About us - Wilpena Pound Resort

At Wilpena Pound Resort, our vision is to be the accommodation and touring option of choice for visitors to the Ikara-Flinders Ranges and to be employees’ first choice for a culturally respectful career in hospitality.

We aspire to provide a personal, cultural and memorable experience for guests and employees. We aim to minimise our environmental footprint and actively participate in the conservation of the region. We aspire to develop a resilient and capable workforce with a strong Adnyamathanha presence.

About the Adnyamathanha people

The Adnyamathanha or Yura people are the Traditional Owners of the Flinders Ranges and have lived in the region for tens of thousands of years. Adnyamathanha means ‘rock’ or ‘hills people’ in the Yura Ngawarla language. Wilpena Pound or Ikara, which means ‘the meeting place’, is a sacred place with strong cultural and spiritual significance to the Adnyamathanha people.

The Adnyamathanha culture is vibrant and continues to be passed from generation to generation. The Adnyamathanha people have a strong, cultural, and spiritual connection to this land and Ikara Wilpena as a sacred place. The Adnyamathanha belief systems tell of the creation of their traditional lands, they tell of spiritual snakes making up the walls of Ikara Wilpena. The best way to learn more about the culture is from Adnyamathanha people themselves.

In 2009, the Adnyamathanha people were formerly recognised as the Traditional Owners of Wilpena Pound and Flinders Ranges region as part of South Australia’s fourth native title agreement. Since 2011, they have jointly managed the Ikara-Flinders Ranges National Park with the South Australian Government.

‘Yuranga uta altha Althapada Inawartana Yarta.’

The spirit of the people has energised the land. The land is happy because the people are there.

A distinctive outback experience

Wilpena Pound Resort has a long history in Australian tourism as a second-generation family business. The resort was formerly owned by the respected Rasheed family who pioneered tourism development in the Flinders Ranges.

The property was acquired in June 2012 through a joint venture of Indigenous Business Australia (IBA) and the Adnyamathanha Traditional Lands Association (ATLA). Due to its relationship with Adnyamathanha, Wilpena Pound Resort is a distinctively Australian resort. It offers visitors to the Ikara-Flinders Ranges National Park an opportunity to explore and appreciate this spectacular and ancient land with its rich cultural history, unique biodiversity and stunning landscapes.

‘Wandityapa VudliIdnitinga’

Camping under the stars.

The environment

Preserving the Ikara-Flinders National Park’s natural environment for generations to come and ensuring our operations leave minimal impact on the environment is important to us. We have achieved the following environmental certifications:

Advanced Ecotourism Certification through Ecotourism Australia. Ecotourism Australia’s ECO Certification program is accredited through the Global Sustainable Tourism Council’s (GSTC) Integrity Program.

EcoStar Certification through the Australian Quality Tourism Framework. Wilpena Pound Resort follows EcoStar’s business practice framework to achieve the highest standards of sustainable environmental and cultural practises.