Vulkathunha-Gammon Ranges National Park is a South Australian national park in Outback South Australia, part of the Flinders Ranges.
It is on the tentative list for world heritage along with Ikara-Flinders Ranges National Park and Nilpena Ediacara National Park.
Understand
[edit]Vulkathunha-Gammon Ranges National Park lies about 65 km as the crow flies north of Ikara-Flinders National Park in the Northern Flinders Rangers. It adjoins Arkaroola Protection Area to the north and the Adnyamathanha People Natanwarrina Indigenous Protected Area to the south. It's not as well known as Arkaroola or Ikara-Flinders but its chasms and gorges are first class.
History
[edit]Landscape
[edit]Flora and fauna
[edit]The vegetation here especially on the higher ground is noticeably drier than further south at Wilpena Pound
Climate
[edit]Get in
[edit]Access is via Gammon Ranges Road (unsealed) from the Flinders Hwy (B83).
Fees and permits
[edit]
No fees or perimits required; you can visit for free.
Get around
[edit]See
[edit]Do
[edit]- Uncle Gill's Walk is a 15-minute easy walk taking you through the Balcanoona Shearing shed and stock yards.
- Italowie Gorge Hike is a difficult 15.8-km route taking about 8 hours to do one way.
- Weetootla Gorge. The walk from Grindell's hut to Weetootla campground traverses Weetootla gorge. It is a walk of moderate difficulty and is well described in the national park handouts and in their app. It's a delight to walk through cool green gorges with springs and pools when the vegetation on the hills is scorched and only just clinging to life. You can detour to visit the Monarch mine if you wish.
- Blue Range Gorges. The Blue Range lies to the west of Grindell's hut. Some of the gorges and chasms on the eastern slopes of the range make for spectacular and adventurous walking. These walks are not described in the national park handouts no doubt because they are too difficult for the casual walker. Persons walking in this area should be able to navigate through trackless country and have a topographic map with them (the national park app is not adequate). Normal safety precautions not to enter gorges and chasms during or immediately after rain because of the risk of rapidly rising water should be observed.
- 1 Iga Warta. Iga Warta lies just to the west of the park on Leigh Creek Road local indigenous people run it and offer accommodation but the real drawcards are the tours of the local area which they arrange. The Malki painting site is one of a few painting sites in the Flinders Ranges. Red Gorge is one of the Flinders Ranges' most important engraving sites and Iga Warta is the only organisation arranging tours there. The social history tour visits Minerawuta (Ram Paddock Gate) - of great significance as it was the last traditional Indigenous encampment in the northern Flinders.
You could easily spend 4 or 5 days there if you wished to go on all the tours but even one tour gives you some insight into the local indigenous community. $75 - $138 pp depending on the duration of the tour and distance travelled.
Buy, eat or drink
[edit]There are no shops in Vulkathunha-Gammon Ranges National Park
Sleep
[edit]Lodging
[edit]- Grindell’s Hut. Grindell's Hut is an old homestead that has been restored. It is a great place to stay but its expensive. You can book online at the South Australian National Parks website. You definitely need a 4WD drive to get in. $200.
Camping
[edit]All park campgrounds in the park cost $14.50 per night.
Grindell's Hut campsite is one of the best campsites in the park, its a couple of hundred metres down the hill from the homestead. The campsites are beside a dry creek with large trees providing shade.
Backcountry
[edit]Connect
[edit]There is Telstra mobile coverage and a public telephome at Balcanoona