Wilpena Pound is pretty cool, right?
What looks like the aftermath of a massive asteroid hitting the Flinders Ranges is actually a 500-plus million-year-old ruin of an ancient mountain range. Shaped like a Pringle, there are a plethora of walks and trails that skirt the rim, go up to the edge, and even tickle the middle – all accessed from various points within the Ikara-Flinders Ranges National Park.
Being bowl-shaped… have you ever wondered why there’s no lake or billabong in the middle? All the water that lands inside – where does it all go? Well, friends – it flows right through the middle and out, in a North-West/South-East running gorge.
Edeowie Gorge.
Appreciating the tight squeeze…
Evolving from years of monsoonal downpours dropping their load over the Pound, Edeowie Gorge is the hidden gem of the Flinders Ranges. Towering, 100-metre high cliffs, waterfalls with 50 metre-plus drops, and flood debris piled up to 10 metres in the trees – this gorge, if it were ever in full-flood, would make the River Torrens in downtown Adelaide look like a stream. You may not have heard of it because it’s so epic to traverse. It’s a serious day’s walk, but well worth it.
The Malloga Falls track (21 kilometres return) that departs from the Visitor Centre at Ikara-Flinders Ranges takes you into the Pound for 8 flat-ish kilometres first. The trail then turns to a sandy singletrack, before dropping into the early headwaters of the Gorge. Even this part is pretty cool, and probably satisfies most day walkers. Watch your step on the boulders, or frolic along them – your choice, but any rolled ankles here could spell disaster, as it’s not an easy extraction point for emergency services.
The Malloga Falls track takes you into the Pound for 8 flat-ish kilometres.
The Malloga Falls track takes you into the Pound for 8 flat-ish kilometres.
The trail turns to a singletrack just after the junction.
The bottom of Malloga Falls
After reaching Malloga Falls, most day walkers will turn around and head for home, achieving a solid 4-5 hours of walking. Choosing to continue means appreciating your inner Indiana Jones, and going deep into the heart of the Pound.
As you wander down the Gorge, the walls start to get higher and your choice of escape becomes limited. At about the 13.5-kilometre mark, you’ll meet your next waterfall: Glenora Falls. There’s an exposed traverse to negotiate here where if you fall, you will die. Trying to imagine this waterfall in full flood is a belittling experience, and one not to dwell on too much while you tiptoe around. The deeper you go into the Gorge the quieter it becomes, with the wind keeping out (unless it’s a Nor’wester, and funnelling along).
The bottom of Glenora Falls
…The bottom of the top!
Surrounded by rock at the top of Glenora Falls!
Only one or two kilometres down the Gorge, Kanalla Falls appears – and this one has even more of a doozy obstacle to negotiate. Option A is another traverse, and Option B is a tricky downclimb following painted arrows.
Who comes this far with a little paintbrush?
My guess is it would either be the Park Rangers from many years ago, or the owners of Edeowie Station where, almost mysteriously, the Gorge trickles out into obscurity. One minute you’ve got cliffs and hillsides hundreds of metres high, and the next you’re out in a floodplain that looks like nothing special.
Looking down at the sketchy traverse of Kanalla Falls!
The Kanalla Falls traverse
The spring at the bottom of Kanalla Falls
The tricky climb up Kanalla Falls!
Looking back along the traverse…
If you squint, you’ll spot me tackling the traverse!
The top of Kanalla Falls
The Gorge’s disappearing act is like a superhero vanishing when you no longer require their presence. Where a Superhero saves you from impending doom, Edeowie Gorge provides you with either an exhilarating day’s walk to improve your fitness, or a greater appreciation of the Flinders Ranges’ geological make-up. Maybe too, an acknowledgement of the power of water and its effect on the landscape, or even just the experience of several hours of walking through jaw-dropping scenery, without any distractions to allow for mental clarity.
Whatever it is, a day trip along a section of Edeowie Gorge is an awesome experience, and one to add to the bucket list of things to do in the Flinders Ranges.
The view from the top!
So many cliffs!
Occassional cairns indicate the better paths through the gorge
I can’t stress enough that this walk is not easy! However, it is a destination I think is worth visiting and sharing with others – hence this blog! This is my attempt to spread the word on how good the Flinders Ranges really are.
To save time, pack a trail-running vest with supplies and run the flat sections.
The cliffs in Edeowie Gorge really tower over you!
A GPS overview
What’s the most challenging trek, hike, or bushwalk you’ve ever traversed?
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