We have a wide range of birds that are resident or visit the station including the Western & Short-tailed Grasswrens, Mulga & Port Lincoln Parrots, Crimson & White-fronted Chats, White-fronted & Pied Honeyeaters, Splendid & White-wing Fairywrens to name a few. The Station is one of the few accessible sites where the Short-tailed Grasswren (a South Aust endemic) can be found. Like all grasswrens, it is best to search for them early morning when there is little wind. The Western Grasswren can be seen in the bluebush around the dam near the homestead. The honeyeaters frequent the flowering Eremophila on the edge of Lake Gairdner.

You can find a full list of species previously observed on our property by visiting NatureMaps – © South Australian Department of Environment.  All you need to do is open NatureMaps, select Flora Tools (or Fauna Tools), create a simple list, Select Area of Interest as Pastoral Station and choose Mount Ive. This will generate a Spreadsheet list for you to download or view.

Mt Ive Station offers a private access track (2 wheel drive accessible) right to the edge of the stunning Lake Gairdner National Park.

This pure white salt lake is over 150km long and up to 48km across, with salt reaching up to 1.2m thick in places. Fed by six ephemeral creeks it is mostly dry throughout the year and stands in stark contrast to the red dirt surrounding it. The sun setting over the lake (wet or dry) is a sight to behold and we encourage our guests to make this a must-see on their itinerary.

For the rev-heads among us this is the spot where the Dry Lakes Racing Association holds their "speed week" event so you can look out across the very salt these legends race on.

(Please note that Lake Gairdner is National Park and there is no vehicular access onto the salt without special permission from the co-management committee of National Parks and Native Title).

The Embankment, Organ Pipes and Pillars are some of the great sights for you to see. Showing off some of the most accessible examples of exposed rhyolite found in the Gawler Ranges and the hard work put in by the men of old to collect a valuable supply of water. You can also drive or walk to the summit of Mount Ive for a spectacular view over the ranges.

We offer a wide variety of driving tracks on Mt Ive Station. Some are accessible to 2 wheel drive vehicles while others are better suited to 4x4s. All tracks are also open to motorbikes, SxS vehicles, hikers, push bikes, horses, etc.

We offer our tracks as two main package options. Of course if one of these packages is not quite what you are after please feel free to chat with our friendly staff about creating a custom option for you.

The first option is our Lake Gairdner Track. This is a 2 wheel drive accessible track that takes you right to the edge of the stunning Lake Gairdner. While you are not able to drive onto the lake (this is National Park and driving on it is strictly prohibited without obtaining the necessary permits) this is the point from which the Dry Lakes Racing Association accesses Lake Gairdner for "Speed Week" so you will be looking out across the area where they actually race during the event. Not a motorsports fan? Never fear, outside of race week Lake Gairdner is one of the most stunning natural wonders you will come across and this access point is perfectly situated to capture stunning sunsets directly across the brilliant white salt - a simple, breathtaking pleasure not to be missed. This track pass also gives you access to our Organ Pipes (impressive Rhyolite column rock formation) and the embankment (1800s stone dam wall) along the way and at just $45 per vehicle it makes for a wonderful day out.

Option two is our all tracks pass. This one gives you access to the Lake Gairdner track as well as a series of other 4x4 suitable tracks around other areas of the property. You will get to see things like the Mt Ive summit, wombat holes, other geological formations, old eagles nests, station history, scenic lookouts and more. The tracks vary in difficulty so there is something for everyone from the more serious 4 wheel drivers through to those who prefer just a scenic track to enjoy the outback landscape. This one is $90 per vehicle and valid for the duration of your stay. We recommend at least 2-3 days to be able to see everything, longer if you would like to take your time and really explore along the way.