Kanku-Breakaways Conservation Park

The name references the way the mesas appear to have broken away from a distant escarpment, their sheer faces striped with bands of ancient sediment laid down in an inland sea that covered this part of Australia roughly 65 million years ago. At sunrise and sunset the colours shift dramatically through gold, pink and deep red, making the Breakaways one of the most photogenic landscapes in the outback. A lookout platform provides unobstructed views across the plain.

The park supports red kangaroos, euros, echidnas, fat-tailed dunnarts and more than 60 native plant species. Bird life is richest in the cooler months when migratory species join the resident raptors. Dogs on leads are permitted, which is unusual for a South Australian conservation park.

A vehicle entry permit is required and can be purchased in town before you leave. There are no designated walking trails and camping is not permitted within the park boundaries.