If you’ve ever dreamed of piloting a Defender somewhere other than an inner-city school zone – and prefer to avoid the headaches of managing your own off-roading – the Flinders Ranges Defender Experience is probably the best option you have in the entire country.
The experiential arm of the all-terrain automotive icon has just one objective: to offer an accessible adventure while showcasing the breadth of the car’s true capabilities, complete with all the niceties that make a Defender a Defender. And to make this opportunity publicly bookable.
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Demonstrating said capabilities is particularly important given the Defender attracts all kinds of buyers and, in turn, must offer a little something for everyone. Be it those all-terrain credentials, battle-hardened aesthetics, or daycare drop-off practicality.
Suffice it to say, this beast is just as comfortable traversing the dusty outback of South Australia, equipped for almost any mission across the harsh desert, as it is in a Mosman driveway jacked on 22″ wheels.
It’s precisely why Defender curates experiences – in our case, a three-night/four-day sample of the outback – to help eager (and prospective) customers feel comfortable tapping into the car’s full potential in its natural environment; with the peace of mind afforded by a drive program, glamping touches, and exemplary food & wine.
Every year, Defender recalibrate this experience in a far-flung corner of Australia. And this year, Arkaba Station – a former sheep farm turned wildlife conservancy in the southern Flinders Ranges, complete with a luxury homestead – was the designated site.
Flanked by the Elder and Chase ranges, the cliffs of Rawnsley Bluff, and a national park at its northern border, it’s a 63,000-acre behemoth of a property featuring a lodge dating back to the 1850s at its very centre; and hundreds of kilometres of trails clambering over its prehistoric topography.
Anything man-made looks out of place at Arkaba. If it feels otherworldly, that’s because it kind of is. The landscape here is old – think half a billion years – echoing the set design of Interstellar or, indeed, Mad Max. Mount Everest, for reference, is only 50 million years young.
For all its flora and fauna wonders, the Ikara-Flinders Ranges have become a popular winter hiking destination. But why walk when you can charge the landscape in a fleet of kitted-out Defender 110s?
The Defender Experiences itinerary starts out in the low-range gear. Slow mornings, patient rock crawls, jaw-dropping ridgelines, wholesome regional food, and star appreciation under the night sky. Wedge-tail eagles are as common here as seagulls in Bondi, and emus awkwardly dart across the dirt in mesmerising numbers.
Expert driving instructors prescribe trails for all levels of gnarly, guiding guests to dial up their off-roading proficiency over the days behind the wheel; and encouraging them to embrace the peace-of-mind perks now available in luxury off-roaders like the Defender.
The air purifier and recirculator are your immediate saviour, keeping the plumes of dust at bay from the cabin’s interior. The ClearSight Ground View (a fancy name for a see-through bonnet camera), on the other hand, helps drivers pre-emptively identify and avoid sharp, tyre-destroying obstacles in their path.
Accommodations span from a remote bush camp (with open hot water showers under a tin roof and mountain views), to a rooftop tent experience atop your very own Defender around a cosy campfire, as well as the historic lodge itself. Thankfully, Wi-Fi and mobile phone signal have yet to touch this corner of the world, so your starry nights are restful and uninterrupted.
Expect resident conservationists, chefs, and stargazers to charm you with their accomplishments, creations, and local legends. All of these insights offer a grounding touch to each day – not preachy, just genuine.
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The kicker, unfortunately, is that Defender is constantly recalibrating its sights; the sun has set on the Flinders Ranges Experience in favour of another equally ambitious experience somewhere else in Australia. So while the possibility of enjoying one for yourself is very real, the destination is currently unknown. But that’s part of the fun, I suppose.
Keep an eye out for the next destination and register your interest for updates via the link below.
The author of this article travelled Flinders Range as a guest of Defender.
Imagery by Sam Evans, Declan May, & John McMahon.
