South Australia (Flinders Ranges)
Gammon Ranges
In the far north of the Flinders Ranges and west of Arkaroola, the Gammon Ranges National Park incorporates a rugged wilderness of mountains, gorges and inaccessible country. While there is plenty of wildlife in the park, many species take advantage of the difficult and inaccessible terrain; only experienced hikers should attempt to venture off the beaten track. A major highlight of the Gammon Ranges National Park is Italowie Gorge, where near-perpendicular cliff faces of red quartzite compete with the red river gums growing along the bed of the creek. Up higher, native pines fight for space in cracks in the rock and obtain their sustenance from the water that collects.

The arid and bald Gammon Ranges are the Flinders’ last fling, a vicious flurry of compressed folds plunging abruptly onto the northern plains. Balcanoona is the NPWS headquarters for the otherwise undeveloped Gammon Ranges National Park, a thick band of sandstone cliffs – check with the Hawker NPWS for current conditions. Two ways to experience the area are either to carry on to Arkaroola (outside the park) or to take the road west across the park through Italowie Gorge to Copley on the Hawker–Marree road. The steep red walls of the gorge are home to iga, native orange trees which symbolize the Adnyamathanha as a people. There are bush campsites here and shearers’ quarters at Balcanoona.

Camping is allowed in the park, but a permit must first be sought from the ranger headquarters at Balcanoona. Conventional cars can be taken into the general area of the park; however, a four wheel drive is recommended if you want to leave the main road.

Chambers Gorge and Big Moro
Chambers Gorge and Big Moro are remote, little-visited sites on the road to the Gammon Ranges, worth every groan and twang of your vehicle springs for their stark beauty and Aboriginal significance. The ten-kilometre access track east into Chambers Gorge (28km after Wirrealpa) is decidedly dodgy after rain when you’ll need a 4WD, but at other times 2WD vehicles might reach a natural campsite at the foot of Mount Chambers, within twenty minutes’ walk of the gorge mouth. 

In a Dreamtime story, Yuduyudulya, the Fairy Wren spirit, threw a boomerang which split Mount Chambers’ eastern end and then circled back to form the crown. An indistinct left fork before the gorge leads to a dense gallery of pecked engravings; most are circles, though a goanna stands out clearly on the right, facing the main body of art. Chambers Gorge itself is huge and silent, the broad stony entrance guarded by high, perpendicular cliffs and brilliant green waterholes; it would take days to explore it properly.

Big Moro is sacred to the Adnyamathanha as the residence of an Akurra. The creek trickles through a crumbling gorge into two clear green pools; limestone outcrops on the south side conceal miniature caves. The gorge lies west down an exceptionally tortuous fifteen-kilometre 4WD track opposite Wertaloona Homestead, 60km from the Mount Chambers junction. Pay attention to any signs and leave the three gates as you found them.