Category Archives: Parachilna

Another Prairie Sunset

Posted on March 15, 2012 by Peter MacDonald

Camera details: Fuji X-100 camera fixed lens. f5.6 @ 1/50th sec ISO 400

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All the Rivers Run

Posted on March 4, 2012 by Peter MacDonald

While most of the creeks and rivers in the FLinders Ranges and the surrounding Outback are now just gently flowing streams, a last chance to show the full force of the recent floods.

Again the Parachilna Creek in the northern Flinders Ranges.

Interestingly, while clambering down the slippery banks of the creek to get these shot I saw what turned out to be a large euro, or hills wallaby bobbing in the waters close to the bank.

The Euro must have been washed downstream in the fast flowing waters but managed to scramble to safety in calmer current.

It quickly disappeared into the nearby bushes.

Unfortunately I wasn’t in a position to record any of this little life and death drama.

Posted in Flinders Ranges, Outback South Australia, Parachilna, Weather | 2 Comments

Running Rivers

Posted on March 1, 2012 by Peter MacDonald

This has been a pretty common sight in the Flinders Ranges and Outback in recent days. Outback floods, fast running creeks and rivers don’t get seen by a lot of people when they are at their most spectacular, mainly because roads are cut by the flood waters too.

This is the Parachilna Creek and about the only place I could get to it without running into trouble.

These waters will probably make it all the way to Lake Torrens to the west, but in many cases it disperses across the plains before reaching the lake.

People thinking of travelling in this part of the world should check on road condition here before setting out.

Posted in Outback South Australia, Parachilna, Weather | 1 Comment

Blue Skies

Posted on October 16, 2011 by Peter MacDonald

Seemingly endless blue skies can pose a real problem for landscape photographers. Those acres of blue can take up a serious amount of a photograph and to put it bluntly, stuff up a good scene.

Here is one solution to the problem which you start looking for when day after day the skies above remain the same – something that is not unusual in the Flinders Ranges and Outback.

As usual the trunk and the branches of the river red gum provides interesting patterns, while not perhaps as evident, the banks of the Parachilna Creek are at least three metres (8-10 feet) high.

The twisted hills and mountains of the ABC Range are in the background.

f 22, 1/13 sec ISO 100 focal length 70mm

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Bread and Butter

Posted on September 22, 2011 by Peter MacDonald

A recent email from overseas asked the question about what a bloke does when he’s not taking landscapes?

The answer is that usually he is taking photos of places that have beautiful views.

This is Arkapena Homestead on Rawnsley Park station near Wilpena Pound.

It is delightful getaway, away from all the crowds and its got a very relaxing outlook.


Photographing the dining rooms at the Prairie Hotel was interesting.

The Prairie is known for its great menu and the surrounding countryside.

Having interesting rooms to dine in is a must for a great eatery so the pressure was on the capture the atmosphere.

Arkaroola, right at the northern most part of the Flinders Ranges is perhaps the remotest of the three but nevertheless still has great facilities and accommodation.

These are just a sample of work done for a number of locations in my area, their facilities, accommodation and scenic attractions.

Posted in Arkaroola, Flinders Ranges, Parachilna, Wilpena Pound | Leave a comment

Live Radio

Posted on September 15, 2011 by Peter MacDonald

It’s not often you get an extremely popular host of a British radio program dropping into town.

It’s even less likely that he’d be doing his show “live” from from the front verandah of the pub.

And it all looked so relaxed and easy.

Simon Bates (that’s Simon on the right) hosts the daily breakfast program on Britain’s biggest commercial radio station, Smooth Radio UK and he’s In South Australia promoting some of the state’s attractions like Kangaroo Island and the Flinders Ranges.

The Sentimental Bloke also got a chance to speak with Simon and his three million plus listeners in the UK during the show.

Despite his tight schedule Simon enjoyed a bit of outback hospitality and the chance to go horse riding with Lynn and Gordon Litchfield who brought some horse down from their Wilpoorinna Station for the occasion.

He’s actually recording part of the program on the ride with Gordon and Lynn.

In this technological age, it is easy to do a radio program live from a remote location like the Prairie Hotel at Parachilna. A couple of microphones, some sound gear, a computer and a satellite link the size of a laptop computer is all you need.

It was all so informal as hotel patrons ate their lunch and sipped their beers while the show went on.

Tomorrow’s he’ll be broadcasting from downtown Adelaide and enjoying no doubt, the “foodie” delights of the famous Central Market …chalk and cheese really.

Posted in Outback South Australia, Parachilna | 1 Comment