Flinders Ranges
The Flinders Ranges are the largest mountain ranges in South Australia, which starts about 200 km (125 mi) north of Adelaide. The ranges stretch for over 430 km (265 mi) from Port Pirie to Lake Callabonna.
| Flinders Ranges | |
|---|---|
The Flinders Ranges | |
| Highest point | |
| Peak | St Mary Peak |
| Elevation | 1,171 m (3,842 ft) |
| Dimensions | |
| Length | 430 km (265 mi) north/south |
| Geography | |
| Country | Australia |
| State | South Australia |
| Range coordinates | 30°55′S 138°37′E |
The Adnyamathanha people are the Aboriginal group who have inhabited the range for tens of thousands of years.
Its most well-known landmark is Wilpena Pound / Ikara, a formation that creates a natural amphitheatre covering 80 km2 (31 sq mi) and containing the range's highest peak, St Mary Peak (1,171 m (3,842 ft)). The ranges include several national parks, the largest being the Ikara-Flinders Ranges National Park, as well as other protected areas.
It is an area of great geological and palaeontological significance, and includes the oldest fossil evidence of animal life was discovered. The Ediacaran Period and Ediacaran biota take their name from the Ediacara Hills within the ranges. In August 2022, a nomination for the Flinders Ranges to be named a World Heritage Site was lodged.