Chambers Gorge or Mount Chambers Gorge (Marlawadinha Inbiri) is one of the most significant ancient cultural sites for Adnyamathanha people – and one of the largest galleries of traditional rock art in the Flinders Ranges. An interpretive sign just before the entrance to the gorge explains some of the motifs.
Along the entire lower and upper vertical panels of rock below a small (dry) waterfall are hundreds of engravings (and some paintings), and the highest concentration of figures in the area.
These rocks carvings (petroglyphs) were scratched grooves on rock surfaces on the gorge’s cliff faces and they consisted of simple geometric motifs or shapes (circles, concentric circles, lines). They have been interpreted by archaeologists as being part of the Panaramitee style or tradition, the core region of which lies in the geographical area between the Flinders Ranges and Broken Hill.
The Long Road to the North
The upper wall of the gorge has a large panel of rock art.
Below this is another equally dense panel of figures; the highlighting is to give a sense of the numbers, and doesn’t capture every motif (some are quite faint).
The motifs are dominated by circles (representing a different gatherings of people and ceremonies) and animal tracks including kangaroos, emus and smaller birds.
A long cliff-line leading to the two panel above also contains rock art scattered on suitable smaller panels.
The gorge and surrounding area are fairly arid and the creek is usually dry; the first European to see the area in 1843 was Surveyor-General Edward Charles Frome, who led an expedition up the eastern side of the Flinders Ranges. He described Chambers Gorge as “a more barren sterile country cannot be imagined”.
Above Chambers Gorge is Mount Chambers (Wadyna yaldha), named by Scottish explorer John McDoull Stuart after his financial backers, the Chambers brothers. The mountain features in several Adnyamathanha Dreaming stories of the Flinders Ranges. The mountain was created when the purple-backed wren (yuri yurala) threw a boomerang (wadna) at the northern end of the mountain, creating a fracture. Not satisfied with the result, the wren threw the boomerang again making a more complete fracture through the mountain. The boomerang sliced right through the mountain and circled back spinning to form the knob on top of the mountain.
Getting to Chambers Gorge
Chambers Gorge is situated on a private land in the locality of Wertaloona, about 60km north-east of Blinman in the Flinders Ranges. From Blinman head south along the Flinders Range Way and after 2.6km turn left onto North Flinders Road. After 60km look for the signposted junction for Chambers Gorge Road, which is unsealed and a little rocky where it crosses a dry creek, so AWD/4WD recommended.
After passing the campground (it’s one of a few free campsites in the Flinders Ranges), there a parking area near the start of the walking trail. You can take the trail which follows the top of the wide gorge, ot walk down the middle of the dry gorge. You’ll soon reach a sign where the gorge starts to narrow; the petroglyphs are scattered all the way along the cliff on the left, and most concentrated just before a small (dry) waterfall.
If using Google Maps enter “Chambers Gorge Road” and not just “Chambers Gorge”, which will take you to the completely wrong place!).
More information
- The Long Road to the North – Mt Chambers Gorge + rock markings
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