Sorry for the wad of info, but I just sent this to a mate the other day and thought it might be of use to you.
Personally, (to save you wading through all this), I like the Blinman - Glass Gorge area; have a look at camping off the PAR up there, and do the Artimore drive.
Of if you want comfort and not to go as far, check out Rawnsley as Richo suggested (either cabins or camping), and Skytrek or one of the southern pay-to-drive trails.
http://www.flinders.outback.on.net/traveltips.htm#4WD Touring1
4WD Touring
The Flinders Ranges and Outback have some truly great four-wheel-drive experiences. No matter what your skill level or experience, you'll find a trail that will make for a memorable journey. Several station owners and tourist operators have placed increased emphasis on the 4WD tourist and have opened up vast tracts of new land for exploration. The range of 4WD treks in the Flinders covers areas from near Wilmington, in the Southern Flinders, to Arkaroola, in the rugged Northern Flinders. Details of the treks are:
ARKAPENA SCENIC ADVENTURE: The track starts gently, following the foothills of the Chace Range and ends up on top of the ABC Range which has taken its name from its 26 peaks. The 40km round trip takes three hours. Keys for access to the route can be hired from Rawnsley Park Station. Bookings can be made on Ph +61 8 8648 0008. {Done it, easy enough, pleasant}
SKYTREK: This trek goes to the top of Mount Caernarvon (923m). It's a full day drive and takes visitors to the second highest self-drive point in the Flinders. Skytrek is on Willow Springs Station run by Brendan and Carmel Reynolds. Bookings can be made on Ph +61 8 8648 0016. Directions are given when the keys for the route are hired. {Done it, mostly easy, plenty of long boring stretches, would pay to know how to drive up and down steep ascents/descents properly, and definitely need a low range gearbox, good views from the top}
A PINCH OF SALT: This tour starts from the Prairie Hotel at Parachilna and goes to Ross and Jane Fargher's Nilpena Station and then to Lake Torrens. It takes about three hours. Bookings can be made on 8648 4844 and maps are available from the hotel.
ORATUNGA TRACK: This trek is on Ian and Di Fargher's Angorichina Station, east of Blinman. There are two loops and a day should be set aside to see some of the best country the Flinders has to offer. The track climbs to the summit of Mt. Lucius. Bookings can be made on Ph +61 8 8648 4863. {Done part of it, nice area, a bit further north}
ARKABA STATION: Dean and Lizzie Rasheed offer Top of the Range 4WD self-drive or tag along tours. The trek runs through the stunning hills of Arkaba with spectacular scenery, including the Elder Range. Bookings on Ph +61 8 8648 0048 or Ph +61 8 8648 4195.{Done it, easy enough}
ARKAROOLA: Run by the Sprigg family, Arkaroola Wilderness Sanctuary offers some of Australia's toughest four-wheel-driving. There are tag along tours of the Echo Camp Backtrack. Full details are available at the Sanctuary's Visitor Information Centre on Ph 1800 676 042 or Ph +61 8 8370 8454 or Fax +61 8 370 9360.{Done a number of tracks, famous spot, fair way further north of you}
ARGADELLS: This trek provides access to Mt. Arden (1000m) and gives fine views to Wilpena Pound, Lake Torrens, Spencer Gulf and Port Augusta. Camping areas are available. Signposted tracks and detailed maps help keep you on the trail. Bookings with Lucy Smart on Ph +61 8 8648 6210.{Apparently pretty easy, pleasant}
ALPANA STATION: John and Jan Henery offer two trips. Mt. Samuel is a self-drive track which offers a real challenge and covers about 70km. Bookings on Ph +61 8 8648 4864. {Done it, probably the toughest track you can pay to do in parts, although plenty of easy driving in between}
WILMINGTON: 4WD trips to Mt. Horrocks are available, with magnificent views overlooking northern Spencer Gulf. Camping is available on the property. Information and bookings from David and Heidi Freeman on Ph +61 8 8667 5057.
Out behind Blinman are the Public Access Routes of Nuccaleena {very rocky - mind your tyres, not much fun driving, old mine is interesting}, Patawarta {highly recommended} and Artimore {highly recommended}. These tracks traverse more station country, enabling visitors to access sites of interest in the area. Nuccaleena is home to one of many failed Flinders copper mines, complete with a stone chimney stack and tumble-down buildings.
The route to Patawarta is barely a car-width in places snaking along a rocky creek bed gully, to the base of the hill that overlooks the Artimore Valley from a lofty 1015 metres. The valley that forms the Artimore track was once one of the biggest sheep runs in the colony. Drought, overstocking and rabbits, brought a sudden end to that pastoral dream and the ruins are all that remain. Further north on the road towards Balcanoona, head quarters of the Gammon Ranges National Park, is the ever-popular Chambers Gorge with its rock-art wall and waterholes. The drive in follows the Chambers Creek watercourse on its way to its outfall at Lake Frome. A little further is Moro Gorge on the back of the Stirrup Iron Range, in Nepabunna Aboriginal Land. Both Moro and Chambers are best seen after rain, the waterholes are full and birdlife aplenty.
Beyond Balcanoona is the famous "Ridgetop" ride to Sillers Lookout, a guided 4WD trek available from Arkaroola Village. It's wind-in-the-hair stuff as you ride in the back of their utes to arrive at a postage stamp sized car-park with a glorious panorama from up high. Other self-drive tracks will take you to Paralana Hot Springs, while out west is the track to Yudnamutna, another failed copper mine with massive infrastructure left to the elements.
The nearby Strzelecki Track picks up the pace on the way north to Innamincka, the Cooper Creek and Innamincka Regional Reserve. The Cooper wanders from Queensland's Channel Country all the way to Lake Eyre, a veritable lifeblood of epic proportions. Permanent waterholes and the Coongie Lakes are a magnet for birdlife, set in the red sandhills and gibber plains of the Strzelecki Desert.
At the head of that other "track" is Birdsville, on the Diamantina River. It lies on the eastern flank of the world's largest parallel sand dune desert, the Simpson. This is one of the world's last true motoring challenges, a crossing of 1000 brilliant red sand dunes. Far from being a barren place, the Simpson features incredible biological diversity and if you're lucky enough to catch it after the rains, the place is awash with the colour of opportunistic wildflowers.
Further west are the colours of the Painted Desert and near Coober Pedy the Breakaway country of the Moon Plain. The jump-ups and mesas are incredible landforms, so too are the curious bubbling mound-springs of Wabma-Kadarbu on the Oodnadatta Track.
Along the Birdsville Track, two stations - Kalamurina and Etadunna - allow four-wheel -driving with side trips off the track. Kalamurina offers a 90km track along the Warburton Creek with good fishing and camping spots. The cost is $20 a vehicle a day. Details from Trevor Edwards on Ph +61 8 8675 8310.
From Etadunna, there is a 20km track to the old Bethesda Mission, settled by the Germans in 1865. It's situated on the shores of Lake Killapaninna which fills with water when the Cooper floods. Keys have to be collected from the station and the cost is $5 a day or $10 for overnight camping. Contact Debbie Graf on Ph +61 8 8675 8308.
Up-to-date information on 4WD tracks in the Flinders and Outback is available from regular Desert Parks Bulletins published by National Parks and Wildlife South Australia. Information is available on the Desert Parks toll free hotline on Ph 1800 816 078.
Weekend at Wilpena Pound
