Cycling the Mawson Trail in the Flinders Ranges – Mikes travel diaries
Cycling the Mawson Trail in the Flinders Ranges – Mikes travel diaries
Posted on
When you think of Mawson, you think Sir Douglas and Antarctica, right? Well, cold Antarctica was the last thing on my mind as I set out on my mountain bike from Hawker in the Southern Flinders Ranges a few weeks ago. I had my bike trailer, camping gear, food and water. It was going to be 38 degrees later in the day and there was a strong Northerly breeze which, given that I was heading North, was a headwind. Perfect riding conditions… not!
“So what’s the connection to Sir Douglas Mawson?” you ask. Well, Mawson, an intrepid and adventurous Australian explorer (can you see the connection already?), was a lecturer in petrology at Adelaide University (petrology is the study of the origin and structure of rock). I happened to be riding the Mawson Trail, a long distance cycling trail named after him because he led numerous field trips to the South Australian Outback (and in particular the Flinders Ranges) in the early 1900’s. The Trail runs from Adelaide to Blinman and traverses some of the most beautiful and spectacular regions of South Australia, but I was only tackling the northernmost section from Hawker to Blinman. “Why?” you ask. Read on….
Here at Inspiration Outdoors we are always on the lookout for new, exciting and awesome tours. And cycling experiences are now included! We started with the fantastic Munda Biddi Trail in South West WA and are keen to add an Outback Odyssey in the Flinders Ranges. In the cooler months! So don’t panic, it shouldn’t be 38 degrees. And you won’t have to tow a bike trailer, or have full panniers, or camp, or cook. Leave that up to us, we love looking after you!
A big part of the research we do for a new tour is getting out on the trails. And so back to Hawker, where I, Magic Mike, full of energy and excited to be back out in the bush, set off… slowly. Did you know my bike is called Merlin? I’m not into naming things but that’s the brand. Check out the photo. By lunchtime that first day I was in need of some magic. It was hot and very, very windy – around 45 km/hr which I was assured was unseasonal. Sir Douglas would have experienced the Roaring Forties on the ship to Antarctica. Let me tell you, in the heat and dust and headwind and on a bike, it was more like the raw-ring forties. Ah, but the scenery! There’s a very good reason people rave about the Flinders Ranges, it’s a truly amazing place.
Over the next week I explored the Mawson Trail as well as some of the roads and tracks in the area. The wind dropped, the flies dissipated a bit and it cooled down a couple of days after I started, turning out to be quite pleasant weather which is more normal. The sunsets and sunrises on the rugged Heysen and Wilpena Ranges were something else. I encountered an abundance of wildlife such as kangaroos, wallabies, emus, echidnas and lots of birds. Even a few feral goats and rabbits, which are on the hit list in the Ikara-Flinders Ranges National Park. Thanks to the Bounceback program (http://www.naturalresources.sa.gov.au/aridlands/plants-and-animals/native-plants-and-animals/bounceback), the feral numbers are on the decline which is allowing the return of species like the yellow-footed rock wallaby and western quoll. This area is also Adnyamathanha country and their connection to country is clear in the rock paintings and etchings I came across.
The riding and terrain varied a lot, from smooth highway and dirt roads, to rough station track and even some single track. Part of the Mawson Trail overlaps the Heysen walk trail, so even if riding isn’t your thing, check out our Flinders Ranges Walking Tour. It’s truly outback up that way, rough and rocky in places. But the distances we ride each day aren’t huge so there’s always time to enjoy the spectacular views, take photos and stop for a rest and chat (but I don’t think the wallabies understood me).
I rode through dry rocky creeks, forests of cypress pines, gorges and past ruins and graves, evidence of the early European settlers. All the while surrounded by the amazing Elder, Wilpena and Heysen ranges. One of the things I missed out on was wine tasting in the Clare Valley on the drive back to Adelaide. But we’re not going to miss this out on the tour!
Stay tuned for the date of our first Mawson Trail cycling tour and the return of Merlin!
Happy Travels
Mike (Hardtail) Harris
