5 things to do in Blinman

Posted 13 October, 2025 Andrew Rasch

In the Ikara-Flinders Ranges – about 500km from Adelaide – you’ll find the restive, charming and, frankly, wonderful town of Blinman.

Blinman was named after local shepherd Robert Blinman, who discovered copper ore in the area in 1859. The resultant mine saw Blinman’s population swell to 1500 in its heyday, but the town now has 30 permanent residents.

Blinman is SA’s highest town, at 615m above sea level. Despite its desert location, it’s been known to snow, with the area last receiving a flurry in August 2020.

Here are five activities to enrich your stay in this outback tourist hotspot.

1. Go underground

The copper mine is located on a geological monument, called a diapir, known as the Blinman Dome. The mine operated over four main periods between 1862 and 1907, producing 10,000 tonnes of copper from 200,000 tonnes of earth extracted.

A one-hour guided tour of the Blinman Heritage Mine is the town’s most popular attraction. Don a hard hat, grab a torch, and head into the tunnels for a taste of 19^th century mining life. Thanks to the mine’s contemporary sound and light system, you’ll see how highly skilled Cornish miners strategically blasted and dug through the earth to access ore up to 150m deep.

Learn how the miners used steam engines to extract water and crush ore, and relied on bullock drays, donkeys, mules and camels to cart essential materials. Preserved equipment, secure lookouts and your guide’s expert commentary give you a sense of daily life for up to 400 miners.

You’ll discover the hazards they faced but also appreciate the beginnings of many of today’s mining work safety standards. For example, every Cornish miner used coordinated working tunnels to enter and exit and mines around the world now use ‘tag in/tag out’ systems to keep track of workers. After the tour, take the walking trail and see the original brick kiln, crusher house site, boilers and more.

2. See a gorgeous gorge

The Flinders Ranges has gorges galore, and Bunyeroo Gorge, Parachilna Gorge and Brachina Gorge are three of the best near Blinman.

You’ll need a capable off-roader to access some of the routes, and it’s essential to check local road conditions after heavy rain, but the rewards are spectacular. Don’t forget to arrange a park permit before you head out. Rangers patrol the gorge drives and issue on-the-spot fines, so don’t skip this requirement.

See stunning red and ochre cliffs and rock formations as you wind your way across dirt roads and usually dry creek beds.

Find rugged campsites along the way and breathtaking lookouts. If you’re lucky, you might spot a camouflaged yellow-footed wallaby hiding among the rocks or a wedge-tailed eagle gliding on the thermal currents. This is a must-see part of our state.

3. Pound the trails

The naturally formed amphitheatre of Wilpena Pound is well worth the 60km drive from Blinman. This 800-million-year-old elliptical stone landscape features various accommodation options, including glamping tents, resort-style rooms and powered sites.

There are four-wheel-drive tours and scenic flights, but bushwalking is an ideal way to soak in Wilpena Pound’s semi-arid and diverse vegetation, which includes native pines, river red gums, mallee and acacia trees.

Put on some sturdy shoes and stroll the gentle, creek-lined paths as you make your way to Wangara Lookout for panoramic views. You may even see a spiny echidna shuffling through the scrub, in a never-ending search for ants and termites. For avid hikers, there’s the one-day return trek to St Mary’s Peak, which juts nearly 1200m into the sky.

4. Eat like a copper miner

You’ve heard of (and hopefully tasted) a Cornish pasty, but have you heard of the famous miner’s pasty? If not, you can taste one for yourself at the Miners Crib Café Bakery in Blinman’s main street. The miner’s pasty was a common food item for hardworking miners back in the day.

With meat and vegetables at one end and a bite-sized section of sweet apple at the other, it was made as a complete meal. And while for some, the crimped strip of pastry on top is the best part, it originally served as a handle. With arsenic and other nasties on the miners’ hands, they could safely hold and then discard the pastry handle before tucking into the rest of their delicious lunch.

5. Drink a toast to Blinman

There’s nothing like a country pub full of friendly folk, gathering for a drink and a yarn after a day of hard yakka. And whether it’s by providing a warming fire in the freezing desert air or a cold drink on a sweltering day, North Blinman Hotel has been a sanctuary for locals and tourists since 1869.

With motel and hotel rooms, plus powered sites, the pub can cater to your accommodation needs. And if you’re a fan of pub classics like schnitzels and pizza or you’re partial to something fancier, the menu has you covered. You can even toast Robert Blinman with the locally brewed Peg N Leg lager. It’s a place where you can relax and soak up Blinman’s special charm and feel a million miles from your daily stresses.