Adventure to the Red Centre, part 3

North to Arkaroola

There's no such thing as a lie-in on this trip because of the distances involved.  Up at dawn yet again to reach Arkaroola.  En route was the Brachina Gorge .  Real Outback country, yet unlike anything we had encountered so far.  Following a (mainly) dry creek at the bottom of the gorge, it was jumping (pun absolutely intended) with wildlife.

Once your eyes had dialled in, there were yellow-footed rock wallabies everywhere as the following photos show.

Can you see them in the crack?

How about now?

Posing on a rock - thanks mate!

The bank behind the tree is silt to a depth of over 3 metres from a flash flood.

Driving along an old creek bed

Not many people out this way

Lunch was due at Parachilna, first surveyed in the 1860's.  A tiny population in the area but a centre for various gatherings as the Prairie Hotel has developed an excellent reputation for fine dining, together with a micro-brewery. 

The Prairie Hotel, Parachilna

Micro-brewery inside the hotel

Seating for lunch with Aboriginal art gracing the walls

The hotel specialises in local foods and emu, kangaroo, camel, goat cheese and the like were all on the menu and utterly delicious, as was the beer.

Platters of local produce

Opposite the hotel was a sculpture garden with some interesting items.  My particular favourite was what looked like random bits of sheet metal on poles.  When you lined them up at a particular vantage point, they took on the shape of a train.

Cool garden art

Early life from the area up to 550 million years ago

Arkaroola Wilderness Sanctuary covers over 600,000 sq km and is also a Dark Skies area.  Because of clear skies and a massive variation in rock types and ages, it's also a mecca for science study.  There are even radioactive geothermal springs at the northern end of the property. Temperatures are typical desert, hot during the day but cold after sundown.  The wallabies came in from the surrounding bush for wilderness staff to feed (not enough for dependence).

Our evening meal was a little chaotic initially as around 150 adventure bike riders from all round Australia had converged on Arkaroola and wanted feeding.  Sorted pretty quickly.  Most were grizzled greybeards of "a certain age" and great to chat with.

Russian Ural sidecar unit

These guys had more modern BMW's

Another early start the next day for a ridgetop drive in an open Toyota Landcruiser over some challenging tracks and hostile conditions.  Low range gearbox selection, low gear was the order of the day. It was difficult to stay in place and we all ended up getting very friendly with the people seated next to us at one time or another!

Built for the job - the Landcruiser

Wild country

   

Grass Trees on a ridge

Quite a view from this tea and cake stop - Siller's Lookout

Aussie guide - amazing presentation skills as were they all

Rock which was largely iron

Unknown rock but way cool! C3PO's head perhaps?

The end of the ridgetop tour

It's quite unfair to single out one part of this tour as the highlight as it is so beautifully curated with such variety. However, if someone was to ask what part we would do again, it would almost certainly be Arkaroola.  It fitted in with my interests, was superbly run and the overwhelming scenery evoked quite an emotional response.  Pretty much the same for Jennie too.

Next post - Lake Eyre and Birdsville area.