ARKAROOLA - info please

Finally confirmed we're going to Arkaroola this year.
We'll be staying at the Wilderness Sanctuary in the motel (no camping unfortunately, have to keep the wife happy).

Now a couple of questions:
Will early November be to hot? I see the average Nov. temperature is 30c, has anyone been there at that time.
It's about 400km from Port Augusta, Google Maps tells me that will take 7hrs 50mins. Via Leigh Creek how long will it really take?

This is the only accommodation I need to book in advance, we'll wing it for the rest of the trip. Travelling alone and no van, and we won't be attempting anything to strenuous.

Anything else I should know?

Watch your tyres are no over inflated - put a rock thru the middle of a brand new desert dueler on the stoney roads going into Arkaroola - expensive lesson to have rubbed in your face, especially by the wife! Gammon Ranges National park was interesting, totally deserted, again hard stoney roads on the NP ring road. Not much by way of facilities outside of the Arkaroola Settlement, did a trip out to a local pub about 100klm from AArk - Leigh Creek rings a bell, might be wrong, was 1997 when last there

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Originally Posted by Apollofish

Finally confirmed we're going to Arkaroola this year.
We'll be staying at the Wilderness Sanctuary in the motel (no camping unfortunately, have to keep the wife happy).

Now a couple of questions:
Will early November be to hot? I see the average Nov. temperature is 30c, has anyone been there at that time.
It's about 400km from Port Augusta, Google Maps tells me that will take 7hrs 50mins. Via Leigh Creek how long will it really take?

This is the only accommodation I need to book in advance, we'll wing it for the rest of the trip. Travelling alone and no van, and we won't be attempting anything to strenuous.

Anything else I should know?

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I'm surprised that you need to book for November. We were there in November '09 but were in our bus, maybe the motel side of things is more likely to be booked out, but my memory of the place was that there weren't that many visitors as it is fairly late in the season & potentially could be stinking hot. We had just come south out of temps in the mid 40's & didn't find the place too hot, but it would certainly have been in the 30's. Was pretty dry & dusty. We went on their Ridgetop 4wd tour which took us up to Sillers lookout on the back of an open Cruiser which was pretty good, & we also enjoyed some good tracks on our trail bikes. The place was pretty daggy & run down, but I guess it's possible there's been some work done on it since? (Anyone know?). One of (I think) the Sprigg sons conducted astronomy 'tours' in their observatory in the evenings which MrsTea enjoyed (I didn't bother). Whilst up that way the self drive 'Skytrek' on Willow Springs Station is well worthwhile. We did it in our friend's OKA motorhome. Some steep climbs but pretty good tracks & nothing death defying. Great views.

Where else are you planning to go? If you are going via Broken Hill, I was recently told (by our friend with the Oka) that turning off at Yunta & taking the Yunta to Hawker road is a good shortcut.

Have been there a couple of times but not in about 10 years so I am not sure if much has changed.
From memory we sat around 80kph on the Arkaroola rd and slowed down through the dry creek beds where a lot of punctures occur so I cant see it taking more than 5hrs from Port Augusta.
Its worth having a go at the observatory, hopefully you will have a small moon for dark sky's.
You could get hot temps, but you might be lucky.

Cuppa pretty well nailed it, daggy and run down. Been there twice just for a visit and didn't like the "village" at all.
Had high expectations after reading Griselda's book, we did the drive Echo Camp Backtrack that was great fun and we saw a good sized group of Yellow Footed Rock Wallaby's playing but as we weren't staying there didn't do Siller's or the astronomy.
The specimen collection was more dust than rocks with faded hand written notes that were hard to read, the old copper mine was interesting but didn't have any info about it in 2010.
Hope you have a different experience to us Jack, will be great to read you had a fantastic visit.
In 2008 we drove Skytrek, Willow Srings had a falling out with the neighbors where the track ran and put together another drive that we drove 2014 which was every bit as good as the first.
The Flinders are a great place.

You take your chances going up there in November. It might be pleasantly hot or stinking hot you just don't know. If staying in air conditioned rooms though it's probably not that bad. Watch out for the summer storms as there may be flash flooding.

I have not been to Arkaroola but I have been to Willow Springs. A couple of years ago the Nissan Patrol club went there and we fixed up the rear wall of Moxons hut sing hand saws and axes. The rest of it needs doing though. The new track is not too bad. There is a nice climb in one section. The highest peak is on the adjacent property though and used to be the highlight of the track. That property is now a conservation area for the Yellow Footed Rock Wallaby but we heard they may open it up again in the future. As a side note, I think Chad Yellowfoot of NADS fame is involved with the conservation group as part of the SSAA's Hunting and Conservation Club.

I love Arkaroola, but it has definitely been running down more and more each time I have been out there, and the conditions of the amenities get worse over time - not better.

Let's hope they have started to re-invest some cash back into the place.

As others have already mentioned November has the potential to be energy draining, especially coming out from a Victorian winter with little to no acclimitization. I have never been there that late in the season from the South, but have been there later than most from the North, and camped in the creek down the bottom, and it was bearable ..... not sure I would have wanted to be in the Caravan Area then though ... it is dry and dusty up on the hill, with no shade.

The Astronomy Tour is great, the drives are great, Scenery is great, Gammon Ranges have some pretty spots and loop drives, Nuccaleena Mine Ruins are great too.

If you go not expecting too much, you will love it ... if you are thinking 4 star, you will be disappointed.

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Originally Posted by Cuppa

I'm surprised that you need to book for November. We were there in November '09 but were in our bus, maybe the motel side of things is more likely to be booked out, but my memory of the place was that there weren't that many visitors as it is fairly late in the season & potentially could be stinking hot. We had just come south out of temps in the mid 40's & didn't find the place too hot, but it would certainly have been in the 30's. Was pretty dry & dusty. We went on their Ridgetop 4wd tour which took us up to Sillers lookout on the back of an open Cruiser which was pretty good, & we also enjoyed some good tracks on our trail bikes. The place was pretty daggy & run down, but I guess it's possible there's been some work done on it since? (Anyone know?). One of (I think) the Sprigg sons conducted astronomy 'tours' in their observatory in the evenings which MrsTea enjoyed (I didn't bother). Whilst up that way the self drive 'Skytrek' on Willow Springs Station is well worthwhile. We did it in our friend's OKA motorhome. Some steep climbs but pretty good tracks & nothing death defying. Great views.

Where else are you planning to go? If you are going via Broken Hill, I was recently told (by our friend with the Oka) that turning off at Yunta & taking the Yunta to Hawker road is a good shortcut.

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Regards the Astronomy opportunity, if you have little kids pls be aware that you might get a knock back if you end up on a group booking as the chair height and ocular length needs to be adjusted for children and its not a 5 minute job from what we were told. We booked the observatory and got bumped off the opportunity on a crystal clear night, so rebooked then and there for just us the next night, assured the same thing would not happen - but it clouded over, pissed down both from the sky and the girls eyes - not happy.

Ok thanks for the info, a bit surprised with your reviews of the place. I had a look at TripAdvisor and sold the place to my wife on their excellent reviews, I was already sold on the Ridgetop Tour and the Astronomy Tour.
We'll be staying in air conditioned motel accommodation and the reason I'm looking at early November is because they throw in an extra day for free. We both handle the heat ok but I hadn't thought of the dust (and flies).
We'll go via Adelaide as my daughter lives there and come home via Wilpena Pound at this stage, nothing set in concrete.

I was there in 2015 but in July. Froze my arse off camping, but it was fantastic scenery. The drives as mentioned were awesome and being cool weather meant we were much more inclined to get out and explore the rocks and gullies. Lots of great photo opportunities on dusk and dawn as the colours are awesome. Loved the self-drive track. Took most of the day.

Toilets etc. were fine. Like most older caravan parks I guess.

I'll be going back again for sure. Probably not in November though...