Ikara-Flinders Ranges National Park is situated in the Flinders Ranges in the Australian Outback, about 270 miles north of Adelaide. This region has a geological and natural history dating back 600 million years and is the ancestral land of the Adnyamathanha people. Adnyamathanha translates to ‘Rock People’ and is the name of their traditional language. The ancient rock formations that define the Flinders Ranges are some of the most breathtaking and dramatic landscapes in the Outback.
Ikara-Flinders Ranges National Park spans a quarter million acres in the Central-Flinders region and features outstanding weathered peaks and tree-dotted rocky gorges. It’s a semi-arid landscape abundant in rich, resilient Aboriginal history and filled with a diversity of seasonal wildlife. Natural Habitat Adventures offers a 21-day Ultimate Australia Safari that will bring you up close and personal with Australia’s most sacred and iconic landscapes.
The many colorful curves and folds of the Flinders Ranges – the largest mountain range in South Australia – are featured in this image captured by the Copernicus Sentinel-2 mission © European Space Agency, flickr
Learn from the Traditional Custodians of the Majestic Flinders Ranges
Only a few Westerners, or travelers in general, get the sacred opportunity to connect and learn from the Indigenous communities that globally protect and maintain 80% of the world’s biodiversity. Kara-Flinders Ranges National Park is recognized internationally for its wealth of nature, natural history and human heritage. The Adnyamathanha people have ancestral ties to the land, which have birthed traditions and oral histories that intertwine with creation stories. The Adnyamathanha people refer to themselves as Yura and live in the Ikara-Wilpena Pound as well as Nepabunna, Leigh Creek and other Southern Australian communities and cities.
Wilpena Pound, Flinders Ranges National Park, South Australia
Inside Ikara-Flinders Ranges National Park is Wilpena Pound, a natural circular mountain amphitheater known as Ikara, or “meeting place,” to the Adnyamathanha people. These mountains stand out as an iconic feature of Southern Australia’s landscape and were formed by a large syncline between two mountain ranges centuries ago. This is just one of the many culturally significant sites in the park. Nat Hab travelers get a glimpse into the rich history of this evocative landscape and a chance to hear stories of how these formations came to be. Since 2012, the Adnyamathanha people have been official co-managers of the national park. Today, the park’s Ranger-in-Charge is Alan Harbour, a proud Adnyamathanha man.
Arkaroo Rock Aboriginal cave paintings, South Australia
Eight miles from Wilpena Pound rests Sacred Canyon, a place you can only access with an Adnyamathanha guide. The sandstone walls of this ancient canyon still hold carvings (or petroglyphs) of animal tracks, waterholes and people from the creation period. They are among the oldest in the world, some 65,000 years old, and remain untouched by visitors. As a Nat Hab traveler, you get a private tour of Ikara-Flinders Ranges National Park with Aboriginal guides—this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to be accompanied by the Traditional Custodians of the majestic Flinders Ranges will surely bring these ancient messages to life.
Through exploration of these cultural sites, fossils and geologic features, both Western science and Traditional Ecological Knowledge (TEK) confirm that the Flinders Ranges are the sole place on Earth where 350 million years of near-continuous geological sequence is found. They show evidence of the Ediacaran explosion of life when the earliest forms of complex multicellular animal life evolved.
Malkawi Aboriginal painting site, Flinders Ranges
The Most In-Depth Encounter with Australian Nature You’ll Find
Your top-notch Nat Hab itinerary includes dozens of opportunities for intimate encounters with wildlife and some of the world’s oldest natural wonders. Ikara-Flinders Ranges National Park (particularly in the winter) is the perfect place for guided bush walks and wildlife drives that give you a grounded feel for the Australian Outback. Evening nature walks bring ample opportunities to see the park’s friendly inhabitants, such as western gray kangaroos, wallaroos, emus and more. Daytime activities include immersions into the local history and culture and, if you’re lucky, staple foods called bush tucker.
Emus should be the easiest to spot on your journey, as these birds can tower over 6 ft tall! You’ll find many other bird species, such as rainbow bee-eaters, red-capped robins, crimson chats, diamond doves, welcome swallows, hooded robins and chestnut-crowned babblers. Also found in the region is the short-beaked echidna, one out of only two mammals in the world that lay eggs (the other being the platypus). Tawny dragons, red-barred dragons, sand goannas and shingleback lizards are just some of the unique lizard species you’ll find in Ikara-Flinders Ranges National Park.
Rainbow bee-eater birds
Over two exhilarating days, you’ll explore places like Bunyeroo Valley and Brachina Gorge to observe some of the oldest fossils on the planet. While meandering through splendid rock formations, you might catch a glimpse of the endangered yellow-footed rock wallaby. These creatures live in isolated parts of the country and easily move around the formations by jumping from rock to rock, sometimes as far as 13 feet!
Bunyeroo Valley
At sunrise, enjoy a visit to Cazneaux Tree, a loved and sought-after landmark named in recognition of photographer Harold Cazneaux. In 1937, through the ‘The Spirit of Endurance,’ Cazneaux brought this lone, river red gum tree to international acclaim. Artists, photographers, and nature and wildlife enthusiasts alike will be pleased with this experience. This park has something for every type of traveler to enjoy, and with Nat Hab, you can rest easy knowing you’re in a community with other guardians of nature who are led by an organization committed to conservation, sustainability and low-impact travel.
Cazneaux Tree
