Take it Ezy

⛺️Outback SA and a 'little bit' of QLD (July 2022)
Duration: 3 weeks
Vehicle: Holden Colorado Z71 and swag tents- no towing
Distance Travelled: 3,914km

👉Favourite Free Camp
Eringa Waterhole and Ruins, SA
All areas of the Simpson Desert

👉Favourite Paid campsite
Bendleby Ranges: SA

👉Favourite Place
Farina Ruins and bakery
Dalhousie Springs
Algebuckina Bridge

👉Toughest Track
Mount Dare Road which leads into Eringa Waterhole and then takes you to Mt Dare Hotel. Slow and Steady!

👉Surprises
Arkaroola: The Northern Ranges were just stunning. We would even say they are more beautiful than the Southern Flinders Ranges.
Aroona Dam: Such a beautiful oasis in the middle of the outback!

👉What did we miss out?
Visiting Will's Memorial and other camp spots near Cooper Creek in Innamincka. When we visited, some of these roads were blocked off due to recent rain and flooding.
Cameron Corner: We planned on accessing the corner on the way to Innamincka but the road in was closed due to recent flooding. Luckily we saw it a year later during out Darling River Run Trip.
The Ridgetop Tour at Arkaroola: We have heard great things about this tour, but we didn't have the time to do the tour plus investigate other areas on our own. We will be back!

👉Bucket List Item
Crossing the Simpson Desert
Poeppel's Corner and Haddon Corner
Travelling on the Oodnadatta Track

👉Where would you return to?
So many places!!
The Dig Tree: We would love to go back and camp along the water in the area. It looked beautiful.
Betoota Hotel: We would visit later in the evening to enjoy some cold beverages and a meal. We stopped in for lunch (we had a pie each) but no one around as it was early in the day.

👉Best Outback Pub
Oh.... we visited a few on this trip, so this is a hard one!
Birdsville Hotel would be our pick, but William Creek Hotel would come in a close second!

We have attached our Wikicamps itinerary with a link below.👇👇👇
https://wctrip.co/.../7824A345-0A34-4A0C-AF3D-AFEBDB8983D2

😎⏰WIND BACK WEDNESDAY⏰😎

Who has been to Bendleby Ranges?
We take you back to August 2022 where we explored Bendleby Ranges in SA for the first time!
If you have enjoyed our posts about Bendleby Ranges and The Cradock Hotel area, check out our YT episode below.

Check it out now! Don't forget to LIKE, COMMENT and SUBSCRIBE!

Bendleby Ranges: 4WD tracks that are INSANE!
https://youtu.be/cggg4-hOHAg?si=bSh8zWsxJ9vXf-8Q

Bendleby Ranges: 4WD tracks that are INSANE! We leave Arkaroola and visit Craddock Hotel for lunch. This pub is a must stop when in the Southern Flinders Area. It is an iconic outback pub with great mea...

Looking back …
Trip: Simpson Desert and SA Outback July 2022
Duration: 2 weeks
Distance Travelled: 3,914km

🟠What we learnt🟠
▪Track conditions: The Outback has so many different tracks and their conditions can vary. Whilst a track can be 100km in length, it could take 3 hours to travel that distance depending on the track. Yes this is common sense, and we expected this, particularly in the desert, but it does mean you really need to plan your stops and not overestimate what you can achieve in a days drive.

▪Simpson Desert: It simply is a stunning as everyone says it is. We couldn’t get over the varied vegetation from area to area, and how different each part of the desert was. Yes there are dunes and sand, but also sandstone rocky roads, numerous salt pans, abundance of bird life and even a Lone Gum!

▪History: The Australian history and what you can learn whilst traveling in the Outback is amazing. From the Burke and Wills Expedition, how the Simpson Desert was surveyed, geology of the Flinders Ranges, Indigenous Culture, to the recent history such as Betoota and its revival and learning and witnessing some of the recent flooding around Innamincka.

▪Outback Pubs have character: This we already knew, but it was reinforced on our travels. Each pub has its own story and they are the heart and soul of the local community. The pubs need us travelers buying a pint of beer, ordering the steak, having a glass of red in their beer garden and enjoying a yarn with the locals, and we need them!

▪The Right Gear for your 4WD: The right suspension, tyres and additions of a snorkel and long range tank pay for themselves for trips like these. Do your research and make sure you have the right set up for your vehicle to ensure a safe and enjoyable journey along the Australian Outback tracks.

▪Food Vacuum- We decided to freeze most of our food in vacuum bags. We then chose to defrost each day what we wanted to eat. We therefore had our large section in our fridge as a freezer, and the smaller part as a fridge. This worked well and the vacuum bags meant that meat was fresher for longer and took up less space.

🟠What would we do differently🟠
▪Stretcher Tents: As much as we loved these and were a lot more comfortable than our Darche RTT, they did require more set up each day. When we do the Simpson again we would use a RTT but upgrade to a hard shell so it’s a bit quicker to set up and that way you can store your sleeping gear in the tent too.

▪Paper Map- We found the paper map easier to use and more handy than the GPS and other technology. At the end of the day, the paper map doesn’t change and it doesn’t rely on internet service. Yes you can get offline maps, but for quick access we would bring more paper maps in addition to the electric versions.

🥳BUCKLE UP, IT'S MONDAY! 🥳

We’ve arrived at the week’s welcome mat—now let’s walk through that door and see what the next 7 days bring!

🔸Share with us what your plans are for the week!
🔸Are you travelling and aiming to get to a destination?

🔸Are you at home and planning a week of work or things to do around the house?
We want to hear about your plans for the week! Send through a picture, information or keep us guessing with a clue to your plans for the week!

Let's go!!!

🌟FLASHBACK🌟
📍Bendleby Ranges, Belton, SA

For those who don't know, Bendleby Ranges is a combination of two adjoining properties 'The Springs' and 'Gumdale' totalling approx 37,000 acres!

There is over 210km of self-drive 4WD tracks to suit everyone’s driving ability. You can drive in either Bendleby or Hungry Ranges. We spent a day exploring the area which was one of the most challenging drives we have ever done!

We chose a loop track that included the Front Track and Kings Ridge Track. This was a mixture of skill level from low- high, with Kings Ridge Track being high level. Do not underestimate the levels, as this was challenging in parts!!

The views and scenery were amazing. The track itself was very challenging in parts! We were driving up and down very steep ranges and at times I had to guide John through some sections to ensure we didn’t damage Cole!

There were some spectacular lookouts along the way which provided great views of the area! We really had to work together in parts to guide Cole through. We saw kangaroos, sheep, bird life and the scenery was amazing! If you love your 4WDing then this is a great place to come. Even for beginners (like me) it has some good tracks to practise on.

🌬Damn Weather🌬
Unfortunately on the day we visited, the winds were so strong, gusts up to 45km/hr and at one stop I couldn’t even open the car door to get in! This also made the driving even harder as visibility was tricky at times.. but we made it through! The drive took 2hrs and we were done by lunch time. We wanted to do more, but the wind was just too strong.

✅Safety is Important ✅
The staff at Bendleby Ranges also look out for your safety. If your traveling in the Hungry Ranges they ask you to report through UHF when you’re leaving and when you return and there is a whiteboard at the kiosk to record your whereabouts so they can ensure everyone returns by the end of the day.

This place is a 4WD dream for all abilities and we cannot wait to return!

⛺️CELEBRATE SATURDAY!⛺️
Share with us where you have 'pulled up stumps' for the weekend!

🔴What great camp spot have your discovered that warrants spending a Saturday relaxing at?
🔴If you're at home, what are your plans for the day?

Share with us a picture or a few words about what you are up to! This is a way for everyone to share a great place and get inspiration for their next travels!

May your Saturday rise to the occasion!

HAPPY FRIDAY EVERYONE!
🤣😂🤣

🌟FLASHBACK🌟
📍Bendleby Ranges, Belton, SA

We had never been here before but heard a lot about the place through various people.
Back in July 2022, we booked a remote site which was located in the Hungry Ranges and it was very private and peaceful. You cannot see any other campsites or people and we felt like we were the only people out in the ranges, but with the comfort knowing that the main reception area wasn’t too far away if/when we needed anything.

What we loved about the remote site was that you have your own long drop toilet (with toilet paper!!!👌) , fire pit and they provide you with good quality firewood!

The site was huge and very shady and we even saw some kangaroos nearby and wild goats climbing the ranges.

For those who want a few extra comforts, there is also a camping area with powered sites, as well as unpowered sites that are closer to amenities. For even more comfort they also have cottages and quarters you can stay in. They really do cater for all needs with camping from remote (which we enjoyed) to comforts of a bed and facilities.

The main reception where you check-in had essential items, drinks, maps and souvenirs. The staff were so friendly and helpful. They provided us with a lot of information, a detailed map of 4WDing in the area which also included skill level for each road with some roads ranked out of 10 for difficulty. This was very handy!

⛺️Campground Info⛺️
▪️Remote Campsite Cost: $65 per night
▪️Facilities: Long Drop, Firewood provided
▪️Driving access in the ranges: $80 for 1 day per vehicle.
▪️Dogs permitted on a lead, but need to be pre-approved prior to arrival.

🤗Australia’s Big Things🤗

📍The Big Hat, Cradock, SA

You’ll find the Big Hat across the road from the Cradock Hotel. It sits atop a high stand to protect itself from wildlife. While the exact reason behind its construction is unclear, there’s no doubt that it would be promoting local tourism.

Nearby is an elephant statue and some interesting signage about the history of Cradock.

Make sure you have a wander around and take away some interesting learnings of the area.

🌟FLASHBACK🌟
📍Cradock Hotel, Cradock, SA

Another day and another iconic outback pub to visit!

The Cradock Hotel is located in the Flinders Ranges and Cradock is the first town within the Flinders Ranges Council heading North from Orroroo.

This is a great pub! The original part which is the main bar area still stands strong and is oozing with character! Everyone was so friendly and the food definitely hit the spot. I had a chicken parmi and John had a chicken schnitzel with mushroom sauce. You could tell it was all homemade and fresh and the flavours were awesome!!
If you buy a meal you can camp for free out the back which is a terrific initiative! There is a dining area with rustic long wooden benches and a beer garden with a kids playground out the back.

🍺Cradock Hotel History🍺
Cradock was established in 1879. The historic sandstone Cradock Hotel is the only Cradock business to survive and welcomes visitors to the town. The Cradock Hotel was locally known in the early days as the Heartbreak Hotel, as a result of the many crop failures. It opened for business in 1881.

We are super glad we finally had the opportunity to eat at this historic pub!

🙌WELCOME to our NEW followers! 🙌
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🙌THANKYOU🙌
We recognise and say thanks to the following people for being our top engagers and making it onto our weekly engagement list! 🎉 🎉 🎉 🎉 🎉

Colin Konemann, Jennifer Mawbey, Sandra Taylor, John Tilburg, Susan Aleckson, Steve Michael, Colin Richardson, Vic Rulewski, Naomi Lyons, Gary Moran, John Brown, Steven Young, Clive Manning, Ken Doig, David Urlacher, Donald Parker, Jef Meyer, John Rasmussen, Mark Jackson, Janet Crawley, Adam White, Terry Lemon, Jeff Lynde, Geoff Daly, Shirley McLaughlin, Steve Biden, Robert Bennett, Troy Mckendry, Pravin Jotani, Rob Wyld, Mike Whitby, Wayne Allard

🌟FLASHBACK🌟
📍Paralana Hot Springs, Arkaroola Wilderness Sanctuary, SA

😆⚠️ALERT RADIOACTIVE CONTENT BELOW!⚠️😆

The Paralana Hot Springs are just north of Arkaroola, 33kms one way from the Arkaroola Village. The road is for 4WD vehicles only and is a bit of a trek! It took about 1.5hrs one way.

To view the hot spring it was only a short 300m walk from the car park. The best part in our opinion was the crossing of the spring using, you guessed it stepping stones! It is like a deep emerald green and we could feel the heat as we crossed over. It’s only a couple of steps and very easy to do.

As we walked along the other side there was sand and vegetation and as we continued walking, the heat and green water decreases. It’s only a small area of water, perhaps once upon a time there was more water?

🤔So what’s the history behind these radioactive hot springs we hear you ask???
It’s the only hot springs left on the Paralana fault and as the water comes up from the earth it passes through Mount Painter which contains high amounts of radioactive chemicals.
The granite rocks in these parts contain uranium, which is breaking down and giving off heat. Ground water passing through cracks in the rocks gets heated up and emerges as springs at around 60 degrees celsius.
The uranium decaying process also gives off very highly radio active radon gas.

😮Yes, organisms live in the radioactive water!😮
This water would kill most organisms but, amazingly, there is life in the radioactive water. A mat of green velvet slime is a haven for 'extremophiles' that have never been found naturally anywhere else in the world.
A bacteria called Archaea is found here which may be similar to the very first organisms that populated the earth billions of years ago when the Earth was much hotter.
How amazing!!!

🦠Would you believe….
Back in the early 1900’s this spring was a very popular tourist destination as the radioactive thermal bathe!!! It was considered very healing and people would come for a spa day. Wowzers!!
However, it only took a few years to realise that this put people at risk and today it’s a place for a look but don’t touch.
So don’t bring your togs and pool noodle, but we believe it’s worth a visit to see something so unique, in fact the only one in Australia!

🟢FAST FACT🟢
Paralana is one of the three most radioactive naturally occurring places in the world.
FYI the other two radioactive hot springs are:
1. Gaurapari, Brazil, where the beach sands are radioactive material creating the most radioactive naturally occurring spot in the world.
2. Ramsar, a northern coastal city in Iran, has areas with some of the highest levels of natural radiation measured to date.

⛺️CELEBRATE SATURDAY!⛺️

Share with us where you have 'pulled up stumps' for the weekend!

🔴What great camp spot have your discovered that warrants spending a Saturday relaxing at?
🔴If you're at home, what are your plans for the day?
Share with us a picture or a few words about what you are up to! This is a way for everyone to share a great place and get inspiration for their next travels!

May your Saturday rise to the occasion!

HAPPY FRIDAY EVERYONE

For us, we have to get a bite before we have the feeling of losing a fish. Either way, we can relate to this. 🤣🐟🎣

🌟FLASHBACK🌟
📍The Pinnacles, Arkaroola Wilderness Sanctuary, SA

The Pinnacles are two igneous plugs exposed in Mawson Valley, 4km west of Arkaroola Village. This is the start of a second self drive tour of the area. This road will take you all the way to Nooldoonooldoona Waterhole – with other interesting sights along the way. This drive is about 4hrs.

The scenery was just stunning, some of the best we have ever seen! If you have an understanding of rock formations or an interest in Geology this place should be on your bucket list!

😎⏰WIND BACK WEDNESDAY⏰😎
If you have enjoyed our flashbacks of our trip to Arkaroola, then you might want to check out our YT Episode!

We stayed just the one night, but we jammed in as much as we could during our stay. We took on the self guided tracks around the area and saw some incredible rock formations, water holes and mining shafts.

You do need a highclearence 4WD for the tracks and it is slow going in parts, but it is so worth it! The scenery blew us away and we know we must get back there and camp and experience some of their other tours.

Check out our Arkaroola Episode here👇👇👇
Don't forget to SUBSCRIBE, LIKE and COMMENT on our channel!

https://youtu.be/kLiUd2BpcIE?si=F0mwNPsf1DalZecH

ARKAROOLA: Northern Flinders Ranges: Have you ever seen a RADIOACTIVE HOT SPRING? We leave Innamincka and travel to Arkaroola, the northern part of the Flinders Ranges.We visit the Ochre Pits, Stubbs Waterhole and a radio active hot spring!

🌟FLASHBACK🌟
📍Arkaroola Wilderness Sanctuary, SA

We had a short time to explore this stunning location so we jammed as much as we could into the day. We spent a large part of the day doing a self-guided 4WD drive around the area.

We enjoyed this drive as the scenery was absolutely stunning, we also saw many more Sturt’s Desert Pea. ❤️❤️

◾Self-Guided Tour Track Conditions
This entire trip is 33km one way. The first part is a 2WD dirt road, but once you get past Stubbs Waterhole a 4WD is needed as the road gets even more rocky and tight in sections. It took us about 1.5hrs to get there including some stops along the way.

◾What to see on the track
1. Ochre Wall- comprised of weathered laminated silts and shales of the Angepena Formation. The warm colours all mixed together in pattern like formations were stunning.
2. Lively’s Find- We missed this one on the way, but luckily we had a second chance to view on our return trip. We were not given any info on who Lively was, how long he was in the area and how much gold he found. The conditions would have been harsh and it would have been hard work!
3. Welcome Mine- The Welcome Mine is one of two distinct copper mines that were together owned by Great Boulder Holdings. The Welcome Mine has two large dug out openings where the metallic ore was located. The longer opening being 70 metres.
4. Stubbs Waterhole- This was a lovely spot, gorgeous scenery with the water and the cliffs.

From then on we drove all the way to Paralana Hotsprings (more info in separate post)

After spending a couple of nights in this location we fell in love with the Northern Flinders Ranges and felt they were more scenic and stunning than the Southern Ranges, which is a pretty big call considering how amazing the Southern Flinders Ranges are!

🙌WELCOME to our NEW followers! 🙌
We want to welcome all our new followers to our page! We look forward to connecting with you and sharing our travels with each other!

We encourage people to share their YT Channel or Instagram in the comments below for others to follow along and subscribe! It’s a great way for us all to connect and share our tips and travel locations with like-minded people. Check out our other socials below! 👇👇👇

🔻Our Instagram🔻

https://instagram.com/take_it_ezy123?igshid=OGQ5ZDc2ODk2ZA%3D%3D&utm_source=qr

📹Our YouTube Channel📹
Thank you for those who have subscribed!! It’s been a bumpy few weeks in terms of subscribers and we are now on 464 subs. We hope to get to 370 soon!
Help us out and subscribe to our channel below!!👇👇👇👇

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🙌THANKYOU🙌
We recognise and say thanks to the following people for being our top engagers and making it onto our weekly engagement list! 🎉 🎉 🎉 🎉 🎉

Colin Konemann, Jennifer Mawbey, Sandra Taylor, John Tilburg, Susan Aleckson, Steve Michael, Colin Richardson, Vic Rulewski, Naomi Lyons, Gary Moran, John Brown, Steven Young, Clive Manning, Ken Doig, David Urlacher, Donald Parker, Jef Meyer, John Rasmussen, Mark Jackson, Janet Crawley, Adam White, Terry Lemon, Jeff Lynde, Geoff Daly, Shirley McLaughlin, Steve Biden, Robert Bennett, Troy Mckendry, Pravin Jotani, Rob Wyld, Mike Whitby, Wayne Allard

🥳BUCKLE UP, IT'S MONDAY! 🥳

We’ve arrived at the week’s welcome mat—now let’s walk through that door and see what the next 7 days bring!

🔸Share with us what your plans are for the week!
🔸Are you travelling and aiming to get to a destination?
🔸Are you at home and planning a week of work or things to do around the house?
We want to hear about your plans for the week! Send through a picture, information or keep us guessing with a clue to your plans for the week!

Let's go!!!

🌟FLASH BACK🌟

📍Innamincka Hotel, Innamincka SA

Located walking distance from the Town Common Campsite, the Innamincka Hotel had a good atmosphere and most importantly cold beer and a warm fire.

We sat in the front bar and had dinner, although there is a dining area out the back which had some good views of the sunset.
Walking around the front bar and reading the Burke and Wills posters, information, souvenirs and maps was awesome. Everyone was friendly and the atmosphere was just buzzing. It started to get busy from 6:30pm so it is best to get in a little early to secure a table.

🍺Hotel History🍺
In 1885, Howard Kearns of Farina lodged plans to build the Innamincka Hotel on the banks of the Cooper Creek. The hotel catered for the drovers, pastoral workers and shearers who used to ride their bicycles up and down the Strzelecki track looking for work.
During a period the pub was closed and then revived and the Cooper Creek Hotel-Motel opened in 1973 which and was re-named to the Innamincka Hotel in 1983.

🧐Did you know, Innamincka was not the original name for this town?
Innamincka was originally named Hopetoun, Innamincka was proclaimed as a town on 17 April 1890. Hopetoun was named after the Governor of Victoria, the Earl of Hopetoun. However, it was never popular with local people and was re-proclaimed as the Town of Innamincka on 28 January 1892.

⛺️CELEBRATE SATURDAY!⛺️

Share with us where you have 'pulled up stumps' for the weekend!
🔴What great camp spot have your discovered that warrants spending a Saturday relaxing at?
🔴If you're at home, what are your plans for the day?

Share with us a picture or a few words about what you are up to! This is a way for everyone to share a great place and get inspiration for their next travels!

May your Saturday rise to the occasion!

Happy Friday Everyone!

Yep, we know the feeling! It makes for an interesting discussion starter at work that's for sure.

🌟FLASH BACK🌟

📍Innamincka Town Common Campground, SA

When we arrived in the area it was 5pm and nearing dark. The Town Common area was packed! We managed to find a small little area to set up our swag tents for the night.

The following morning, many people packed up and left which allowed us to relocate to a better position closer to the water. This spot was great and luckily for us the second night was a lot less busier.

Due to the recent flooding, camping was a little restricted with sites further down Cooper Creek closed. This meant that this was the only campground in the area with toilet facilities that was open. Add to the fact that the Innamincka Hotel is only a short walk away, and we could understand why it was a popular spot to set up camp.

A bonus for us was the fact there are shower facilities across from the hotel.

It was a good campground to set up for a couple of nights. Watching the pelicans swim along the water and sitting along the river for the afternoon was very relaxing.

Next time, we would love to check out the other campground areas when they are open, just to escape from the crowds for a bit.

⛺Campground Information⛺
◾️Cost: $10/vehicle per night (This is payable at the Innamincka Hotel)
◾️Facilities: Long drops scattered in the campground. Showers are located outside the hotel which cost $2 for 3 minute usage.
◾️Dogs allowed but must be kept on a lead
◾️Dump point located across from the hotel