Arkaroola
Arkaroola or Arkaroola Station is a very small town located in the Northern Flinders Ranges about 130 km from Leigh Creek, in South Australia. It has a lot to offer the 4WD enthusiast and even boasts two stellar observatories.
Understand
Located 600 kilometres north of Adelaide and 130 kilometres east of Leigh Creek, and in the ruggedly spectacular northern Flinders Ranges, this 610 square kilometre multi award-winning Wilderness Sanctuary, operated by the Sprigg family, contains some of Australia's most spectacular mountain views and offers numerous Advanced Ecotourism accredited guided tours.
Arkaroola features rugged mountains, towering granite peaks, magnificent gorges and mysterious waterholes, the home to over 160 species of birds and the shy and endangered Yellow-footed Rock-wallaby.
Arkaroola is a Mecca for bushwalkers and four wheel drivers. The spectacular Advanced Ecotourism accredited rugged four wheel drive Ridgetop Tour is world famous; journey to the depths of ancient seabeds and across razor-back ridges and peaks of the Flinders Ranges most rugged mountains to the magnificent climax at Sillers Lookout.
Being the first Flinders Ranges tourist organisation to achieve the coveted Advanced Ecotourism accreditation, and with now a total of eleven such products available for you to enjoy, Arkaroola is truly unique.
Most visitors tend to travel to Arkaroola via Leigh Creek and Copley, a trip that is about 130 kilometres in distance. The road from Copley is unsealed but generally in excellent condition. The average driving time from Leigh Creek via Nepabunna is approximately two hours.
Get in
Access is usually by car, while there is a helipad and an airstrip near by they are not usually used.
To get to Araroola requires travelling over 130km of dirt road, the conditions of which vary considerably. A 4WD vehicle is highly recommended although it is possible to get there using a 2WD. Whatever type of vehicle you take you should ensure you have two spare tyres! The road into Arkaroola is littered with blown tyres.
The road can be impassable after rain as there are many floodways that cross the road. Please note it is illegal to drive on roads that have been closed, fines do apply. You can travel from Adelaide to Arkaroola in one day. It should take around 7-9 hours and is approximately 700 km.
Get around
Arkaroola is very small and as such everything is within a few hundred metres walking distance.
If you've brought your own 4WD you should have no problems getting around, although some tracks are classed as "Extreme 4WD Conditions" so you must have a sturdy and rugged 4WD, i.e. a RAV4 or a Kluger is not suitable!
Some tracks are classed as 2WD. However there are VERY few 2WD tracks to drive on and strictly speaking you would be much better off in a 4WD, mainly because 2WD vehicles do not have enough clearance between the wheels. While it is possible to take your 2WD along these tracks it is not advisable at all.
See
- Springs
- Waterholes
- Outback
Do
- 4WD tracks
- Geology
- Observatory
- Outback
Buy
- Souvenirs
- Fuel
- Tyres
Eat
One restaurant
Drink
One pub
Sleep
Various levels of accommodation
Stay safe
Contact Details
- Arkaroola Village, South Australia 5732, ☏ +61 8 8648 4848, toll-free: 1800 676 042, fax: +61 8 8648 4846.