roadtrips.southaustralia.com

Prepare for the great Australian road trip along the Explorer’s Way, a 3000km route stretching from to Darwin. Embark on an unforgettable journey through South ’s outback landscapes and historic towns where you can meet the locals, get back to nature and experience the wonder of the outback sky at night.

PRODUCED BY THE SOUTH AUSTRALIAN TOURISM COMMISSION To Darwin Alice Springs

NORTHERN TERRITORY QUEENSLAND

Journey through the heart of Australia’s outbackYulara Erlunda

Kulgera

SIMPSON DESERT ITINERARY HIGHLIGHTS

1 wine region Marla 2 Burra Heritage Passport Oodnadatta

WESTERN 3 Alligator Gorge, Mount 21 Remarkable National Park PAINTED DDESERT LAKE

EYRE K C

4 Pichi Richi Railway – Historic rail A

GREAT 18 R

AUSTRALIA journeys VICTORIA T E DESERT 20 William CrCreeeek L L 5 Jeff Morgan Gallery I 19 V 13 S D

R 6 Rawnsley Park Station – Scenic Coober Pedy I flights, eco villas, 4WD tours, B K RAC guided walks Marree T 17 I K

S C 7 Wilpena Pound – Scenic flights, E

ZEL LE safari tents, 4WD tours, guided 16 R ST Arkaroola walks AnA damooka 15

H WA 8 Heritage Blinman Mine Roxby Downs Leigh Creek Underground experience UT Kingoonya Glendambo 14 Blinmanma SO 9 Prairie Hotel and Parachilna NULLARBOR PLAIN Parachilna 9 8 W Gorge 12 Woomera 10 7 NE 10 Brachina Gorge Geological Trail 6 Wilpena 11 Wadlata Outback Centre 5 Hawker 12 Woomera Interactive Rocket 11 4 Quorn Range Museum Port Augusta Wilmington 13 Coober Pedy – sleep 3 Melrose underground, opal and mine tours

14 Beltana Station Port PiriP e 2 15 Arkaroola – Ridgetop tour ClarC e 1 16 Farina Ruins 17 Marree – Scenic flights Gawwlerwle 18 Lake Eyre – Scenic flights ADELAIDEADE 19 William Creek0 – Scenic flights 200 km 20 The Breakaways I

21 Painted Desert Victc or ORIA Harbor

VICT

0 200 km roadtrips.southaustralia.com

TOWN REGION TRAVEL TIME FROM ADELAIDE

KINGSCOTE KANGAROO ISLAND 30 MINUTE FLIGHT

PORT LINCOLN EYRE PENINSULA 40 MINUTE FLIGHT COOBER PEDY FLINDERS RANGES AND OUTBACK 2 HOUR FLIGHT MOUNT GAMBIER LIMESTONE COAST 1 HOUR FLIGHT HAHNDORF ADELAIDE HILLS 20 MINUTE DRIVE MCLAREN VALE FLEURIEU PENINSULA 45 MINUTE DRIVE TANUNDA BAROSSA 1 HOUR DRIVE VICTOR HARBOR FLEURIEU PENINSULA 80 MINUTE DRIVE MANNUM MURRAY RIVER 90 MINUTE DRIVE CLARE CLARE VALLEY 2 HOUR DRIVE

WILPENA POUND FLINDERS RANGES AND OUTBACK 5 HOUR DRIVE SUGGESTED ITINERARY Day 3 Day 1 Flinders Ranges

Adelaide to Clare Valley Wilpena Pound is a magnificent natural amphitheatre and the centrepiece of the Flinders Ranges National Park. It is home Adelaide to Clare Valley is an easy two hour drive, and when to native wildlife including emus, kangaroos, birds and the you arrive there’s a long list of wineries to visit – Jim Barry, Yellow-footed Rock wallaby. Sevenhill, Reilly’s, Paulett, Skillogalee, Knappstein and Annie’s Lane to name a few. You haven’t really seen Wilpena Pound until you see it from the air. Air Wilpena fly from Wilpena Pound Resort and operate But there’s more to the region than just wine, and the Burra scenic flights every day over Wilpena Pound, as well as longer Heritage Passport will help you find it. The passport’s are available flights over Lake Eyre. from the Burra Visitor Centre and come with a key to unlock historic buildings and providing entry to Burra’s museums. Other Flinders Ranges highlights include Rawnsley Bluff, Wilpena Lookout, Razorback Lookout in Bunyeroo Gorge and Stokes Hill Lookout at sunset, as well as Aboriginal art sites at Day 2 Arkaroo Rock and Sacred Canyon. Clare Valley to Flinders Ranges Brachina Gorge is another must-see – an important refuge Travel north from the Clare Valley and you’re now on your way for the Yellow-footed Rock wallaby as well as species of birds into the famous Flinders Ranges. Alligator Gorge in Mount and reptiles. It has some of the oldest rock formations in the Remarkable National Park is a highlight. You can reach the world. gorge in ten minutes along a walking trail and the gorge is full of wildflowers and native orchids in spring. Day 4 About 60 kilometres north is Quorn, home of the Pichi Richi Flinders Ranges to Port Augusta Railway. There’s a museum and regular heritage train journeys to and from Port Augusta along the old Ghan railway line. Head north from Wilpena Pound to Blinman, a historic mining town, where the Blinman Heritage Tourist Mine offers Hawker is home to internationally-acclaimed artist Jeff Morgan visitors an underground mine tour experience. Bookings are whose gallery is in the centre of town. It features 360 degree recommended. panorama paintings of the Flinders Ranges. West of Blinman, pass through Parachilna Gorge towards the Rawnsley Park Station is just outside the national park Prairie Hotel in Parachilna – an oasis in the desert. The hotel and here you can be as active or relaxed as you like. is big on charm and country hospitality (as well as creature Accommodation is available for all tastes – from camping to comforts) and the restaurant is renowned for its native luxury eco-villas – and the park offers lots of touring options. Australian ‘feral food’.

Wilpena Pound Resort, on the edge of the pound, offers Then travel to Port Augusta via Hawker, Quorn and Pichi Richi camping, motel and luxury tent accommodation. Activities Pass. such as four-wheel drive tours, walking tours and scenic flights can be booked at your accommodation. Day 5 Day 7 Port Augusta to Coober Pedy Coober Pedy to Alice Springs

Port Augusta to Coober Pedy is a long drive, but there’s plenty Last stop before you leave on your way to see along the way to break up your journey. Before you to Alice Springs is Marla – population 70, give or take. It’s leave Port Augusta, the Wadlata Outback Centre is a major primarily a service town and is visited twice a week by The attraction and an accredited visitor information centre. There Ghan passenger train. are some great activities like the G’day Mate Theatre and journey through the Tunnel of Time back to when dinosaurs roamed the earth. If you want to add some extra adventure to About two hours north of Port Augusta is Woomera and the your trip, consider this alternative route from fascinating Woomera Interactive Rocket Range Museum. From Flinders Rangers to Coober Pedy: Woomera, travel a further 20 kilometres along the Stuart Highway to see the huge inland salt lakes, visible from several locations.

Take in the unique mining landscapes as you drive to Coober Day 4 Pedy. For a unique experience, sleep underground at a Flinders Ranges to Arkaroola via Leigh Creek number of accommodation options. Head north from Wilpena Pound to Blinman, a historic Day 6 mining town, where the Blinman Heritage Tourist Mine offers Coober Pedy visitors an underground mine tour experience. Bookings are recommended. Coober Pedy is the opal capital of the world, and there are opal mine tours at The Old Timer’s Mine Museum and West of Blinman through Parachilna Gorge is The Prairie Hotel Umoona Opal Mine and Museum. The Coober Pedy Opal in Parachilna – an oasis in the desert. The hotel is big on charm Fields Golf Club is the only club in the world with reciprocal and country hospitality (as well as creature comforts) and the rights to Saint Andrews in Scotland, the home of golf. The 18- restaurant is renowned for its native Australian ‘feral food’. hole course doesn’t have one blade of grass - instead players carry their own piece of artificial grass! Leigh Creek is a coal mining town on the northern edge of the Flinders Ranges. Tourists can visit the coal mine and there is Speaking of unconventional, Coober Pedy has a number of also good four wheel driving, bush walking and rustic outback underground churches, including St Peter and Paul’s Catholic pubs. Church – the first underground church in Coober Pedy and possibly the world, and the Catacomb Church. Arkaroola is a private sanctuary, established by Reg Sprigg in the 1960s, offering access to some of the most spectacular North of Coober Pedy, The Breakaways are one of South mountains in Australia. Australia’s outback gems. These flat-topped mesas are spectacular at sunset when you can see the amazing sandstone colours. Take some drinks and nibbles to enjoy as the setting sun paints colours on the landscape. Day 5 Day 7 Arkaroola to Marree Ridgetop Tour William Creek to Coober Pedy

Arkaroola Wilderness Sanctuary runs a Ridgetop Tour in an You’re in remote country as you drive from William Creek to open sided four-wheel drive. Passengers see some of the Coober Pedy - driving across Anna Creek Station is larger than most spectacular and remote country on earth. Texas! Arrive in Coober Pedy with time to settle in. You might want to dine at Tom and Mary’s Greek Taverna. On the way to Marree is the town of Farina. Its population peaked at about 600 in the late 1880s and today nothing but A must do in Coober Pedy is a tour at one of the opal mines stone ruins remain, which have been restored by a group of and museums such as The Old Timer’s Mine Museum and keen enthusiasts. Marree is an important railway town for The Umoona Opal Mine and Museum. Ghan passenger train. North of Coober Pedy, The Breakaways are one of South Australia’s outback gems. These flat-topped mesas are Day 6 spectacular at sunset when you can see the amazing Marree to William Creek sandstone colours. Take some drinks and nibbles to enjoy as the setting sun paints colours on the landscape. Just 40 kilometres out of Marree on the Oodnadatta Track, you will come across the Mutonia Sculpture Park with some unique sights such as the Plane Henge. Day 8 Coober Pedy to Alice Springs The star attractions at the Wabma Kadarbu Mound Springs Conservation Park are Blanche Cup and The Bubbler mound Last stop before you leave South Australia on your way springs where crystal clear water from the Great Artesian to Alice Springs is Marla – population 70, give or take. It’s Basin filters to the surface. It provides amazing springs in the primarily a service town and is visited twice a week by The desert environment. Ghan passenger train.

With a population of ten, William Creek is one of the smallest towns in Australia. It’s located on the world’s largest working cattle station – Anna Creek Station. It’s a great place to have a drink at the pub or take a scenic flight over Lake Eyre or the Painted Desert.

The Painted Desert is an area of spectacular and colourful hills. An amazing sight with rocky outcrops emerging from the desert landscape, it is part of the spectacular breakaway country.