Explore SA
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Our recent drive of the Defender D350 was done as part of the Defender Experience offered by Land Rover Australia to existing and potential customers and owners.
It’s a paid four-day experience on Arkaba Station in the stunning Flinders Ranges where participants not only get to drive the Defenders on the steep and rugged tracks of the property but also get to enjoy the luxury offerings of the station while learning about the land, its history and what the current owners of Arkaba are seeking to achieve.
Arkaba Station is just a short drive from Hawker in South Australia and like most settled land in the Flinders Ranges, it was once a pastoral property running sheep in the harsh conditions. Today it is owned by Wild Bush Luxury, a member of Luxury Lodges of Australia, and farming has made way for conservation and low-impact visitation to allow the land to return to its pre-farming state.
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The sheep are long gone and goats, rabbits and other feral non-native animals are being eradicated as the team has turned to conservation and seeks to return the land of Arkaba back to what it was prior to settling and the damage caused by stock.
This conservation project includes maintaining fences only to keep ferals out, not stock in, replanting native trees, shrubs and grasses and reintroducing species that were thought to be lost to the area.
A visit to Arkaba can include guided walks where you learn about the country and what is being done to restore it, and guided drives to mountain ranges and ridgetops where you will enjoy spectacular sunsets (or sunrises if you are keen) and wildlife spotting.
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The Arkaba Homestead has been beautifully restored and includes just five rooms for guests so the numbers there at any one time are very limited. The homestead has a full kitchen with an excellent chef to prepare meals featuring local produce and native ingredients. Local South Australian wines are also a key part of the experience.
Away from the homestead are remote camps that are used when on multiday walks or guided 4×4 tours . Unfortunately there are no self-drive tours of Arkaba available to four-wheel drivers.
While you might not be able to drive your 4×4 around arkaba Station unless you are on a Defender Experience trip, a surefire way to fully experience the property and all it has to offer is by joining the three-day walks that run through the cooler months of March to October, which are the peak times to visit the Flinders Ranges.
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Led by experienced and informative guides, the walk takes you from Wilpena to Arkaba taking in the sights, sounds and smells of the Flinders, where you’ll learn about the terrain, flora and fauna, as well as the conservation work being done. It uses the camps set up on the station and your bags and clothes are transported to each camp by vehicle so you don’t have to carry everything yourself. The walk is graded as moderate, meaning it should be accessible to most able walkers. The Arkaba Walk finishes at the homestead with accommodation in the luxury rooms and a farewell feast.
On our Defender Experience at Arkaba, we spent our first night at the homestead where, after a drive to a highpoint to watch the sun set, we learnt about the history of the property and the work being done there, which was followed by a delicious meal.
Day two saw us exploring the ranges and tracks before stopping at a remote campsite where accommodation was in swags in open-ended shelters that looked out onto the bush. Again, the meal was fantastic and we enjoyed it out in the open while the last rays of the sun disappeared with a golden glow on the steep rocky ranges.
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After an open-air shower in the morning and a short but informative bushwalk, we were back in the Defenders exploring the furthest reaches of the property including its border with Wilpena National Park, where we were in the shadow of the amazing Wilpena Pound.
An interesting part of this day’s drive was where we stopped at a high point in the terrain that offered a view of the adjoining property that is still running stock as Arkaba had in the past. The difference between the two properties couldn’t have been more stark with the dry brown dirt of the pastoral property contrasting to the much greener and lush scrub on Arkaba. This demonstrates the great work being done by the team at Arkaba in restoring the land there.
Our last night on Arkaba as part of the Defender Experience was a huge camp with large tables and plenty of food and refreshments. Again we slept under the stars, although this time it was atop the Defenders in rooftop tents. Certainly a great way to wrap up a few fabulous days.
You can do the Defender Experience at Arkaba as a standalone trip or as part of an extended stay in the Flinders Ranges, or when passing through on a longer adventure.
Land Rover Australia is currently planning its 2026 Defender Experiences and is looking at new locations to run them, as well as at Arkaba Station.
