Arkaroola

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Wilderness sanctuary in South Australia

title: "Arkaroola" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["pastoral-leases-in-south-australia", "towns-in-south-australia", "flinders-ranges", "wildlife-sanctuaries-of-australia", "far-north-(south-australia)", "south-australian-heritage-register"] description: "Wilderness sanctuary in South Australia" topic_path: "geography/australia" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arkaroola" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0

::summary Wilderness sanctuary in South Australia ::

::data[format=table title="Infobox Australian place"]

FieldValue
typetown
nameArkaroola
statesa
logoArkaroola Wildernes Sanctuary Logo.png
coordinates
pushpin_label_positiontop
pushpin_map_captionLocation in South Australia
maxtemp25.7
mintemp11.6
rainfall254.3
stategovStuart
fedgovGrey
dist1700
location1Adelaide city centre
::

::callout[type=note] the wilderness sanctuary and pastoral lease in South Australia ::

| type = town | name = Arkaroola | state = sa | image = | caption = | logo = Arkaroola Wildernes Sanctuary Logo.png | coordinates = | pushpin_label_position =top | pushpin_map_caption = Location in South Australia | lga = | postcode = | est = | pop = | elevation= | maxtemp = 25.7 | mintemp = 11.6 | rainfall = 254.3 | stategov = Stuart | fedgov = Grey | dist1 = 700 | location1= Adelaide city centre

::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/10/ArkaroolaAir.jpg" caption="'''Arkaroola''' plane."] ::

Arkaroola Wilderness Sanctuary, commonly known simply as Arkaroola, is a wildlife sanctuary situated on 610 km2 of freehold and pastoral lease land in South Australia. It is located 700 km north of the Adelaide city centre in the Northern Flinders Ranges, adjacent to the Vulkathunha-Gammon Ranges National Park and the Mawson Plateau. The usual way to get there is by car, but air travel can be chartered from Parafield Airport, Adelaide Airport or Aldinga Airfield. It was used as a location set for the 2002 film The Tracker.

History

The area's first people are the Adnyamathanha. One of their Dreaming or creation stories says that Arkaroo, a mythical monster, drank Lake Frome dry. He then crawled up into the mountains. When he urinated he created the waterholes that are a feature of the area. His movement over the land created Arkaroola Creek.

The first Anglo-Europeans to visit the area was explorer Edward Eyre in 1840 and the surveyor George Goyder in 1857. There was a small failed settlement nearby, at the Yudnamutana copper mine, from 1860 to 1863. The drought of 1863 drove the miners away. Settlement didn't occur again until 1903, when rubies and sapphires were discovered. By 1910 a copper smelter was built at Yudnamutana and uranium was also discovered nearby by Douglas Mawson, famous Antarctic explorer.

The land was always marginal for white pastoralism or agriculture and projects failed quickly. The pioneering Greenwood family were mineral prospectors and pastoralists in the area. William Bentley Greenwood was the owner of the nearby Umberatana pastoral lease in 1902, and in 1910 discovered uranium deposits at Mount Painter in the form of torbanite, identified by geologist Douglas Mawson. His son, Gordon Arthur Greenwood, took up the lease of Mount Serle after giving up the lease of Umberatana, and worked with his father at Mt Painter. As of July 1946, Bentley Greenwood, brother of Gordon, was running Arkaroola Station.

Uranium exploration persisted sporadically and led to the development of good roads by optimistic companies.

The Arkaroola Wilderness Sanctuary was established by geologist Reg Sprigg in 1968 after he purchased the pastoral lease. He had been involved in surveys in the area before that. He purchased the 610 km2 pastoral lease (part of which is now held as freehold In 1979 he was a trustee of the World Wildlife Fund due to his work in the protection of the yellow-footed rock-wallaby.

Mining threat

Until mid-2011, Arkaroola was under threat from uranium mining; the Adelaide-based mining company Marathon Resources had been prospecting the area around Mount Gee. In 2008, Marathon was found guilty of illegally dumping radioactive waste in a variety of locations throughout the Arkaroola Wilderness Sanctuary, and were ordered to suspend drilling operations. In late 2010, the government renewed the company's mineral exploration license, allowing it to resume exploratory drilling within the protected area, a decision which resulted in public outcry. A poll taken in February 2011 showed that 72 per cent of South Australians, and 79 per cent of Labor voters, were opposed to mining in Arkaroola. Following unprecedented public pressure, the South Australian Government announced on 22 July 2011 that mining would be banned forever in Arkaroola, with the aim of national and World Heritage listing. Mining companies have since threatened legal action against the government.

Protection

In July 2011 South Australian Premier Mike Rann announced a ban on mining in Arkaroola. This was followed in October 2011 by special purpose legislation prohibiting mining, mining exploration and grazing in the ranges. which created the Arkaroola Protection Area.

The South Australian Government also moved to nominate the Arkaroola area for listing on the National Heritage list, and to secure its nomination for World Heritage listing. Arkaroola was listed on the South Australian Heritage Register on 27 July 2012.

In July 2023, Arkaroola became South Australia's first International Dark Sky Sanctuary, and only the second in Australia.

Geographical features

Paralana radioactive springs

Paralana geothermal springs are located on Wooltana.

Local granite rocks contain elevated levels of uranium that gives off heat during radioactive decay. Water percolating through fractures in the rock is heated and bubbles out at the surface as a hot spring, with gases such as carbon dioxide, nitrogen, radon, and helium. Due to the presence of radon gas, which is heavier than air, staying near the springs for a prolonged period may constitute a health hazard. Living on the floor of the springs is an extremophile algal mat that survives the warm temperatures of 62 °C and high radioactivity.

Birds

Arkaroola is part of the 1890 km2 Gammon Ranges and Arkaroola Important Bird Area (IBA), identified as such by BirdLife International because it supports a population of the restricted-range short-tailed grasswren as well as populations of the pied honeyeater, chirruping wedgebill, and cinnamon quail-thrush.

Tourist activities

::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/28/Arkaroola.jpg" caption="4WD Touring on the Echo Camp Backtrack- Arkaroola"] ::

::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/fb/Hut_in_arkaroola.jpg" caption="Typical lodgings"] ::

Road loops and 4WD tracks

There are self-drive and organised tour tracks for 2-wheel drives and 4-wheel drives, ranging from beginner to advanced in difficulty.

The Echo Camp Backtrack self-drive track leads through some wonderful country and then over the hills (rough) and down onto the plains east of the Flinders Ranges. This joins another track back to Arkaroola via Claude's Pass, Stubb's Waterhole, Bararranna Gorge (an area where yellow-footed rock wallabies are commonly found), Welcome Pound and back to the main road to the Arkaroola Village.

Organised tours provide trips along the ridge top track with three lookouts that end at Siller's Lookout, providing a view across the plains towards Lake Frome and the Beverley Uranium Mine. Siller's Lookout is named after Bill Siller, whose uranium exploration companies constructed the Ridge Top Tour track in the late 1960s. Beverley Uranium Mine, also discovered by Bill Siller's companies, is named after his wife, Beverley. The track was put in by Jim Hodgekinson, an expatriate Canadian.

Bushwalking

There are a number of walking trails available, guided and self-guided. Some are marked and described by the Royal Geographical Society of South Australia.

  • Spriggina Trail (1 to 1.5 hrs)
  • Bararranna Gorge Walk (6.8 km – 3.5 hrs)
  • Acacia Ridge (4 to 5 hrs)
  • Surveyor's Cairn (40 mins)
  • Griselda Hill (1.5 hrs)
  • Mawson Valley Trail (2.5 to 3 hrs)
  • Arkaroola Waterhole (4 hrs)
  • Oppaminda Trail (length depends on starting point) Coloured leaflets about some of these trails at Arkaroola and throughout the Flinders Ranges are available for download from the Walking Trails Support Group.

Astronomy

Arkaroola has three observatories, the latest built in 2019, along with several telescopes. Live shots are shown on a big screen every night, along with a presentation by astronomer Alex Hine. As an International Dark Sky Sanctuary, this feature attracts many tourists.

Accommodation

Accommodation in Arkarooola Tourist Village ranges from motel rooms to caravan and camp sites. Facilities include a licensed restaurant and bar, swimming pool, small shop, service station, and a vehicle workshop.

Climate

The Arkaroola area is classified as having a subtropical desert climate (BWh) according to the Köppen, Trewartha, and Australian Bureau of Meteorology climate classification systems. Summers are hot with occasional storms, while winters are cold and comparatively dry.

Arkaroola's record high minimum temperature is 35.5 C, which was the hottest overnight low ever recorded in Australia (as well as Oceania and the Southern Hemisphere) from when it was recorded on 24 January 1982 until it was beaten by a 35.9 C reading in Noona, New South Wales on 18 January 2019 followed by 36.6 C at Borrona Downs Station near Wanaaring, New South Wales on 26 January 2019, which retains the titles as of present. |location = Arkaroola (1991–2020 normals, 1977–present temperature extremes) |metric first = Yes |single line = Yes |Jan record high C = 45.9 |Feb record high C = 44.5 |Mar record high C = 41.2 |Apr record high C = 37.9 |May record high C = 30.0 |Jun record high C = 27.7 |Jul record high C = 27.0 |Aug record high C = 32.6 |Sep record high C = 37.5 |Oct record high C = 40.1 |Nov record high C = 44.5 |Dec record high C = 45.5 |year record high C = |Jan high C = 35.0 |Feb high C = 33.4 |Mar high C = 30.2 |Apr high C = 25.6 |May high C = 20.5 |Jun high C = 17.1 |Jul high C = 17.1 |Aug high C = 19.3 |Sep high C = 23.8 |Oct high C = 27.3 |Nov high C = 30.5 |Dec high C = 32.9 |year high C = |Jan low C = 20.7 |Feb low C = 19.6 |Mar low C = 16.0 |Apr low C = 11.3 |May low C = 7.0 |Jun low C = 4.5 |Jul low C = 3.2 |Aug low C = 4.7 |Sep low C = 8.2 |Oct low C = 11.6 |Nov low C = 15.7 |Dec low C = 18.1 |year low C = |Jan record low C = 10.4 |Feb record low C = 9.4 |Mar record low C = 0.0 |Apr record low C = 1.0 |May record low C = -2.0 |Jun record low C = -5.4 |Jul record low C = -6.0 |Aug record low C = -4.3 |Sep record low C = -1.6 |Oct record low C = 1.0 |Nov record low C = 4.6 |Dec record low C = 7.3 |year record low C = |Jan rain mm = 29.4 |Feb rain mm = 38.4 |Mar rain mm = 17.4 |Apr rain mm = 10.4 |May rain mm = 13.9 |Jun rain mm = 15.8 |Jul rain mm = 14.5 |Aug rain mm = 11.6 |Sep rain mm = 14.4 |Oct rain mm = 21.7 |Nov rain mm = 21.2 |Dec rain mm = 28.2 |Jan rain days = 3.2 |Feb rain days = 2.9 |Mar rain days = 2.4 |Apr rain days = 2.4 |May rain days = 2.9 |Jun rain days = 3.3 |Jul rain days = 3.5 |Aug rain days = 3.3 |Sep rain days = 2.9 |Oct rain days = 3.2 |Nov rain days = 3.0 |Dec rain days = 3.0 |unit rain days = 0.2mm |source 1 = Bureau of Meteorology |date=May 2022}}

Footnotes

References

References

  1. "Arkaroola Protection Area: Draft Management Plan 2015". Government of South Australia.
  2. (7 March 1902). "The mining case.". [[The Advertiser (Adelaide)]].
  3. (1995). "Flinders Ranges Heritage Survey". [[Department of Environment and Natural Resources (South Australia)]].
  4. Painter, Alison. "4 September 1953 Radium Hill".
  5. "GREENWOOD, family".
  6. "Mount Serle South Australia".
  7. (2020). "Arkaroola".
  8. (10 June 1936). "Pastoral areas in the north". [[The Advertiser (Adelaide)]].
  9. (13 July 1946). "Talc mining in Flinders Ranges". [[The Advertiser (Adelaide)]].
  10. ) and began the conversion to a wildlife sanctuary.''traveller.com''. [http://www.traveller.com.au/arkaroola-5zcu Arkaroola]. Accessed 6 February 2018.
  11. "Arkaroola uranium hunter on bribery charges". Independentweekly.com.au.
  12. (21 December 2010). "Green group attacks renewed mining exploration". [[Australian Broadcasting Company]].
  13. (23 July 2011). "SA govt to ban Arkaroola mining". Bigpond News.
  14. (23 July 2011). "Premier Mike Rann announces permanent protection for Arkaroola". The Advertiser.
  15. (26 April 2012). "Arkaroola Protection Act 2012". Government of South Australia.
  16. Daily Telegraph, 22 July 2011
  17. Arkaroola's saviour Premier Mike Rann to visit area, ''Sunday Mail'', 15 October 2011
  18. (July 2017). "Arkaroola". Department of Environment, Water and Natural Resources.
  19. (28 May 2025). "Arkaroola International Dark Sky Sanctuary".
  20. "Extreme Slime".
  21. "IBA: Gammon Ranges and Arkaroola". Birds Australia.
  22. (August 2018). "Arkaroola – Activities". Arkaroola Wilderness Sanctuary.
  23. (August 2018). "Mawson – Spriggina Bush Walk". Arkaroola Wilderness Sanctuary.
  24. (August 2018). "Bararranna Bush Walk". Arkaroola Wilderness Sanctuary.
  25. (August 2018). "Acacia Ridge Bush Walk". Arkaroola Wilderness Sanctuary.
  26. (2013). "Arkaroola Protection Area: A field guide to selected geological features". Arkaroola Wilderness Sanctuary and [[Department of Environment, Water and Natural Resources]].
  27. (August 2018). "Walking Trails Support Group – Flinders Ranges Walks". Walking Trails Support Group.
  28. Bain, Andrew. (28 January 2024). "Arkaroola’s Ridgetop Sleepout experience: Extraordinary new camp boasts wonder in every direction".
  29. (30 October 2018). "Present and future Köppen-Geiger climate classification maps at 1-km resolution". Scientific Data.
  30. (4 February 2014). "Climate classification revisited: from Köppen to Trewartha". Climate Research.
  31. (June 2000). "Objective classification of Australian climates". [[Australian Meteorological Magazine]].
  32. (31 May 2022). "Official records (Highest daily minimum temperatures) for Australia". Bureau of Meteorology.
  33. {{BoM Aust stats. (May 2022)

::callout[type=info title="Wikipedia Source"] This article was imported from Wikipedia and is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Content has been adapted to SurfDoc format. Original contributors can be found on the article history page. ::

pastoral-leases-in-south-australiatowns-in-south-australiaflinders-rangeswildlife-sanctuaries-of-australiafar-north-(south-australia)south-australian-heritage-register