Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
( 08-8666 2060;
www.members.westnet.com.au/venhoek/~melrose
; Joe's Rd, Melrose; dm $20,
unpowered/powered sites $20/25, cabins $60-120; )
A small, tidy park with five acres of
bush campsites and self-contained cabins salvaged from the 2000 Sydney Olympics (all
with TVs and cooking facilities − the cheaper ones are sans bathrooms). The 12km return
hike up Mt Remarkable starts on the back doorstep. Next door is a converted agricultural
shed with basic dorm facilities.
Old Bakery
BAKERY $
( 08-8663 2165;
www.oldbakerystonehut.com.au
;
1 Main North Rd, Stone Hut; items $4-10;
7am-6pm)
About 10km north of Laura in Stone Hut (population 290) is this amazing
bakery, which makes legendary chunky beef pies, slices and quandong tart. There's
cabin-style accommodation here too (doubles from $150).
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Mt Remarkable National Park
Bush boffins rave about the steep, jaggedy
Mt Remarkable National Park
(
www.environment.sa.gov.au
;
per person/car $4/10)
straddling the Southern Flinders. Wildlife
and bushwalking are the main lures, with various tracks (including part of the
Heysen
Trail
) meandering through isolated gorges.
From the car park at
Alligator Gorge
take the short, steep walk (2km, two hours)
down into the craggy gorge (no sign of any 'gators), the ring route (9km, four hours), or
walk to
Hidden Gorge
(18km, seven hours) or
Mambray Creek
(13km, seven hours).
From Mambray Creek the track to
Davey's Gully
(2.5km, one hour) is (literally and
metaphorically) a walk in the park. Peak baggers sweat up the track to the 960m-high
summit of
Mt Remarkable
(12km, five hours); the trail starts behind Melrose Caravan
Park.
at Mambray Creek, off Hwy 1 about 21km north of Port Germein. On the inland route
(Main North Rd between Melrose and Wilmington), there's an honesty box at Alligator
Gorge. Both stations have park info brochures.
If you want to stay the night there's plenty of
bush camping
(per person/car $6/18)
,
and two lodges: at
Mambray Creek
(sleeps 4, per night from $55)
and
Alligator Gorge
(sleeps 10, per night from $150)
. Both are solar powered; Alligator Gorge has better cooking
facilities and showers. Book through the Park Office.
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