Friends of Ikara-Flinders Ranges National Park

Enjoy the grandeur of the mighty Ikara-Flinders ranges with its world renowned geology, magnificent vistas, fauna and flora at the same time you learn more about this region with the Friends of Ikara-Flinders ranges. New members always welcome.

Scattered throughout the magnificent Ikara-Flinders Ranges National Park are countless unmatched geological and landscape features that continue to enthrall visitors from around Australia and from overseas. Sprinkled over this vast mountainous landscape are numerous heritage sites, some from the first inhabitants of the region, others tracing the pioneering days of early European settlers.

Depending on the time of year they come, visitors are exposed to an ever changing abundance of scenery with unique flora and fauna. The varied sizes of the local native pine indicates the huge gaps between the years of abundant rainfall. The increasing number of yellow footed rock wallaby is a sure sign of the success from over 20 years of a program designed to rid the Park of feral plants and animals. Fluffy striped emu chicks on the ground and soaring wedge-tailed eagles constantly attract the eye and distract us from kangaroos bounding away in all directions. These are the conditions in which members of our Friends group work.

We consider it a great privilege to have access to all of Ikara-Flinders Ranges National Park. Our activities vary greatly. We have completely rebuilt a heritage shepherd’s hut, restored a long stone wall originally built in the 1860s, rebuilt a century old horse yard, fenced off old mine shafts after putting heavy mesh cover across the tops, tended the Wilpena Homestead garden, removed native tobacco and castor oil plants from creek beds, eradicated wheel cactus plants and prickly pear, photographed and documented tens of dozens of natural and built features for inclusion in our data base, planted trees and installed watering systems around campgrounds, erected signs, picked up litter, in fact tackled dozens of tasks that help retain “our” Park as one of the finest in the State. We never tire of the jobs we are asked to do and we certainly never tire of being somewhere in the Park.

History of the group: In 2015 we celebrate 20 years of service to the Park. Over the years we have averaged around 50 members. Not all are able to attend our regular activity weeks in the Park but we have around a dozen members with us most times we are there. We go to the Park every 6 weeks for a week. Our accommodation is in the Shearers’ Quarters at Oraparinna, a former sheep station which for the last 25 years has been part of the Park. Most nights at Oraparinna there is plenty talk around the kitchen table about people and events of the past throughout the Ikara-Flinders Ranges. This adds to our enthusiasm for the Ranges as does our frequent contact with many of the neighbouring families.

Website: People can learn more about our group, our activities and our plans for the year by visiting our website