Flinders Ranges National Park: is situated in South Australia, about 400 kilometres north of Adelaide. The Park has an area of 95,000 hectares (237,000 acres) and is a popular visitor destination in South Australia.
Flinders Ranges National Park has rugged mountain ranges, beautiful gorges, interesting geological history, fossil remains, Aboriginal rock art sites and remains of early European settlement.
The Park caters for many activities including bushwalking, camping, touring and bird watching.
Flinders Ranges National Park is home to a wide range of interesting plants and animals.
Majestic River Red Gums (Eucalyptus camaldulensis) line the creeks and Cypress Pines (Callitris spp) clothe the hillsides. Rocky outcrops are home to Porcupine Grass (Triodia spp) whilst mallee Eucalypts and Casuarinas grow on deeper soils.
Red and Western Grey Kangaroos and Euros are plentiful in the Park. The Yellow-footed Rock Wallaby almost became extinct but, thanks to conservation projects, has returned to some parts of the Park.
One hundred bird species have been recorded from Flinders Ranges National Park. Ringneck Parrots, Galahs, Elegant Parrots, migratory Rainbow Birds, Robins, Kingfishers and Emus are all inhabitants of the Park.
Wilpena Pound is the most visited area of the Flinders Ranges National Park. It is a huge basin-shaped structure ringed by cliffs. St. Mary’s Peak is the highest point around the cliffs at an altitude of 1170 metres. Wilpena Pound is eleven kilometres long and eight kilometres wide. The entrance to the Pound is marked by a ruined farmhouse (see image), evidence of a failed farming enterprise.
We have visited Flinders Ranges National Park on a number of occasions. On our first visit, during spring, we camped near the entrance to Wilpena Pound. Be warned, in holiday periods this camping area becomes uncomfortably crowded.
On this occasion we walked some distance into the Pound and reached the gravely slopes of the surrounding cliffs. The floor of the Pound was dominated by Sugar Gums (eucalyptus cladocalyx) and Cypress Pines (Callitris spp). The gravely slopes were a blaze of colour. Dampieras (blue flowers), Goodenias (yellow flowers) and Daisies, of various colours, carpeted the ground. We also observed Acacia beckleri with large yellow flower heads and two Grevilleas. Grevillea aspera had red and cream flowers. Grevillea lavandulacea was unusual because individual plants had different flower colours. The colours ranged from cream to pink to dark red.
For those not into camping there is a hotel/motel at the entrance to Wilpena Pound.
Flinders Ranges National Park is well worth a visit as there is something to interest anyone interested in the Australian bush.

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