Oodnadatta Track
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| route has diminished but it has gained tremendous
popularity with many as an easier 4wd trip. Your trip run from Marree in the northern eastern section of South Australia to the Finke Aboriginal Community Settlement in the Northern Territory, a distance of a little under 700 km. As with most of these desert trips, the best time to travel is in the winter months from April to October, mainly because the heat in the summer months can get very high. As with many desert 4wd trips that start of in this area the Oodnadatta Track starts of at Marree in north east South Australia. The Birdsville also starts here and the Strzelecki from just south at Lyndhurst. The are a couple of stretches without fuel along this trip, the longest being about 205 kilometers from Marree to William Creek. Marree was a main center for the Afghan camel drivers in the old days who used the town as a center for the journeys as far away as Alice Springs to deliver supplies. The town was also home to Tom Kruse in the 1930's who was the Royal Mail postman at the time. He became famous for his mail deliveries to outback settlements up the Birdsville Track, often under very difficult circumstances, driving his employers truck. The Oodnadatta Track also has a significant historical past as it runs very close to the Old Ghan Railway line, which closed in 1980, and the Overland Telegraph Line. The Oodnadatta Track takes you north west through the Great Central Desert into the Northern Territory. Heading north out of Marree the track veers left at the Muloorina Homestead turnoff, which is off to the right. The Muloorina Homestead turnoff also leads to the shores of the massive Lake Eyre North and the eastern reaches of Lake Eyre South, however there is a good vantage point further up the Oodnadatta that gives a panoramic view of Lake Eyre South. Continuing on the Oodnadatta Track it is now heading west and passes through the Dog Fence about 45km out of Marree. For those that don't know the dog fence is the longest fence ever constructed anywhere in the world and stretches from Western Australia across central Australian and up into Queensland. It was put up to keep the wild Dingo dogs to the north and away from the sheep in the south. Not much of it remains at this point so don't expect a wild fanfare as you pass through, if you notice it at all. Some 20km from the fence the Hermit Hill and its cairn can be seen to the north whilst a little further on the Borefield Road joins the Oodnaddata Track from the south. The Borefield Road takes you 125km to the mining town of Roxby Downs. Approximately 85km from Marree, and 15 or so from the Borefield Road turnoff, is a track off to the north east that leads to a lookout which is an excellent vantage point for viewing Lake Eyre South. The track is fairly close to Lake Eyre at this point and there are a couple of other tracks further on that also lead of to the north east and to Lake Eyre observation points. About 30km from the Borefield Road turnoff the well preserved buildings of the Curdimurka Siding become clearly visible. The buildings were restored some years ago by the Ghan Railway Preservation Society and every other year the Curdimurka Ball is held here to help raise funds for future restoration projects along the Ghan. The event is very popular and attracts visitors from all over the world. About 30 km past Curdimurka is Coward Springs, home to the famous mound springs. They are formed when water from the artesian basin rises to the surface and brings with it minerals and sediment from deep in the earth. The minerals and sediment are left on the surrounds of the springs as water evaporate sand and in doing so slowly increases the height of mounds so that they are higher than the natural ground level, hence the term 'mound'. Small vegetation grows around the mound springs edges and the water is home to several species each of snail, prawn and small fish. Some of the species are unique to just one mound spring. In days gone by there used to be a pub, hospital and railway siding at Coward Springs, little of which remains today. They is a good camping area here which is a little small but is popular and can get busy. In the peak season you will be asked to pay for a camping permit as you enter. Around 40 kilometers after Coward Springs is the Strangways Siding, also in a state of advanced decay and a little past the siding the Strangeways Telegraph Station, which is one of the OTL repeater stations located between Port Augusta and Alice Springs. Just before reaching William Creek, which is about 30km from Strangeways Siding, is another public access track that leads of to the right for about 60km to Halligan Bay, on the shores of Lake Eyre North, where there is a camping area set aside. This is very remote road with not much traffic. If you are going to travel down it advise the authorities before you leave and again when you return. Next stop, William Creek and also the turnoff to Coward Springs, home to the famous mound springs. They are formed when water from the artesian basin rises to the surface and brings with it minerals and sediment from deep in the earth. William Creek is a small town but probably a welcome stopping off place after the journey from Marree. Amongst other things there is also an air charter service here that happily takes visitors to William Creek on joy rides over Lake Eyre, to the Dalhousie Homestead region in the Witjira National Park and over the Simpson Desert. A few kilometers north of William Creek is the junction to the west, or left depending on which way you are traveling, with the William Creek Road to Anna Creek, not far down the track, and Coober Pedy about 165km due west from the junction. About 65 km north of William Creek is the turnoff to the east that goes to the Nilpinna Station Homestead a few kilometers off the Oodnadatta Track. About 20km past this junction are the remains of the Edward Creek Siding, also on the Old Ghan Line, and its water softening tanks. Many of the sidings had these tanks as the bore water was too hard to be used in the locomotives that traveled up the Ghan and was pre-treated before being used. North of here is the Peake Station Homestead and a little further another siding ruin, the Warrina Siding. About 110km from William Creek is the monument erected in memory of Ernest Giles who did a fair bit of exploring in the area. The track leading east at the monument leads to the Peake Telegraph Station ruins which comprises of several old stone buildings. Whilst there has been some restoration work done here much is still in a state of ruin. The telegraph station is about 15km down the track. It is an interesting diversion. The building of this telegraph station plus the already existing Peake Homestead and a newly built police station made this area into a reasonably sized community. It all came to and and was abandoned in the early 1890's when Oodnadatta came into existence and most of the public servants were relocated there. Back onto the Oodnadatta Track and on northwards, and for about 15km away from the Old Ghan Track, the ruins of the Peake Creek Siding can be seen. As the Oodnadatta rejoins the Ghan the track crosses Peake Creek and not much further the track crosses the Neales River, the largest watercourse on the Oodnadatta Track. Just upstream from the track crossing is the Algebuckina Bridge which is the largest bridge ever constructed in South Australia and was built to carry the Ghan Rail Track. On the northern end of the bridge are the graves of workers involved in the bridge's construction. To the east of the bridge is a track to the Algebuckina Waterhole which is a designated camping area. From here you will pass the Mount Dutton Ruins as the track travels north and shortly after the turnoff to the Allandale Homestead. Shortly the track again crosses the Neales River which offers several pleasant camp sites amongst the trees on its banks. You would be lucky to see water in the river as it is mostly a dry riverbed. From here it is only a few kilometers into Oodnadatta. Here you will find a town that has survived, despite the Ghan being relocated westward, with a population of around 200. There are some famous landmarks around here with probably the best known being the Pink Roadhouse. The proprietors, Adam and Lynnie have been around for years and can tell you everything you would ever want to know about the area. Any pink information signs that you see along the track in the region have been erected by them and they have even produced some of their own local maps. Oodnadatta is the point where many who have come up the Oodnadatta Track from Lyndhurst and Marree now branch off here onto other tracks and into other trips. Whilst the Oodnadatta Track continues westward to Marla and the Sturt Highway, there is another track that continues to follow the Old Ghan Rail line to Finke, although it doesn't run as close to the track as it did up to Oodnadatta. Oodnadatta to Marla is around 210km via the Wellbourne Station. Oodnadatta it is also the start of the Simpson Desert trip to the north east and has become one of the most popular 4wd trips of modern times. On occasions there are even traffic jams as vehicles get stuck crossing the dunes. The majority of trips through the Simpson Desert are done west to east because the inclines on the westward slopes of the sand dunes are of a lesser gradient than east to west. As of November 2007 the Simpson will be closed annually from the last week in November until February. It is too hot to travel this desert during this period anyway. Others will head south west to Coober Pedy via Mount Barry a distance of nearly 200km. Another destination from here is Cadney Park also on the Sturt Highway. This route is a little more appropriate to 4wd vehicles and first travels along the Coober Pedy road to the Arckaringa Homestead turnoff and then via the Cooper Hills Homestead to Cadney Park. Cadney Park offers camping facilities, fuel and supplies and is about 175km from Oodnadatta. The most adventurous travelers will continue north and head for Finke, following the Old Ghan Railway line. Whilst you shouldn't experience harsh four wheel driving conditions on the route it is definitely a 4wd track only. Heading out of town on the Oodnadatta Track towards Marla, there is a turnoff about 17km out of town there is a northerly turnoff to Mount Sarah and the Hamilton Homestead and is a reasonably good track to Hamilton Homestead, which is a little over 100km from Oodnadatta. The route follows a track that passes many homesteads along the way and cross several creeks and some 285km from Oodnadatta the track reaches Finke. Finke was a main junction on the Old Ghan Railway and it was suspected that it would be abandoned after the re-alignment of the Ghan westward but was taken over by the Aboriginal community and is now a thriving, although small, town of some 200 population. From Finke it is about 150km to Kulgera and the bituminised Sturt Highway. Oodnadatta Track Maps, Atlas and
Guides
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