Australian_Geographic_-_October_2015_

September–October 2015 89

Historic markers. Old Wilpena Station (below left)

became part of the national park in 1985; prior to that it

had been a working sheep station for 135 years. This modern

sculpture (below) at Hill Homestead depicts Adn yamathanha

hunters and points the way along the Wangara Lookout Track.

T

HERE ARE NUMEROUS ways to enjoy Wilpena Pound,

but to be truly immersed in this extraordinary landscape

you should walk into its very heart, following the creek

and its shady red gums.

“All areas of the Flinders are beautiful, but there are some

places that feel almost spiritual...and Wilpena is certainly one

of them,” says local guide Tim Tyler. The opportunity to engage

with the traditional owners here has also enhanced the visitor

experience, he says. “We now have Adnyamathanha guides and

staff in the Wilpena Visitor Centre. They greet our guests, who

love to talk to the people whose country this is.”

I ascended the rocky track to the higher of two lookouts on

the popular 7.8km Wangara track on a stifling 32°C February

afternoon. The thrill of the panoramic view across the Pound’s

interior was tempered by an unexpected sensation of peace and

tranquillity. The eerie stillness that seemed to permeate the vast

enclosure may have been the result of the sultry conditions, but

I could identify with those who claim a spiritual response.

There are a number of official walking tracks, including a

section of the 1200km Heysen Trail (see opposite); all are well-

marked and vary in length and difficulty. The toughest is the St

Mary Peak Hike. At 1171m, St Mary’s is the highest mountain

in the Flinders Ranges and is significant in the Adnyamathanha

creation stories. For this reason they request walkers finish their

hike at Tanderra Saddle rather than continue to the summit.

The full walk varies between 14.6 and 21.5km depending on the

route taken. Other tracks lead up onto the rim to peaks such as

Mt Ohlssen Bagge, or to the floor of the Pound with its varied

animal and plant communities.

In contrast to these close encounters, a scenic flight is almost

mandatory, in order to see Wilpena in its eye-popping entirety.

These take off regularly from the airstrip near Old Wilpena Sta-

tion and the pilots are experts at avoiding the big red kangaroos

and emus that regularly invade the landing strip. Seeing this coun-

try from the air helps to make some sense of its complex geology,

but the jagged backbones of the mountain ranges that writhe

through the landscape more readily invoke the Akurras, those

fearsome serpents of the Adnyamathanha creation. AG

FIND more images and stories about the Flinders Ranges online:

http://www.australiangeographic.com.au/issue128

“All areas of the Flinders are

beautiful, but there are some

that feel almost spiritual.”

AUSTRALIAN GEOGRAPHIC thanks SA Tourism Commission, Wilpena

Pound Resort, Jill Collins and Barking Owl Communications for assistance.

Centre stage. Looking

south across the

interior of the pound.

OPPOSITE: ML; ADAM BRUZZONE/SATC; THIS PAGE: CHRISSIE GOLDRICK