The Flinders Ranges region contains some of Outback SA’s most fascinating and accessible heritage places, with fantastic examples of Aboriginal and settler cultural heritage, mining, geology and palaeontology heritage sites open to visitors.
That's why the Outback Communities Authority has developed the Flinders Ranges Heritage Trail, a driving trail leading visitors into the deep time of fossil sites that contain remnants of the earliest life on the planet, through extraordinary signs of Adnyamathanha life and culture, and on to colonial and settler histories.
You can download a printable PDF version of the trail here (external site) (external site) or grab a physical brochure from one of the visitor centres throughout the wider Flinders Ranges and outback region.
Guided Tours
Some of the sites along the trail are only accessible via guided tours, and for others, visiting with a tour guide will make the visit safer, more personal and informative.
The following organisations and companies provide guided tours through some of the sites along the heritage trail:
- Arkaroola Wilderness Sanctuary (external site) (external site) - - - View Arkaroola's website to book accommodation and explore their tour options, such as the renowned Ridgetop Tour.
- Discovery Resorts – Wilpena Pound (external site) (external site) - Click the "see and do" tab to book a tour to Akarru Adnya, Yura Mulka or other sites in the Flinders Ranges.
- Heritage Blinman Mine (external site) (external site) - Book a tour through one of the best-preserved colonial copper mines in South Australia.
- Iga Warta (external site) (external site) - Offering tours and accommodation, Iga Warta is an Adnyamathanha cultural tourism site along the road to Nipapanha and Arkaroola.
- Nilpena Ediacara National Park (external site) (external site) - Access to the Ediacaran fossil site is only available through guided tours, so visit the park's website to book a tour.
- Nipapanha (external site) (external site) - Nipapanha community offer tours to a range of Adnyamathanha cultural sites in the region.
- Wadna (external site) (external site) - Based in Blinman, Wadna offers Adnyamathanha cultural tours as well as a range of First Nations arts and crafts.
- Yura Artu (external site) (external site) - Also based in Blinman, Yura Artu offers Adnyamathanha cultural tours and is the only female-led cultural tour agency in the region.
The Flinders Ranges is currently being considered for World Heritage listing, recognising the 600-million year-old landscape’s geological and palaeontological significance and deep Adnyamathanha cultural values.
The bid achieved a major milestone earlier this year when the final nomination dossier was submitted to the UNESCO (external site) World Heritage Centre in Paris.
The World Heritage Committee has accepted the bid for assessment and a decision is likely in 2027.
