Day 10. Rawnsley Park. Driving the tracks 21/05/2015

 Today we set out on a Central Flinders Highlights drive, a drive that would take us about 6  hours and we would clock up about 230 ks.
Our first dirt road took us to the Bunyeroo Scenic Drive that had a gentle climb up through the rolling hills which gave us magnificent views of the eastern side of the Pound and the dramatic ridgebacks of the ABC Range so named because it has 26 peaks.  We dropped down into Bunyeroo Gorge driving along the creek bed for some distance between the Heysen (named after Hans Heysen) and the ABC Ranges.  We then travelled into Aroona Valley to find the ruins of the original Aroona homestead.  An interesting stop to read about the pastorlist Fredrick Hayward who arrive in 1851 to take up a lease where he ran sheep for 11 years.  He built a stone and slate 5 roomed dwelling complete with underground cellar.  By 1862 he had became an extremely wealthy man and returned to England with 4,000 pounds.
We then experienced driving into the Brachia Gorge said to be the real jewel in the crown of the Central Flinders and indeed it was.  The gorge is 8 km long and we drove between glowing red sandstone peaks and majestic gums lining the creek-bed.  We searched unsuccessfully for the endangered species the Yellow-footed rock wallaby.
Our next stop was at the Parachilna Hotel that was once a railway siding for the old Ghan train.  It has been restored and the hotel is quite unique as its serves "feral food" - kangaroo, emu, canal and goat.  John sampled a roo burger but I was more refined in my choice of Spencer Gulf King George Whiting.  The meal was excellent.
Further adventures were ahead of us and included a creek crossing that actually had water in it. (Greg you would be  proud of us).  The Parachilna Gorge was very lovely again with magnificent limestone bluffs and majestic gum trees.  We  saw a number of roos and goats  throughout the day.  A stop in Blinman a township that grew up around a copper mine in 1862 and interestingly is the highest town in South Australia.  A visit to the old cemetery with many historic graves. Is always a must for Wendy.  Travelling further south we saw the "Great Wall of China" a horizontal bed of limestone and it is most certainly like the Great Wall in China.
Our next stop was the Appealinna Ruins a well preserved former homestead of Joseph Wills who had a pastoral lease in the 1860's.  The buildings had been made out of slate and then rendered with mud.
We returned to Calinda (who by the way has now lost her sparkle because of red dust) then spent the evening reliving our wonderful trip today. John won at cards 10 to 1