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Posted on by Debbie

For the love of the Great Outdoors

Come with me to the amazing Flinders Ranges in South Australia

Think outside. No box required!

Our Aussie outback adventure in the great outdoors

Back in 2017 we did this amazing walk in the Flinders Ranges, with friends old and new, and members of the Adnyamathanha community.

I’m happy to share snippets and photos for this week’s #SundayStills, with the prompt of the Great Outdoors.

While staying with the Adnyamathanha people, we were reminded, again and again, that this is an ancient and traditional walk, and could be compared to the iconic Camino walk in Spain.  We were encouraged to wash our hands or face in the water to connect to the river and Mother Earth.

The plan:

A guided Cultural Walk in Adnyamathanha Country, led and supported by Adnyamathanha people.  The term reconnaissance is used because we are not following an already prepared walk but working with our cultural  guides to determine the best course, information points, pace, points of interest, and to suggest what and where infrastructure may be required. Iga Warta Pty Ltd provides all meals, guides, Cultural information and support.

The Frome River is the only River to flow north into the world renowned Lake Eyre, from high in the equally world renowned Flinders Ranges. From its watershed it drops about 739 metres over its 319 km length to Lake Eyre.  Our aim is to do a reconnaissance walk along the 110km of the mountain section to where it crosses the Strzeleckie Track.

Even this section has been divided into 2 stages because, although part of our mission is to travel the distance, the most important part of our mission is to travel ‘in the spirit’ of those whose country this has been for 50000 years.  

Lunch under this huge old tree in the Flinders Ranges
River gum along the Frome River in South Australia's Flinders Ranges
A welcome waterhole along the Frome River in Flinders Ranges
The riverbed of the Frome River in the Flinders Ranges
The river bank of the Frome River in South Australia's Flinders Ranges
Walking in the dry riverbed of the Frome River in South Australia's Flinders Ranges

 

Iga Warta

Iga Warta is a cultural tourism centre that is welcoming, authentic and informative. It is run by members of the Coulthard family and we were lucky to get involved in a two week walking tour of along the Frome River. Iga Warta means Native Orange in the local Aboriginal dialect of the Adnyamathanha people.

The first week saw us stay on the grounds of Iga Warta and leave each day to walk a new section of the Frome River, usually from where we left off the day before. We made our lunches each morning and carried only bare necessities, stopping under ancient trees or in the shade of red cliffs for food breaks. The riverbed was dry and stony but occasionally we had waterholes to enjoy.

We usually had one of the local Adnyamathanha guides with us giving us information along the way but some days it was just us walking to the pick up point. It was peaceful, beautiful and spiritual.

Lizard rock engraving dating back 45000 years, in the Flinders ranges
Manna - a tasty snack bush tucker style, in the Flinders Ranges
Morning tea break along the Frome River in the Flinders Ranges
Priscilla Queen of the desert in the Flinders ranges South Australia
Ochre pits in the Flinders Ranges
Painting faces in the Flinders Ranges

The second week had us four wheel driving out into the Flinders Ranges and camping each night. We had our guides with us and the trip was an experiment, and we were guinea pigs in a way, testing the system to see if it would work. Things were made up as we went along at times, but that only improved the adventure of it all!

Creek walking in the Flinders Ranges
A waterhole along the creek in the Flinders Ranges
An ancient old tree on the Frome River in the Flinders Ranges
A waterhole in the Flinders Ranges
View over paddock in the Flinders Ranges
Waterhole in the Flinders Ranges

An Aussie Outback Adventure

At the time of our trip I wrote these posts which may be of interest to you, as they give far more detail about our two week walk and cultural immersion. It was one of the best trips we’ve been on in the great outdoors.

Rock stack in the Flinders Ranges
Stone wall in Flinders Ranges
Rocky outcrop along the Frome River in the Flinders Ranges
Chatting to Sharpie our guide, in the Flinders Ranges
Early morning light in the Flinders Ranges
Red cliffs on the Frome River, Flinders Ranges, South Australia

What is Sunday Stills all about?

In Terri’s words:

Sunday Stills is a photography challenge with a weekly theme (similar to the now-defunct WPC). Each Sunday I post the weekly theme with images of my own interpretation. Any blogger is welcome to participate and interpret the challenge with their photos, poems, stories, music, etc!

Source: Terri – Second Wind Leisure Perspectives
Sunday Stills photo challenge

I know I always enjoy seeing what others come up with for these weekly prompts 🙂

How about you?

What does the term the ‘great outdoors’ mean to you? Do you have a favourite photo that says get outside??

I hope you’ve enjoyed my take on this week’s prompt – this trip was everything I had hoped it would be and more! I’m sure you’ll agree these photos just ooze adventure and the great Aussie outdoors 🙂

Have a great week. And how is it already July????

Deb 🙂

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21 Replies to “For the love of the Great Outdoors”

  2. Can’t believe it’s July already, what’s happening to the year? The walk looks great as do the photos. You have so many wonderful places to explore and enjoy don’t you?

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    1. Yes we do Jonno, but as we have a daughter living in the UK we also have to try to get over there as often as possible, especially now she’s expecting her first child later in the year. Planning is in progress for Christmas in the cold weather, instead of a heatwave!

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  8. You are such an outdoorsy person, Debbie, I’ll bet you had trouble deciding which photos to go with. But what an adventure this must have been and a two-week trek. That’s a lot of walking! Something I see myself and hubby doing one of these days! Always a pleasure to see your images and read about your endless adventures, my friend! Enjoy your week!

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  9. I have friends travelling through SA later this year, but they’re not going to do the Flinders. Their feelings are that all the photos make it look arid. I’ve never been myself, but know people who love it. What’s your feelings?

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    1. Oh it would be a shame not to see it. It was a real experience for us and one of the best trips we’ve ever done. We enjoyed seeing, learning and experiencing the cultural side and were lucky to be included in the walking tour. There’s a certain beauty in the landscape which I think my photos show to some extent.

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  10. The Flinders Ranges is such a special part of Australia Deb. I remember when you had this adventure and the photos are just as stunning today. Here’s to the Great Outdoors my adventuring friend. And happy July xx 😊

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    1. Yes Miriam, it’s a quintessential Australian experience in my opinion. I loved going back through my posts and photos of this area. It was the first thing I thought of when I saw the prompt! All the best to you too Miriam xx

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