www.loccleighcreek.com.au; Shop 2, Black Oak Dr, Leigh Creek; h8.30am-5.30pm Mon-Fri, to 2pm Sat) is at Liz's Open Cut Cafe.

About 6km north of Leigh Creek is the sweet meaninglessness of little Copley (population 80). Copley Caravan Park (%08-8675 2288; www.copleycaravan.com.au; Lot 100 Railway Tce W, Copley; unpowered/powered sites $25/30, cabins d $80-150, f $150; a) is a small, immaculate park. At reception is the Quandong Cafe, (Lot 100 Railway Tce W, Copley; items $5-7; h8am-5pm) serving delicious quandong pies (a quandong is a kind of native cherry).

Iga Warta (%08-8648 3737; www.igawarta.com; Arkaroola Rd; unpowered sites $22, dm & tents per person $36, cabins/safari tents d $104/150), 57km east of Copley on the way into Vulkathunha-Gammon Ranges National Park, is an Indigenous-run establishment offering Adnyamathanha cultural experiences ($25 to $84) as well as 4WD and bushwalking tours ($138).

Vulkathunha-Gammon Ranges National Park

Blanketing 1282 sq km of desert, the remote Vulkathunha-Gammon Ranges National Park (www.environment.sa.gov.au) has deep gorges, rugged ranges, yellow-footed rock wallabies and gum-lined creeks. Most of the park is difficult to access (4WDs are near compulsory) and has limited facilities. The rangers hang out at the Balcanoona Park Headquarters (%08-8204 1910, 08-8648 5300), 99km from Copley.

The park has five bush camping (per person/car $10/6) areas: pick up camping permits at park HQ. There are also a couple of huts here: Grindells Hut (up to 8 people $155) and Balcanoona Shearers' Quarters (d/tr $44/65, exclusive use up to 19 people $285); book through the park HQ.

Arkaroola

A privately operated wildlife reserve–resort 129km east of Copley on unsealed roads, Arkaroola Wilderness Sanctuary (%08-8648 4848; www.arkaroola.com.au) occupies a far-flung and utterly spectacular part of the Flinders Ranges. The visitor centre (open 9am to 5pm) has natural-history displays, including a scientific explanation of the tremors that often shake things up hereabouts.

The Arkaroola must-do is the four-hour 4WD Ridgetop Tour (%08-8648 4848; www.arkaroola.com.au; adult/child $145/55) through wild mountain country, complete with white-knuckle climbs and descents towards the freakish Sillers Lookout. You can also book guided or tag-along tours (drives and walks) through the area.

The resort (Arkaroola Rd Camp; unpowered/powered sites $22/29, cottages f $130-175, motel d $149-179; as) includes a motel complex, caravan park, bar-restaurant (mains $20 to $30, serving noon to 2pm and 6pm to 8pm), supermarket and service station.

Woomera

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Woomera to Coober Pedy

Around 115km northwest of Pimba and 245km shy of Coober Pedy, middle-of-nowhere Glendambo (population 30) was established in 1982 as a Stuart Hwy service centre. This is the last fuel stop before Coober Pedy.

You can bunk down at the oasislike Glendambo Hotel-Motel (%08-8672 1030; manager@glendambo.com.au; Stuart Hwy; unpowered/powered sites $23/27, s/d/f from $94/99/140; as), which has bars, a restaurant and a bunch of decent motel units. Outside are dusty camp sites; inside are meaty mains at the bistro ($16 to $30, serving noon to 2pm and 6pm to 8pm).

North of Glendambo the Stuart Hwy enters the government-owned Woomera Prohibited Area − the highway itself is unrestricted, but don't go a-wanderin' now, y'hear?

Coober Pedy

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Coming into cosmopolitan Coober Pedy (there are 44 nationalities represented here!) the dry, barren desert suddenly becomes riddled with holes and adjunct piles of dirt − reputedly more than a million around the township. The reason for all this rabid digging is opals. Discovered here 100 years ago, these gemstones have made this small town a mining mecca. This isn't to say it's also a tourist mecca − with swarms of flies, no trees, 50°C summer days, cave-dwelling locals and rusty car wrecks in front yards, you might think you've arrived in a postapocalyptic wasteland − but it sure is interesting! The name derives from local Aboriginal words kupa (white man) and piti (hole).

The surrounding desert is jaw-droppingly desolate, a fact not overlooked by international film makers who've come here to shoot end-of-the-world epics like Mad Max III, Red Planet, Ground Zero, Pitch Black and the slightly more believable Priscilla, Queen of the Desert.

Coober Pedy

1Sights

1Catholic Church of St Peter & St PaulB2

2Faye's Underground HomeD2

3Old Timers MineC1

4Sleeping

4Desert Cave HotelB2

5Radeka DownunderB2

5Eating

6John's Pizza Bar & RestaurantB2

7Tom & Mary's Greek TavernaB3

Umberto'sB2

Coober Pedy to Marla

The Breakaways Reserve is a stark but colourful area of arid hills and scarps 33km north from Coober Pedy along a rough road; turn off the highway 22km west of town. Entry permits (per adult/child $2.20/free) are available at the Coober Pedy Visitor Information Centre (note that Indigenous land owners may change this process at some stage in the future).

An interesting 70km loop on mainly unsealed road from Coober Pedy takes in the Breakaways, the Dog Fence (built to keep dingos out of southeastern Australia) and the tablelike Moon Plain on the Coober Pedy–Oodnadatta Rd. If it's been raining, you'll need a 4WD.

If you're heading for Oodnadatta, turning off the Stuart Hwy at Cadney Homestead (151km north of Coober Pedy) gives you a shorter run on dirt roads than the routes via Marla or Coober Pedy. En route you pass through the aptly named Painted Desert (bring your camera).

Cadney Homestead (%08-8670 7994; cadney@bigpond.com; Stuart Hwy; unpowered/powered sites from $16/25, d cabin/motel $85/125; ais) itself has caravan and tent sites, serviceable motel rooms and basic cabins (BYO towel to use the shared caravan-park facilities), plus petrol, puncture repairs, takeaways, cold beer, an ATM, a swimming pool…

In mulga scrub about 82km from Cadney Homestead, Marla (population 245) replaced Oodnadatta as the official regional centre when the Ghan railway line was rerouted in 1980. Marla Travellers Rest (%08-8670 7001; www.marla.com.au; Stuart Hwy; unpowered/powered sites/cabins $20/30/40, d from $120; ais) has fuel, motel rooms, camp sites, a pool, a cafe and a supermarket.

Frontier-style Mintabie (population 250) is an opal-field settlement on Aboriginal land 35km west of Marla; there's a general store, restaurant and basic caravan park here.

From Marla the Northern Territory (NT) border is another 180km, with a fuel stop 20km beyond that in Kulgera.

Oodnadatta Track

The legendary, lonesome Oodnadatta Track is an unsealed, 615km road between Marla on the Stuart Hwy and Marree in the northern Flinders Ranges. The track traces the route of the old Overland Telegraph Line and the defunct Great Northern Railway. Lake Eyre (Kati Thanda; www.environment.sa.gov.au), the world's sixth-largest lake (usually dry), is just off the road. Bring a 4WD – the track is often passable in a regular car, but it gets bumpy, muddy, dusty and potholed.

Birdsville Track

This old droving trail runs 517km from Marree in SA to Birdsville, just across the border in Queensland, passing between the Simpson Desert to the east and Sturt Stony Desert to the west. It's one of Australia's classic outback routes. For road conditions see www.dpti.sa.gov.au/OutbackRoads (…a 4WD is the only way to go, regardless).

Strzelecki Track

Meandering through the sand hills of the Strzelecki Regional Reserve (www.environment.sa.gov.au), the Strzelecki Track spans 460km from Lyndhurst, 80km south of Marree, to the tiny outpost of Innamincka. The discovery of oil and gas at Moomba (closed to travellers) saw the upgrading of the road from a camel track to a decent dirt road, though heavy transport travelling along it has created bone-rattling corrugations. The newer Moomba–Strzelecki Track is better kept, but longer and less interesting than the old track, which follows Strzelecki Creek. Accommodation, provisions and fuel are available at Lyndhurst and Innamincka, but there's nothing in between.

Innamincka

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