Catninga Station
3 days amongst the deep gorges of the Flinders Ranges.
Its been 3 months since we set off on our 1-year journey around Australia and between all the beautiful coastlines, wildlife and epic camp spots we’ve encountered there’s been one place, in particular, that has stolen our hearts: Catninga Station.
We stumbled across this hidden gem whilst we were originally situated far south of South Australia with grand plans of old friends meeting us on the road, in search for a horseback adventure. But, the unpredictable nature of living on the road faced us with some unruly weather and so we decided to head inland to warmer, drier conditions (unaware of what we were about to discover).
As we rolled Marty (our home on wheels) into Catninga Station we were in awe of what surrounded us. Set amongst the deep gorges of the Flinders Ranges, Catninga Station was originally a merino sheep/wool producing property built in the late 1800s and now operates as a small working cattle & horse property with accommodation, bush camping, and trail riding. We were so excited to spend the entire day here test-driving our latest hat Whitman Moss via horseback but as soon as we met the owners Heather & Brian and laid eyes on the landscape we knew that one day was surely not enough.
Like every passionate host, Heather and Brian gave us an extensive tour of the property before sending us off on a little horseback adventure. Suddenly, we were stoked that the weather had turned and forced us inland to this incredible place. As we slowly made our way to the top of the property, a fleeting feeling came over us… the combination of being with good friends on horseback, with a breathtaking panoramic view of the deep gorge, cuddled up amongst the rugged rock formations that lace the high mountain ranges was an experience that no photos or words could ever do justice.
And if the view wasn’t perfect enough, pulling back into the station after a big day of riding was even sweeter with views of Brian tending to the campfire with a boiling billy full of fresh tea. So, like true explorers, we gathered around the fire, filled our cups with fresh hot tea and watched the sun fall behind the ranges.
Eventually, we made our way to the porch and swapped cups of tea for glasses of wine and shared our own stories of travel, friends and magical moments on the road. It was a night that the 6 of us never saw coming, but in the end, found us huddled in the kitchen making homemade pizzas feeling so welcomed by the generosity of Heather and Brian.
And just like that, what would’ve been a day visit, turned into 3, with old and now new friends, making new memories and spending hours talking of the memories already made.
That’s the beauty of being on the road, there’s a limitless ability to be spontaneous and with spontaneity comes adventure, with adventure, comes experiences that turn into stories told for years to come.
Planning a visit to South Australia? Put Catninga Station on your do to list! And say hello to Heather and Brian from us!
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