Visiting Arkaroola with a toddler: From scenic flights to seeing the stars
Arkaroola is on Adnyamathanha Country.
When planning to travel with a toddler, it can be difficult to know what to expect. It’s hard to know if it’s realistic to bring your toddler on a scenic flight or to hike along ridgetops with a 1-year-old unless you’ve done it before.
Before we went to Arkaroola, we hadn’t done any of those things with a toddler and the days of just posting to your story and asking for advice on Facebook are well-behind (most of) us.
I spent many hours googling and not coming up with all the answers. And whilst there is a certain joyful exhilaration in walking into a place knowing very little, I’m not sure that exists in my current toddler-parent era.
So here it is, another destination guide written for past-me (but really, for you!)
Is Arkaroola worth a visit?
Arkaroola easily made it onto our “must return” list. I left with a sense of awe and lingering curiosity about the place and despite having fully enjoyed our stay, I felt our story in Arkaroola wasn’t finished. It’s an increasingly rare destination in our modern, connected world that retains its magic and mystery. We’ll go back one day, if only to walk a little further and see a little more.
Is Arkaroola family-friendly?
Nope, not really. There’s nothing specifically catering to families but that doesn’t mean you can’t have a great family experience there - we absolutely did!
Make sure your kid knows what to expect. There’s no playground, no family/parent bathrooms, no green space and there may not be other kids around to play with. If you’re travelling during school holidays, particularly South Australia or Victoria’s winter school holidays, you’re likely to meet other families.
Focus on the unique experiences Arkaroola has to offer, quality family time and creating new memories together. Plan to bring books, games and toys for downtime.
Understand that to get the most out of your time at Arkaroola, you’ll want to experience the paid tours and activities on offer. Consider planning ahead to make the most of your time and to stay within your budget.
View of Griselda Hill from Arkaroola Campground after a few rainy days. Some big puddles and muddy spots to dodge.
Camping at Arkaroola
There are two options for camping at Arkaroola, dispersed bush camping and a campground with access power, water and amenities.
Bush Camping
If you’re bush camping, there are additional toilet blocks away from the main campground. You’ll need to drive to the campground for showers. You’ll need to carry sufficient water for all your needs. A benefit to dispersed camping is choosing a sheltered spot out of the wind and perhaps finding softer ground.
The sites are unallocated at the campground, with only some sites having power and water. It’s worth getting out and walking around to pick a site or you might find yourself driving up and down each row. The site sizes vary considerably.
Arkaroola Campground
The sites along the front row of the campground (closest to the toilet block) are most likely to get wet if you’re expecting rain. The campground can get exceptionally windy and there are no sheltered sites. The ground is rocky, uneven and difficult if using pegs.
The campground has a basic amenities block with showers and toilets, male and female on either end. The laundry has coin-operated washing machines but no dryers. There are large washing lines and there’s usually a strong breeze to dry clothes quickly.
The basic camp kitchen has picnic tables, large fridge/freezer, microwave and kettle. It provides a little shelter from wind and rain, but it’s much nicer to head toward the main reception area in bad weather and sit by the fire.
There is Telstra mobile phone service around Arkaroola village, including the campground. There is no Optus reception in Arkaroola.
Staying at Arkaroola without camping
Motel / Dormitory style accommodation
Simple rooms with no frills. Shared kitchen facilities with everything you need to prepare your own meals. Large shared lounge room. Shared bathroom facilities.
Premium Cabins
Much like a hotel room. Double bed, small seating area and a spacious bathroom. Some storage space. No dining table, small table and chairs on the veranda to enjoy a morning coffee. Plan to eat at the restaurant as there’s no equipment or space to prepare your own meals.
Is there a restaurant at Arkaroola?
Arkaroola has a dining room, serving breakfast (7-9AM), lunch (12-2PM) and dinner (6-8PM) daily.
The food is familiar, pub-standard food. I found there is a bit of a wait at dinner time for meals to come out, so pack some toys or books.
The servings are quite generous. We didn’t order any meals for our 17-month-old and shared food off our plates to make her meals instead. There are high chairs available, which was a pleasant surprise and makes dining out with a wriggly toddler much easier.
If you’d like to eat tea at 6:00PM (like everyone else at Arkaroola), my advice is to book in advance, at least in the early afternoon.
Coffee and other hot drinks are available from the bar throughout the day.
Does Arkaroola have a shop?
There’s a limited range of snack foods available from the shop as well as long life milk and soft drinks. Meat trays and loaves of bread can be purchased from the freezer. The shop also has a selection of souvenirs and a few books.
Plan to bring all of your food and other necessities. There are no baby supplies available, you’ll need to bring everything your baby or toddler could need for your stay.
You’ll find the dining area, lounge, bar and shop all located at Arkaroola’s main reception area.
Can I get fuel at Arkaroola?
Yep. You’ll find diesel, 91 unleaded and 98 unleaded at Arkaroola.
The price of fuel is more expensive the further you move from regional centres. Arkaroola is no more expensive than other similarly remote locations - you won’t be paying a ‘tourist tax’ compared to purchasing fuel at a remote town.
It’s going to be more expensive to run out of fuel than to top up. When you need fuel, you’ll just have to pay the asking price, especially during remote travel.
Is there water at Arkaroola?
There is very limited drinking water available for filling personal water bottles only. Plan to arrive with as much drinking water as practical. There are no taps to fill tanks with potable water at Arkaroola.
Some sites in Arkaroola’s campground have non-potable taps for connecting to vans. This is not drinking water. This water is fossil water, extracted from deep underground and a non-renewable source. All water at Arkaroola is in limited supply and should be used respectfully. We connected our camper trailer to a tap for washing dishes to conserve our drinking water supply.
When’s the best time to visit Arkaroola?
The best time to visit Arkaroola is during South Australia’s cooler months from May through to September. The winter school holiday is a popular time for families to visit the area. You’ll enjoy sunny days with comfortable temperatures for exploring, walking and driving. Winter nights are often cold so pack accordingly.
Summer temperatures in the Flinders Ranges are too high for most activities and many other stations close to visitors December through to March.
A family walk through Chamber’s Gorge after viewing the Aboriginal Petroglyphs. An awesome place to stop on the way to Arkaroola from Blinman.
HOW TO GET TO ARKAROOLA
Blinman to Arkaroola, 154km
Generally considered the scenic route. Unsealed and variable in condition, the length of time it’ll take to drive varies considerably depending on the state of the road. Our average speed was around 60km/hr towing a camper trailer, slowing down for many floodways and creek crossings that had some damage after recent rain.
Chambers Gorge is well worth a stop - leave enough time (about an hour) to walk through the gorge to see the Aboriginal Petroglyphs. The walk is through a dry creek bed and sections are just-about manageable for a confident walker if you’re prepared to go slow. We used our baby carrier for most of the way in and all of the way out of the gorge.
Blinman is worth spending the night if possible - the mine tour and bakery treats are both great. There’s a tiny playground too - something of a rarity in the Flinders!
Copley to Arkaroola, 129km
Also an unsealed road. The general consensus is the Copley to Arkaroola route is more regularly maintained and usually in better condition. I still found this route to be scenic and enjoyed the drive. The drive by Weetootla Gorge is particularly nice. This road also closes during heavy rains, but generally opens sooner than the alternative route through to Blinman.
Iga Warta is an excellent point of interest along the route. This little Aboriginal town has an amazing small museum which must have taken hours to put together. Iga Warta offers a variety of cultural tours of the area. Unfortunately, tours were unavailable when we were in the area so I’ve had to add this to my ‘return to’ list.
Nepabunna is another Aboriginal township along the route from Arkaroola to Copley. We had a tour booked with a local guide but had to cancel this one when the roads closed.
Ideally, experience both roads. Arrive at Arkaroola from Blinman and then leave via Copley to take the highway onwards from the Flinders Ranges.
Is there a sealed road to Arkaroola?
There’s no sealed road to Arkaroola. You’ll need to check the Outback Road Warnings report before travelling to Arkaroola. Pay attention to the advice and read the comments for specifics. Remember Public Access roads through private property are Dry Weather Only.
Do I need a 4WD for visiting Arkaroola?
A 4WD vehicle is highly recommended for visiting Arkaroola and the Flinders Ranges region. The road to Arkaroola is unsealed and can be open with warnings (for washouts, rough creek crossings, etc) for weeks.
The unsealed road to Arkaroola closes during rain and generally opens first to 4WD vehicles and then to 4WD towing and heavy vehicles. It can be several days or even a week or two before it is open to all traffic (2WD vehicles).
Much of the Flinders Range region is accessible by high clearance 4WD vehicles only, even when it’s dry. The magnificent gorges, towering ridge tops and steep descents and inclines required an appropriate car and often, driver experience.
THINGS TO DO AT ARKAROOLA
Scenic flights from Arkaroola
Arkaroola offers a number of scenic flights from its own airport, just down the road from the village. Flights are with Doug Sprigg - you’ll get a highly experienced pilot and excellent, informative commentary.
Arkaroola Sanctuary
A 35 minute flight over Arkaroola, seeing Mt Gee, Mawson Plateau and Freeling Heights. Adult $210 / Child $158
Lake Frome
A 45 minute flight over the bright white flood plains of Lake Frome and ancient sand dunes that once belonged to Central Australia’s inland sea. Adult $265 / Child $199
Arkaroola and Lake Frome
Combine the two in a 75 minute flight and also learn about Arkaroola’s geology and mining history. Adult $410 / Child $308
Two Deserts and Two Lakes
A 2 hour & 10 minute flight over the northern part of Arkaroola and the Mawson Plateau. See the Cobbler Desert, Lake Callabonna, the Strezlecki Desert and Lake Frome. Adult $710 / Child $510
There’s also an option for half day and full day tours to Lake Eyre, but these are not available for children.
All flights require a minimum of two adults. Children under 3 years fly free, seated with an adult.
Arkaroola’s scenic flights provide a completely different perspective of the landscape. The water in Lake Frome made for beautiful cloudy reflections in contrast to its usual stretch of bright white sand.
Our experience taking a toddler on a scenic flight from Arkaroola
Our initial choice for our toddler’s first flight was the Arkaroola Sanctuary. As the shortest flight, we felt this was the safest bet. We were most interested in seeing the mountainous landscape from the air too, so this made sense.
After we enquired about a flight, there was space available the same afternoon but the clouds were hanging low over Arkaroola. Doug suggested Lake Frome would be a more scenic flight, although longer and more expensive - so the choice was left to us.
We asked another staff member and they volunteered that Lake Frome was their favourite flight because you still get to see Arkaroola and the Flinders Ranges on the return from the lake.
Well, that settled it - we were flying over Lake Frome. It’s about a 10 minute bus ride out to “Arkaroola International Airport” with some commentary on the native flora on the way. We were enough lucky to wave at another plane taking off which made for a great toddler introduction to the idea of soaring through the skies.
We sat three-across in the back of the tiny plane, our toddler on Dad’s knee with her own child restraint lap belt. Doug apologised for not having a headset to fit a 1 year-old’s head, but I’m sure everyone in the plane was grateful they didn’t have to listen to her chatter the whole time.
The flight was incredibly smooth. It was pretty cool to see Lake Frome with water - although this meant it wasn’t as brilliantly white as usual. The return through the mountains was great, with Doug pointing out waterholes and landmarks we had come to recognise during our short stay. With the lingering clouds, it was difficult to see the colour in the mountains and hills which need sunlight and shadows to really come to life.
We spent a little extra in the air flying over Arkaroola as the cloud had lifted a little, bringing our flight time closer to an hour. It’s obvious flying truly is a passion for Doug, a man of many talents. We landed without a single bump and our toddler looked like she could have drifted off to sleep. On the bus ride home, she found someone to play peak-a-boo with and I’m sure that was the highlight of her experience.
What I’d do again to have a successful scenic flight experience:
Pick a short flight, ideally with minimal other passengers (we only had one other passenger on our flight)
Bring a dummy
Bring a water cup and Subo bottle with a pouch (always a hit!)
Pick a time that suits when our kid is rested, clean nappy, fed and had plenty of one-to-one time
Use technology. I handed our toddler my phone with the intent to keep her distracted as long as possible. She just looked through my photo album from our travels!
A reminder that I am lucky to have an easy-going, only child who travels regularly and is used to new experiences. A child who enjoys meeting people and is genuinely very social by nature. I also have a full-time parenting partner. Not every child will enjoy a scenic flight and some will not cope at all. You know your kid and your family best.
A grey and moody atmosphere for exploring Arkaroola’s driving tracks with heavy cloud that hung around all day. A whole other kind of ‘scenic’ morning then a cozy afternoon spent by the fire.
Arkaroola’s Ridge Top Tour
The Ridge Top Tour is Arkaroola’s best known attraction. A spectacular 4.5 hour experience in a custom open-top 4WD tackling the most difficult and scenic track in the place. All reviews are entirely positive and everyone we talked to said it was a ‘must do’.
We didn’t do the Ridge Top Tour. It was the right decision for our kid, and our family. It’s something we’d be keen to do when we get back to Arkaroola in several years time!
A couple of tips from Sillar’s lookout returnees:
It’s very, very, cold! Wear all your layers - hat, gloves and scarf are a must. Expect it to be windy and prepare accordingly.
It is a long time to sit and be bumped along. Make sure your child knows what to expect.
Tuck a few extra snacks in your pockets to keep your kid occupied.
It can be difficult to capture the scenery, especially on your phone camera. Make sure you enjoy the experience and don’t worry too much about getting the perfect shot.
Echo Back Track and Written in the Rocks Tours
Another lot of tours we didn’t do! I’m sure these would be excellent. Driving around Arkaroola, I would have loved more information on the geology and history of the sites we were passing. A guided tour would really enrich the experience.
We decided not to for similar reasons as skipping the Ridge Top Tour. Our toddler is generally quite good in the car but makes it loudly known when she needs a break. I spend a good portion of our car time actively entertaining her in the back seat - not something I’m interested in paying to do!
We have a suitable 4WD vehicle and could have chosen to do any of Arkaroola’s tracks ourselves. Paying for a guided tour didn’t make sense for our family’s current needs and enjoyment. Another activity we will pursue on our return!
In general, I wouldn’t consider driving only tours to be toddler-friendly. There are usually limited stops, lots of listening and even an excited child can be disruptive for others. A whining child is uncomfortable for everyone, and most especially for the child.
We also consider the safety aspect of travelling without a car seat and on a parent’s lap for such an extended time. Our family agreement is to travel in vehicles with appropriate safety measures and restraints only. Every family’s boundaries are different.
This rocky scramble to the Mawson-Spriggina Lookout leads to a pretty spectacular view at the top. Another rainy day activity for us.
Self-Driving Arkaroola’s 4WD tracks
Arkaroola has a number of tracks for self driving, with basic maps and information available from the reception. You can chat to staff about your vehicle, experience and what you’d like to get out of a drive to get a recommendation for the best track for you. This is especially handy if you’re short on time.
Many tracks are dry weather only. Check the road conditions, ask at reception and follow any signage.
Arkaroola Creek to Bararranna Gorge and Stubb’s Waterhole
This is listed as a ‘2WD track’ which, in the Flinders Ranges, usually means a track suited AWD or 4WD without low range or high clearance. These are often still unformed tracks with small ruts, some corrugations and minor creek crossings.
The mud map from reception is easy to follow but lacks information about the waypoints which is a shame. We also used the Avenza maps app to track our progress along the track.
You’ll need to get out of the car to see the stops along the way - something that can be a little difficult with a toddler. It’s hard for little kids to understand jumping out for 5 minutes and then getting back into the car again, on repeat.
After a couple of small stops, the drive into Welcome Pound is pretty cool and easily the best lookout on the track.
You’ll keep going towards Bararrana Gorge Loop walk. We stopped at the second sign for Bararrana Gorge and walked into the gorge about 1-1.5 km to the waterhole. I’ve added more detail in the walks section below.
Stubb’s Waterhole is a great spot to pull up for a snack or lunch break. There’s enough space for a toddler to run around without too many hazards. Walk into the gorge a little and look along the right hand size into a cave and you’ll find some …interesting… ‘aboriginal rock paintings’.
These are not ancient paintings and were created with white acrylic paint with a dusting of dirt to ‘age’ the paint. The story goes that a group of American visitors kept pestering tour operators to show them the Indigenous rock paintings. The tourists just didn’t believe that there wasn’t any to show! So the tour operators created some. Apparently the tourists were very impressed! See if you can spot the kangaroos, they’re a highlight.
From Stubbs waterhole, you can retrace your drive back to Arkaroola village. If you have time and a 4WD vehicle with some clearance and low range, you can continue onto to Paralana Hot Springs which is another out-and-back section.
We choose to head back through the Welcome Pound and then continue our journey along Mount Jacob’s backtrack.
Past the half-way point and stopped for lunch along Mount Jacob Backtrack. There’s plenty of tough, rocky track to climb and burn off some toddler energy!
Mount Jacob Backtrack
This one-way track took longer than expected at 1 hour, 40 minutes. The first half of the track is a little slower going than the second section. It’s a slow, low-range track with a couple of technical sections requiring precise wheel placement and a good look at what’s ahead.
There’s several viewpoints along the track which make the long drive just-about worth it. It’s a good track to see the country as the scenery and vegetation change a few times along the route.
It’s yet another place I wished for a guide alongside us. If you are interested, one of the guided tours does take this track with a focus on the geology. There’s a significant fault line along Mount Jacob Back Track, which results in many geological points-of-interest.
There’s a couple of huge (almost full-track width) holes in the track right at the very end as you’re coming to the bitumen. From memory, we skirted around one but had to slowly drop into the next. Best not to make a run for the end!
Bolla Bollana Spring is a short walk down the creek bed. It’s important not to disturb any of the waterholes at Arkaroola. Animals, such as the endangered Yellow-Footed Rock Wallaby, rely on the top layer of fresh water and cannot drink from pools if it has been mixed with the high-salinity water underneath.
Nooldoonooldoona Waterhole Track
Pick up the trail heading towards The Pinnacles. This is a spectacular lookout, worth the short drive to hop out and take a few photos. You can walk around the base of the rock formations for a closer look. We kept our visit short and sweet. It’s not an ideal spot to have a toddler out of the car due to the narrow paths and steep drop offs.
Next stop, Illinawortina Creek and Bolla Bollana Spring. It’s a good spot to let your kid play amongst the rocks of the creek bed without too many hazards. A walk down the creek bed ends in a pretty waterhole.Take care around the water and use touch-supervision to ensure young kids don’t take an unexpected bath! We carried our toddler up to the waterhole as there were puddles and some soft ground.
From there, we took a detour into Vulkathunha - Gammon Ranges National Park to the Bolla Bollana Smelter site. There’s some interesting ruins but no signage. I did some googling later and found that much of the history of the area has been lost.
Along to the end of the track is the Nooldoonooldoona Waterhole. This is a picturesque finish to a pretty long drive if you’ve got little ones in the car. There’s a steep, narrow track down to the waterholes and you’ll need to carry younger kids. There’s a small amount of space in the car park to stop and have a snack before heading back towards Arkaroola Village.
Stunning Nooldoonooldoona Waterhole is worth a look. These impressive grass trees are a common feature in Arkaroola’s landscape. See who can spot the highest grass tree on your travels. You’ll be surprised at where they manage to grow and thrive.
Echo Camp Backtrack
There’s no public access to this one-way track with locked gates in place. You’ll need to pay a fee at reception and pick up the key. This track is also available as a guided tour.
We opted not to do this track, having already completed a few long days in the car and based on advice from fellow travellers that the track was not as scenic as they expected. I don’t have a love of 4WDing for its own sake and need a reward of an excellent viewpoint, significant landmark or special camp spot to agree to hours bumping along a track, especially in the back seat!
The advice we got from the reception on completing the track focused on a high clearance vehicle that is not top-heavy (that is, a vehicle with a rooftop tent or loaded roof rack may not be suitable). There is one particularly sketchy section and it’d be great to hear from someone who's recently driven the track before you go.
Driving through the Vulkathunha - Gammon Ranges National Park
Exploring the Vulkathunha-Gammon Ranges National Park requires a high clearance 4WD and driver experience. The terrain is rocky and the going is slow.
We headed out of Arkaroola, back past the Bolla Bollana Smelter Site towards Old Illinawortina ruins. There’s a few buildings still standing, with plenty of rubble, glass and pieces of rusted metal scattered around. It’s a great spot for perspective-gathering on the difficulties of life in this area back when Illinawortina was a working station.
We travelled towards Idinha Outstation and Mainwater Well. There’s a campground and a fairly new long-drop toilet at Mainwater Well, a welcome sight in a park with few facilities.
From there, we headed towards the Wortupa Loop Track. This one way track felt endless. There’s one very pretty lookout almost to the end of the track (Gill’s Lookout) and it’d be just excellent if you could drive to that spot and back down. The rest of the track is completely missable in terms of scenic drives.
This ended up being a super long day - not at all improved when I developed a migraine with over an hour left to get out of the park and back towards Arkaroola. With limited spots to stop and hours of slow travel, I’d give this one a miss, most particularly if you’re travelling with a young child.
Tips for tackling 4WD tracks with a toddler:
Choose a track where you know there’ll be places to stop for a break and where your toddler can get out of the car
Be prepared to sit in the back and become the entertainment
Drive over nap times if possible
Make break times a minimum of 20 minutes, allow for snacks, a drink and a play
Add a couple of new books and toys (tip: just hide a few of their own toys/books for a week or so and when you bring them back out, it’ll be as though they’re brand new again)
Try to pick tracks with a purpose (e.g. a fantastic lookout, waterhole, campsite) rather than just ‘for a drive’. Then even if your child has a tricky time and the whole drive is hard work, hopefully you’ll still feel it was worth it.
If you're travelling with other people/vehicles, talk about expectations. Make sure you’re all on the same page with breaks, pace and driving distance.
Acacia Ridge Hike is a highly rewarding walk with stunning views to either side of the ridge. Definitely manageable with a kid carrier within about 3.5 hours. Ward off hangry toddlers (and grown ups) with a snack break at the summit.
Hiking trails in Arkaroola Wilderness Sanctuary
Walking and hiking is one of the best ways to experience the Flinders Ranges region and particularly the Northern Flinders. The rugged landscape in the North is closely formed, making it difficult to truly appreciate the scale and beauty of the place unless you’re walking deep within a gorge or standing right on a ridge top.
The lure of longer, more scenic walks has placed Arkaroola and the Northern Flinders on our “return to” list at a time when we no longer need a kid carrier.
Bararrana Gorge (Out-And-Back)
Bararrana Gorge can be walked as a 6.8 km loop, with a suggested time of 3.5 hours to complete. Instead, we drove a little further and walked into the waterhole rather than completing the whole loop.
We used our structured hiking carrier for this walk. There are some short scrubby sections where the path narrows. There’s a couple of places that someone with a kid carrier will need to dodge low branches. The rest of the walk is primarily through the creek.
The trail is easy to follow with marker posts at frequent intervals, including some with information about geological points of interest. The towering sides of the gorge around the waterhole are pretty special, with the ancient ripple rock easy to see and photograph in several spots.
Don’t fancy the hike? You can reach this impressive view of The Pinnacles by vehicle. The rest of the walk is likely equally picturesque through the Mawson Valley.
Mason-Spriggina Loop Walk
At a distance of eight kilometres, we thought this walk would be too long for a trial run with the hiking carrier. Previously, we’ve only had a toddler in the carrier for an hour and no more than a couple of kms. Since completing the Acacia Ridge walk, I feel confident we probably could have managed this one too.
We drove to The Pinnacles lookout and the Spriginna lookout and both were simply stunning. I imagine the rest of the walk is similarly picturesque and if you’re up for the distance, would be well worth doing. The suggested time to complete the walk is 4 hours and the starting point is at Arkaroola Village.
Looking out over the road into Arkaroola Wilderness Sanctuary. It’s a sure way to feel great about how far you’ve climbed on your hike. Watch out for Yellow-Footed Rock Wallabies as you head back towards Arkaroola Village.
Hiking the Acacia Ridge Trail with a kid carrier
The Acacia Ridge trail was an absolute highlight of our time at Arkaroola. The views are magnificent with the return along the ridge top having truly spectacular scenery. We were lucky to spot several Yellow-Footed Rock Wallabies too - even with our awful singing, a whining toddler and stomping feet.
The start is a long, slow climb to the ridge top. It took us about an hour to make it up from the road, with several small breaks and stops to take photos. The switchbacks make for a steady incline, without getting too steep. There’s one short tricky section where the trail all but disappears and you’ll need to step carefully across the rockface.
We stopped for a snack break at the summit and let our 17-month-old out of the carrier for a closely-supervised wander about. This is the only spot along the trail wide enough to have a young child out of the carrier.
The walk along the ridge top is stunning. The descent is steep and the trail a little looser underfoot. It took about 2 hours from the summit at our slow and steady pace to make it down into the village.
This is a linear trail, ideally walked as a one-way return towards Arkaroola Village. Arrange transport to the start of the trail with the staff at reception. There’s usually a morning and an afternoon drop off time and it’s best to book your transport the day before you intend to hike.
Tips for hiking the Acacia Ridge trail with a toddler:
Make sure you have practised using your carrier multi-times before attempting a longer walk
Be prepared to listen to some whining and ready yourself to distract and entertain when it happens. Sing songs, chat about the track and make silly comments to keep your toddler happy (enough).
Bring plenty of water and snacks.
Focus on the WHY. Why do you bring your child to these places? If the answer is, because it brings YOU joy, that’s a good enough answer for anyone. Not every family-activity has to be a child-centred activity.
The “Explore the Cosmos” Astronomy Tour
Find yourself comfortably seated, taking a tour of the stars with an expert presenter. There’s no doubt this is a unique experience, with public access to telescopes such as these otherwise unheard of. This could easily be a highlight of your Arkaroola trip - if only the conditions are right.
When’s the best time to do Arkaroola’s “Explore the Cosmos” tour?
There’s been absolutely no recent rains and there’s no rain forecast
There’s clear skies / no cloud cover
It’s the dark of the moon (or a week either side)
The tours do run under less than ideal conditions. If you’re at Arkaroola at full moon and all other conditions are fine, a tour will still run. You’ll get a rather lovely picture of the moon but it’ll be much harder to see the stars.
My experience of the astronomy tour
My first attempt at the star tour was cancelled just as it was about to start. With a group all seated and ready to go, the screen was turned on to show a sky full of clouds and barely a star to be seen. The viewing was cancelled and refunded the next day. Rain came and the roads closed for a few days.
On the second attempt, several days later, it was a little touch and go. With a lot of recent rain, the clouds had only just lifted that morning. I was surprised to confirm that the tour would go ahead.
The tour was interesting, but not the ‘wow’ experience I was expecting. The moon was very bright, making it difficult to bring up clear images. There was still moisture in the air, settling on the telescope and creating pretty halos around the stars - but this also created ‘noise’ and grainy pictures. Right at the end of our tour, the clouds rolled back over and we came to a rather anticlimactic stop.
There’s not much to be helped when it comes to the weather, sometimes you just get unlucky. I’m no expert, but perhaps it was a tad optimistic to run a tour that night.
Taking kids to the astronomy tour
As a general guide, if your child is falling asleep earlier than the presentation start time (8:00PM), this isn’t a presentation for them. Not just because they’ll be tired, but because they’re likely too young to sit for the length of time required, in a dark and cold room and listen to someone talk about stars at length.
There’s no appropriate space even for older kids to take a movement break or have a chat because of the layout of the room and the lack of lighting necessary for the presentation. The glow of a mobile phone or ipad could be quite obvious and distracting too.
Because there’s no minimum age set for the tours, meaning it’s up to parental judgement whether this activity is suitable or not. I do see this as an adult activity where children are welcome to attend (quietly) rather than a family activity.
It can be hard work supervising a toddler in a campground - cars, campfires and curiosity are a potentially hazardous mix! Take turns with the kid watching duties. It’ll give each person a break and ensure you both know who’s actually watching your toddler.
General travel tip: taking turns to enjoy activities and tours
On this occasion, I went to the Astronomy tour whilst my partner stayed back with our toddler. We both wanted to attend, so we had to decide who would get to go first - knowing that with cloud cover and the increasing brightness of the moon - the person going second might miss out altogether.
Consider taking turns to go on walks, enjoy time alone in a special location or attend tours - especially if taking your kid along isn’t an option.
Watch the Wallaby Feeding at Arkaroola
Put this at the top of your list! It’s free, almost no effort and a hit with kids. Doug Sprigg gives a great short talk about the wallabies and is more than happy to take questions. The wallabies readily hop down the hill every evening, ready to get a top-up feed of some grain.
The grain is an important supplement for the endangered Yellow-Footed Rock Wallabies, still recovering from habitat loss and years of drought. The sun shining on the hill behind, observatory and rock stack make for a great stage for Rock Wallaby photography.
This is family-friendly and with the wallabies used to some noise and chatter, talkative kids aren’t going to scare them away. Wander (or drive) down to Arkaroola’s main reception then head out through the Ninganna Building for 5:00PM, daily.
Such charming creatures, Yellow-Footed Rock Wallabies. We went to the wallaby feeding several times and heard different stories. There was a large group of wallabies each time and they stay for about 20 minutes or so, allowing plenty of time for a good look and some photos.
How long should I stay at Arkaroola?
We spent a week at Arkaroola, but this included two days of rain and wet tracks where we weren’t able to do much. You could ‘do’ Arkaroola in 2-3 days, but with a toddler it’s difficult to cram more than one or two activities in a day. I’d suggest 4-5 days would be great to allow for planned activities and down-time to actually enjoy your surroundings. Of course, if you get ‘rained in’, you could end up spending longer than expected!
Arkaroola is a ‘you-get-out-what-you-put-in’ kind of place.
What does that mean?
Do the big ticket tours and experiences. The Ridge Top Tour, scenic flights and astronomy experiences are unlike what you’ll experience almost anywhere else. Figure out what you can do with your kid and what you might need to miss. \
If you get a chance to chat with Doug Sprigg, take it and listen. I promise you’ll learn something to remember.
Go for at least one walk. All brilliantly scenic. Once you finish one, you’re sure to want to complete another.
Ask questions. I found the staff to be exceedingly helpful. If they didn’t know the answer to a question, they found someone who did. Take the advice from the people who know Arkaroola best (or at least better!).
Arkaroola is on Adnyamathanha Country. We acknowledge over 65,000 years of continuous care and custodianship of the Adnyamathanha people over these lands and waters. Their sovereignty has never been ceded. We pay respect to Elders past and present, and the Adnyamathanha people as the traditional and rightful owners of this Country.
