MySwag.org The Off-road Camper Trailer Forum
General => General Discussion => Topic started by: GGV8Cruza on June 13, 2013, 08:28:18 PM
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If you were travelling into the area and had 5 days to chill out where would you stay, just trying to work out the final details. Looking at September Vic school holidays
Cheers in advance
Garrick
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We stayed at Rawnsley Park Station and couldn't fault it.
Wilpena looked great as well.
There are plenty of great walks from each.
The views from Rawnsley are probably better, with the bluff at sunset.
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If you were travelling into the area and had 5 days to chill out where would you stay, just trying to work out the final details. Looking at September Vic school holidays
Cheers in advance
Garrick
Hi Garrick
A coup of my grandkids went on a school trip to the Wilpena Pound last year, and the photo's they brought back, as well as all their excited talk let me know that it is a sensational area. They even found some sites not officially recognised, apparently there are some actual rock marking that are "officially" graffiti, but in truth they have actual definition, and could not have been done by someone not knowing what they are doing. Having seen the photos, the children were correct.
Regards
Tjupurula
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Powered or unpowered?
We stayed at Wilpina powered and it was great. The unpowered sites were a bit away from the amenities but if you don't mind the walk then go for it.
Rawnsley park did not look as inviting for the powered sites but cant comment on the unpowered.
Regards
Crispy
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solar for us, living off the grid
GG
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We have stayed at both many times, but for us Rawnsley has more appeal. They do free information nights there which are very interesting, they have a pool (maybe not such a consideration in winter), the views of the Bluff are sensational, and just a great place to stay.
Why don't you do 3 and 2, then you get the best of both worlds!
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Rawnsley for me. I loved the place, shame its so far to go just to get to the start point.
With all the acres, you can find an acre or 5 to have to yourself.
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Rawnsley for us as well,
Stayed on a powered site but if we went back we would camp behind the dam with a bit of privacy and peace & quiet
I have some awesome photos of the bluff at sunset
Jim
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I was just wondering the same thing Garrick. You must have been reading my mind ;D
Thanks everyone!
Karen
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If you are staying off grid, and really want to experience the Flinders, then Willow Springs station beats the other two hands down, has showers at the homestead and private campgrounds, not caravan park sites.
:cheers: Cracka
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yep...+1 vote for Rawnsley. Just dont go when its hot, as there is no respite from the heat.
I was there on a 49 degree day..even lizards were fighting over the shade!
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Cracka, I was all set on Rawnsley, then you came along ::) ;D .....Aaarggghhh!!!!
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Cracka, I was all set on Rawnsley, then you came along ::) ;D .....Aaarggghhh!!!!
I like to through spanners in the works >:D
Seriously though, Willow springs is much more of a bush camp setting and you can hide away from others. Brendon and Carmel, the owners, are really friendly and helpful too. Willow Springs is also home to Sky Trek, which is a good 4wd track and offers some of the best views in the mid Flinders. From the top of Mt Caernarvon, you can see Wilpena Pound as a shape and get a real feel for its enormity.
:cheers: Cracka
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Rawnsley for me its a great spot and even the Power sites have heaps of Room
We had booked non power but when we got there ve choose power as it was nice and Remote and we could run still a 240v heater
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Hi,
we were in the Wilpena Pound CP 10 years ago, only stayed two nights.
We were having battery problems, needed power, but baulked at the cost of powered sites.
The staff were kind enough to suggest we park in the unpowered sites near the camp kitchen, and take the battery and charger in to the kitchen area for the night.
We did the Pound walk and climbed St Marys Peak, but found other camp areas further out more to our liking.
cheers
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This was our camp spot at Rawnsley Park in 2010, facing the pound. What can I say, beautiful! And try and do a plane flight over the pound :cup: Kevin
(http://images1.snapfish.com/232323232%7Ffp%3B6%3B%3Enu%3D6%3A%3B%3A%3E598%3E24%3A%3EWSNRCG%3D348752%3C78833%3Bnu0mrj)
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Willow Springs is also home to Sky Trek, which is a good 4wd track and offers some of the best views in the mid Flinders. From the top of Mt Caernarvon, you can see Wilpena Pound as a shape and get a real feel for its enormity.
:cheers: Cracka
[/quote]
Last year when I was there, That section of skytreck was closed as they had lost the access rights to the park. There is still a nice drive through the station property, but alas, they no longer have the high peaks available. :'(
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This was our camp spot at Rawnsley Park in 2010, facing the pound. What can I say, beautiful! And try and do a plane flight over the pound :cup: Kevin
(http://images1.snapfish.com/232323232%7Ffp%3B6%3B%3Enu%3D6%3A%3B%3A%3E598%3E24%3A%3EWSNRCG%3D348752%3C78833%3Bnu0mrj)
that looks same as the place we had.. we had the ridge right behind us too!
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Rawnsley Park, out the back. 5 minute dive for showers. Find your own site, take heavy duty pegs! Toilets provided, that flush, within 5 minutes walk.
Wonderful place.
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Rawnsley Park and try their 4x4 trek, its great especially the second half. I didnt like the changes SkyTrek have made to their track due to the problems with the other landholders. Rawnsley also have access to mobile reception around their camp kitchen
Trevor
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GG - went to Wilpena Pound at same time last year. Took 2 easy days to get there from SE Melb. Stayed in unpowered site for 2 weeks. Great place. Would probably stay at Willow Springs when we go back. Check out the perichelna hotel (spelling?).
The family will LOVE it. So much to see.
Tony
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Thanks for the info, keep it coming, will get the map out and start planning
GG
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another spanner, we have just spent 2 1/2 weeks exploring the Flinders and stayed at the Cambrian campground, you need to be self sufficient (has drop toilets) but we found it central to what we wanted to do (geological trail, wilpena etc). however in talking with locals willow springs and sky trek if you want facilities and great 4x4 track.
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Leave has been signed off, now to work out a plan and book some places to stay
GG
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We have just come back from wilpena. We loved it!!! We drove into rawsley but personally I preferred the pound
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Hey
We are hoping to go for 10 days during the holidays, had thoughts of staying at Willow do I need to book?
Have had a bit of a look at the maps, there are so many places to visit I might have to over stay!
Richard
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I would always book just to be safe.
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G'day GG,
Another off grid spot we love is at Aroona Ruins, which is off Brachina Gorge. Great spot with drop toilets, fire pits and great walks. One of our regular stops.
(http://i848.photobucket.com/albums/ab46/Turkeybreath/IMG_0483.jpg)
This is effectively the view from camp.
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Leave is booked and we are working out the finer details, looking on the way up to leave early am on a Saturday morning and making it over the border. Then another shorter drive to Rawnsley Park Station. Anyone have a good spot for a quick overnighter, if we have a good run I would like to get close to Burra if possible.
GG
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(http://img.tapatalk.com/d/13/08/01/bujeruhe.jpg)(http://img.tapatalk.com/d/13/08/01/uje4upe4.jpg)
As others have mentioned Rawnsley park station
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Leave is booked and we are working out the finer details, looking on the way up to leave early am on a Saturday morning and making it over the border. Then another shorter drive to Rawnsley Park Station. Anyone have a good spot for a quick overnighter, if we have a good run I would like to get close to Burra if possible.
GG
You could go to Burra Creek Gorge which is a free camp and nice place to stay.
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Might stay at at of those places on the way back from up north. ;D
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Stayed at Rawnsley and went to Wilpena and did the walking tracks there, had I known I would have stayed at the later instead..... more to do with site seeing and it's a good spot to have as a base camp.
Just don't even think about driving at night within a 200 k radius unless you want skippy impregnations on you vehicle. Will go back there and revisit all up and down the flinders again next year. Also so nice camping spots away from the big sites as well check the maps properly.
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So these are our plans at the moment, what are peoples thoughts, should we stay somewhere longer or shorter??
21.09- leave Melbourne very early and get as far as possible, hopefully Burra. Travel the next day the Rawnsley Park Station
22.09 - 25.09. Rawnsley park station
26.09. - 29.09. Wilpuna pound resort
30.09 - 03.10. Arkaroola
04.10 - 06.10. Travel home, route undecided
Please give some feedback, possibly we are spending too much time at the first two as they are close together, thanks in advance
GG
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Personally, as you have said, as you have chosen to camp at two places within half a hour of one another (rawnsley and wilpena), I would have chosen to go somewhere a bit further away, like Gammon Ranges NP for 2 or 3 days, instead of doing day trips up to there.
If you want a caravan park experience more, stay in the park at wilpena. If you want a bush camp, go out the back at rawnsley,away from their cp.
You will love it all either way.
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Which is the better route from Adelaide to get to the Flinders, up the A1 and turn off just before Port Augusta, or straight up Main North Road, then the Horrocks Hwy?
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I think someone else said it, but if your going to the mid north, go to Warraweena Homestead.. great spot.
Stoney the bloke there will look after you.
http://www.gupatrol.com/pics/Warraweena_2006/ (http://www.gupatrol.com/pics/Warraweena_2006/)
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Which is the better route from Adelaide to get to the Flinders, up the A1 and turn off just before Port Augusta, or straight up Main North Road, then the Horrocks Hwy?
A1 to Stirling North, Quorn, Hawker is quickest, Main North Road and RM Williams way is nicer, less traffic but slower, Main North Road to Willmington then on to Quorn is the slowest of the three. this could vary depending on where you are in Adelaide.
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We did Melbourne to renmark as day 1. Left at 6, minus 4 kids we maybe could have got to burra but its a big drive. Be safe
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A1 to Stirling North, Quorn, Hawker is quickest, Main North Road and RM Williams way is nicer, less traffic but slower, Main North Road to Willmington then on to Quorn is the slowest of the three. this could vary depending on where you are in Adelaide.
Thanks for that Cracka, I thought I'd ask, because the Horrocks Hwy/R M Williams route looked a bit windier than the A1 route. I hate long trips on constantly windy roads, they are exhausting.
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Personally, I would stay at Arkaroola an extra night or two.
You want to spend one half day doing the Ridgetop tour. One full day doing the Echo Camp backtrack self drive. One half day doing that walk back along the top of the ridge. I think they call it Acacia Ridge Another half day to go out to noodloodoona or whatever you call it. There are other walks if you are that way inclined. From there you can also do a big day trip out to Grindells hut and there is loop you can drive there if you are into 4wding. And you want to be relaxed enough to go out out to see wallabies at the waterhole at sunset and do the observatory one night. Phew.
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Personally, I would stay at Arkaroola an extra night or two.
You want to spend one half day doing the Ridgetop tour. One full day doing the Echo Camp backtrack self drive. One half day doing that walk back along the top of the ridge. I think they call it Acacia Ridge Another half day to go out to noodloodoona or whatever you call it. There are other walks if you are that way inclined. From there you can also do a big day trip out to Grindells hut and there is loop you can drive there if you are into 4wding. And you want to be relaxed enough to go out out to see wallabies at the waterhole at sunset and do the observatory one night. Phew.
We are starting to think this way as well, thanks for the advice, keep it coming guys and gals
GG
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We are now looking at the following, just need to sort out days in each
Rawnsley Station with trips into the pound
Parachilna (anyone give feedback on here please)
Arkaroola
GG
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Ok So we are from east of Melbourne (160km) left home at 05:30 and made regular stops every 2 or so hours (Calder, Charlton, Ouyen, Mildura) and ended our day in Renmark. An easy 850km. If you want to say in the van park a burra then you had better book as it is small.
As for where to stay in the flinders choose one spot and stay. Do day trips out from there. We did most days north of the pound and only one day south of it when we visited Rawnsley park.
We went to Parachilna and had lunch at the pub (Road Kill Grill) It can be busy so bookings are advisable.
I wish I could come with you. Loved the area.
Regards
Crispy
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Have booked, Rawnsley park for starters, some freestyle camping in the middle and the Arkaroola to finish it off.
Just need to get a few things for the Patrol and camper and we will be set
GG