Flinders Ranges, South Australia

Incomplete post

This was a YHA bushwalking trip and I was one of the seven participants.  The trip was organised by a long-term bushwalking volunteer leader, Stephen Smith, and below is his notes for the entire trip, which had been provided to the participants before the journey.  

Photographs, that are added to the trip notes, were taken on the trip.  Great work, Steve.  I enjoyed the trip and the company of other participants, and thank you for your amazing hard work.

Trip Notes: Gammon Ranges August 2009 

Itinerary 

An extended trip from 20th August – 2nd September is available featuring a more leisurely drive and to and from the Gammon Ranges and extra activities including three full days of walking in the Mt Remarkable and Wilpena Pound regions of the Flinders Ranges.

Thursday 20th August:  Depart Thursday morning and drive 600-700km to either Murray Bridge or Adelaide.  Once passengers have been collected and are out of Melbourne, meet in Beaufort bakery for morning tea and then continue on together.  Motel accommodation.

Murray Bridge

Friday 21st:  Travel to Mt Remarkable National Park (Mambray Creek) via Clare Valley wineries and a visit to Telowie Gorge (and Barossa Valley if leaving from Murray Bridge).  Camp overnight at Mambray Creek (off Highway 1, 45km north of Port Pirie).

Clare Valley winery

Directions to Mt Remarkable National Park

Mt Remarkable NP (Mambray Creek)

Camp cooking

Saturday 22nd and Sunday 23rd:

Bushwalking Trails in Mt Remarkable National Park

Cathedral Range Circuit

I have been to the Cathedral Range a number of times.  These were walks with the YHA Bushwalking and the Springvale Community Health Service’s Bushwalking and Other Activities Group.

One other visit to the Cathedral Range was to lead an overnight walk in 2005 for Victorian National Parks Association’s Bushwalking and Other Activities Group.  The plan for the walk, that had been arranged is shown in the picture below.

Two day walk plan in Cathedral Range

Map for the two days of walking

Cathedral Range State Park is located 113 kilometres northeast of Melbourne and it takes about one and a half hours of driving to get there.  The closet town is Buxton and the turn-off to the park is about 10 kilometres to the east.  Cooks Mill Campground, in the park, was our meeting place early Saturday morning, the first day of the two day walk. 

On day one, four VNPA's members, including myself, left Cooks Mill Campground (an old logging mill site) with overnight packs, walking an easy one kilometre west-wards to the junction at Jawbone Carpark.  We ignored Cerberus Road to the left which led to Sugarloaf Saddle Carpark, and continued on by following Jawbone Creek walking track.  From here, the track became steadily steeper and we started to "keep an eye out" for a spring, which was located just after the track and creek junction, which was about 800 metres from the Jawbone Carpark.  Because water was not available at the Farmyard campsite, so after having had a rest, we took out a few containers and filled them up with water for both cooking meals and for carrying on walks including the next day.  

We arrived at The Farmyard campsite in good time, and so after our tents were up, we set off for Razor Ridge to go to Mt Sugarloaf in the Southern Range, then backtracked to the campsite for dinner and socialization.  It was quite chilly that night but we soon warmed up with a small campfire.  I read somewhere that today campfires are not allowed at the Farmyard campsite now.  I can understand why!

Lunch stop on the Razorback - Southern Range

On day two, we traversed the Northern Range, taking in the Cathedral Peak and the Little Cathedral walking tracks. 

 Wildlife

View from the Cathedral Range

 Second day lunch stop

Cathedral Peak

Rocky Ridgeline

 Looking south along the Cathedral Range

 

Cathedral North

 Little Cathedral

After leaving Little Cathedral, we retraced our steps to the junction, at which we took the walking track which led south-wards to Neds Saddle.  We then took Ned Gully walking track down to the Little River track.  It was an easy and pleasant walk along the river and it did not take us long to get back to our starting point at Cook Mill Campground.

We were lucky with the weather and I enjoyed the weekend and the company of the other walkers.

 Me on the range
Cathedral North, One day walk