Day 19

Tuesday, 2nd October
Wilpena

Wilpena

Distance Traveled

Today - 0 km

Total - 6559 km

Blog

We spent the day in the Flinders Ranges. This is the very first, and only, day that we didn't drive at all.

We are at Wilpena Pound which is like in the centre of a huge volcano. The are hills on every side of us. It was actually created 50 million years ago when the ground was squeezed and uplifted and then eroded away over time.

They used to use this area for sheep as it was a natural fenced paddock with just a small entrance.

They failed a lot back in those days of the 1880s with overstocking and drought.

They also had a dingo problem back in those days where they could hear the dingos chewing bones at night outside the window. They even built ladders into the trees for the chooks to roost in at night.

I started out with a plan on going to the highest peak. A 6 hr trek. I climbed a large hill with cliffs to find a cache. This gave me great views, so I decided to go back to camp and walk with the family to the shorter trek and lookout.

The family walk was a nice walk along a creek to the old Hills homestead and then up a hill to a lookout.

There are lots of lizards, roos and an echidna.

We rested this afternoon to stay another night.

This place is really nice. A huge difference to the very dry land just outside the hills.

An aerial view of Wilpena Pound. We didn't take this photo. We are staying in the middle of it.

Our camp set up in amongst the trees.

I did an early morning cache up into close by mountains. This is overlooking the camp ground.

Looking across the the highest peaks of the pound. I was going to hike there, but will go back and hike with the family instead.

The cache is up there.

The cache is at that tree at the top. I found an easier way to get up via the back.

One of those wonderful trees.

Back at camp and getting ready for the full family trek. Grandma will stay behind today.

Kids getting into nature

Walking around the rock faces

Wow. There is water here. That is amazing. It never rains.

Crossing the river... creek... stream... puddle.

Virtually fishing at a Billabong

The plants along here are magnificant. Come on, keep up.

Doing the trek of Wilpena Pound

Here we are at Wilpena Pound

The kids seem to float here

Another floating kid

Yes, they all float.

Crossing the Wilpena Pound stream

A couple of keen trekkers

Hills cottage at Wilpena Pound

Kids back in the past

The kids meet some local aboriginals.

The aboriginal legend of the Flinders Ranges. Its about the serpent. We are currently in the head of the serpent.

The plants just aren't as healthy when you leave the water

The track to the lookout above the homestead

View from the lookout. This is the cap where they made the road in and out.

The kids enjoying the view.

Back down the track and approaching the homestead

A wild emu in Wilpena Pound

A view within Wilpena Pound

The trek back to camp.

Resting waiting for the rest to catch up

View from the river crossing

Trekking back home again

Another one of those beautiful trees.