Arkaroola Wilderness Sanctuary within the distant South Australian outback gives a sustainable and significant journey expertise with an irresistible knockabout appeal. As Tiana Templeman discovers, it’s additionally probably the greatest saved secrets and techniques within the Flinders Ranges.
“This place makes me think of Uluru…”
“….and the Grand Canyon…”
“….and aliens from outer space…”
After two days at Arkaroola Wilderness Sanctuary, our Flinders Ranges Explorer tour group nonetheless couldn’t resolve precisely what this unbelievable spot reminded us of. But one factor was as clear as the celebrities above the 5 NASA-sized telescopes on the property: this distant Australian vacation spot is one that everybody wants to go to.
After a bouncy three-hour journey alongside filth roads with mobs of emus racing alongside the bus, the low-set lodging buildings at Arkaroola appeared forward of us like a welcome mirage. There are not any roadhouses with quick meals joints (or public bathrooms) on this a part of the outback, and attending to Arkaroola is an journey in itself. Located 600km north of Adelaide, tucked into the northern Flinders Ranges, and masking 610 sq. kilometres, this wild and scientifically famend a part of Australia is difficult to achieve, however those that make the journey – ideally with an skilled tour chief doing the driving – are in for a deal with.
Arkaroola’s historical panorama is house to the Adnyamathanha folks, and has a geological historical past stretching again virtually two billion years. It’s one in all Australia’s most original pure marvels and often attracts comparisons to Uluru. And like Uluru, it wasn’t at all times shielded from exploitation by European settlers. Miners searching for gold and different treasured sources first got here right here within the 1840s.
“The landscape is so unique here, so different, that there are many things that scientists still don’t fully understand about Arkaroola’s geology.”
A gentle stream of explorers, prospectors and others hoping to strike it wealthy adopted, together with geologist Dr. Reginald Sprigg AO. He frolicked in Arkaroola between 1937 and 1940 as a pupil of geologist and explorer Sir Douglas Mawson, who described Arkaroola as “the gem of the Flinders Ranges, a geologist’s paradise”. Sprigg went on to turn into a revered geologist. The authorities pulled him out of the military to evaluate Arkaroola’s potential for uranium mining.
However, Sprigg was extra serious about defending this particular place than mining it. After shopping for the property in 1967, Dr. Sprigg and his household labored tirelessly to rehabilitate Arkaroola and have it gazetted as a wildlife sanctuary and historic reserve. Arkaroola continues to be owned by the Spriggs, and is now managed by Reg’s son, Doug, who’s 67 years younger and shares his father’s ardour for Arkaroola.
Other guests have additionally been captivated by the individuality of this place, together with Padraic ‘PJ’ Koen, a self-proclaimed ‘astro-nut’ and astro photographer. He spends round half the yr at Arkaroola, capturing the evening sky and presenting Arkaroola’s night star present, which makes use of astrophotography mixed with a reside view from a telescope to nice impact. Each time PJ involves Arkaroola, he resets his physique clock to sleep in the course of the day and wake within the late afternoon. After he’s had ‘breakfast’ at round 3pm and introduced the star present, he explores and images the heavens till daybreak.
“If I’m not doing the show, I’ll usually grab a beer,” he says, when somebody asks what he does if the skies are cloudy. It solely takes one hand for him to tally up the variety of coldies he’s had currently.
The skies above Arkaroola resemble a black velvet material strewn with glowing diamonds, and are globally famend for being crystal clear. In truth, one of many enormous telescopes right here beams information again to NASA within the USA each evening. The Milky Way is so shiny it casts shadows on the rugged panorama, which appears to be like virtually otherworldly as evening begins to fall, like aliens may seem at any second.
The subsequent morning we’re up early for a six hour open-top 4WD tour of Arkaroola that has us hanging on for pricey life and marvelling at our information Andrew Smart’s driving abilities. If you’ve ever watched a 4WD automobile commercial with close to vertical driving trails, with sweeping views of golden spinifex and a panorama that appears to stretch on perpetually, it was most likely shot on location at Arkaroola. A favorite of automobile producers – however not the motive force who rolled a model new 4WD on a location shoot whereas we had been there – it’s as lovely as it’s difficult to discover.
Unfolding just like the pages of an historical guide, Arkaroola’s uncovered layers of rock maintain info and tales of evolution that proceed to captivate scientists and geologists. While he skilfully traverses the washed out tracks, Smart takes us on a digital journey again by 1.6 billion years of geological time.
We stand on high of a lookout the place icy peaks would have as soon as towered over our heads. Millions of years later, a fringing reef standing one kilometre above the ocean ground changed the ice and housed among the first lifeforms on earth. The panorama is so distinctive right here, so totally different, that there are numerous issues that scientists nonetheless don’t absolutely perceive about Arkaroola’s geology.
The spotlight of our tour – actually – is standing on high of Sillers Lookout, 680 metres above sea degree, consuming freshly baked lamingtons and sipping steaming cups of tea. Lake Frome, the southern hemisphere’s whitest salt lake, shimmers within the distance, and a mysterious trying haze hangs over the encircling hills. This beautiful, historical place is like nowhere any of us have been earlier than.
We return for a late lunch and a swim in Arkaroola’s pool, earlier than our group’s personal tour to one of many 5 telescopes on the property with Doug Sprigg. Doug has been an beginner astronomer for the reason that ‘80s and manages Arkaroola with an energy and enthusiasm that belies his age. The mighty telescope’s distant dome is silhouetted in opposition to the darkish evening sky as we strategy. We stand round checking our shadows forged by the celebrities as we look ahead to Doug to place the telescope.
One by one we shuffle into the domed constructing and take turns peering by the large telescope’s eyepiece to marvel on the Sea of Tranquility, the place the primary moon touchdown happened. The picture is so clear it feels as if we may spot the flag planted by the astronauts. Arkaroola places the ‘adventure’ into journey journey and is nothing like we anticipated. It’s inconceivable to grasp the profound sense of surprise Arkaroola conjures up except you’ve skilled it for your self.
You can discover Arkaroola on Intrepid’s 7-day Flinders Ranges Explorer journey.