After Broken Hill and Silverton, we continued west into South Australia.
We stopped through places like Peterborough, Port Augusta and Quorn along the way, but there was one place we’d been particularly looking forward to getting into.
The Flinders Ranges.
This was where the trip started becoming the sort of adventure we’d pictured when we first talked about travelling Australia.
Mountain ranges, station stays, wildlife, dirt roads and 4WD tracks.
And the Y62 was finally going to get a proper workout.
Arriving at Willow Springs Station
We based ourselves at Willow Springs Station, a working sheep station covering around 70,000 acres in the Flinders Ranges.
We stayed for four nights, which gave us enough time to unpack properly and use the station as our base while we explored the surrounding area.
The facilities were excellent, but it was everything happening around the station that the kids enjoyed most.
There were chickens wandering around, sheep and plenty of wildlife.
The sheep weren’t particularly interested in becoming friends no matter how hard the kids tried.
The lizards were a different story.
The kids loved feeding them, and it quickly became part of the entertainment whenever we were back at camp.
It was a pretty good place to call home for a few days.
Exploring the Flinders
One of the best things about the Flinders Ranges is that you don’t necessarily need a destination.
Sometimes just driving through it is the attraction.
We spent time exploring Bunyeroo Gorge and Brachina Gorge, stopping regularly and taking in the landscape.
Every corner seemed to change.
Rocky ranges would suddenly open into huge valleys, then the road would disappear back between towering rock faces.
There was wildlife everywhere too.
The kids were constantly looking out the windows to see what they could spot next.
We stopped for walks, explored the gorges and took our time rather than trying to rush through everything.
The Patrol Finally Gets Dirty
Our Y62 had been built for touring and 4WDing, so we’d been looking forward to getting it properly off the bitumen.
The Flinders gave us plenty of opportunity.
Dirt roads, rocks, climbs, descents and rougher sections were exactly what we’d built the Patrol to handle.
It was also a good chance to see how the whole touring setup behaved away from the highway.
The Y62 was carrying our drawers, fridge, tools, recovery gear, water, awning and everything else we travel with, so this wasn’t an empty 4WD being taken out for a quick play.
This was the vehicle exactly as we use it while travelling Australia.
And it handled it brilliantly.
Then Came Skytrek
One of the main reasons we’d chosen Willow Springs was Skytrek.
Skytrek is a self-drive 4WD experience through the station, taking you through some incredible parts of the property that you otherwise wouldn’t get to see.
This was going to be our biggest 4WD day of the trip so far.
And we were keen.
The track takes you through changing terrain across the property, with plenty of places to stop along the way.
There are easier sections, but there are also more challenging options for anyone wanting to give the 4WD a bit more work.
Naturally, we weren’t going all that way to avoid those.
Taking the Harder Tracks
Where we had the option, we gave some of the harder sections a go.
This was much more like the 4WDing we’re used to doing back home.
Low range, picking lines and actually making the Patrol work rather than simply following another dirt road.
The Y62 handled everything we asked of it.
It’s a big vehicle and ours is set up heavily for touring, but it continues to surprise us with how capable it is once you leave the bitumen.
For us, this was one of the best parts of the Flinders.
We weren’t just driving around looking at the ranges from a lookout.
We were right amongst them.
The Views Were Worth the Drive
The higher we climbed, the better the views became.
Looking across the Flinders Ranges from up there really gives you some perspective on just how enormous the area is.
Ranges disappear into the distance in every direction.
Photos and video do a decent job of showing it, but they don’t really capture what it’s like standing there with that much country in front of you.
These were the moments we’d wanted from the lap.
Pulling up somewhere we’d never been before, getting everyone out of the Patrol and just looking around thinking:
This is why we’re doing it.
Four Nights Went Quickly
By the time our four nights at Willow Springs were coming to an end, we’d packed a lot in.
We’d explored the gorges.
Seen plenty of wildlife.
The kids had made friends with the local lizards.
We’d taken the Patrol through Skytrek.
And we’d finally started experiencing the sort of remote country we’d been looking forward to seeing.
The Flinders Ranges had definitely lived up to what we’d hoped for.
But the road ahead was about to become even more interesting.
Heading Further North
Leaving the Flinders, we weren’t turning back towards the coast.
We were heading north.
Ahead of us were Farina, Marree and the Oodnadatta Track.
And while we knew that part of the trip was going to be good, something else was happening out there that made our timing incredibly lucky.
Water had been making its way into Kati Thanda–Lake Eyre.
A lot of it.
We were about to get the chance to see one of Australia’s most famous inland lakes from the air during an extraordinary filling event.
The Flinders had given us our first proper outback adventure.
— All 4 Good Wins
