Chambers Gorge - 10th July 2011

After my aborted attempt to cycle the Mawson Trail we found ourselves with a little time up our sleeves. As we had already booked accommodation in the Flinders Ranges for the Mawson Trail we thought that we may as well use it and do a bit of walking. I'd been to Chambers Gorge about 26 years early on trip around Australia with my best mate in a panel van, so I thought it was about time to go back and check it out again.

Sturt desert peas on the drive into Chambers Gorge.

We were based at Rawnsley Park for three days so after breakfast we headed off on a bit of a drive. The first objective was Blinman, the highest town in South Australia, from there we hit the dirt for a bit over an hour until we came to the turn off to Chambers Gorge. The bitumen road up to Blinman is a peach, the road twists and turns, following the contours of the land, every now and again it plunges into a dry creek bed before jumping up the other side, the whole time you are passing through scenery that is some of the best in Oz in my opinion (but you know what they say, "opinions are like #*%$holes, everyone's got one!"). Turning onto the dirt at Blinman we had another hour and a half through more great country before we finally pulled up at the start of the walk.

Walking up the dry creek bed.

Mount Chambers.

There's no official trail head on this walk, we just parked near the camping area and started walking, basically heading downstream along Mt Chambers Creek for around four and a half kilometres before turning around and heading back to the ute. Mount Chambers (Wadna Yaldha) towering off to the south like a giant mesa. The creek walk was enlivened by the odd pool of water and small cascade. The further into the gorge we went the more rugged it became with red bluffs towering around us, unfortunately we didn't spot any Rock Wallabies, but we did spot heaps of feral goats.

The cave near where we turned around.

Eventually we spotted a cave high up on the side of the hill and after I'd gone up to have a poke around we decided that we may as well head back. It was walking back to the car that a truly bizarre incident occurred, as I mentioned earlier we had seen plenty of feral goats, they were mainly keeping to the ledges and steep sided hills. On the walk back we noticed that a few Paddy melons  were rolling down the hills towards us, initially we didn't take to much notice, however when they kept barrelling down the hill at us,we glanced up. The bloody goats were rolling the melons off the hill so that they barrelled, canon ball style, straight down at us. Now for people that don't know a Paddy melon is about half the size of a Water melon, not something you really want hitting you as gravity and the goats conspire against you.

Mount Chambers in the distance.

After running the gauntlet of the goats shooting range we were soon back at the ute, we enjoyed a nice lunch before a relaxing journey back to Rawnsley Park. Another hard day on holidays, if only I could fund this lifestyle forever.

Scree on the side of Mount Chambers.

There was even some flowing water in the gorge.

The feral goats that were rolling Paddy melons down the hill at us, Bastards!

The Dirt.
Chambers Gorge is in the Northern Flinders Ranges, its a fair drive from anywhere. There is plenty of camping at the start of the gorge but no facilities or water. There is no track or markers, you just follow the normally dry creek bed through the gorge. We walked around 9 kilometres, but you could walk as far as you like. We used the notes from 40 Great Walks in Australia by Tyrone Thomas and Andrew Close the map in the book is adaquate for the walk. This is an easy walk if you want to stretch your legs on a trip up to the Gammon Ranges.

Almost back at the car.

No place for soft SUV's, hey Skip.