If Brachina Gorge was Batman, then Bunyeroo Gorge would be his Robin.
And while the former is just ahead of the latter in terms of scale and beauty, both Brachina and Bunyeroo come as a package deal because they are so close to each other.
Today, however, I’m showing a little love to Bunyeroo Gorge because it’s a wonderful (if somewhat overshadowed) place that is well worth a visit.
But let’s start from the start.
Bunyeroo Valley Scenic Drive After you leave the bitumen, you’re officially on the Bunyeroo Valley Scenic Drive. This is a fantastically scenic area with uniquely shaped brown hills that are quite bare and unlike any other mountains in South Australia.
The road soon becomes narrower and more uncertain of its direction as you enter more hilly country. But this eventually opens out to reveal the splendour beyond. And by splendour, I mean superb vistas of the Heysen Range and Wilpena Pound.
Razorback and Bunyeroo Valley Lookout These can be enjoyed from Razorback Lookout, which is the most famous spot in the Flinders Ranges thanks to heavy promotion from the tourism commission.
Here you can grab that picture postcard shot of the dirt road rising and falling as it navigates the hills below.
(Incidentally, the nearby Bunyeroo Valley Lookout is just as good. The area is dotted with native pines and red soil reminiscent of the drier parts of Colorado or Utah).
Both lookouts can be enjoyed at any time of day. At sunrise, the distant peaks of Wilpena Pound will turn a majestic red, while at sunset you’ll get more of that pristine golden light that’ll catch any dust plume trailing behind a vehicle.
The views are probably better from Razorback Lookout because it’s closer to the valley and there is more foreground interest. But I’m speaking as a photographer here. Both are great despite their similar outlooks.
The view from just below Razorback Lookout Yanyanna Hut Also in the immediate area is Yanyanna Hut – an old sheep herders’ hut now used by Heysen Trail hikers for overnight accommodation.
The hut and its stockyards made from local timber once formed part of the Aroona pastoral run from as early as the 1850s.
The hut is small but is worth a 5-minute stop to look around and stretch the legs.
Descending to Bunyeroo Creek Carrying on past the lookouts and Yanyanna Hut, you will descend sharply and then follow Bunyeroo Creek.
The road is rough here as you’ll be driving more or less in the creek bed. But the surrounding red peaks and eucalypts whose roots have been exposed by flash floods are something to be admired.
After 2 or 3 kilometres, the road will make a sharp right to continue northward. And it is here that you’ll arrive at the Bunyeroo West Car Park .
While the road continues in a northerly direction, Bunyeroo Gorge itself starts immediately to the west of the carpark and continues that way until it peters out on the vast arid plain beyond.
The fact that you don’t actually drive through Bunyeroo Gorge is a minor detail that evaded me for many years.
But the good news is that you can appreciate it on foot instead.
The aforementioned carpark serves as a trailhead for hikes in and around Bunyeroo Gorge.
Bunyeroo Gorge Hike Simply walk west into the gorge for as long as you like and then return the way you came.
The walk to where Bunyeroo Gorge stops being a gorge is 3.75 kilometres, so count on a 7.5 km return trip if you want to do all of it.
The walk is easy going and mostly flat and follows the route bullock teams took in the 19th century to access the arid western plains.
Wilcolo Creeks Hike For something a little more strenuous, try the Wilcolo Creeks Hike.
This 9.2-kilometre circuit hike starts in the carpark and follows Wilcolo Creek south for about 2 kilometres. You will then head east through the ABC Range via a small gorge. In this section, keep an eye out for the tremendous river red gums.
About halfway in there is also a lookout on a short spur trail. The lookout, which sits at 490 metres above sea level, has views of St. Mary Peak, Mt. Abrupt, Mt. Sinnett, Mt. Rupert and Hayward Bluff, among others.
Glorious silver wattle (Acacia rivalis ) will then start to dominate as you head downhill toward the section of the scenic drive that follows Bunyeroo Creek.
Walk the last two kilometres or so back to the carpark or have someone pick you up on the road beforehand.
Acraman meteorite debris impact site For something completely different, walk down into the nearby creek bed near the carpark and then turn right until you see a patch of light green, steeply dipping shale.
Just above the yellow post, there’s a very thin bed of red rock. This rock was ejected into the atmosphere and deposited by a meteorite impact hundreds of kilometres away, and is the same layer you can pick up on the Brachina Gorge Geological Trail to the north.
The meteorite, which hit the present-day Gawler Ranges some 590 million years ago, left an impact crater that may have been up to 90 kilometres in diameter.
What’s more, Flinders Ranges Field Naturalists suggest the meteorite was 4.8 km in diameter and was travelling at a mind-boggling speed of 22 kilometres per second (79,200 km/h).
What a fabulous thing to see! But glad I wasn’t around for the impact.
Twin Gums Lookout A little further up the road is Twin Gums Lookout, which is a pleasant place to have a picnic and recover from hiking and meteorite-related activities.
The lookout is so named for the two large eucalypts (one with its trunk seemingly hollowed out completely) that stand opposite each other on the road just beyond the turnoff.
They perfectly frame the distant mountains and receding road behind them and are a popular subject for photographers.
When you see them for the first time, you’ll understand why.
To the T-junction, and beyond After you snap a few shots of the Twin Gums, the Bunyeroo Valley Scenic Drive heads more or less north between the Heysen Range on the left and the ABC Range on the right.
It’s a beautiful drive through a relatively dense white cypress pine (Callitris glaucophylla ) forest.
Scroll down to the bottom for advice on whether to turn left or right at the T-junction that marks the intersection with the Brachina Gorge Geological Trail.
Can you camp in Bunyeroo Gorge? You cannot camp in the gorge proper, but the Acraman Campground is just down the road and is one of my favourites.
Acraman is awesome because it’s tucked away in a forest near the ABC Range and a creek bed, and there are only four sites so it should be quiet and maybe even a little private.
Conceivably, you could also walk from Acraman to the Bunyeroo Gorge trailhead without too much trouble.
Further up the road you’ll also pass Cambrian Campground. This is a slightly larger campsite that is similar in look and feel to Acraman.
Pull in for a quick reccy at either if you think they might be somewhere you want to camp.
Do you need a 4WD to access Bunyeroo Gorge? In general, no, unless there has been recent rain.
From the bitumen to Razorback Lookout the dirt road is in mostly good condition (especially if you happen to drive it after a grader has worked its magic).
Be careful on the approach to these lookouts as there are quite a few blind corners where the road is not wide enough for 2 vehicles.
The road through Bunyeroo Creek is rough and rocky but quite short compared to Brachina Gorge. If you take it easy in a 2WD there should be no problems.
Where is Bunyeroo Gorge? The turn-off to the Bunyeroo Valley Scenic Drive is 9 kilometres from Wilpena Pound Resort on Blinman Road. It’s well sign-posted so you won’t miss it.
If you’re coming from Parachilna way, take the dirt road for the Brachina Gorge Geological Trail and make a right turn 9 kilometres after passing the lookout and information boards at the foot of the mountains.
If you’re coming from Blinman, however, simply head in the direction of Wilpena and turn right 9 kilometres after you re-enter Flinders Ranges National Park.
This will have you enter from the other end of the Brachina Gorge Geological Trail where you can then turn left onto the Bunyeroo Valley Scenic Drive and ultimately, rejoin the Wilpena-Blinman road.
