Monday 9^th July

Since being on the road we have met many like minded travelers who are always keen to recommend a special spot to stay or an attraction to see.  There seems to be two distinct sets of ideas about which place in the Flinders Ranges is the better one to stay.  Some folk have said that Wilpena Pound takes the prize whereas others have highly recommended Rawnsley Park.  As our days at Wilpena Pound had drawn to a close we decided to make our own decision as to which one offered the tourist and caravanner the better deal.  I must also say that what one person looks for in a park, another is content to overlook, so these recommendations become very subjective.

Once we arrived at Rawnsley Park a working sheep property with various levels of accommodation on offer, the rain decided to become our best friend. Bob and my philosophy is that we will not let a drizzle or small shower prevent us from exploring, so we donned our wet weather gear and took for the hills.  We were not disappointed with the walk, it was named after the original owner of the property. There were expanses of pine trees on the lower ranges and through the gully and looking up there were the good old gums.  This walk took us around a ridge line and then we followed a dry creek bed back to the campsite.  By the time we returned we were flushed with warmth and felt ever so much better for making the effort. As the drizzle was significant any photos we took are rendered quite useless - such a pity.

While taking a break in the camp kitchen we met a lady from Flinders Island in Bass Strait.  She knew all the people we had come across while we did our caretaking stint on Deal Island.  Flinders Island is not huge and it’s a place where everyone knows everyone else, so I wasn’t surprised.

Upon leaving Rawnsley we decided that it had a character which defined it, and so did Wilpena Pound – two totally different locations (not very far from each other), but you cannot compare apples with oranges.