Arkaba Station

Authentic country hospitality mingles with sublime luxury at Arkaba Station, a 19th-century homestead with an intriguing pastoral history. This gracious five bedroom abode is close to the geological and natural wonders of the Flinders Ranges in the South Australian bush, offering the best for both leisure and adventure travelers.

Property Details

Dating back to 1851, the Arkaba home comprises four bedroom in the main home, with the Coachman’s Cottage in the garden housing the fifth bedroom. The rugged Elder Range is the scene outside your window, with the modern convenience of air conditioning, but no telephones or televisions inside the room to distract you from the beauty of the natural surroundings. Soft neutral tones grace the decor, highlighted by a mix of rustic and contemporary accents. Each comfortable room includes a single king bed or two twin beds with plush mattresses, 500 thread count pure cotton sheets and a choice of fluffy pillows to ensure a restful evening. En suite bathrooms with tub and separate glass shower complete the cozy retreat.

Unobstructed scenes of the outback are visible from the lodge’s veranda, where guests can enjoy moments of relaxation between activities, or savor dinner with a view. The cuisine is uniquely Australian, enhanced by surprising spices and complemented by a premium spirits bar and a generous selection of South Australian wines. Respite from the midday heat can be found at the wet-edge swimming pool overlooking Arkaba Creek or on one of many intimate loungers that dot the veranda deck. Arkaba is an active sheep farm featuring a working wool processing building. Built in 1856, the woolshed’s original corrugated iron roof remains intact, as do the original timber roof struts shipped from Oregon to complete the building. Take a tour of the facility year-round and witness annual shearing on the property each August.

Explore the lands of the homestead and beyond, including the nearby Flinders Ranges National Park. On drives, hikes and mountain biking excursions your professional guides will point out the many residents of the area, among them red and grey kangaroos, wallaroos, emus and yellow-footed rock wallabies. Take a scenic flight above the region for an amazing birds-eye view of the diverse topography and landscape. Guests can also participate in a four-day guided walkabout with nightly accommodation in luxury swag tents. The guides will reveal the history of the property on these walks, from the indigenous inhabitants to the early settlers who have each left behind their traces of life in ramshackle shepherd’s huts and hollowed trunks of red gum trees.