Rawnsley Park Station

The Outback

In the heart of the semi-arid back country or Outback region of Australia, the vast plains of Adelaide reveal landscapes of ochre colored clay once inhabited by the Kaurnas aborigines whose people lived in this hostile territory for generations. From these desert lands, one can see the undulating relief of the majestic Flinders Ranges.

Over a 400 kilometer stretch, the Flinders deploys its purple projections from the Port Pirie region to the banks of the dried up Lake Callabonna, near the Queensland border. A favorite spot for hikers, the Flinders contains a great many paths and trails ideal for discovering the local fauna and the sumptuous landscapes of the Australian bush. Climbing the 1,170 meter Sainte-Marie peak, the highest summit in the chain, rewards climbers with a panoramic view of the natural amphitheatre formed by Wilpena Pound an immense 80 square kilometre basin, without doubt the most famous site in southern Australia. The region, once the property Adnyamathaha aborigines, literally “people of the rocks”, evicted by the first European settlers, is full of engravings and rock paintings bearing witness to the presence of prehistoric man.

At the foot of the majestic Flinders Ranges

Opposite the southern face of Wilpena Pound, the Rawnsley Park Station dominates the desertlike remote Outback landscape. Owners Tony and Julieanne Smith transformed this former sheep-raising farm on the Arkaba site, the first cattle station in the region dating back to 1851, into a luxurious encampment and ideal starting point for the conquest of Flinders Ranges. Given the name of Rawnsle yPark in 1963, the property’s 29,000 hectares received its first visitors five years later in small bungalows to be complemented later on with new types of dwellings ranging from mobile homes to eco-villas and luxurious properties.

Totally made out of corrugated metal, the Woolshed Restaurant directed by Jon and Sally Dean specializes in high quality Australian cuisine with touches of numerous multi-cultural influences, more commonly known as Mad Oz.

At the foot of the Flinders Mountains, in a typical Outback décor and a warm, cozy atmosphere, visitors can taste authentic southern Australian wines under the stars.

Located about 30 kilometers south of Rawnsley Park Station, the city of Hawker provides numerous activities and services including shops, galleries, pubs cafes and a petrol station. For visitors who want to venture even further off the beaten path, flights over the Arkaroola or Lake Eyre among other sites are available.