ARKAROOLA – SOUTH AUSTRALIA

Arkaroola is a 380 square miles privately owned wildlife sanctuary in the rugged Northern Flinders Ranges just to the east of the Gammon Ranges National Park in South Australia. The surrounding area includes spectacular arid zone mountain terrain, picturesque gorges, water holes and wildlife unique to the area. It is a truly fascinating region with dramatic, ancient hills where some of the rocks are estimated to be older 1,000 million years and marine fossils are being found from 600 million years ago giving proof to the fact that our Outback was once an inland sea.

BROKEN HILL – NEW SOUTH WALES

People used to say that you would find Broken Hill beyond the Darling River on the edge of the sundown, as if there was nowhere further to travel in Australia.

Perhaps it was the feeling of being confronted by an unspeakably vast space that looked like an inland sea rolling into the sunset. The desolate landscape surrounding Broken Hill is like driving towards a painting of soft mauve and sage hues. Is it any wonder the city has become known as a Mecca for artists? It is there that the magnificent clear blue skies and the magic light are much loved by film makers from Mad Max 2 to Priscilla, Queen of the Desert.

It is in Broken Hill that the big red kangaroos will run one hundred and twenty five miles in a night chasing a thunderstorm, and the unique Sturt Desert Peas bloom in dark red soils. The Tower Mulloch heaps around Broken Hill represent billions of dollars spent on mining that drove the economy of a fledgling nation. In this historic city it is easy to be reminded of the struggles of the pioneers. What greater adventure can there be than to travel to the Australian Outback via the Indian Pacific train where our special guide will meet you at railway station when you arrive in Broken Hill. You will be taken on a journey through the national parks to discover the Outback and the opal mining area of White Cliffs. There will be time to noodle for opals as you walk around in the old field At Lightening Ridge you will discover the true meaning of the word remote Here people live in houses built under the ground to escape the extreme heat of the Aussie sun.

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