Into Ikara-Flinders Ranges National Park

The road stretched into a pinpoint on the horizon, itself accented with the superb ridge lines of Ikara-Flinders Ranges National Park. I blasted into Hawker with a rip roaring tailwind on a slight downhill from Craddock. I’d had a coke at the Craddock Hotel, as we discussed what I was doing one of the locals said he couldn’t think of anything worse. I said with a smile ‘I couldn’t think of anything better. To each their own.’

I had a couple of beers and a feed at the Hawker Hotel – a pair of lamb shanks. Optimistically, the barman said I should get the double and take one for the road. My appetite thought better and not a scrap was left on my plate. I opted to push on without topping up supplies instead of waiting for the gas station to open the morning. I bivvied under a bright starry sky about 20km outside of town. Little to no light pollution and a new moon gifted me with spectacular views of the Milky Way.

I woke up to frost on the outside of my sleeping bag. My new bag, a pre-expedition investment ensured I was nice and toasty. It was literally freezing outside but a hot coffee and some Weetbix kept me warm whilst the bright morning sun got going.

The trail meandered through some hills running east of the Outback Highway. I was afforded amazing views of the western flank of the Elders Mountain Range before I hooked east onto the Moralana Scenic Drive.

I saw several mobs of emus – some 20 or so strong, many kangaroos and wallabies. The road would often dip into dry creek beds lined with huge gums. I found myself in awe of these wise old trees.

I eventually rejoined the bitumen of the Flinders Ranges Way calling into Rawnsley Park Station for some premium (expensive) onions and carrots to see me through to the IGA at Wilpena Pound. Making plans on the fly – I decided to ditch the bike in some bushes for the evening, use the heavy backpack I’d lugged all the way from Melbourne for the first time and climb up to Rawnsley Bluff for sunrise views.

It was good to stretch my legs with a different type of exercise. I treated myself to a cold and windy bivy up top. However the view of the eastern side of the Elders Mountain Range in the morning did not disappoint.

I hiked back down to my trusty R’Ogre 😘 Talk about separation anxiety! The Mawson Trail ran along the feet of more spectacular cliff faces eventually taking me into Wilpena Pound Campground – the heart of Ikara-Flinders Ranges National Park.

Little did I know, this was the last legitimate supermarket that I would see for the next two and a half weeks! My mate Simon who had cycled with me for a couple of days earlier in the trip had suggested doing a big scenic loop out to Arkaroola.

I needed to be in Alice Springs on the 21st of July for a flight to see my parents in Port Douglas and did not know if I had enough time up my sleeve to add on this ~450km loop. How often am I on the bike ride of a lifetime? Not often enough I thought – let’s take a punt!

I stocked up on groceries (including 500g of mouldy cheese, as I was to find out later). The Mawson took me down Wilcolo Track past some of the most stunning peaks of the Flinders. I was high on life and feeling stoked to be back in this magical place.

Keen not to ride past the views in the dark I set up camp after some heart thumping climbing.

Another stunner sunset was surpassed by an even more stunning sunrise over Bunyeroo Valley. What a place to wake up!

Sadly, the Mawson Trail was almost at an end. I rolled into Blinman for quite the anticlimactic finish asking the barman at the pub were the official end point was. He pointed to a nondescript patch of tarmac out the front. As they say, it’s about the journey and not the destination.

I enjoyed a couple of very tasty pies at the bakery – the first a savoury Beef & Guinness pie, the second a deliciously sweet and tart Quandong Pie. The Quandong is a renown bush fruit.

Speaking of – it was time to go bush and take on the loop out to Arkaroola. I had a nice long downhill out of the Flinders, got covered in dust about fifty times by a car rally going the opposite direction and enjoyed my first taste of corrugations.

I passed through the Nantawarrina Indigenous Protected Area (IPA). The first to be established in Australia, the area has been managed by traditional land owners for over 20 years after being given back.

Not many cars out this way, I made my way through the Vulkathunha-Gammon Ranges National Park. After a long, undulating and corrugated (character building) climb I arrived at the Arkaroola Wilderness Sanctuary. I had phoned ahead and was told Wednesday was BBQ night. Out of the cold, dark night I found myself in a rather fancy bar and restaurant in the middle of nowhere. I ensured I got my moneys worth at the all you can eat BBQ – I smashed what must have been at least 2kg of delicious chicken, lamb and beef taking some extra for the road.

A big shout out to Lara and Tony, my lovely neighbours at the campground who shouted me coffee and eggs on toast in the morning. I enjoyed another tailwind and a long gradual downhill as I made my way east towards Lake Frome.

Hooley Dooley – I was definitely in the Outback now! It was a ripper of a sunset over the expanse of super flat bush. The landscape felt huge, I felt tiny and I absolutely loved the feeling of having arrived here on my bike. I was stoked on top of stoked.

I made my first bush camp fire of the trip, cooking dinner on it and keeping myself warm as the cold of the night set in. The next day I was to start the 160km trek back west to rejoin the Outback Highway.

Having seen only one vehicle since the previous afternoon, I was very surprised to find two four wheel drives camped in one of the creek beds. Nicole and Chris invited me in for a cuppa and a good chinwag. Big thanks to these two legends for the fascinating history lesson on the area and for the bag of milk powder to see me through to Marree!

The Ikara-Flinders Ranges blew me away again and I will most definitely be coming back. If you haven’t been to this stunning part of South Australia – do yourself a favour and get amongst it!

Next stop Marree and onto the famous Oodnadatta Track once more!