Rawnsley Park Station was the last stop on our way out of the Flinders Ranges, on the sealed road from Wilpena towards Hawker. We drove in to have a look at the caravan park after our morning at Razorback Lookout, and it’s the comfortable base on the south side of the Pound: powered sites and bush camping among the pines, a modern amenities block, a pool, a shop with fuel and the Woolshed Restaurant, with Rawnsley Bluff and the southern wall of Wilpena Pound right behind the dam.
What we like
- Wilpena Pound right behind the dam
- Modern amenities and camp kitchen
- Shop with fuel and a restaurant
- Bush camping from $35 for two
- Walks from the caravan park
- Pet-friendly caravan park
What we don’t
- Pricier than the park bush camps
- Pool shut May to September
- Limited mobile coverage
About Rawnsley Park StationAbout
Rawnsley Park is a station stay just outside Ikara-Flinders Ranges National Park, under the southern side of Wilpena Pound. Alongside the eco villas, holiday units and the homestead, the caravan park sits in bushland of native pines and gums, with powered sites, a bush camping area, a modern amenities block, an under-cover camp kitchen with wash-up, undercover eating areas and a swimming pool. The licensed shop sells groceries, fresh produce, meat, ice-creams, alcohol and souvenirs, there’s fuel at a terminal outside the shop from 6 am to 8 pm, and the Woolshed Restaurant, which made the Michelin Guide, is a 15-minute walk away. The station also runs scenic and helicopter flights, 4WD tours and mountain biking.
Quick facts
- AddressRawnsley Park Station, Flinders Ranges Way, Hawker, SA, AustraliaSee on the trip map →
- Phone receptionPatchy
- FacilitiesToiletsHot ShowersCamp KitchenPoolStoreFuelRestaurantBinsPicnic ShelterWiFiPowered SitesWalking TrailsCaravan AccessCamper Trailer AccessNo Campfires
- Good to knowOutside the park, no pass neededFree guest WiFiPool closed May–Sep
- Fees$35 bush camping, $51 powered, a night for 2 people
- 8.6/10Overall rated
- Book your site
Getting There and Rawnsley LookoutGetting there
The station is on the sealed Flinders Ranges Way between Hawker and Wilpena Pound, so any car, caravan or camper gets there without touching gravel until the short drive in from the gate. Coming from Wilpena, a green sign marks Rawnsley Lookout 300 m before a pull-off on the left, a roadside stop with an information bay and a picnic table where Rawnsley Bluff, the big flat-topped bluff at the southern end of the Pound, stands up across the plain. It’s worth the two minutes before you turn in.
Where to Camp on the StationWhere to camp
The caravan park sits among native pines and gums on gravel, with the powered sites numbered along the loops and the amenities block in the middle. The sites we walked past had shade and room for a van, and bins stand at the corners. A sign points off to the bush camping area, which runs along Kangaroo Creek below the dam, for a cheaper, more spread-out night with the same amenities a short walk away. Powered sites are from $51 a night for two and bush camping from $35, with higher prices in peak periods, and the caravan park is pet-friendly.
Campground LayoutLayout
The entrance road comes in from the main road to the shop and office, with fuel and the pool beside it, and the park roads run one way from there: a loop past the powered sites along the creek and back, with the camp kitchen and the main amenities block and laundry in the middle. The unpowered camp sites and a second amenities block are further out to the west, and the track carries on past the dam to the bush camping area. Here’s how it fits together.
The Comforts of a Caravan ParkComforts
The amenities block is a modern brick building with a row of showers and basins inside, clean and bright when we looked in. The camp kitchen is under cover with wash-up sinks and eating areas, the pool is open from 10 am to sunset between October and April, and the shop and fuel are at the office a short drive up the road. Free guest WiFi covers the caravan park, which matters here, as Telstra and Optus coverage is limited.
A Dam View and Seven TrailsDam & trails
Below the caravan park is Rawnsley Dam, and the view across the water to the southern wall of Wilpena Pound is the picture of the place. The board beside it explains the dam was dug in 1992, holds 60 megalitres and recharges the groundwater through Kangaroo Gap, and it has the map of the station’s walking trails, which start from the caravan park and the office. The station lists seven marked trails, from short strolls to a full day. These are the four we’d pick from, with the station’s own distances. Galahs were feeding in the dry grass beside the road as we drove out.
- Clem Corner loop
4 km
loop, moderateFrom the caravan park, with sweeping views of the Elder Range and Rawnsley Bluff. The station’s pick for a sunset leg-stretch.
- Kangaroo Gap and Alison Saddle
3.8 km
loop, 1 to 1.5 hours, easyThe family one, through Kangaroo Gap and over Alison Saddle close to the caravan park, where kangaroos, wallabies and emus turn up.
- Ferntree Falls and the Pine Caves
Under 8 km
easy to moderateCreek lines, gullies and shaded pockets of the station, with a few options the station rates as child-friendly.
- Rawnsley Bluff hike
11.3 km
return, about 5 hours, hardThe big one: steep sections and some rock scrambling up to the Wilpena Pound Lookout on the southern rim, with 360-degree views over the Pound and the Chace Range.
Things to Do NearbyThings to do
Wilpena Pound and its walks are a short drive north, and the whole park, from the gorge drive to the Razorback sunrise, is in our Flinders Ranges National Park guide. Hawker, with fuel and supplies, is south on the sealed road.
Summary
The comfortable option under the southern wall of the Pound: showers, a camp kitchen, a pool, a shop with fuel and a restaurant, walks from the tent and no park pass needed. We only drove through, and it went on the list for a longer stay.
The comfortable alternative to Wilpena on the south side of the Pound.
Powered sites and bush camping among the pines, a modern amenities block, a camp kitchen, a pool, a shop with fuel and the Woolshed Restaurant, with walks starting at the caravan park and Rawnsley Bluff over the dam. We only drove through on our way out, and it looked like an easy place to stay a few nights.
- Caravanners
- Families
- Travellers
Yes, if you want comfort. From $35 a night for two in the bush camping area, or $51 powered, you get showers, a camp kitchen, a pool, a shop and fuel, outside the park so no pass needed.
Recommended Gear for Rawnsley Park Station
A camping fridge keeps the shop’s fresh produce and meat cold on an unpowered bush site, and a power bank keeps the phones going out there. The Hema Flinders Ranges Atlas & Guide covers the station’s walks and the park next door, and a couple of water containers are worth filling here before you head into the park’s bush camps.
