Wilkawillina Gorge walk | This Adventurous Age

MONDAY 17 MAY WILPENA

Got a fairly slow start this morning, as I still had the cold.

Decided we would tackle the other end of the Wilkawillina Gorge walk, so packed lunch and set off to drive to the Little Bunkers Trailhead. Continued on the Wirrealpa road for about 6kms past where we had turned off for the other trailhead, then found the track to the north. Followed this track for about 7kms, up a narrowing valley and parked Truck at the track end. There were quite rugged ranges all around us here.

Ate our lunch by Truck – the last of John’s yummy pasties.

It was about 1.15 when we set out walking.

The track initially climbed up a range – a steady climb, angling along a very steep hillside. The track itself was very narrow – like about a foot wide in parts – and the drop off was steep. It was somewhat stressful for me because of the height and the drops alongside the track. There was only low grasses and small shrubs on this limestone and siltstone slope, so the openness accentuated the perils.

05-17-1999 01 sth bunkers-wilkiwillina gorge tk.jpg

The narrow track up to the saddle – note my uphill lean! The track is evident, crossing the slopes behind

After 2kms of climb, we reached a saddle – great relief on my part, because the land on both sides of the track went up! There were excellent views from the lookout there.

In the saddle. The lookout is on top of the hill.

Then we continued on, down the other side. There was some loose rock in places on the path, and one had to watch their step, but it was not as vertiginous as the other side.

05-17-1999 03 walk track to Wilkawillina Gorge

The track from the saddle towards Wilkawillina Gorge

The track down towards the Gorge was easier – and better vegetated

At the base of this slope, we reached Wilkawillina Gorge and Ten Mile Creek. It was just brilliant. The creek bed is wide. The gorge is steep sided. There is a permanent waterhole, with bright green bulrushes.

In Wilkawillina Gorge. Boulders of red sandstone and white limestone show the two adjacent rock types of the Gorge

We followed the creek back through the gorge to the creek crossing at the 6.4km mark, according to the track notes. Since these start from the northern end it meant we’d walked 5kms since we started, as the total walk length is 11.4kms.

We followed the creek bed through the Gorge

It was about 3.45 by now, so we needed to turn around and back track – and make a fair pace.

John managed really well. It was a hard walk on the legs and feet. This walk is rated as Hard.

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I was intrigued by these three dead mulga trees by the track

The track back down from the saddle was just as bad, going down. Once we could see Truck, a long way below, we abandoned the more gradual track that wound around the slope, and walked straight down a side ridge. It was very steep, but, paradoxically, easier for me than the giddy parts on the track.

05-17-1999 08 track down from wilkiwillina gorge.jpg

Heading back down. Truck is parked by the road track, on the far side of the creek gully

Reached Truck at 5.15pm.

It was dark by the time we got back to camp, having driven 107kms for the day. We were both really weary.

The cold seems to have eased somewhat – just have a bit of a sniffle. Maybe I have walked it out?

Tea was a packet soup, toasted cheese, yoghurt and pear.

Early night again.

THURSDAY 13 MAY WILPENA

The day got off to a fairly slow start, after John stayed up really late, playing his game.

We decided to walk part of the Wilkawillina Gorge Track. The information about this walk made it seem interesting, and it was one we had not tackled in prior visits. We had seen the country around that area from a vantage point on the Skytrek drive. It is still within the general area of The Bunkers ranges.

If we’d had two vehicles, could have put one at each end of the walk through the gorge, and done a shuttle, to avoid retracing our steps. But we don’t – so decided to tackle the northern end of the walk, and do about half of the track – both ways!

While John was getting organized, I cooked up some potato for tonight’s tea, expecting that we might be a bit late back. Made lunch.

Drove back to the main road and turned north again. This time we stayed on the unsealed Blinman road, past the entrance to Willow Springs, and took the right fork – the road to Wirrealpa. About 40kms from Wilpena, found the track north to the Mt Billy Creek Trailhead, drove the 7kms to this and parked Truck.

We ate our lunch at the car park at the Trailhead, at the start of the gorge track. Spotted a spiny cheeked honey eater in some bush by the creek.

05-13-1999 02 Bunkers Ra from walk tk.jpg

The terrain and walk track, just after starting the Wilkawillina Gorge walk

We walked to the 4.2km mark, through interesting and varied terrain. There were some excellent waterholes in the Ten Mile Creek that goes through the gorge.

05-13-1999 07 permenent waterhole Wilkawillina Gorge.jpg

Waterhole and bulrushes in Wilkawillina Gorge

In general terms, this eastern side of the Flinders is drier than around the Heysen Range and Wilpena, so there is mulga rather than the cypress pines of the country we were in yesterday.

A dry section of Ten Mile Creek in Wilkawillina Gorge

05-13-1999 05 Wilkawillina walk scene.jpg

Arid slopes beside Wilkawillina Gorge – and dead mulga

The rocks in this area are a mix of sandstones and limestones – the latter more white than red. In one place we could see water ripple marks, made when this was deposited under an ancient lake or sea bed.

05-13-1999 08 Wilkawillina wave patterns.jpg

Ripple patterns in limestone rock

At the 4.2km mark – we were following track notes, so we knew where we were – it was time to turn around and retrace our steps, to make it an 8.4km walk in total.

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Wilkawillina Gorge country

Late afternoon on the Wilkawillina Gorge track

Before we left camp, I’d persuaded John to try walking in the HiTec boots that were Dad’s. I’d brought these with us to use myself. He found them comfortable – no problems with blisters in these. Dad would have been pleased!

It was just about dark by the time we got back to camp, having driven 97kms.

Tea was pumpkin soup, followed by salmon cakes.

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Tag Archives: Wilkawillina Gorge walk

1999 Travels May 17

MONDAY 17 MAY WILPENA

1999 Travels May 13

THURSDAY 13 MAY WILPENA