Flinders Range Holidays Guide
South Australia, Australia
A visit to the Flinders Ranges & Coober Pedy are located around 4hrs drive inland from Adelaide and will reward you with some of the most breathtaking scenery in Australia. This ancient landscape of rugged mountain ranges and vast arid deserts is seemingly empty but look a bit closer and you'll find secret river oases, amazing flora and fauna and maybe even a precious opal or two. The Flinders Ranges & Coober Pedy region is best accessed by self-drive or coach tour, however small charter flights are available for quick visits from Adelaide.
Map of Flinders Range Australia
Flinders Range Highlights
Flinders Range Holidays Planner
From a distance the Flinders Ranges have the same ochre-red colour of Ayers Rock but once you are in the National Park you will notice there is much more vegetation here. Most visitors base themselves in Wilpena Pound, a natural amphitheatre formed by adjoining mountains. There are a great many walking tracks around the countryside from short on hour hikes to overnight tracks.
Coober Pedy is known as the 'Opal Capital of the World' and since 1915 has been producing these multi-coloured gems. Coober Pedy is famous for its underground houses and shops. The local people began to live underground to escape the harsh extremes of the desert environment and today visitors flock to see the underground museums, opal shops, art galleries, churches and houses. You can even stay in an underground motel. Tours of the opal mines and surrounding desert areas are available, or for a completely unique 'Aussie' experience, tag along with the postman on his twice-weekly remote mail run. On this day tour you will travel through the historic towns of Oodnadatta and Williams Creek, as well as five remove cattle stations. You'll visit diverse arid landscapes including gibber plains, red sand hills and the Lake Eyre basin.
This region has an arid climate, with freezing winters and dry, hot summers. When walking in this area it is recommended to take a hat, sunscreen and plenty of water. If walking in an isolated area always alert the local ranger station of your plans. The Tastes of the Outback Festival in April each year celebrates the beauty of the region with food, wine and cultural events.
Flinders Range Accommodation Search
Accommodation in this region is limited mainly to caravan parks and campgrounds, although there are some hotels in the main towns and Coober Pedy. There is a comfortable campground and motel at Wilpena Pound, and many visitors make the climb to St Mary's Peak, although there are shorter walks near the campground. Three hours north of Wiplena is the Arkaroola Wildness Sanctuary, an award-winning eco-resort with some of Australia's most spectacular mountain views. The following Flinders Range hotels provide some of the best deals for a holiday in South Australia – please search below for availability and get the very best room rates sourced from over 100 local and online booking agents: