Jetsettersblog

Specialists In Wildlife And Natural History On South Australia’s Eyre Peninsula

There is no better way to discover the Eyre Peninsula’s abundant wildlife and pristine landscape than with Gawler Ranges Wilderness Safaris (www.gawlerrangessafaris.com ).

Run by a passionate team of South Australians who have lived in the Outback most of their lives, Gawler Ranges Wilderness Safaris has specialised in customised wildlife and natural history tours for over two decades. Based 600 kms north west of Adelaide on the Eyre Peninsula, itself the size of Tasmania, they focus predominantly on the Gawler Ranges and the immediate coastline.

Their base camp, located at Kangaluna near Wudinna, is set in a beautiful bush location on the edge of Gawler Ranges National Park and is itself the ideal spot for wildlife spotting and nature viewing, not to mention star gazing and planet spotting. With cloudless, pollution-free skies it is easy to be overawed with the night sky vistas.

Accommodation at Kangaluna Camp is provided in large 7×5-metre luxury tents, each with two rooms, a queen and two single beds, private shower and toilet facilities. The curved roof collects rainwater and circulates a cooling breeze. Dinner is taken as a group in the open dining room and, for those who wish to enjoy a real Outback experience, sleeping under the stars in swags can also be arranged.

Gawler Ranges Wilderness Safaris adheres to the‘ leave only footprints, take only photos and memories’ philosophy, so tour groups are small, between two and six people travel in luxury four wheel drive, air-conditioned vehicles.

The diverse terrain of the Ranges comprises arid, semi-desert and volcanic landscapes complete with spectacular gorges and rocky outcrops, gibber plains, vast salt lakes, dunes and Aboriginal rock art.

It is transformed into a blanket of wild flowers in the spring and boasts over 100 species of birds, plus an abundance of kangaroo (three species), emu and wombat populations.

Each tour has numerous highlights – in the Ranges it is possible to see southern hairy nosed wombats between March and October, whilst at Baird Bay sea lion pups are happy to play freely and spontaneously with swimming visitors.

Dolphins are also known to spend up to an hour frolicking with humans in the balmy waters.

Other highlights include vast Lake Gairdner with its glistening white salt pan set in the red landscape; the chance to watch endangered southern right whales from the top of spectacular Bunda Cliffs at the Head of the Great Australian Bight; going in search of wedge tailed eagles or rare yellow foot rock wallabies; and visiting unusual volcanic rock formations dating back 1,500 million years.

Geoff Scholz, founder, owner, chief guide and head chef, is himself an accomplished photographer and as such is particularly experienced at helping photographers and film makers get the best shots, whether it be a wildlife portrait or a stunning sunrise or sunset landscape shot.

The best time to travel with Gawler Ranges Wilderness Safaris is between October and May.

For further information on South Australia

(www.southaustralia.com)