| Great Australian Journeys |
South Australia
The driest state in Australia is famous for its fine wines from the Barossa Valley and the Coonawarra. Much of the state is fairly barren and most of the state lies north of Goyder's Line. North of this line, the average rainfall is less than 10 inches (about 250 mm) and cannot reliably support farm crops. This line was established last century after some droughts and was used to limit the spread of farms. For bushwalkers, there are some really great walking places scattered along the ranges but there is also a lot of distance between the interesting parts. You must allow plenty of time for travel and long dusty drives particularly if you venture into the northern deserts.
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Mawson Trail, SA
Starting just north of Adelaide and travelling to the Outback town of Blinman in the Flinders Ranges, the Mawson Trail is the ideal option for mountain bikers wanting to travel through South Australia's regional and remote rural areas. Close to 900km long, the trail includes little-used country roads, State forest and national park fire trails, farm access tracks and unmade or unused road reserves. The trail avoids traffic and bitumen roads and leads cyclists into the remote areas of the Ranges, taking in the Adelaide Hills, historic towns such as Lobethal and Birdwood, the Barossa wine region and the mid-north towns of Kapunda and Burra, through the Bundaleer Forest and into the Flinders Ranges.
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The Kidman Trail, SA
The Kidman Trail is a multi use horse riding, cycling and walking trail that traverses 225 kilometres of roadsides, quiet farm routes, forest tracks and unmade road reserves. The trail passes through the Fleurieu Peninsula, Adelaide Hills, Murraylands, Barossa and Clare Valley tourism regions. The trail is proudly named after Sir Sidney Kidman, a prominent local pastoralist and horse breeder. Kidman was a pioneer of his time with unparalleled forethought in business and interminable community spirit. The Kidman Trail highlights the natural beauty, cultural history and major points of interest along the Mount Lofty Ranges. It utilises existing tracks and trails through Forest Reserves and other accessible public land, quiet roads and unmade road reserves with trail markers indicating the route.
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Heysen Trail, SA
Hike all the way from Cape Jervis on the Fleurieu Peninsula to the mountain town of Parachilna on the 1,200 kilometre Heysen Trail. Or mix and match day and multi-day walks, choosing from dramatic coastlines, farmland and forests, picture book towns, vine-lined valleys and rugged mountain ranges. Like a quality box of chocolates, this trail offers the best of South Australia’s wildly assorted scenic beauty. Walk next to waterfalls in Deep Creek Conservation Park and visit the historic German village of Hahndorf. Taste wine in the world-famous Barossa Valley and see settler-relics in the grazing country beyond. Head into the Flinders Ranges, where fossils date back millennia and Aboriginal rock art is as old as the Dreaming. Walk over Mt. Remarkable and to the rim of the ancient, awe-inspiring crater of Wilpena Pound. Sleep in campsites, huts and shelters or in any of the towns dotting the trail. 50 to 60 days/day and multi-day options.
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Gawler Ranges, SA
This range of mountains to the north of Eyre Peninsula, approximately six hours drive north-west of Adelaide, were named by Edward John Eyre after the Governor of South Australia, George Gawler in 1839. The ranges consists of volcanic rock hills over 1500 million years old. The extensive exposure of volcanic rhyolite known as organ pipes, is one of the largest in the world. The vast hill and gully complexes, with rocky gorges and seasonal water flows, create a stunning landscape of natural beauty.
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Lavender Federation Trail, SA
The Lavender Federation Trail is a linear walking trail through diverse countryside traversing the eastern flanks of the Mt. Lofty Ranges. The trail begins at Murray Bridge and takes a serpentine course of 105 kilometres to Springton in the Barossa Valley. The concept of the Federation Trail came into being after a small group of walkers began to look for interesting walks in the hills to the west of Murray Bridge and found to their surprise a wealth of good walking country with high ridges, dramatic gorges, stately peaks and sweeping panoramas never before explored by walkers. The Lavender Federation Trail is named in honour of the late Terry Lavender OAM, the architect of the trail and the first chairman of South Australian Recreation Trails Incorporated (SARTI).
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Simpson Desert, SA/Qld
Walking the Simpson Desert is one of the walks for any serious cross country trekker to do in their lifetime. It is hard, often lonely, requires mental toughness and a will to keep going when all your body wants to do is stop. It is not the type of walk to be taken lightly. It requires a reliable support company or person to provide the logistics needed, including transport, water and food supplies and good communication technology.
The Simpson is remote - there are no shops which sell supplies, except on the extreme edges, no phones, no immediate medical assistance and no reliable water supplies. It is a minimum of 400 km to walk across the Desert depending on the route taken, and requires a walker to go up and down 1100 sand dunes. The terrain can be rock hard through clay pans, stony through gibber sections and soft through the sandy dunes. So, why do it? Walking a desert is the best way to see it, smell it, hear it, touch it and even taste it.
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The Investigator Walking Trail
The Investigator Trail is a long distance walking trail in the Port Lincoln area. It takes its name from HMS Investigator, the ship commanded by Matthew Flinders while surveying the rugged coastline of Lower Eyre Peninsula in 1802. The trail is easy to walk, well marked and accommodates people of all fitness levels. The Trail starts at North Shields about 15 kilometres north of Port Lincoln, follows the coast southward to Port Lincoln then continues on through Tulka and enters Lincoln National Park. A thirty kilometre loop walk is possible following the sections of Investigator Trail via park gate - Pillie Lake - Millers Hole, Wisemans Beach, Salmon Hole, Seaford Mere back to Park Gate. However there is only one designated camping area near this loop - north of Pillie Lake.
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