Robert Posted on 20 November 2025

SA’s Flinders Ranges joins Lonely Planet’s top list for 2026 — Part two

Words Robert Crack Pics Robert Crack and Supplied

In part one of our feature, we shared the news that South Australia’s Ikara–Flinders Ranges and Outback has been recognised by Lonely Planet as one of the world’s top 25 travel destinations for 2026. Here at Hema Maps, we’ve been offroading in the Flinders Ranges for more than 40 years, and we can’t say that we were at all surprised that this region made the cut for Lonely Planet’s global elite list.

Brachina Gorge (Credit: Tim van Duyl)

Officially recognised by Lonely Planet as one of the world’s top travel destinations for 2026, South Australia’s Flinders Ranges and Outback region joins elite company alongside Réunion, Cádiz, Botswana, Finland and the Solomon Islands. What sets the Flinders Ranges apart, however, is their position at the crossroads of the continent — where major east–east and north–south routes intersect, earning it the title ‘Australia’s Great Cross-Roads’.

Historically, the ranges were vital for First Nations trade, especially in red ochre, and mark the starting point of the world’s longest registered songline. In more recent history, the Flinders Ranges facilitated Australia’s expansion: the Overland Telegraph linked Adelaide to Darwin in 1871–1872, while the original Ghan railway opened Central Australia in 1878. Today, both the east–west Indian Pacific and north–south The Ghan railways run through Port Augusta, alongside the south-to-north Stuart Highway (A87), positioning the ranges as a key transport hub.

For travellers, the Flinders Ranges intersect with iconic 4WD tracks including the Strzelecki, Birdsville and Oodnadatta Tracks, connecting visitors to destinations such as the Barossa Valley, Riverland, Broken Hill, the Eyre Peninsula and the Red Centre. Yet many pass by without stopping, missing the region’s rich natural, cultural and historical attractions.

Part one of our series offered the first five reasons to explore the Flinders Ranges and Outback. If you missed it, check it out here. Now, join us for part two as we dive back into why this extraordinary corner of Australia belongs on your bucket list — a land where ancient landscapes, iconic tracks and outback heritage converge at Australia’s great crossroads.

Reason 6: Arkaroola Wilderness Sanctuary

Dreaming of a true outback adventure? Journey into the remote Northern Flinders Ranges and uncover Arkaroola Wilderness Sanctuary — a spectacular expanse of rugged mountains, ochre-hued gorges, and skies so clear they seem endless. Adjacent to Vulkathunha–Gammon Ranges National Park, this 610sq km reserve is among Australia’s most remarkable natural destinations.

Created in 1968 by the Sprigg family, Arkaroola Wilderness Sanctuary was South Australia’s first privately managed conservation area. Its foundation rests on three principles: scientific research, environmental protection and education. The land here tells a story billions of years in the making, shaped by ancient forces of fire, ice and water. Its cultural heritage runs even deeper — the Adnyamathanha people have long woven creation stories through these ridges, creeks and sacred waterholes.

Arkaroola also holds a special place in geological history. Before his Antarctic fame, Sir Douglas Mawson explored these landscapes, studying their Precambrian rocks and glacial remnants — work that inspired generations of scientists, including Reg Sprigg, the sanctuary’s founder.
For visitors, adventure is everywhere. The Ridgetop Tour, a legendary 4WD experience operating since 1969, climbs narrow spurs and steep ridges to Sillers Lookout, where the horizon seems infinite. For an unforgettable night, the Ridgetop Sleepout offers stargazing beneath one of the clearest skies on Earth.

Prefer to go solo? Arkaroola boasts 130km of self-drive 4WD tracks, from scenic routes to extreme challenges. Highlights include the rugged Echo Camp Backtrack, the Paralana Hot Springs Track, and gentler drives to Nooldoonooldoona Waterhole and Idninha Track.

Arkaroola's self-drive 4WD trails are excellent (Credit: Robert Crack)

Remote, raw and awe-inspiring, Arkaroola is more than a destination — it’s a once-in-a-lifetime journey into the heart of the Flinders Ranges.

Reason 7: The outback towns of Blinman and Beltana

Blinman

Perched high in the central Flinders Ranges, tiny Blinman holds the title of South Australia’s highest town (quite an accolade for the flattest state in the world’s flattest continent!) — and one of its most fascinating. Though today it counts fewer than 30 permanent residents, the surrounding hills still echo with stories from its copper-mining past.

In 1859, shepherd Robert ‘Peg Leg’ Blinman discovered copper ore, sparking a rush that grew the Wheal Blinman Mine into a bustling operation with more than 1500 people living and working in the surrounding hills. When the ore ran dry in 1907, the crowds left, but the town endured.

These days, Blinman is a base for exploring the northern Flinders and a great stop in its own right. The classic Blinman Pools Walk follows a creek to two natural pools hemmed in by steep rock walls — a peaceful half-day or full-day hike. In town, the North Blinman Hotel (‘Pub in the Scrub’) remains the community’s hub, serving meals, cold drinks and its signature Peg n Leg Lager. The Miners Crib Cafe Bakery offers a quirky local favourite: the miner’s pasty, savoury at one end and sweet at the other.

The Miners Crib Cafe Bakery & Accommodation, Blinman (Credit: Justin Gill)

Blinman (Credit: Robert Crack)

Just outside town, Wadna showcases Adnyamathanha art, carvings and jewellery, as well as cultural tours through Parachilna Gorge and Dingley Dell. Nearby Chambers Gorge offers superb examples of ancient petroglyphs etched into the rock. Scenic drives radiate in every direction — Parachilna Gorge Road to the Prairie Hotel, routes north toward Arkaroola and, to the south, the legendary geological trails of Bunyeroo and Brachina gorges and Wilpena Pound.

Tough, tiny and wrapped in red ranges, Blinman is a memorable mix of mining heritage and modern outback adventure.

Beltana

About 40km to the northwest sits Beltana, another settlement with roughly 30 residents — but an outback history large enough to fill a museum. State Heritage–listed since 1987, Beltana began in the 1850s and grew into a key telegraph station, railway town, mining base and mission centre. At its peak it held nearly 400 people. The arrival of the railway in 1881 brought hotels, shops, a school and police station. But after World War II, population decline and the newer growth around Leigh Creek saw the town lose services and, eventually, its railway line.

What endured was its cultural significance — Aboriginal, Afghan and European stories woven through stone buildings and dusty streets. Visitors today can wander restored structures such as the Old School, Royal Victoria Hotel, Overland Telegraph Station and the old railway precinct. Picnic areas, 4G reception and nearby wildlife make it an easy stop, while Nilpena Ediacara National Park to the west protects fossil beds more than 550 million years old.

Beltana remains a living museum — a resilient outpost that never quite let go of its past.

Reason 8: The Prairie Hotel in Parachilna

Only a 30km or so drive west of Blinman, the old copper ore wagon route leads through the rust-coloured folds of Parachilna Gorge to one of Australia’s most unlikely culinary icons — the Prairie Hotel.

Prairie Hotel, Parachilna (Credit: Robert Crack)

More than just a pub stop, this place is a destination in itself — equal parts outback institution, art space and gourmet surprise. Its famous ‘Feral Feast’ menu must surely vie for the title of the outback’s most unexpected feast, were such an award to exist. The Prairie Hotel has achieved near-mythical culinary status, serving up dishes such as camel, emu, kangaroo and goat, each reimagined with a chef’s flair. For those less adventurous, there are inspired vegetarian options featuring native ingredients such as finger lime and quandong.

(Credit: Robert Crack)

The setting is pure outback theatre: a broad verandah, an endless horizon and that unmistakable red-dust glow that hits just before sunset. With a cold beer in hand and the Flinders Ranges at your back, it’s as authentic as an Aussie experience gets.

Dating back to 1876, the Prairie remains Parachilna’s historic heart — a quirky crossroads linking the Flinders to the vastness of Central Australia. Inside, you’ll find stylish accommodation, an atmosphere that balances heritage charm with a modern edge and a kitchen bold enough to serve an FMG (Feral Mixed Grill) — a platter of kangaroo fillet, emu mignon, camel sausage, roast potato and red wine jus.

(Credit: Robert Crack)

In a landscape that feels eternal, the Prairie stands out as something proudly human — a touch of comfort and creativity amid the timeless silence of the desert.

We reckon Ross Fargher, Prairie Hotel co-owner, expresses it best.

“I have always felt it imperative to share my passion for the Ikara Flinders Ranges both locally and internationally,” he said. “My family came to the Flinders Ranges in the 1860s; the experiences, recollections, relationships and multi-generational stories of the Fargher family create a memorable journey of 550 million years from the dawn of animal life, through Aboriginal custodianship and pastoral heritage to the protection of country for all time.”

Reason 9: Melrose and Mount Remarkable National Park

Mount Remarkable National Park has a way of creeping up and surprising you. One moment you’re cruising through farmland; the next you’re staring at jagged quartzite walls, cool gullies and valleys carved from rock nearly a billion years old. Set between Spencer Gulf and the lower Flinders, and only three hours from Adelaide, it’s an easy detour for road-trippers rolling in from Port Augusta or the long hauls from Perth, Darwin or down south.

The park spreads across three distinct hubs — Alligator Gorge, Melrose/Mount Remarkable and Mambray Creek — each offering its own mix of lookouts, creeks, circuits and campgrounds. Mambray Creek even has cabins for travellers chasing a few comforts. Wildlife is everywhere: rock-wallabies perched on ledges, goannas shuffling across warm stone, echidnas probing the leaf litter and birds ranging from tiny fairy-wrens to soaring raptors.

Tracks lace the whole region, from kid-friendly loops to steep climbs and long roaming routes. Mountain bikers gravitate to Willowie Forest near Melrose, where an entire network of purpose-built trails winds through ridges, woodland and open flats. It’s a genuine mountain bike playground, with everything from simple warm-up loops to South Australia’s signature long-distance ride: the 39km Remarkable Epic Trail. It’s remote, beautifully crafted and demands fitness, confidence and a good supply of water. Many trails are shared-use, so riders must give way to walkers.

Other favourites include short blasts such as the 500m Waterfall Link, the 1.5km E-Skid-Na, 2.4km Sleeper, the 5.8km Awky Squawky, the 6.1km Monitor Track Loop and the Southern Flinders Rail Trail, a 22km run of gravel, creeks and big views between Melrose and Wilmington.

Away from the bikes, Alligator Gorge is the park’s showpiece — towering walls, shifting colours and cool rock passages. The short walk to Ali Lookout delivers wide views, while the steep descent into the gorge leads to the Narrows and Terraces, where water trickles over layered stone after winter rain. Blue Gum Flat Picnic Area makes for an easy lunch stop, and Daveys Gully offers a superb sunset wander overlooking Spencer Gulf.

Alligator Gorge (Credit: Robert Crack)

No matter how you explore it — wheels, boots or a mix of both — Mount Remarkable delivers scenery, wildlife and quiet trails that linger long after the dust settles.

Baroota Homestead Ruins (Credit: Robert Crack)

Reason 10: Brachina Gorge, Bunyeroo Gorge, Brachina Gorge Geological Trail and plenty of native wildlife

Brachina and Bunyeroo gorges

Few places tell Earth’s long story as clearly as Brachina Gorge. The 20km Brachina Gorge Geological Trail is a self-guided journey through ancient seas, shifting climates and the rise of early life. Rugged cliffs, dry creek beds and layered rock reveal hundreds of millions of years of geological change, with interpretive signs explaining mountain building, ice ages and the fossil record. Keep watch for yellow-footed rock-wallabies perched on the rocky ledges.

Brachina Gorge Geological Trail (Credit: Matt Williams)

Camping here is limited to designated sites with permits required, and you should always carry water and check road conditions before setting out.

For a spectacular approach, take the Bunyeroo Valley Scenic Drive from Wilpena Pound. This route winds through towering ranges past the iconic Razorback Lookout, before dropping into Bunyeroo Gorge and pushing on toward Brachina. Expect corrugations, creek crossings and mixed surfaces, though most 4WDs can handle it easily with a little care.

Together, Brachina and Bunyeroo offer more than a scenic drive — they’re a living classroom of geology and a photographer’s dream. Ripple-marked sandstones, quartzite walls glowing in afternoon light and ancient seabeds compressed into tight folds create a landscape that feels both raw and timeless. Whether you’re towing a van or exploring by 4WD, this run is a Flinders Ranges essential.

At the junction with the Brachina Gorge Geological Trail, turn left and follow Brachina Creek as it slices through the Heysen Range. After around 9km the gorge opens out into vast western plains — the moment the landscape exhales. From here, you can head west to the Hawker–Parachilna Road for a detour to the Prairie Hotel or turn south for the Moralana Scenic Drive beneath the Elder Range. Both are achievable in a single day, but spreading the experience over two days lets you travel slower and savour the changing light, especially in winter.

Moralana Scenic Drive (Credit: Robert Crack)

Brachina Gorge Geological Trail

Most visitors roll through without stopping — but stepping out and wandering is where the gorge really shines. There are no formal walking tracks, but plenty of short, easy side trails lead to geological points of interest. Along the 20km Brachina Gorge Geological Trail, signs unpack how these layers formed on ancient sea floors and slowly rose to shape today’s ranges.

Starting near Blinman Road, the route crosses narrow passages and creek beds, passing formations such as the Enorama Shale and the limestone of the Trezona Formation, known for its stromatolite fossils. This area is also home to the ‘Golden Spike’ — a brass marker defining the start of the Ediacaran Period, when complex life first emerged. It’s only a short walk from the campground and features upgraded signage and stone seating.

Further along, the Elatina Formation reveals sandstone and glacial deposits from an icebound Earth, while the Nuccaleena Formation marks a warming world and rising seas. At Slippery Dip, the gorge erupts into bands of maroon siltstone from the Brachina Formation before levelling into a surprising terrace — the remnants of a Pleistocene wetland that once hosted snails, ostracods and even Genyornis, the giant flightless bird.

Beyond this, the trail enters the ABC Range Quartzite, a hard, ancient rock that forms the sharp ridges of the ABC Range, laid down some 620 million years ago in a vast tidal delta. At the Aroona Valley turnoff, a short detour reveals Koolamon Campground, Aroona Ruins and the old pug-and-pine Aroona Hut — a peaceful spot framed by the Heysen and ABC Ranges and intersected by the Heysen Trail and Yuluna Loop.

The final stretch of the Brachina Gorge Geological Trail showcases the Flinders at its most impressive, from meteorite-blasted debris in Bunyeroo to the billion-year-old anomalies woven into the quartzite. Here you’ll meet the rusty reds of Bonney Sandstone, the sheer Rawnsley Quartzite cliffs of Wilpena Pound and the significant fossil sites of the Parachilna and Wilkawillina formations. If you want to understand the Flinders beneath the surface, this is the section that brings everything together.

Wildlife wonders

Curious emus (Dromaius novaehollandiae), Wilpena Pound (Credit: Robert Crack)

And if geology whets your curiosity, the wildlife seals the deal. The Flinders Ranges are one of Australia’s great fauna strongholds. The landscape feels ancient because it is — but it’s also alive with movement. A flash of yellow on a ledge. An emu vanishing into scrub. A wedge-tailed eagle riding a thermal like it was born for it.

Wedge-tailed Eagle (Aquila audax), Flinders Ranges (Credit: Robert Crack)

Travellers come for gorges, geology and big skies, but they stay for the animals. Red kangaroos roam the plains, western greys patrol campsites and euros cling to rocky slopes. Early morning and dusk are prime viewing times, especially around Wilpena Pound where kangaroos drift between tents.

Euro (Osphranter robustus erubescens) at sunrise, Stokes Hill (Credit: Robert Crack)

Small nocturnal mammals such as desert mice and dunnarts haunt the night, rarely seen but ever-present. Reptiles are everywhere: bearded dragons bask in the sun, sand goannas patrol the flats and shinglebacks lumber across unsealed roads with their unmistakable armour, which appears to an amalgam of part armadillo, part Middle Ages European knight.

Bearded dragon (Pogona barbata) (Credit: Robert Crack)

Around Wilpena Pound you may sight tawny dragon or red-barred dragon, and perhaps a variety of nocturnal geckos including barking, velvet, marbled and beaked species.

Apostlebirds chatter in family packs, red-capped robins flash like embers, while honeyeaters, rainbow bee-eaters, rufous whistlers, red-rumped parrots and elegant parrots fill the trees and creek lines. In the evenings, southern boobooks and Australian owlet nightjars claim the night. For birdwatchers, the Flinders Ranges are a paradise.

Red-rumped Parrot (Psephotus haematonotus) at Skytrek Willow Springs Station (Credit: Robert Crack)

Brachina Gorge is prime territory for yellow-footed rock-wallabies, often seen bounding across ledges or warming themselves on sunlit outcrops. Look for shallow caves tucked into the cliffs and, after rain, scattered waterholes along the creek.

There’s no better way to experience this wildlife than on foot. The Flinders are rich with walking tracks — from short creek rambles to all-day ridge climbs — and exploring on foot reveals smaller, quieter moments the vehicle-bound traveller often misses. Wilpena is even one of the few places where a western quoll may be spotted by lucky campers.

Travelling the Flinders Ranges is simple; travelling it attentively is richer. Here, geology, wildlife and deep time merge into something unforgettable. Rock-wallabies on red ledges. Wedgies circling high above. Movement in the corner of your eye reminding you the outback is always alive.

Out here, wildlife isn’t an add-on — it’s part of the story.