We continued driving south from Lake Eyre, Marree and Beltana to Parachilna. It used to be a town but now all that remains is a railway station, an airstrip, the Prairie Hotel and a population of 7.
The Prairie Hotel is a typical sandstone country pub with a big veranda, but it actually has a very good reputation for its modern hospitality. People come from near and far to enjoy the atmosphere the hotel offers. This area is often used by film makers as it is in easy reach of a variety landscapes. The hotel accommodates the film crews and actors.
The hotel is renowned for its unusual cuisine, which they call "Flinders Feral Food" or "Road Kill" but it is in fact Australian Bush Cuisine. We had lunch there and it was very interesting. As you can see we had kangaroo, emu, camel, pig, chicken, bush tomatoes, olives, goats cheese and sweet potato. I liked everything!
After lunch we boarded the coach and headed towards the Flinders Ranges. Birthday Bear was a bit despondent worrying about whether she may one day end up on someone's lunch plate with a little flag saying ''BEAR".
The desert landscape started to give way to scrubby trees and the ranges came into view. Our guide told us how these ranges have a very interesting geological history. They were formed 540 million years ago by folding and faulting sediments in the Cambrian period. They use to be very high but they have been worn down by erosion. The highest peak Mt St Mary is 1,170 m.
We took the road through the Brachina and Bunyeroo Gorges to Wilpena Pound.
The colours and formations were breathtaking.
That evening we arrived at Wilpena Resort.
Seven people as the population?
ReplyDeleteI guess that they all work at this "pub"?
Eating that - no way? - BUT, interesting for tourists and overseas followers of your excellent report.
I shall be carefully watching in future what you order when we go out! I am certainly not vegetarian, but that concoction would make me one in an instant.
Great reporting Diane - the menu! a decided NO!
Colin (HB)
This tour just gets better and better - I think the meal looks great and I'd eat it - but then again, I am a big fan of "black pudding". xxx
ReplyDeleteLooks beautiful !
ReplyDeleteI love kangaroo meat. Actually it's the only one I buy, because our cows have no taste anymore, so we would rather eat turkey or chicken.
Camel I have eaten in Morocco I guess, ostrich meat is good to but not as tender as kangaroo. You know they raise kangaroos here in Belgium for the meat. Poor things.
I loved the Flinders Ranges and Wilpena Pound in particular. We drove through the Brachina Gorge too. We had a geologist in our group which was wonderful.
ReplyDeleteLooks great, I have been in Flinders Ranges too. In Wilpena Pound we camped with the kangaroos around our tent. It was a wonderful tour.
ReplyDeleteSuch beautiful scenery. Birthday bear looks like he is still having a great time traveling. Did he enjoy his plate of bush food?
ReplyDeleteWhat an interesting day, Diane... I laughed at your lunch at the hotel--and at the Birthday Bear comment... Then I wondered if I would end up on that plate sometime for someone's lunch --and it was marked "Tennessee Girl".... ha ha ha
ReplyDeleteLove seeing the terrain where you were. Interesting history about those mountain formations.
Thanks for sharing.
Hugs,
Betsy
The lunch does sound interesting. We have some small restaurants here in the mountains advertising 'road kill', but it is usually game -- deer, rabbit, squirrel, etc. I'm glad your meal was good.
ReplyDeleteThe scenery in the Flinders Ranges is beautiful.
Love this post! Scenery as always breathtaking. The pub/restaurant is so interesting. I would try everything. We ate at a restaurant in Grenada that was similar -- in serving whatever the local people ate -- it was a whole plate of "variety" meats like that, but they provided a hand-drawn pencil map" of your plate showing what was there. I liked it all too! Part of the adventure.
ReplyDeleteI wish we were young enough to relive some of our earlier trips -- with a digital camera in hand.
Thanks for sharing your fascinating trip. I'm loving it.
Oh I do feel for birthday bear. That road through the Flinders will stay in my mind for many a long year I was so blown away by the variety and beauty of the scenery. It is so much fun for me seeing it through your eyes and from the perspective of a guided tour vs go your own way and pace.
ReplyDeleteThis tour is most interesting. The scenery is how I have imagined much of Australia, from reading books about the Outback. Don't think I would have been keen on all that meat though.
ReplyDeleteGood for you trying that platter of local delicacies! Be interesting for tourists to experience too.
ReplyDeleteStunning shots of the gorges, brings back happy memories of our drive through there Diane - thank you.
Birthday Bear has the "despondent" look to a tee doesn't she ;-)
Wow, what a lunch!!
ReplyDeleteDiane, the scenery on this tour is wonderful. The ranges and the gorges are beautiful. The colors in the gorge are stunning. Great photos. The food looks good too. I am enjoying this tour.
ReplyDeleteYikes! Poor bear..I'd be worried too..
ReplyDeleteBut as a vegitarian, I guess I'd still have plenty of good veggies to eat..tell Bear I'll share with her :-)