Blinman , Parachilna Gorge road, Glass Gorge and Parachilna, map below.
We left Rawnsley park in the Flinders and drove north to Blinman
a brief stop in Blinman before hitting the gravel along Parachilna gorge road which runs for 33 kms. We found a free camp stop just 1 km after Angorichina village, the village having public loos which was a very useful spot when needed the next morning.
We spent the afternoon walking through to Blinman pools. This is a 12 km walk and gets tough going so we just walk for 1/2 an hour in and returned. A pretty walk.
A fire that night with me attempting to cook spuds in the coals but I burnt them!! , so gems were cooked in the air-fryer to go with our lamb shanks and veg.
Day 2 The glass gorge .
The next day we drove 34 kms through the Glass Gorge,
A narrow and winding road at the start and finish but very scenic in the middle with lots of roos and scenic mountains. The road ends at Blinman. Blinman is an historical copper mining town with buildings dating back to 1860s.(pictures at the start of this blog).
The wind was freezing and nasty today so our plan to drive out to Chambers gorge and do the one hour walk was abandoned and we drove onto Farina via Parachilna for lunch at the Priarie hotel., the hotel is known for its feral food , emu, goat, kangaroo and camel. Later we continued to Maree.
A brief stop at Lyndhurst for a beer
and then arrival at Farina for our two nights stay.
Here, at Farina, we met up with old friend Doug Taylor his friend Arna and their friends Harry and Sue and dog Abby.
Sitting by a campfire was a pleasant way to spend the night with a sunset over the Anzac Memorial site.
Day 3
We took a self drive tour around Farina a private property with Doug as our tour leader.
The scenery was amazing particularly overlooking the salt flats and where a creek runs though the salt flat. 17 points of interest were on the agenda, some included a dam , granite hills , ochre hills, some steep hills that required low range in the car and a site where the old ghan railway ran.
The night time activity was another campfire.
Day 4 Farina to Marree.
A big spend up at the Farina bakery was the first activity of the day. The bakery first opened in 1888 and closed with the towns demise. however it is now open again and run by volunteers. Lots of yummy bread and cakes for sale and all freshly baked.
Then off to Marree, where all three couples stayed in the caravan park. The girls doing loads of washing . The boys fixed plumbing and electrical plugs on the vans. John helped Doug with a blocked hose coming from the shower and Harry replaced his Anderson plugs.
Day 5 Maree.
A busy day packing the car and doing more washing before leaving for the Oodnadatta track. A walk around Maree seeing the postal truck used by Tom Kruise, a gentleman that drove the postal truck in this area for years, the roadhouse shop and other bits and pieces in town.
Now off on the Oodnadatta track , next blog.
