In the dreamtime of

Australian Aboriginal mythology Australian Aboriginal religion and mythology is the sacred spirituality represented in the stories performed by Aboriginal Australians within each of the language groups across Australia in their ceremonies. Aboriginal spirituality include ...

, the Arkaroo is a serpent who drank all the waters of

Lake Frome Lake Frome / Munda is a large endorheic lake in the Australian state of South Australia to the east of the Northern Flinders Ranges. It is a large, shallow, unvegetated salt pan, long and wide, lying mostly below sea level and having a total s ...

South Australia South Australia (commonly abbreviated as SA) is a States and territories of Australia, state in the southern central part of Australia. With a total land area of , it is the fourth-largest of Australia's states and territories by area, which in ...

, the latter remaining a large salt pan most of the time. Heavily filled and tired, the Arkaroo retracted for a nap into the mountains west, carving by his body the valleys of what is known today as the Gammon Ranges in the northern

Flinders Ranges The Flinders Ranges are the largest mountain ranges in South Australia, which starts about north of Adelaide. The ranges stretch for over from Port Pirie to Lake Callabonna. The Adnyamathanha people are the Aboriginal group who have inhab ...

. He was attacked by other mystic beasts and let water on his rests, each position resulting in a waterhole, such as that of

Arkaroola Arkaroola is the common name for the ''Arkaroola Wilderness Sanctuary'', a wildlife sanctuary situated on of freehold and pastoral lease land in South Australia. It is located north of the Adelaide city centre in the Northern Flinders Rang ...

Springs and others. Today as in ancient times, rumblings of the Arkaroo can be heard in the mountains, which are scientifically explained by the

seismic Seismology (; from Ancient Greek σεισμός (''seismós'') meaning "earthquake" and -λογία (''-logía'') meaning "study of") is the scientific study of earthquakes (or generally, quakes) and the generation and propagation of elastic ...

activity of the ranges. The Arkaroo has given origin of name to places in this region, namely

Village, Arkaroola Creek, Arkaroola Springs and the Arkaroo Rock in

Wilpena Pound Wilpena Pound ("Ikara" in the Adnyamathanha language) is a major natural amphitheatre of mountains located north of Adelaide, South Australia, Australia in the heart of the Ikara-Flinders Ranges National Park. Its fringe is accessible by a sea ...

References

* Sprigg, R.C., 1984: "Arkaroola - Mount Painter in the Northern Flinders Ranges, S.A.: The Last Billion Years". Gillingham Printers Pty Ltd, Underdale, Australia {{DEFAULTSORT:Arkaroo Australian Aboriginal legendary creatures Flinders Ranges Far North (South Australia) Legendary serpents