Gawler Ranges
An ancient volcanic landscape of rust-red rhyolite, organ-pipe rock formations and arid-zone wildlife on the northern edge of the Eyre Peninsula.
The Gawler Ranges rise inland from the Eyre Peninsula's grain country, a 1,500-million-year-old volcanic landscape of weathered rhyolite domes, ochre gorges and the famous organ-pipe rock columns at Kolay Mirica Falls. Gawler Ranges National Park protects this semi-arid wilderness, home to yellow-footed rock-wallabies, emus and red kangaroos.
This is remote, unsealed-road touring country — high clearance recommended — rewarded with some of the most striking inland scenery in South Australia.
Things to do in Gawler Ranges
5 places
Gawler Ranges National Park
An ancient volcanic wilderness of ochre rhyolite domes, organ-pipe rock formations and arid-zone wildlife on the northern edge of the peninsula.
Kolay Mirica Falls
A series of stepped rock pools and seasonal cascades over volcanic rock in the Gawler Ranges, ringed by ancient ironbark.
Lake Gairdner National Park
A salt lake the size of a small country
Australia's third-largest salt lake — 160 km of blinding white salt ringed by red dunes north of the Gawler Ranges, and the venue for Speed Week land-speed racing.
Old Paney Homestead
Station life, preserved in stone
A restored stone homestead in Gawler Ranges National Park telling the story of pastoral settlement, police camps and hard seasons in the granite outback.
Organ Pipes Lookout
A wall of ancient volcanic rhyolite columns in Gawler Ranges National Park, formed over 1.5 billion years ago.
Stories from Gawler Ranges
Salt and Speed: A Lake Gairdner Pilgrimage
North of the Gawler Ranges lies a salt lake 160 kilometres long — a blinding white stage that hosts land-speed racers one week a year and perfect silence the rest.
June 2026 · 6 min read
Into the Gawler Ranges
Inland from the oyster bays lies a 1,500-million-year-old volcanic landscape of organ-pipe rock columns, rock-wallabies and deep red gorges. We headed into the Gawler Ranges.
June 2026 · 6 min read
Explore nearby destinations
Image credits
- Gawler Rangest National Park.jpg by Ghoongta , CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons