Tag Archives: Gammon Ranges

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Bushwalking in a Mouse Plague

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Ever wondered how you need to protect your equipment when camping during a mouse plague? Is there anything you can do to avoid attracting them?

Having recently (April) walked in the Vulkathunha-Gammons Ranges in the north of South Australia, I was surprised to find how adaptable the house mouse is to an arid environment. Of course,  it had been one of the better seasons on record, and water was laying in small rock pools which normally would not have existed.

Sitting around our campfire we were amazed to see twenty or so mice approach within a few metres, looking for leftovers. On retiring, we soon realised how much noise a few mice can make as they run over your tent, gnaw at your tent and pack, and pick through your scraps. There is nothing quite like a gnawing sound to keep you awake, as you wonder which expensive piece of your equipment is being destroyed.

On rising, many of us noticed damage to our gear; holes in our packs and tents, even those that had been placed off the ground. Those who had been game enough to sleep with only a tent fly or in a bivvy sac had horror stories to tell.

While mice don’t conjure up the same element of fear, methods of protection from mice have some similarities to those needed when walking in bear country.

Safeguarding your Gear

The key to protecting your gear is to securely isolate your food from your gear or if you can’t do that make the food undetectable to smell.

This means adopting a combination of the following:

  • keeping your food, including leftovers, in airtight bags
  • not leaving food scraps around to attract them
  • keeping the food outside your tent and pack
  • isolating your pack from the ground, by suspending it between two trees on a very thin rope
  • making the rope unclimbable by making it long and thin (heavy nylon fishing line)
  • placing spinning obstacles on the cord such as drinking straws or soft drink bottles
  •  use your billy to store your food and put a rock on top

Some observations are that mice :

  • can climb trees
  • can eat through plastic containers, canvas, rip-stop nylon
  • can run along ropes
  • love to eat foam mats, and the handles of your walking poles.

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Campfire or Stove?

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Should you ever burn firewood? Is it OK to use firewood for a cooking fire? How do you maximize the weight savings by using a wood fire? How should you establish your fire to minimize the amount of firewood needed? When can I use a campfire? What should I do to minimize the risk of a bushfire?

The last time I used a campfire for cooking was about 20 years ago. Since then I have used a succession of stoves such a Bluet gas, Trangia, and MSR Whisperlite, so it was not without some deep thought that I used a wood fire again, this time in the Vulkathunha-Gammons NP.

Why make the change back to a bygone era?

Well the main reason was the weight saving (0.8 -1.0 kg) by not needing a stove and fuel bottle, the remoteness of the campsites and the ready availability of firewood which made it forgivable in my mind. The Gammons is an arid region and as such tree growth is very slow, but creek beds abound with firewood deposited in the last flood and while some may argue that this debris is the home of many animals, I doubt that our group’s impact was significant. That is not to say that in some more accessible locations, such as Mambray Creek in the lower Flinders Ranges our actions would be an environmental crime.

Is it ever OK to burn firewood?

Well what are the alternatives? Shellite (white gas), methylated spirits, butane/propane gas. Are these fuels any better than using firewood? Are they fossil fuels? Do they pollute the atmosphere? How much CO2 was released in the mining process to produce the metal needed to make the stove and fuel bottle? What about the energy requirement of extracting, refining and transporting the fuel? Do they use scarce food resources to make fuel? Isn’t wood renewable? Are we depriving animals of their homes when we burn firewood? The decision is not clear cut and ultimately must depend on your personal perspective. Certainly there is a level of camaraderie around a campfire that can never be achieved sitting around a Trangia.

Minimising the use of wood.

If you are going to have a campfire keep its fuel consumption to a minimum, burning only enough wood for essential cooking and to provide optimal light and heat. Judge how much wood you will need until bedtime and don’t build up the fire late in the evening, so that there are flames after you have gone to bed. Try to suspend cooking utensils above the flames to minimise cooking times and don’t heat more water than you will need. Use rocks to shield the fire from the wind and start the fire in a pit so the coals can safely be buried before retiring.

Reducing the risk of starting a bushfire

Use a moderate size fire so sparks don’t blow on to tents or into the bush. Put out your fire with water before retiring and then bury the extinguished coals. Leave your fire pit so that it is not obvious there has been a recent campfire. Don’t have a breakfast fire, instead storing a hot drink in your Thermos overnight, to reduce the need for fuel and save time. Only light a fire outside the bushfire season and as advised by NPWS.

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Bushwalking Navigation | Using Creek Lines in Arid Environments

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Ever wondered why it is so easy to get lost following a creek in an arid environment? What precautions can you take? Why is it more difficult to navigate uphill than downhill?

I have just come back from 4 days in the Vulkathunha-Gammon Ranges, over 700 km north of Adelaide where rainfall averages less than 20 mm per month with most of it falling during summer as the tail end of monsoons in the north west of Australia sweep down into northern South Australia and temperatures rise into the mid to high 30s. This has been one of the best start to the bushwalking season for many years and there are large numbers of full waterholes in the creek beds, lots of weed infestations and even a mouse plague.

Walking is usually via dry rocky creeks beds, as the ridges are often steep, rugged and exposed. Sometimes the creeks are full of native vegetation such as paperbarks (Melaleuca) and flood debris which makes movement with a full pack difficult.

Invariably navigation is a challenge, as few, if any, of the creeks have flowing water to help decide which way is downstream and it is difficult to distinguish major tributaries from mere gully’s. Often creek beds are hundreds of metres wide and may have islands in the middle, which can give the impression of a creek intersection, leading to miscounting.

Creek navigation involves

  • starting from a known location (use your GPS)
  • deciding how far away the next creek intersection will be and whether it will be on the left or right
  • calculating your walking speed and using elapsed time as a guide to when the next intersection should occur
  • counting creek intersections as you go
  • checking map to ground as you walk for obvious features such a gorges, cliffs, bends in the creek and stopping if they don’t appear in the correct sequence and place
  • using your compass to check the direction of each creek at each intersection with that expected from the map
  • checking for debris against tree trunks and trickling creeks to decide which way the creek is flowing
  • checking your location frequently with your GPS, even if you think you know where you are, as often parallel creek beds, can appear to be very similar. 
  • deciding on a catching feature so you don’t go too far or a handrail you can follow (see below for glossary)

If you have a GPS, then set up a route linking waypoints you have pre-determined at each creek intersection (decision point). This will give you distance to the next intersection, time to next intersection and bearing, but has severe limitations if the creek bed is very windy as all directions are “as the crow flies”. The GPS should never be relied upon without confirmation from map to ground, especially in narrow gorges where reception can be poor.

Uphill navigation following creek lines is always more difficult than downhill, as there always at least two uphill choices at each intersection but coming downhill, it is unlikely that you would decide to go back uphill at the intersection, knowing that the main creek must be going downhill.

Other Similar Posts

Bushwalking Navigation | A Glossary of Frequently Used Terms 
Bushwalking Navigation

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Bushwalking Navigation: The Importance of Using the Correct Geodetic Map Datum.

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Does it matter if your GPS is set to the correct map datum? To which map datum should you set your GPS? Can you compare grid references from an old and new edition of the same map which have different map datums?  How can you convert from one map datum to another? Are the grid references in old guide books correct?

Setting your GPS and mapping software to the correct datum can make a significant difference to grid references with errors of almost 200m common. While not as important for prominent features, if you are trying to find a spur to descend from a ridge line or a specific creek junction in rugged terrain or a waterhole, accuracy can be critical.

Both your GPS and mapping software need to be set to match the map datum of your data source which can be found in the legend of the paper map you have scanned, or on the CD label of the digital map you have purchased.  Beware, the first digital edition of TopoMaps for South Australia uses the Australian Map Grid 1984 but more recent versions use GDA94.

Often when planning a walk you may have obtained the grid references (waypoints) of prominent features  from an old  bushwalking guide. However, unless you know which map datum was used in the guide, then using these may cause navigational errors, if they are inconsistent with your GPS settings. (see below for an example of differences between AGD84 and GDA94 grid references). Many of the bushwalking guides I have were written when AGD66 was being used!

HINT: if the map was published pre-1984 you can assume that the map datum is AGD66, if its publication date is between 1984 -1994, then its probably AGD84 and if its after 1994 then it’s likely to be GDA94.

Adrian Heard’s A Walking Guide to the Northern Flinders Ranges was published in 1990, before GDA94 and hence uses the AGD84 datum, which is the same as that used by the Third Edition (1992) 1:50K maps of the Gammon Ranges. If you are using the latest digital maps, they will be GDA94 and hence Heard’s grid references will all need to be adjusted according to the formula

AGD84 to GDA94  Add 125 m to the Easting  and add 175m to the Northing

Fortunately converting from one to another is not that difficult, although not a task you would want to do when trying to find a camp site as dusk approaches. Simply open up the setting field of your GPS or mapping software and change to the correct datum, then reread the grid reference. In addition, many older maps give map specific conversions so you can convert to a more recent map datum (see below for an example)

Map Datums using for the Vulkathunha – Gammon Ranges maps

The Illinawortina (6737-3, 1:50K, 3rd Edition) map uses the Australian Geodetic Datum 1984 (AGD84) and has a sticker which says that to convert to Geocentric Datum of Australia 1994 (GDA94), add 125m to the easting and 175m to the northing (confirmed by my mapping software). The free Copley (Geoscience 1:250K) map uses map datum GDA94 (more recently adopted).

Octopus Hill, for comparison purposes, has the following UTM grid references :

0316970 6624770   visual taken from 50K map which is AGD84
0317095 6624945   when converted to GDA94
0316971 6624780   scanned 50K map and mapping software set to AGD84
0317093 6624958   scanned 50K map and mapping software set to GDA94

0316748 6624968   Copley 250K map and mapping software set to GDA94

Observations from data above:

  1. No surprises. The 250K map is not accurate enough for bushwalking navigation, with features up to 350m from their 50K map location.
  2. Using the correct geodectic datum is very important with errors of 125 m possible in eastings and 175m is northings.
  3. The last 5 digits of the GR give Thousands, Hundreds, Tens and Units of metres, so 0316748 differs from 0316970 by 222m. This means that locations on the  250K Copley map can be several hundred metres away from their true location. I have “boldened” the 6 digits usually quoted in grid references.

Related Postings

Why am I lost when I have a GPS?
Bushwalking Navigation 

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Bushwalking in the Vulkathunha – Gammon Ranges, South Australia | Pt 3 Useful Planning Notes from Bonython’s Walking the Flinders Ranges

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This article provides bushwalk planning notes obtained from one of the books listed in my posting Pt 2  Bushwalking in the Vulkathunha – Gammon Ranges, South Australia.  I have filtered the vast amount of the information available based on its relevance to a 3-4 day bushwalk with either a base at Grindell’s Hut or via Italowie Gorge.

Source: 

A.  C. Warren Bonython. Walking the Flinders Ranges. Adelaide: Royal Geographical Society of South Australia, 2000. [ISBN 0 85179 286 3] pp 123-159

NB All grid references have been taken from the 250K Copley map using map datum GDA94 and grid zone 54J and should be verified on the relevant 5OK map before use for navigational purposes.

Chpt 8 The Gammon Ranges

 …massive flat-lying sandstone beds have created a high plateau (Gammon, 1000m), formed as a result of weathering over 400 million years, followed by uplift and then the incision of the deep gorges.


…..central SW-NE  ridge line, including Blue Range, with steep cliffs on eastern side… three pounds Mainwater (N) , Arcoona (NW) Illinawortina (E)… high summits at the four corners Benbonyathe Hill (0325279 6634688, NE), Mount McKinlay 1053m (0317615 6622286, SE), Mount Rowe 900m (0328637 6607175, SW) and Gammon Hill 1012m (0309622 6633148, NW) and Arcoona Bluff  (0305575 6632438, NW)


…Gammon Plateau covered by thick scrub, dissected by deep trench-like gorges.

 Ridge walking is varied through triodia covered slopes, thickets of broombrush,  wirebranch acacia, mallee with open  grassy glades or rocky pavements, with little vegetation.


Creek beds filled with large gum and pine, …..rounded creek stones with animal pads higher up to be followed where available.


…survey stations, signified by stone cairns  which still exist, were built in 1857 by Painter’s survey parties…

Gammons from South – Click to see larger version

Many of the features where named by Warren Bonython (Adelaide Bushwalkers Patron), [Loch Ness Well (0324847 66291110), Steadman’s Ridge, Mt John Roberts (0322311 66300630), Streak Gorge, Mt Changeweather (0315807 662562). in 1946-47 as he attempted and eventually succeeded in the first N-S crossing

As they walked SW along the Blue Range, Cleft Peak (0319128 6627385) dropped behind and below and Octopus Hill (0316741 6624932) appeared with Mt McKinlay 1053m (0317615 6622286) towering in the background.

(East-West crossing, 1948) ….first ascent/descent of Cleft peak from the South then following the gorge of the upper Italowie Creek all morning, they turned into boulder choked Streak Creek and made laborious progress until in late afternoon when they climbed up the west slope to the Plateau and camped overnight at a lone pine tree. Next morning walked west towards Elephant Hill 980m (0310680 6627170) though thick scrub, down triodia covered slopes to the south end of Arcoona Pound.

In good rainfall years yellow cassias and sidas , with starry flowered calythrix and eristemon at higher levels flower. Fern Gorge contains Doodia caudata in good years.

 Chapter 9 Mount Serle to Arkaroola

… water shortages are to be expected on the Plateau and the nearest water is 300m below. 


Bonython’s party left from Mt Serle station, crossed the saddle (690m, 0299639 6615794) to the S of Constitution Hill. They found water in the creeks below Mt Rowe and then climbed up to Mt Rowe where they found excellent views of Mt Serle (0298796 6623195) 6km to the NW.


Mt McKinlay has a vehicle track made by American astronomers using a 4WD Haflinger.

Haflinger 4WD (1967)

The lower slopes, below and south of The Plateau, were covered in dense vegetation; yellow cassias and sidas, waxy red of native hopbush (Dodonea), pines and bullock grass.

Gorges are often filled with large boulders and dwarf eucalypts (mallee). Gammon Plateau is an open stony plain with scattered clumps of mallee. 


Time to climb from camp at GR 010744 6619986 to 0310049 6626325 via creek bed and gorges (6.4 km as crow flies, 600m climb) takes a full day carrying 14L of water for two.

Water to be found in gorges SSW of Elephant Hill as high as 850m. Moving NE of Elephant Hill, along The Plateau, mallee glades are found, with a sparse carpet of Goodenia and grasses, while in other parts through thickets of broombrush and Acacia rigens.

Cleft peak from near Prow Point return: full day trip with day packs, possible rock pool at intersection of Cleft Ck and Wildflower Ck.


Bonython’s Dictum: best place for photographing a mountain is at roughly half its height and across the valley from it.

Mt John Roberts

Prow Point to Crocker’s Saddle (3hrs) : very thick scrub  (Casuarina). Reached Benbonyathe Hill late afternoon, which has remains of American astronomers campsite.

Painting: Max Ragless  Sunrise on the Gammons

Other Articles in this series about the Vulkathunha – Gammon Ranges

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Bushwalking in the Vulkathunha – Gammon Ranges, South Australia | Pt 2 A Key to Learning About the Gammons

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This page provides a key to access the content of a wide range of natural history books available which provide bushwalkers with information about the Vulkathunha – Gammon Ranges National Park in northern South Australia.

Flinders Ranges and Vulkathunha-Gammons Ranges National Parks (RAA)

 I have divided the content which could be of interest to bushwalkers into the the following categories for convenience and listed the relevant books, listed below, by letter.

Gammon Ranges, South Australia, Australia (1999  Dr MR Snow)

The relevant books I have on my library shelf  include

    A.   C. Warren Bonython. Walking the Flinders Ranges. Adelaide: Royal Geographical Society of South Australia, 2000. [ISABN 0 85179 286 3]
    B.   Adrian Heard. A Walking Guide to the Northern Flinders Ranges. State Publishing South Australia, 1990. [ISBN 0 7243 6574 5]
    C.   John Chapman  Bushwalking In Australia, 4th edition 2003
    D.   Barker, Susan and McCaskill, Murray (Eds) Explore The Flinders Ranges RGSSA Adelaide 2005 [ISBN 0 9596627 6 6 ]
    E.   Osterstock, Alan Time: in the Flinders Ranges. Austaprint,1970 [ISBN 0 85872 160 0]
    F.   Osterstock, Alan The Flinders in Flower. Austaprint,1975
    G.   Corbett, David A Field Guide to the Flinders Ranges Rigby, 1980 [ISBN 0 85872 144 9]
    H.   Pedler, Rosemary Plant Identikit: Wildflowers of the Northern Flinders Ranges  Rosemary Pedler1994 [ISBN 0 646 18801 1]
    I.   M. Davies,  C.R. Twidale, M. J Tyler Natural History of the Flinders Ranges Royal Society of South Australia Inc 1996
    J.  Thomas, Tyrone 50 walks in South Australia Hill of Content, 1992
    K.   Morrison, RGB  A Field guide to the Tracks and Traces of Australian Mammals Rigby 1981[ISBN 0 7270 1489 7]
    L.   Bonney, Neville & Annie Reid Plant Identikit Common Plants of the Flinders Ranges Neville Bonney1993 [ISBN 0 646 15406 0]

    I am sure there are others and would welcome any suggested additions.

    Articles in this series about the Vulkathunha – Gammon Ranges

    Related Articles

    Bushwalking in the Vulkathunha – Gammon Ranges, South Australia | Pt 1 Trip Planning Resources

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    Bushwalking in the Vulkathunha – Gammon Ranges, South Australia | Pt 1 Trip Planning Resources

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    Where are the Gammons? Why visit the Gammons? When is the best time to visit the Gammons and how long do you need? What level of experience do you need and does it require any special planning and equipment because of its remoteness? What resources are available to help you plan, appreciate and enjoy what you see?

    UPDATE: there has been a mouse plague in the Gammons (April -? 2011) and I would advise taking your tent inner, storing food outside your tent in air tight bags and hanging your food out of reach.

    Bushwalking, Vulkathunha-Gammon Ranges National Park ……..in brief

    Gammon Ranges 

    “Vulkathunha-Gammon Ranges National Park is an arid wilderness of spectacular rugged ranges and deep gorges 400 km N of Port Augusta off the Copley-Balcanoona Rd. The park has important cultural significance for the Adnyamathanha people who are the traditional custodians of the region. There are several access points, both for 2WD and 4WD vehicles, with the heart of the park offering challenging wilderness bushwalking experiences. The park includes limited caravan sites, bush camping, 4WD touring tracks and several accommodation options. Bookings are essential for hut accommodation and shearers’ quarters. The park adjoins Lake Frome Regional Reserve and shares a boundary with Arkaroola Wilderness Sanctuary. Vulkathunha-Gammon Ranges Traditional Owners and DEH co-manage the park. ” (DENR )

    Google Aerial view of the Gammons

    View Larger Map

    Access

     The last 100 km is largely over dirt roads, which can sometimes be badly corrugated. If you wish to set up a base camp at Grindell Hut inside the Park, I recommend that you use a 4WD as the tracks are sometimes sandy and the wheel ruts can be deep. Many conventional cars will not have sufficient ground clearance. Make sure you carry essential spare parts for your vehicle and read the RAA Outback Driving booklet. 

    Up-to-date road conditions can be checked via the Far Northern and Western Areas road condition hotline – 1300 361 033 or by visiting http://www.dtei.sa.gov.au. Alternatively call the Desert Parks information line on 1800 816 078.

    Google Map Directions Adelaide to Copley (just north of Leigh Creek)
    SA Outback Fuel Chart     (pdf)
    Google Map Directions Adelaide to Copley( just north of Leigh Creek)
    Google Maps Copley, Vulkathuna – Gammon Ranges Nat Pk and Arkaroola Village
    Outback Driving (RAA)

    Climate

    If you are planning a trip to northern SA (eg the Gammons) check the forecast carefully as the temperature is often in the high twenties or low thirties, when it is in the high teens in Adelaide. My experience is that it is often 5 -10 degrees warmer than Adelaide but colder at night. 

    Check the Weatherzone climate statistics for Arkarooola  , the nearest weather station or visit the Arkaroola Wilderness Sanctuary’s Climate Information page which compares the climate with other capital cities.

    Long term averages show May to early September to be the  best from a temperature perspective (mean max 19-20 deg C). Mean minimum temperatures are 3-7 deg C, (lightweight sleeping bag weather). Days of rain 3, mean rain 6-10 mm (you may even risk just a fly depending on the month)

    Further north in the Gammons, water can also be short supply after six months with little rain. A spring/early summer trip is risky as most rain falls in December-March as the tail ends of monsoons sweep down SE from the Kimberley and most will have gone by then.

    Fire Bans

    All wood fires or solid fuel fires are prohibited from 1 November 2010 to 31 March 2011. Gas fires are permitted other than on days of total fire ban. For further information, please contact the Port Augusta Regional Office (08) 8648 5300, the Wilpena Visitor Centre (08) 8648 0048 or the CFS Fire Bans Hotline 1300 362 361.  Timely reminder of fire restrictions in parks (DENR 103kb pdf)

    Time Required

    The Vulkathuna – Gammon Ranges are a long drive of 8 – 9 hours from Adelaide, over unsealed roads from Copley, which can be badly corrugated depending on how recently they have been graded. For most people, the two days of travel encourages you to spend a minimum of  3-5 days in the Gammons, including some time at the Arkaroola Wilderness Sanctuary and the Paralana Hot Springs which are a short drive away. If you based yourself at Grindell Hut within the Park, then  it would be possible to spend a whole week in the Park and then at least another three days at Arkaroola.

    Panorama of Grindell’s Hut, showing the hut and the landscape surrounding it. (Peter Neaum 2009-09-10)

    Bushwalking Experience Level

    The Gammons are remote with the nearest major town, Leigh Creek, a hundred and thirty kilometres away to the west, which takes about 2-4 hours, depending on the state of the road. In addition to the remoteness, water supplies are unpredictable, the temperatures much higher than Adelaide and the terrain rugged, with significant exposure at times, when climbing the waterfalls. A high level of navigation skill, using both map and compass and GPS, is required as most of the walking trails are off-track with no signage and no trail markers. This Park is designated as being unsuitable for beginning bushwalkers, with experience of multi-day hikes, the ability to carry heavy loads and self-sufficiency in terms of first aid and training a necessary requirement. The carrying of an emergency beacon (PLB), GPS, relevant maps, mobile phone and even a UHF radio in case of emergency communication with nearby stations is advised. Don’t forget to leave your trip intentions form with the Ranger at Balcanoona.


    Flinders Ranges, Eyre Peninsula, Outback South Australia 4wd  Tracks and Repeaters Brochure  (5.5Mb, pdf)

    Department Environment and Natural Resources

    Park Passes
    Park Closures
    Trip Intentions Form (323kb pdf)
    Vulkathunha-Gammon Ranges National Park (647kb pdf)
    Wildlife of the Desert Parks (419kb pdf)
    Balcanoona Shearer’s Quarters Booking Information (145kb pdf)
    SA National Parks Guide – Flinders Ranges and Outback Region (816kb pdf)
    Vulkathunha-Gammon Ranges National Park Weetootla Hike Network brochure (686kb pdf)

    Itineraries

     John Chapman’s Gammon Ranges

    Maps

    Maps: 1:50,000 Topographic Illinawortina, Nepabunna, Serle, Angepena
    Northern Flinders Ranges (1.4MB pdf)
    South Australian Outback (1.2MB pdf)
    The Map Shop 
    Map index:  Arkarooola – Gammon Ranges – Yudnamutana – Farina
    Map Index:  North Flinders – Wilpena – Blinman – Leigh Creek – Balcanoona
    RAA Flinders Ranges & Outback Maps 

    Further Reading 

    Online

    South Australia: Vulkathana – Gammon Ranges (ABC, Program One: 29 December 2003 )
    The Grindell Murder Case (Flinders Ranges Research)
    Gammon Ranges Bunyip Chasm (ExplorOz)
    Grindell Hut ( ExplorOz)
    Vulkathunha-Gammon Ranges National Park (Wikipedia)
    Department of Environment and Natural Resources Search Results| Gammons
    Biological Survey of the North West Flinders Ranges (near Leigh Creek) (4.48mb pdf)
    Gammon Ranges National Park Access Guide and Newsletter 2006 Autumn Edition (SA Association of Four Wheel Drive Clubs Inc) (149kb pdf)
    Arkarola Wilderness Sanctuary Activities (nearby tourist accommodation)

    Photos

    Bushwalk
    Gammon Ranges (Flikr) 

    Scientific Expeditions Group (SEG)

    Vulkathunha Gammon Ranges Scientific Project (VGRaSP)
    Vulkathunha Gammon Ranges Scientific Project | General Description (VGRaSP 118Kb pdf)
    Analysis of Rainfall in the Gammon Ranges of South Australia 1992 – 2002  (1.7Mb pdf SEG)
    The Gammon Ranges Project – Monitoring in a Remote Area D.J. Kemp1, C.J. Wright and S.A. Jewell Department for Transport, Energy and Infrastructure (pdf,338Kb)

    Books

    C. Warren Bonython. Walking the Flinders Ranges. Adelaide: Royal Geographical Society of South Australia, 2000.

    The story of Warren Bonython’s walk from the Crystal Brook in the south to Mt Hopeless in the north.  xiii, 231 p. [32] p. of plates :bill. (some col.) ; 24 cm. 

    Adrian Heard. A Walking Guide to the Northern Flinders Ranges. State Publishing South Australia, 1990.

    An excellent book, describing 3 circuit walks of around one week’s length in the Gammon Ranges and briefer notes to the Arkaroola Sanctuary area. Recommended if you are planning a long walk in the Gammon Ranges. Probably out of print, price unknown.

    John Chapman  Bushwalking In Australia, 4th edition 2003

    320 pages, A5 in size – full colour throughout, 181 colour photographs, 56 colour topographic maps, 

    Thomas, Tyrone 50 walks in South Australia Hill of Content, 1992

    Paperback, 168 p., [8] p. of plates : ill. (some col.), maps, 180mm x 120mm x 11mm. The Flinders Ranges and Kangaroo Island are featured in the walks over terrain ranging from coastal scrub to mountains and arid desert. ISBN: 9780855722111

    Barker, Susan and McCaskill, Murray (Eds) Explore The Flinders Ranges RGSSA Adelaide 2005

    A ‘must have’ for all travellers and admirers of the Flinders Ranges.  Recommended by tourist authorities; ideal for tourism studies and school projects.

    Osterstock, Alan Time: in the Flinders Ranges. Austaprint,1970

    56 pages, A5 in size, 8 colour photos. Covers the geology and history of the Flinders Ranges.

    Osterstock, Alan The Flinders in Flower. Austaprint,1975

    53 pages, A5 in size, 25 colour photos. Describes 27 of the most common flowers of the Flinders Ranges.

    Corbett, David A Field Guide to the Flinders Ranges Rigby, 1980

    A field guide to the plants, birds, mammals, insects, reptiles, fishes, frogs, rock types, landforms and a brief history.

    Pedler, Rosemary Plant Identikit: Wildflowers of the Northern Flinders Ranges  Rosemary Pedler1994

    This pocket size booklet describes, with accompanying colour sketches, 70 of the most common plants of the northern Flinders Ranges

    M. Davies,  C.R. Twidale, M. J Tyler Natural History of the Flinders Ranges Royal Society of South Australia Inc 1996

    This 208 page A5 book describes the history of settlement and exploration, the geology and minerals, fossils, landforms, climate, soils, vegetation, aquatic life,invertebrates, mammals, birds, reptile and amphibians and aboriginal people . It is well illustrated with B&W photos, graphs, tables, maps and has an extensive reference list

    Thomas, Tyrone 50 walks in South Australia Hill of Content, 1992

    168 p., [8] p. of plates : ill. (some col.), maps ; 18 cm.  ISBN     0855722118 (pbk.) : Includes index.
    Subjects     Hiking – South Australia – Guidebooks.  |  Walking – South Australia – Guidebooks.  |  South Australia – Guidebooks.

    Morrison, RGB  A Field guide to the Tracks and Traces of Australian Mammals Rigby 1981

    This unique 198 page field guide contains a large number of B&W photos of tracks, diggings, droppings & scats and bones and skulls of Australian animals which helps with identification. [ISBN 0 7270 1489 7

    Bonney, Neville & Annie Reid Plant Identikit Common Plants of the Flinders Ranges Neville Bonney1993 [ISBN 0 646 15406 0]

    This pocket size booklet describes, with accompanying colour sketches, 51 of the most common plants of the Flinders Ranges, including the Gammon Ranges National Park

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