Join a tag-a-along sunset tour to the Arid Recovery Reserve 

Arid Recovery is based at Olympic Dam, 550km north of Adelaide in the South Australian outback, and is dedicated to the restoration of Australia's arid lands. Arid Recovery is centred around a 123 square km fenced enclosure. Feral cats, rabbits and foxes have been removed from 60 square km of the area leaving some areas as control areas and others as experimental zones.

Arid Recovery was initiated in 1997 and now provides areas of complete protection allowing the regeneration of native vegetation and introduction of five locally extinct mammals (western quoll, greater bilby, burrowing bettong, stick-nest rat and western barred bandicoot). There are now also 15 times as many naturally occurring hopping mice inside the reserve compared to outside.

Arid Recovery, through the dedication of volunteer tour guides, has opened its arid lands ecosystem restoration project to guided tag-a-long interpretive sunset tours where members of the public can experience how vibrant and widely inhabited Australia’s outback was before European settlement. A unique exclusion fence protects the Reserve inside of which cats, rabbits and foxes have been removed, so visitors have a chance to see reintroduced, locally extinct species in their natural habitats and to gain an understanding of the importance of these creatures in the regeneration process. During the sunset tour visitors enjoy activities including identifying tracks, burrows, and plant species and spotlighting after watching the sun set over an ancient landscape.

Arid Recovery Sunset Tours operate on a seasonal basis between April and October on Wednesday and Friday evenings.

Bookings are essential and booking requests must come through no later than 12.00pm on the day of the tour.

Please note - Tours are subject to minimum numbers, road and weather conditions , therefore tours may be cancelled and refunded on the day.

Time: Depart 1 hour before sunset (time will be advised on booking)

Cost: Adult / Concession - $60.00pp | Children (3-16 years) – $30.00 | Under 3 years is free

A tour requires a minimum of 3 and a maximum of 8 participants to proceed. (For larger groups, alternative arrangements can be accommodated)

Your tour includes:

• A guided walk throughout a range of outback habitats in the Reserve to the viewing platform where on most nights visitors will catch a spectacular outback sunset
• At dusk you will travel through the dunes on a guided spotlight walk for a chance to spot some of Arid Recovery's native animals, including burrowing bettongs and spinifex hopping mice. (Being a natural environment, we cannot guarantee what you will see, but we can guarantee a unique and moving experience.

Tour Information:

• It is a 22km drive from Roxby Downs to the Reserve. After leaving the town centre, head north along Olympic Way for approx 10kms, continue through Olympic Dam township, then turn right onto the Borefield Road. Follow the road for 12 kms to The Arid Recovery Reserve gate which is on the left hand side. The road to the Reserve is unsealed but accessible to 2WD unless it has rained heavily in which case the manager or tour co-ordinator will advise of either cancellation of tour, or requirements for 4WD access.
• Tours departs one hour before sunset, the time will be confirmed when you book or closer to the date
• Tours run for 3-3.5 hours
• Pets are not permitted on reserve
• What you need: you own vehicle, drinking water, sturdy enclosed footwear, long pants, a warm jacket. While not essential visitors may also like to bring a torch and camera. This tour requires a reasonable level of fitness as roughly 4kms of walking is required at the reserve
• This tour requires a reasonable level of fitness as roughly 4kms of walking is required at the reserve

Download the tour flyer for further information or visit the Arid Recovery Website to learn more about the reserve.