A New Outback Adventure

April 21, 2021

In 2020 while travelling in the SA outback we camped at two Nature Foundation Reserves, Witchelina and Hiltaba. Both of these Reserves are former pastoral properties that have been purchased by the Nature Foundation with the aim of returning them back to near their original state.They are managed by a group (mainly couples) of Rotational Managers who spend about 8 weeks a year in two week blocks on either property. We asked the right people the right questions and are now Rotational Managers ourselves. We have just spent two and a half weeks on Witchelina, 700km North of Adelaide. This is desert country and only just recovering from 3 years of drought. And it is big country! Witchelina is 4200 square kilometres, which is bigger than Kangaroo Island. A different measurement is 90km long N to S and 50km W to E. It is the biggest property South of the Dingo Fence.


The Homestead, 2 storey and 10 rooms. Very comfortable house.

The Nature Foundation have visitors to Witchelina from April until October. A 4wd group were there in our first week. Chris, the Manager of the Rotational Managers (and our trainer), led a "Tag along 4wd Tour". We went along and revisited some of what we saw last year.

Jane with Chris on "Tag along 4wd Tour"


Lunch stop on Ridge Top Tour

Over the weeks we were there we did a range of jobs from maintenance of vehicles, cleaning of accommodation, weed spraying, enhancing route signage, some building work, a great range of things.

We also had time to travel by car and by foot learning about the property. Plenty of history with old houses, sheds, water points and amazing geology.

Ants near Kingston with the 30yo Red Landcruiser


Kingston ruins

Spraying Buffel Grass infestation.

Jane in a serious moment

A fence using the Old Ghan track for ease of construction

Stone work on Old Ghan for erosion control. There was no track ballast!

A bridge on the New Ghan, 1950's to 1980's. The New New Ghan is hundreds of kilometres west.

A Bearded Dragon

Native Andamooka Lilly because of recent rains.

The new Dual Cab Cruiser. The background hills, Termination Range, named by Ernest Giles are all on Witchelina.

Galahs in flight. We generally saw small flocks but this was an exception.

One of the route "Point of Interest" signs.

Very interesting geology all across the landscape.

Old shed at West Mount Hut.

After our "training" we spent the last week as the managers. To be on the property as only residents was an amazing feeling. Two contract sprayers arrived but they decided to camp out as the 20km drive to the control site took at least an hour because of the poor track.

Then we had an earthquake. The epicentre was 28km NW of the hometead, only 3.5 magnitude, but very obvious to us as we enjoyed our dinner.

A "tent" hill near the West boundary.

Almost green on NW Range which had more rain than the Homestead.

More geology. We only saw one group like this.

A track almost lost because of little use and recent rains.

Big country. On 20Mile Hill looking at Termination Range. All on Witchelina.

A pumping set up, not used for 20 plus years.

Bend Hut, 25km from the homestead and gradually being restored.

A Red Kangaroo. Population maybe in the hundreds only as they recover from the recent 3 year drought.

We expect when a roster is made for the second half of 2021 we will spend time on Hiltaba and Witchelina. Hopefully some of you will be able to join us as Volunteers on the property, or just come as campers or stay in some of the very good accommodation.