Inside Wilpena Pound

After 4 days of exploring the Central Flinders Ranges we have seen the rim of Wilpena Pound from all possible angles but still have not been able to see inside. There are ways to do this but they involve all day treks, the longest being 9 hours to St Mary Peak.  The shorter one being a  3 hour trek to Wangara Lookout.  

Another 6 hour hike takes you in through Bridle Gap to the floor of the pound.  With the weather heating up we were not inclined to be trekking for hours so instead opted for the most comfortable and most spectacular way to see Wilpena Pound.  We did a 30 min scenic flight in a little 4 seater plane.  Yes, I know, it's a bit of a surprise for me to get in something that small but I loved it and am so glad I let Bill convince me to go.

The airfield is about 15 mins away from the resort and once on board, and after the safety talk, we took off and flew over the area with the pilot pointing out all points of interest as we went.  The Wilpena Pound Resort, nestled among the magnificent Red River gums, Rawnsley Park Station, the ABC Ranges, Elder Ranges, Heysen Ranges and the  the Edeowie Gorge.  To see the Bunyeroo and Brachina Gorges we had driven through the day before was amazing from above but the most spectacular of all was to see Wilpena Pound from the air.  

You can clearly see how the pound is a natural amphitheatre of mountains.  There have been many theories over the years, the most common being that it was created by a meteor or an ancient volcano but we now know that it was formed naturally over many millions of years.  

Of course the local Aborigines have their own legends of how it came to be and these make interesting reading.  The name Wilpena is said to be Aboriginal meaning "cupped hand" and that is the shape that you can see from above.   The traditional owners, the Adnyamathanha, however, have no such word in their language and their name for the Pound is Ikara which means "meeting place".  It is said to be a sacred place much like Uluru is now.

From the air we could see Lake Torrens, the large salt lake, in the distance and you can also see how the Flinders Ranges appear to be a backbone on the landscape.

As we came back into land we were amused by the other young pilot on the ground driving up and down the runway.  This is necessary to clear the emus off the airstrip so we could land safely which we did of course.  We had just had the most amazing experience and loved every moment of it.

Returning back to camp we found out that the 3 hour hike to Wangara lookout could be cut to one hour by taking a shuttle bus to the Hills Homestead so we jumped on board and soon after we were climbing up to the first lookout.  

Leaving the bus you walk into the homestead area past sliding rock and here you can read the story of how the Hill family obtained the lease to this land inside the pound in 1901 and decided to try farming.  After the immense labour of constructing a road through the torturous Wilpena Gap, they built their small homestead inside the Pound and cleared some open patches in the thick scrub of the interior.  The homestead has been restored and still stands on the original site.

For several years they had moderate success growing crops inside the Pound, but in 1914 there was a major flood and the road through the gorge was destroyed. They could not bear to start all over and sold their homestead to the government. The Pound then became a forest reserve leased for grazing. 

In 1945 the tourist potential of the area was recognised when a "National Pleasure Resort" was proclaimed. A hotel called the Wilpena Chalet was opened on the southern side of the creek just outside the gorge, and it has been run by various private companies ever since. 

From here we walked up to the first lookout which has pretty good views of the inside of the pound.  Continuing up and up the warm day got the better of me and I sat down on a rock and waited while Bill continued to the top for an even better view.   

We returned to the pick up point and waited for our ride back to camp where we settled in for an afternoon of rest before checking the maps to plan our route home. We were leaving this amazing place the next morning.  Not really something we wanted to do but our time in the bush was coming to an end and we had to make our way back to civilization.

so until next time...........