Described as the “jewel in the crown” of the Arkaroola Ridge Top Tour and “one of the best views in the Australian bush”, Sillers Lookout is an extraordinary vantage point. It’s the last stop on the Arkaroola Ridge Top Tour, with a steep incline to the lookout and just enough space for two Land Cruisers to execute a 7-point turn at the top! It’s also the longest of the three stops on the Arkaroola tour, with tea/coffee served while you admire the views.
Siller’s Lookout is named after Bill Siller (MBE), whose uranium exploration companies built the Ridge Top Tour track in the late 1960s. Apparently he agreed to blaze the detour up to the top of the bluff, if it was named after him…
Sillers Lookout offers true 360-degree views; to the west is the Streitberg Ridge and The Armchair.
The sinuous Ridge Top Track that we’ve just drive up snakes back over the lower ridges and across Radium Ridge.
Looking north-west is Mount McDonnell; almost all the now-abandoned mines are in this direction, on the other side of the mountain range.
To the north are the Freeling Heights (944m), the highest point of the remote Mawson Plateau which lies at at the northern extremity of South Australia’s Flinders Ranges. In front of Freeling Heights is Thudupinha Hill (816m), named after a buck euro called Mandya who both lived in the plains called Puthadamathanha, and was turned into a spirit.
North-east of Sillers Lookout is Murdluwartanha and Mount Adams, along the last ridge before the open country to the east.
Just over 50km away to the east and south-east is Lake Frome (Munda), a large endorheic lake appearing as a thin white band. The shallow salt pan rarely fills with brackish water. The European name for the lake comes from Edward Charles Frome, who mapped the area in 1843, while the Adnyamathanha name for the lake is Munda (the lake was officially dual named Lake Frome / Munda in 2004).
One of their dreamtime or creation stories says that Arkaroo, a mythical monster, drank Lake Frome dry. He then crawled up into the mountains. When he urinated he created the waterholes that are a feature of the area. His movement over the land created Arkaroola Creek.
You can just make out the continuation of the Ridge Top Track from Sillers Lookout to the east, which goes onto Paralana Hot Springs. Looking at the map, it would appear quicker to do a loop than return the same way, and in the past this was offered as a full-day tour. But, our guide explains, the track is even rougher that what we’ve been on. They took an agent from their insurance provider on this full day itinerary, to be told: “there’s no chance in hell we’re insuring you if you go beyond Sillers Lookout”!
Getting to Sillers Lookout
Sillers Lookout is the last stop on the Arkaroola Ridgetop Tour, which leaves from the Arkaroola Wilderness Sanctuary reception. On most days there is a morning (8am) and afternoon (1pm) tour which takes about 4:30min. It’s about a 1:45min drive (with no stops) from Arkaroola Village to Sillers Lookout.
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