Hills Homestead

Hills Homestead is a small restored stone cottage on the floor of Wilpena Pound, the mountain-ringed basin at the heart of the park. Early settlers thought this enclosed country would suit crops and livestock; signs at the cottage explain why the venture failed. The cottage is modest, and its value is in seeing where that farming attempt unfolded, then reading its story. If you’re interested in the human history behind these ranges, it’s a good reason to walk into the Pound.

From Wilpena Visitor Centre, allow 6.6 km return and about two hours. The route follows Wilpena Creek through Pound Gap beneath river red gums and pines. After a creek crossing and a waterhole, you reach the information shelter where a shuttle drops people off. From there, take the flatter, shadier path between the creek and Sliding Rock, or choose Top Track, which climbs above the rock for views of the Pound’s peaks. Both routes reach the cottage. The walk is graded easy and undulating, but the shuttle stop isn’t the destination: there’s still a stretch on foot to the homestead.

The homestead is a simple place to pause: there are toilets and picnic tables, and the interpretive signs lay out what happened to the farming venture. Pack something to eat and make time for the creekside walk as much as for the cottage itself. The Wangara Lookout trail starts behind the homestead and climbs steeply to a much bigger view across Wilpena Pound. Keep going if you want that extra climb, or turn back once you’ve had a look around.