Flinders Ranges Holiday Attractions
South Australia

ARKAROOLA ASTRONOMICAL OBSERVATORY
Telephone (08) 8212 1366
Clear night skies are frequent here, and the observatory's 360mm (14.2") telescope is open to visitors, subject to light conditions and weather. Bookings are essential. There is also a display of astronomical charts.

MT. PAINTER SANCTUARY AND HISTORIC RESERVE
The Arkaroola-Mt. Painter Sanctuary and Historic Reserve is unique, with its rugged outback beauty and wildlife. It is steeped in history and dotted with geological monuments. The reserve offers a variety of experiences to visitors including hot springs, picturesque gorges, waterholes and rare wildlife.

OLD MINING SITES
The area around Arkaroola is rich in mineral deposits. Copper and zinc were mined last century at Yudnamutana and Wheal Turner where the traditional round Cornish smelters still stand.

PARALANA HOT SPRINGS
The radioactive Paralana Hot Springs, twenty seven kilometres north of Arkaroola originate deep within the earth's crust along a great earth fracture. They are the last vestige of active volcanism in Australia, with near boiling water flowing from the ground.

RIDGE TOP TOUR
Telephone (08) 8212 1366
This stunning tour of the ridges around Arkaroola has been described as the most spectacular scenic tour in Australia. The four wheel drive tour along narrow tracks passes over fantastic climbs, along razor back ridges and into deep gorges and valleys. Not for sufferers of vertigo, the tour passes the site of Australia's 1910 radium- uranium discovery and other old mine sites.

SLIDING ROCK COPPER MINE
Taking its name form a rock sloping into the creek, this site, twenty two kilometres from Beltana saw over 1,000 tonnes of copper ore mined until the workings were flooded in 1877. Now only ruins remain of the town that was once home to 400 people. The main ruin is the Rock Hotel, built in 1874.

THE NORTH BLINMAN HOTEL
Built in 1869 it still retains much of the atmosphere of the early outback. An old miner's cottage, built in 1862, the Post Office (1862) and the Police Station (1874) are in the town's main street.

CHAMBERS GORGE
East of Blinman, the rugged topography is broken by the placid rock pools of Chambers Gorge. There are good examples of Aboriginal rock carvings here.

NUCCALEENA
Thirty kilometres from Blinman, this mine once promised to be the most productive in the northern Flinders Ranges. A number of substantial stone buildings appeared in 1860, most still stand. The first steam engine used in this area was brought to Nuccaleena. A devastating three-year drought ended the mine's operations in 1866.

BOOLEROO STEAM AND TRACTION PRESERVATION SOCIETY'S MUSEUM
Telephone (08) 8667 2193
This museum houses a large display of stationary engines. The society restores and preserves antique steam engines, tractors, vehicles and farm implements. An annual display features more than 150 items.

FRED TEAGUE'S MUSEUM
Telephone (08) 8648 4014
This museum contains a fine collection of gemstones, minerals, Aboriginal artefacts, fossils, photographs, antique bottles and memorabilia.

JARVIS HILL LOOKOUT
A walking track and scenic lookout have been established at Jarvis Hill, five kilometres south-west of Hawker, The lookout offers a spectacular vista over the nearby countryside.

KANYAKA RUINS
Pronounced Kan-i-ka, this once gracious homestead dates back to the 1850s, when it supported as many as 70 families. Drought and a series of poor seasons forced the owners off the land. Restoration and interpretive signposting give an interesting insight into the past.

YOURAMBULLA CAVES
Only a few kilometres south of Hawker, the Yourambulla Caves have some excellent examples of Aboriginal rock paintings. There is also a marvellous panoramic view of the surrounding ranges.

TALC ALF RINK OUTBACK GALLERY
This gallery features an open air talc stone carving display of about sixty permanent works of art depicting the thoughts of Cornelius (Talc ALf) Alf-Rink. His work records the modern history of the district and country and emphasises a revitalised look at the stone age origins of the English alphabet.

OLD COURTHOUSE AND POLICE STATION MUSEUM
Telephone (08) 8666 2141
This complex consists of the stone courthouse, police station, police horse stables and original lock-up, exercise yard and cells. Many of the items on display were used in the old pug and pine cottages and have been collected from local identities. The cells contain antique tools of trade.

OUTDOOR AGRICULTURAL IMPLEMENTS MUSEUM
This outdoor agricultural museum is located on the Pichi Richi Pass road and displays a large range of historical agricultural machinery and equipment.

RAWNSLEY PARK
Telephone (08) 8648 0030
Twenty kilometres south of Wilpena on the Hawker to Wilpena road, Rawnsley Park sits in a beautiful setting at the foot of Rawnsley Bluff. Points of interest include -

• Sheep shearing demonstrations, with wide and narrow combs, yarding with dogs, wool classing.
• Conducted horse riding through the magnificent scenery of Rawnsley Park Station.
• walking trails.

BON ACCORD MINE COMPLEX
Telephone (08) 8892 2154
The museum is concerned with preserving and exhibiting items depicting the story of Burra and district. Displays include the history of the Burra copper mine and the working and living conditions of its miners. There's also a forge containing a selection of artefacts and forging tools used to repair mine equipment. The pumphouse, displaying the history of the ill-fated Bon Accord Mine, was completed in 1855. From 1879 to 1966 the site supplied water to a water- impoverished town.

THE BURRA MINE AND ENGINE HOUSE MUSEUM
Telephone (08) 8892 2154
This extensive archaeological site offers visitors an excellent opportunity to view the remains of Australia's earliest mining phase. Its features include the world's only reconstructed Cornish engine house, an excavated tunnel with access to the pumping shaft, walking trails and lookouts, an 1884 powder magazine and ore dressing tower. Morpheu's Enginehouse has a comprehensive display on beam engines and engine houses.

THE BURRA MINE AND ENGINEHOUSE MUSEUM
Telephone (08) 8892 2154
This extensive archaeological site offers visitors an excellent opportunity to view the remains of Australia's earliest mining phase. Its features include the world's only reconstructed Cornish engine house, an excavated tunnel with access to the pumping shaft, walking trails and lookouts, an 1884 powder magazine and ore dressing tower. Morpheu's Enginehouse has a comprehensive display on beam engines and engine houses.

MINERS' DUGOUTS
Telephone (08) 8892 2154
In the 1840s, as many as 2000 miners and their families lived in these dugouts along the river bed. Although floods drove many out and into homes built by the mine company, some miners remained in the dugouts rather than pay rent. Eventually the mining companies refused to employ workers who lived in the dugouts. For access, a key can be obtained from the Burra Tourist Office.

GLADSTONE GAOL
Telephone (08) 8662 2018
It was first used for 'inebriates, debtors and other prisoners'. In World War II it became an internment camp for Italian and German nationals while later it was used as a military detention barracks and finally, until 1975, as a medium security prison. Now it offers visitors an opportunity to experience life behind bars, if only momentarily. The guard's lookout tower provides a view of the formidable stone wall around the complex.

RAILWAY STATION NATIONAL TRUST MUSEUM
Telephone (08) 8665 2036
In Jamestown's old railway station, this museum tells the story of the district's pioneers and their achievements; it also exhibits farm machinery, documents, pioneer's clothing and early railway equipment.

PORT PIRIE AERODROME PICTORIAL MUSEUM
Telephone (08) 8632 1222
Port Pirie played a significant role in World War II, when 4,000 civilians were taught to fly. The training camp was based at what is now the Port Pirie Aerodrome. The pictorial history of the base is on display.

PORT PIRIE NATIONAL TRUST MUSEUM
Telephone (08) 8632 1080
Port Pirie's century old Customs House, the elegant Victorian pavilion style former railway station and the old police station are today the town's National Trust Museum. Displays include re-created room settings from c1900, railway and shipping history, an outline of Port Pirie's development and social history. The tower of the Old Station provides a fine view of the town, smelters, the river and wharves and the lower Flinders Ranges.

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Photo courtesy SATC

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