Sacred Canyon aboriginal engraving site
We went to ask the guys at the Wilpena Pound Resort information desk for ideas on what to do after seeing Blinman, and the Gorges the day before. The suggestion was to checkout Sacred Canyon which had some aboriginal rock engravings to look at. Sacred Canyon is a short drive from Wilpena Pound. When you drive to Sacred Canyon you eventually get to a gate. You need to drive through the gate and then follow the road to the right of the gate until you get to a massive car park.
We parked the car and walked to where the info boards were and then walked to the right of them along the rocky path of the dry creek bed. The information board has some pictures of the engravings and gives you an idea of what you are looking for.
Along the way we found some rock engravings and enjoyed the beautiful rocks around us. Sacred Canyon is a significant site for the Adnyamathnha people and is protected by the Aboriginal Heritage Act 1988.
Protecting Sacred Canyon from Vandalism
I came across this article not long after visiting Sacred Canyon. It is a magnificent place that needs to be protected from vandalism. Its not easy to get to or find, and when you do get there it is a bit of a hunt to find the rock art on the rocks. Would be great to have a guide to take you there and show and explain the different markings found on the rocks here.
“ANCIENT rock art in the Flinders Ranges dating back 38,000 years remains vulnerable to vandals, despite two decades of attempts by the Adnyamathanha people to protect them.
In July last year, the State Government announced Sacred Canyon had been surrendered from a pastoral lease and would become part of the Ikara-Flinders Ranges National Park.
The Government expected the historical site to be incorporated as part of the park at the end of March.
“These are some of the oldest art forms in the world and by becoming a national park, it can restrict entry and have management control of the site.”
Currently, visitors are free to explore the site, but once proclaimed as a national park that could change, according an Environment Department spokeswoman.”
Article by Erin Jones, The Advertiser February 26, 2017 | Read full article
Moralana Scenic Drive
This is a lovely scenic drive and well worth doing if you have the time. There were some dry and wet river beds that we went through and at one point David managed to go through mud at speed which covered the jeep. ( I cracked it at the time and said would be cleaning the car when we got home….of course he didn’t and I was the one washing the car and cleaning the dirt out of the cracks).
Around each corner is a different landscape.
The Moralana Scenic Drive turnoff is 24km north of Hawker via Wilpena Road and connects up with the Parachilna Road 27km to the west.
Hawker – pub closed for renovation
We visited Hawker in the low season so everything in town – galleries and shops were all shut except the general store. There is a massive outdoor shelter area with lots of shade and historical information about the area on all the walls.
We were looking for somewhere to eat and found the Hawker pub but that was closed for renovation. The general store in Hawker was going to have to be it. It was nice and cool with lovely owners. The general store had a little supermarket, and eating area. We sat down and ate their last pies in the oven.
Beer at Poddy Dodgers bar Wilpena pound and a swim to cool off.
We hadn’t quite filled in the day and needed to escape the 40 degree heat of the afternoon. We headed to the cool of Paddy’s bar and had a beer. There were heaps of kids in the pool having lots of fun. Later in the afternoon when the kids had started to get out we had a swim and floated around stayed in until we got wrinkly fingers….
Back for dinner at Poddy Dodgers
We had dinner at Paddys bar Poddy Dodgers at Wilpena Pound Resort. David tried some kangaroo and he said that it was fantastic. Lovely and tender and tasty. I had an entree serve of calamari it was yum. We stayed and had a few more drinks after dinner ( waiting for the outside temperature to go down) and then headed off to bed.
