Iga Warta Tourist Settlement: Keith experiences the rich and fascinating indigenous culture of the Flinders ranges region of South Australia

Spend time in the Flinders Ranges and you come across names like Nepabunna, Italowie, Balcanoona, Arkaroola and Iga Warta. They are Aboriginal names given by the Adnyamathanha people; the traditional owners are of the land. Adnyamathanha means 'Hills People', so it's no surprise to find the tourist settlement called Iga Warta nestled at the foot of a mighty range about 50 kilometres east of Copley.

Iga Warta offers a unique opportunity to experience the rich and fascinating indigenous culture from the very people whose ancestors have roamed this land for generations.

For Adnyamathanha man, Cliff Coulthard - sharing it all has been a lifelong ambition. The Coulthard name is legendary around these parts so it's not surprising it was Cliff and his brother Terry who set up Iga Warta. They were inspired by their late father, Clem who, for years promoted cultural tourism as being the way ahead.

He was right - ten years on and the village of Iga Warta, dotted among the sheoaks and scrub has grown into a multi awarding winning operation that offers a rare and fascinating insight into aboriginal lore and their fundamental connection to the land.

And the good part is you can experience it all at the comfort level of your choosing. That means you can throw down your swag, pitch a tent or bring a caravan. Or if you want to 'rough it' the easy way you can book one of the luxury safari tents - complete with en suite. Now, that's the kind of camping I can handle!

But no matter how you do it, you're never far away from the magic of the Flinders Ranges. And after a campfire session or bushwalk with the likes of Cliff, you'll look at it all very differently.

"We have a story for each mountain," explained Cliff as he pointed out the surrounding ranges. "The big mountain over there we call Wana, that's Mount McKinley. This one is Sacred Mountain or Yamarutana(sic). So throughout the Flinders Ranges we've got stories of each mountain and place. And from Iga Warta, we can take you throughout the Flinders and tell stories about the land."

Cliff's son, Christian is the man to do that. He's a National Park Ranger and he spent a lot of his childhood exploring and camping all over this country with his grand pop, Clem.

"Hop in the 4x4 and I'll take you to see some Mulki, the art site," said Christian as he climbed behind the wheel. Hidden deep within the hills around Iga Warta are enthralling sites and stories about the land the Adnyamathanha people call 'Yarta' and Christian and his family are eager to share them.

"Basically our people moved right through the Flinders Ranges, following the seasons, following the good times," he said while we slowed for a mob of emus.

Soon we were out of the vehicle and walking up a dry creek bed among mighty river Redgums. "Back in the old days there were a lot of Ondu, a lot of Yellowfoot Rock Wallabies along the range so it was a good spot for the old fellas to come and hunt…"

After a short walk we come to a giant rock overhang creating a shelter. "This is what our people call Mulki, Yura Marlka." said Christian proudly. The rocks in the shelter are covered with spectacular colourful paintings making it a very significant place for the Adnyamathanha people.

"The base of the paintings is about 30-thousand years old," explained Christian. "It's been painted over during ceremonies in the past. The last ceremony was in 1947… and that's the last Adnyamathanha traditional man's ceremony. That's the last time (these paintings) were painted over and my Grandfather, Clem was one of the men."

The fact that his pop, Clem was one of the last seven men to be initiated and the ceremony brought him here to add to this gallery makes this place even more special for Christian.

"They would have collected Olku, which is red ochre, oxide. They mixed it with animal fats like emu and goanna. They made a paste and basically redid the old markings.

"A lot of the symbols represent men who went through the ceremonies. This one's a symbol of a boomerang, which is Wudna. Our people call it Wudna. Wudna in our language means bent.

"The paintings tell a story of this is shelter. This where you found food, this is where there was water and that's what it was partly about - leaving a journal for generations to come on what was here in this place…

"That's what these old blokes were about - teaching their children, teaching generations to come. And you know a lot of people would come here and find it by accident, saying 'a bunch of lines, a bunch of circles'. But it has a story to tell - it's significant. There's food here, there's water here, there's sacred places here…"

It's a powerful spot and it's all part of the Iga Warta experience. You'll enjoy the bush tucker, the campfire and getting to know the beautiful country but being invited into the hills to this Adnyamathanha art site is a very special experience.

The Coulthards at Iga Warta can organise a unique Flinders Ranges cultural experience to order - from day trips, overnight tours, campfire storytelling to bush tucker and more.

Iga Warta is about 50 kilometres east of Copley on a good dirt road to Nepabunna. If you have any further questions please email info@postcards-sa.com.au

Iga Warta
Flinders Ranges
Via Copley
Ph (08) 8648 3737

Published 12th April 2009