Flinders & Gammon Ranges, My Trip Part II

NachaLuva

NachaLuva

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After the fun of sand dunes in Big & Little deserts, Vic, I headed off to the Flinders Ranges & Gammon Ranges :biggrin:

I drove up past the Flinders heading to Leigh Ck. I couldnt believe how wet it was, I've never seen standing water there before!



I took a detour into Brachina Gorge, a must visit for anyone heading up this way:



Endangered Yellow-footed rock wallabies are plentiful here. Two joeys play fighting while mum looks on:


Heaps of emus too, I think I upset this one haha:


Back out to the main road, through Leigh Ck & onto Arkaroola. So much wildlife!






This is the first time I've seen a bonded pair of stumpies. Stumpies bond for life but rarely see each other. They are very solitary animals but every spring they somehow find each other in the vast wilderness & mate, then disappear again for another 12mths.

A western Blue Tongue chased me off the road lol
[ame="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qnONi1YO5Kk"]Blue Tongue Lizard Attack - YouTube[/ame]
 
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Another detour into Weetootla Gorge & the one way 4WD loop Track & an awesome view from Gills Lookout. It almost looks painted!


My campsite was surrounded by glowing scorpions as I shone my UV torch on them, never seen so many so close!

Then onto Wooltana Cave and some ruins. Only the floor remains::


I do not advise going in here, its very isolated & one slip will see you fall all the way to the bottom!


Settlers have used this as a water source, not much remains:


At Arkaroola, I was keen to check out the 4WD tracks. Echo Camp Backtrack was labelled as "extreme" so after filling out the sign in/out sheet (privately run track) I headed off with much trepidation lol:



Barraranna Gorge was a welcome relief in the hot afternoon:


More wildlife:



Gotta love Sturts Desert Pea!:
 
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I headed south to Chambers Gorge:


Emu:


Some of these rock carvings are very old...

Feral goats are a big problem in the Flinders!


Then camp at Parachilna Gorge, found a really cool spider:


Just cos you're camping doesnt mean you can't have a tasty double beef burger! Mmmmm...


Next was Kanyaka Ruins, a massive homestead from the 1800s. It must have been a very impressive sight in its day!



Quorn was next where I chased down the Picci Ricci Railway:
 
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Holy *%$( Nacha, Flinders Ranges is going off right now. Again, awesome photos! I love those Yellow-footed rock Wallabies.
 
Great photos NachaLuva. Looks like you had an awesome time.
 
More wildlife...another western blue tongue that I nearly stepped on in the long grass then nearly sh*t myself thinking it was a snake lol:


A Flinders worm lizard


A blind snake. He kept flicking his tongue which was funny for something so small. He also has a sharp spine on the tip of his tail which he kept stabbing me with haha


A very well camouflaged gecko:


A large scorpion eating a smaller scorpion:


I also saw a mouse spider, very aggressive little girl which reared up at me.

In total I saw 47 stumpies incl 3 bonded pairs (I've never seen even one pair before this); 9 beardies incl 1 massive bright red male with a jet black throat; 2 western blue tongues; 1 western brown snake; 4 blind snakes; 2 Flinders worm lizards; countless geckos; a heap of yellow-footed rock wallabies; western red kangaroos; eastern grey kangaroos, euros; red-necked wallabies; emus; so many raptors; a family of apostle birds (they have no fear and a funny parrot like hop); lots of brightly coloured mulga parrots & ringneck or Port Lincoln parrots. Heard boobooks & tawny frogmouths while camping plus some other owl I don't know.

I had a great time & can't wait to do it all again! :biggrin:
 
Terrific pics; thanks NL. Flinders is a great place.
 
Started going through the GoPro vids from Echo Camp Backtrack, Arkaroola. Found a good example of the Subaru AWD system at work:

[ame="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=odDwsvCsqRI"]'97 Subaru Forester AWD System - YouTube[/ame]
 
Great photos of a great place, NL. Thanks.

Can't wait to go there. :)
 
Awesome pics Luva of the Nacha. Brings back lots of Nacha memories I have in my head but not in my posession. Keep living the dream!

Best regards,
 
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