Wednesday, August 31, 2011

Wilpena pound in SA outback

 


Wilpena pound was formed by movement of the earths plates & wearing away of rocks over thousands of years. It looks like a crater or a meteor depression but is a natural formation with only one small entrance into the pound which is 17kms long X 8kms wide

 


Rim of the pound

 


 


 


 


Hills homestead was one of the first leases taken up in Wilpena pound. Around the turn of the century they actually grew wheat inside the pound, as it has a natural spring & water was available. Only one problem when the wheat was harvested it was one hell've of job to get it out, due to the narrow entrance

 


 


On the climb to top of the rim to check out the view into the pound

 


Looking into the pound, has now been let to return to it's natural state

 


We made it to the top!!!

 


 


 


 


 


 


 


 


 


The story goes that Jessie Hill 12 year old daughter of the Hills family was sent here to look after her 5 brothers who were working the lease. Imagine how isolated this must have been for such a young girl, whose parents were on another station in the area but a least a couple of days ride away. Sure bred them tough in those days!!!

 
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Bob on the path back to camp

 


 


 


 


Wilpena creek, apparently they had a deluge of rain over 20 minutes in 1995 & the creek became like an inland tsunami bringing allsorts of debris down, fallen trees etc

 


 


 


 


 


 


 
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Quick Mom where can I hide!!!!

 


Can you spot the emu chicks!!!!
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The Happy wanderers
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Arkaroo Rock

After spending 2 nights @ Rawnsley park, time to head further up the road to Wilpena pound 20kms away.

 


A detour along the way to Arkaroo rock, Aboriginal rock paintings.
The sign says 1 hour, but it took us 2, was quite a hard walk & the hills didn't seem to be getting any closer, no matter how far we had walked.

 


 


 


 


 


 


 


 


 


 


 


 


 


 


 


 
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Well earned lunch break in the picnic grounds on our return from viewing the paintings