This was our third and last day on the Mawson Trail from our base at Rawnsley Park. Our goal for the day was to complete the section from Wilpena to Rawnsley Park. Renate, our support driver, dropped us where we had finished the day before at Wilpena. The first few kilometres along the bitumen road that led out of Wilpena Pound were easy. Then we turned onto the Telegraph Track.
We saw hundreds of kangaroos making their way from the resort at Wilpena across the track towards the east. The rocky outcrops of the Pound were on our right as we headed south.
After eight kilometres on Telegraph Track, the trail turned onto Flinders Ranges Way. It should have been an easy roll, but there was quite a strong headwind. Brian, who was the strongest rider, went in front to act as a windbreak. After six kilometres on the bitumen it was time to take a dirt track again towards the southern end of Wilpena Pound.
We were climbing and behind us was the Chase Range.
The southernmost outcrops of the Pound loomed ahead of us.
Then with Wilpena Pound Range on our right, we wound our way up and down across the tributaries of Arkaba Creek.
Rhonda and I were tiring but Brian was still going strong. After quite a testing five kilometres we arrived at the junction with the road that led to Rawnsley Park caravan park.
900 Kilometre Mawson Trail Completed at Last
For me this was a big moment as I had now completed the final part of the Mawson Trail. I had not done it in order from south to north, or north to south, but over several years and many trips, with different friends and sometimes solo. This was the last piece of the 900 kilometre adventure. Rhonda took a photo for me.
From there it was an easy ride to our cabin at Rawnsley Park where we found Renate enjoying the sunshine.
We had cycled 30 kilometres and climbed 186 metres.
Some of our other adventures on the Mawson Trail in the Flinders Ranges have been between Brachina Gorge Road and Wilpena, Blinman and Brachina Gorge Road, Merna Mora Station and Rawnsley Park and Mount Little to Hawker.
Other favorite sections closer to home have been Nuriootpa to Kapunda and High Eden Road to Jacob’s Creek.
