Page 375 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Australia

SOUTH A USTR ALIAN OUTBA CK  373

tWitjira
National Park
n Desert Park Information
(08) 8648 5328. Open daily.
Open 24 hours. Desert Parks pass
required. & ∑ environment.
sa.gov.au
About 200 km (125 miles) north
of Coober Pedy lies the small
town of Oodnadatta, where
drivers can check the road and Dunes stretching to the horizon in Simpson Desert Conservation Park
weather conditions before
heading further north to Witjira uLake Eyre bushwalkers, the ranges offer a
National Park. National Park wide range of stunning scenery
Witjira has dunes, saltpans, and wildlife, much of it protec­
boulder plains and coolibah n Natural Resource Centre, Port ted in several national parks.
woodlands, but it is most Augusta (08) 8648 5300. Open 24 In the southern part of the
hours. Closed Halligan Point Bay:
famous for its hot artesian Dec–15 Mar. & Flinders Ranges is Mount
springs. Dalhousie Springs has Remarkable National Park,
more than 60 active springs Lake Eyre National Park renowned for its fine landscape,
with warm water rising from encompasses all of Lake Eyre abundant wildflowers and
the Great Artesian Basin. These North and extends eastwards excellent walking trails.
springs supply essential water into the Tirari Desert. Lake Eyre About 50 km (30 miles) north
for Aborigines, pastoralists and is Australia’s largest salt lake, 15 m of here is the town of Quorn,
wildlife, including water snails, (49 ft) below sea level at its start of the restored Pichi Richi
unique to the area. lowest point, with a salt crust Railway. North of Quorn lie the
said to weigh 400 million tonnes. dramatic Warren, Yarrah Vale
Vegetation is low, comprising and Buckaring gorges.
ySimpson Desert mostly blue bush, samphire and Much of the central Flinders
Conservation Park saltbush. On the rare occasions Ranges are contained within the
when the lake floods, it alters Flinders Ranges National Park.
n Desert Parks Information (08) 8648 dramatically: flowers bloom and This beautiful park’s best­known
5328. Open daily. Desert Parks pass
required. Closed Dec–15 Mar. & birds such as pelicans and gulls feature is Wilpena Pound, an
∑ environment.sa.gov.au appear, turning the lake into a elevated natural basin covering
breeding ground. In summer, some 90 sq km (35 sq miles)
The Simpson Desert Conser­ the temperature can soar to with sheer outer walls 500 m
vation Park is at the very top more than 50° C (122° F). (1,600 ft) high.
of South Australia, adjoining To the north is Gammon
both Queensland and the Ranges National Park, with
Northern Territory. It is an iFlinders Ranges mountain bushwalking for
almost endless series of sand n Quorn Railway Station, Railway the experienced only. Just
dunes, lakes, spinifex grassland Terrace (08) 8620 0510. Open daily. outside the park is Arkaroola,
and gidgee woodland. ∑ frc.sa.gov.au/tourism a tourist village with a wildlife
The landscape is home to sanctuary and a state­of­of­of the­
some 180 bird, 92 reptile and The Flinders Ranges extend for art observatory.
44 native mammal species, 400 km (250 miles) from Crystal
some of which have developed Brook, just north of the Clare O Arkaroola
nocturnal habits as a response Valley, far into South Australia’s Via Copley. Tel (08) 8648 4848.
to the aridity of the region. Outback. A favourite with Open daily. & for tours.

Shimmering expanse of Lake Eyre, the largest salt lake in Australia