WILPENA POUND, IKARA FLINDERS RANGES NATIONAL PARK, SA

An enigmatic landform that looks like a massive impact crater, Wilpena Pound is often (annoyingly for those who live here) mistaken for being the crater from Wolf Creek. In fact its mountain-ringed bowl is a result of a sedimentary syncline, something for school teachers to get excited about. Indeed, the Geologist’s Drive here is geologist pornography; or would that be just… geography? Come for challenging sunrise walks up into this natural amphitheatre including a section of the famous Heysen Trail, named for the artist who obsessed over the colourful gums in the region. At the end of the day, retire to luxury accommodation including the eco-villas at Rawnsley Park Station or Wilpena Pound Resort for glamping. And you have to drop into the Prairie at Parachilna, just under two hours north, for the feral food platter and fine wines at a traditional outback pub that looks country from the outside but is surprisingly metropolitan within. See, Wilpena Pound is so much more than a crater – ahem, we mean syncline.