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Distance from Adelaide 374km.
 typical
outback town, Hawker is the hub of the Flinders
Ranges, being the junction of roads from Port
Augusta, Orroroo, Leigh Creek/Marree and
Wilpena/Blinman. It was once a thriving railway
town before the line was relocated further west in
1956. Hawker is now an important tourist centre in
the Flinders Ranges and provides all essential
services to the visitor.
Tourist Information: Is available
from Hawker Motors at the corner of Cradock Road and Wilpena Road,
this is the South Australian Accredited Hawker Visitor Information,
a tourist information bay is on Elder Terrace near the public toilets.
Facilities:
Include a hotel/motel, motel, caravan parks,
holiday units and several nearby stations provide a
variety of accommodation. The town has a bank,
general stores, hospital, post office, laundromat,
airstrip, police station, doctor, and service
stations for fuel and mechanical repairs. Meals are
available at the hotel and restaurant and takeaway
food from various stores.
Points of
Interest: Many easy day trips can
be made from Hawker; to Quorn and Pichi Richi Pass,
Wilpena, Brachina and Parachilna Gorges, Leigh
Creek Coalfields and Aroona Dam.
Yourambulla Caves, a few kilometres south of
Hawker, have a number of Aboriginal paintings as
well as a fine panoramic view for you to enjoy.
A walking trail and scenic lookout has been
established at Jarvis Hill which is 6.5 km south
west of Hawker. The Lookout provides a spectacular
panorama of the surrounding country.
Among the many scenic drives of varying length
available from Hawker, a favourite is the Leigh
Creek Roads. It offers fine scenery, particularly
from the Black Gap lookout. A more rugged drive
through Yappala and past Middle and Buckaringa
Gorges to Gordon provides a remarkable mixture of
outback pastoral country, rugged hills, creeks and
flora and fauna. Always check local road conditions
before attempting these drives.
The railway reached Hawker in 1880. A bullock
Jinker, used to cart sleepers (cut locally) to the
old line, is on display at the Outback Chapmanton
Motel. The ruins of Hookina, 18km to the north, and
the old railway bridge are remains of the era when
wheat was grown in the area, as are the old pug and
pine Willow Waters Homestead, 20km to the east.
Wilson to the south and the historic Kanyaka Ruins
are just off the main road to Quorn.
Historic
Buildings: The Railway Station
Complex 1885, Hawker Hotel (formerly Royal Hotel)
1882, Sightseers Cafe 1880, Post Office 1882,
Institute Building 1893.
Museums: Hawker Motors, cnr
Wilpena and Cradock Roads, have a display of fossils, minerals,
artifacts and pioneer relics.
Walking
Trails: An Historic walk of
Hawker provides an insight into the towns early
history.
Recreation and Sport: Include
a heated swimming pool, tennis courts, oval, golf course and synthetic
bowling greens are located at the sports centre.
Events:
The Hawker Cup Carnival is held in May. The
annual Art Exhibition is held in
September/October.
Tours:
4WD tours are operated from Hawker.
Hookina
(ruins)
The ruins are 18km north of Hawker on the Leigh
Creek Road. First settled in 1863 as a stopover for
the overland teams. Consisting mainly of a hotel,
store and blacksmith shop, the town declined and
the hotel closed in 1892. Wheat-farming was
established in the area during the 1870's.
Moralana Scenic
Drive
42km north of Hawker on the Leigh Creek Road,
the Moralana Scenic Drive meanders its way through
the spectacular landscape of river red gums
following the southern wall of Wilpena Pound
through to the Hawker/Wilpena Road. The drive is a
must for all those who visit the Flinders and is
best east to west in the morning and west to east
in the afternoon.
Brachina
Gorge
A further 28km north is the turnoff to the
spectacular Brachina Gorge which is part of The
Flinders Ranges National Park. The road proceeds
through the gorge and there are turnoffs to
Bunyeroo Gorge and Valley as well as Aroona Valley.
Continuing on, the road joins the Wilpena to
Blinman road, just north of the old Oraparinna
H.S.
A book and brochure on fossils is available
locally.
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