This is a full account of our trip on the Oodnadatta Track. The Facebook posts were quick and easy to upload each day, and I really appreciated this method of posting information and photographs. I also had two telephones, one connected to Optus (good connection at every stop on the Oodnadatta Track) and the other connected to Telstra, via an Aldi sim card. Only in Marla were we unable to connect to any mast, as the Telstra mast was for Telstra users only! This happened when we were in Streaky Bay.
And why travel the Oodnadatta Track you may very well ask. It is a road steeped in European history, as it follows the old Ghan railway line as far as Oodnadatta, from there onwards one needs a serious 4WD vehicle and outback experience to follow the railway line to Alice Springs. The main track is 620 km on a maintained (mostly) outback road and suitable for drivers who have not had off road experience. People like us. A little bit adventurous but in a relatively safe way. We knew the Oodnadatta was within our reach, with plenty of planning and preparation.
The scenery was amazing, the desert constantly changing, with dry creeks lined with trees, salt bush, ever changing colours, small rocky outcrops, gibber stones plus ruins of buildings, water tanks and bridges.
The area was also part of the great artesian basin, which provided a good water source for the indigenous people, the afghan camel trains, and the steam trains once the railway was built. Natural springs occur along the track, especially before William Creek.
The sign in the photograph below that informs people whether the roads are open or closed. There had been rain a couple of months before, and the road was massively rutted at this stage, as was every verge in Marree. I think Marree must sit on low ground and easily flooded when it rains.
Before I continue, I need to backtrack a little. The road from Lyndhurst was only sealed two years ago, so technically the track starts there, 80 kms south of Marree.
We stopped in the ghost town of Farina, once a thriving place on the Ghan line. Well thriving might be a little optimistic, but I am sure that when first settled by Europeans in 1878 people had high hopes of prosperity through growing grain. Mostly there was just drought and dust. And bush flies.
We parked in front of the old hospital/hotel.
The underground bakery, very much in use during the winter months.
We bought biscuits, scrolls and the most delicious fruit loaf, with half a kilo of fruit in it. We used this loaf for breakfast for the next week.
Early the next day we set off on the track, or really it was a road, a pretty rough road. It all depended how recently the road had been graded and the base soil layer. We learnt to tell by the colour of the soil, as to how rough it would be, red soil could be either rutted or corrugated or okay, black soil was corrugated and white soil generally okay. Dry creek beds were always corrugated as was the approach and exit of cattle grids. The latter probably due to people slowing down before the grid and taking off afterwards.
Onwards to Marree, for an overnight stop. No room in the free camping area beside the hotel, so we went to the very busy caravan park. All so different from the deserted place last August. A delicious dinner at the hotel that night, sustainable sausages where not on the menu, so no temptation there.
Luckily the deep bull dust holes had markers around them. For those people not in the know, holes in the road get filled with dust, and it was not possible to know there was a hole there until the wheel hit the hole. At speed this could tip the vehicle over or wreck the suspension. Speed is a killer on this road, even for a 4WD vehicle.
First of all we topped up on fuel, made sure we had plenty of water, both drinking and for washing, and lowered the tyre pressure for both the car and the caravan, which was pretty crucial for rough roads. The recommended speed for the lowered tyre pressure was 40 to 60 kmh. And I generally kept to the speed limit, although did increase it to 70 kmh on the very good sections of road.
The caravan bumped along behind our car, but not everything inside liked the bumps that much! We covered the vents with plastic, not wanting to repeat the dust problems of the year before. However, I forgot the vent behind the stove and micro wave so had to do a bit of cleaning out there afterwards.
We also kept the screen door closed when using the caravan, and had a can of fly spray in the car. We also remembered the flies that filled the caravan last year. The flies had a habit of clinging to clothes, even though we got into the car very quickly.
The early morning sun on the desert was pretty special, a bit blinding as it was low, but it certainly made the stones and red soil sparkle.
No photos of the amazing sculpture park, just before the turnoff to Roxby Downs. Not sure what happened there.
Our next stop was on the edge of Lake Eyre, which was 15 metres below sea level. Certainly a highlight on our trip. There was no water in this part of the lake, just a deep layer of salt. I walked out to the edge of the lake, not an easy walk in the soft sand. Piper enjoyed it, and wanted to sniff at every bush, no doubt there were lots of interesting creatures lurking there. I kept a good eye out for snakes.
A camel train came past while we were there. Someone doing a charity walk we think.
Walter had to do the first of the minor repairs at this stop. A hinge on one of the cupboard doors had come away. Luckily he had plenty of screws in the tool box and the door was quickly screwed back on.
The wetland area, developed with the water that flowed out of the artesian spring. The water ended in a man made dam.
I was delighted to see three brolgas (Australian cranes) fly in and land in the wetlands. A magnificent sight.
They had the best long drop toilets I have ever seen. Tiled floors, painted walls with handwashing sinks on the outside. No smell and no flies.
Walter and Piper standing still, despite the flies.
We had come prepared for tyre problems, and all caravan repairs, and both the car and caravan had been prepared for the trip.
But what we had not prepared for, was the incident just before Coward Springs, our overnight stop. Up until there the road had been extremely busy, and mostly full of 4WD vehicles, with or without small outback campers being towed behind. We wondered if many of these vehicles were bought on a whim to replace an overseas trip. Speed seemed to be important to these travellers.
The road was extremely corrugated and we were travelling slowly. We pulled over as far as we could, when a 4WD towing an outback camper roared past us at about 100 kmh. Consequently a stone flew up from the camper trailer and hit the driver's window, and shattered the glass. It was very scary. And made worse by the fact that I was about to make a right hand turn into Coward Springs camping ground.
The owners of the camping ground were very sympathetic, and said they also had had problems with people speeding on the road in front of their camping ground. And were not surprised that we had been hit by a stone. Friendly sympathy always helps!
It was also a delightful camping ground, such a great find despite the broken side window.
Coward Springs was an oasis in the desert, lots of trees including palms, and plenty of water. Once there was a hotel here and people travelling on the Ghan would stop here for a few days in order to soak in the hot springs. The hotel is now gone, and of course there is no longer a railway line or train going past.
The camping ground is extremely well laid out, and a great place to spend a night or two. Certainly not a cheap place to stay at $15 per person per night and children half that price.
The owners have a pop up coffee van, where they sell coffee, cakes and dates from their own palms. Excellent coffee, and very popular. It was busy all morning, from the time it opened at 7.30 a.m. until it closed at 11.30 a.m. People on the road saw their sign and also popped in for a coffee. In the middle of the desert.
There was a wood fired heater for the showers in front of the building in the photograph below. Scott, the owner, fired it up early in the morning, and late in the afternoon. It was up to campers to light it at other times.
The old railway house held a very interesting museum.
Piper investigating the pool. Good use was made of the old sleepers from the railway line, as they lined the area around the pool. We saw that they had been used in many other parts of the camping ground.
Nets over hats were needed during the day, in order to keep the flies away from the face. Not entirely flattering, but everyone was using them. No net for Piper!
A very enterprising husband! Walter persuaded the insurance company to send someone out to replace our side window. If it had been any other window, (not the front one though) we would have taped it up and put some cling film on it. But the driver's window was crucial as we were towing a caravan and I needed to have good vision via the side mirror.
We hitched the caravan up, in order to drive the 70 kms to William Creek. Unfortunately the car would not start, a flat battery due to the glass repair men using the car battery to vacuum up the glass. Luckily there were plenty of jump leads around, including ours, so a quick charge from a 4WD vehicle close by and we were on our way.
Our little spot in the camping ground. No grass here for Piper but she was quite happy to use the leaf litter under the trees.
There was an extensive array of bits of machinery and old rockets in the park opposite the pub. There was also no litter lying around, so someone must clean up every day.
Inside the pub there were heaps of mementos from visitors, hanging from the ceiling. You name it, it was there.
Even to travel to Coober Pedy to get it fixed meant travelling with the side window down. The thought of 250 km in choking dust did not appeal to us at all.
Walter explained all of the above to the insurance company, and after two hours they agreed to pay for someone from Coober Pedy to come to us. A 500 km round journey. The window arrived in Coober Pedy the next morning, the glass repair company then hired a 4WD vehicle, and drove to us, and they arrived about 12 o'clock. It took roughly two hours to replace the glass, not an easy job. They even used the cardboard around the new glass, to cover our back window for us. Apparently stones can easily flip up from under the car, hit the caravan and then hit the back window of the car.
The two men apparently had a lovely day out, driving a 4WD in the outback. They were also given a tour of the camping ground, and one of them said he was going to bring his wife back and camp there for a few days.
We were so relieved to have a new window!
We continued to slow down, and pull over, but we no longer trusted the vehicles coming from the opposite direction. If people did not slow down, Walter motioned them to do so with his hand, which interestingly worked as most people responded accordingly.
Thank goodness there was very little traffic after William Creek. There was a junction here, with a connecting road to Coober Pedy. It would appear many of those speedy vehicles came from Coober Pedy, and turned south towards Marree at William Creek. Perhaps they were trying to drive on as many outback roads as possible in the limited holidays that they had!
William Creek, where every building has been painted with the same white paint. The owner bought all the land, houses, and buildings, in the settlement. He also owns the aeroplanes. A very large and successful business. There are about 10 permanent residents in William Creek.
The pub is meant to be the only corrugated pub left in South Australia.
Excellent coffee in the morning too.
On the way again, the next morning. Perfect weather, and lots of flies. We drove through Anna Creek Station, which was the world's largest working cattle station. It covered 15,746 square kilometres and was established in 1872.
At the entrance to the station there was a box holding fresh eggs for sale. So incongruous out here with nothing else around. We did not add to our egg collection, some of which came out of the fridge on the last section of the road.
We checked the car and caravan at this stage and walked Piper around a bit, at the same time attracting heaps of flies, so had to spray the inside of the car. We were in it too. I hate the smell of fly spray but it was better than the flies.
The road ahead. The soil was mainly sandy, so good driving conditions, and very little traffic which was an added bonus.
We followed the railway line, and saw many old railway bridges, one was hidden amongst the trees in the photograph below.
There were plenty of ruins, mainly fettlers' cottages. We would have loved to explore further but were not sure if it was wise to drive off the road to see them.
The main attraction on this road was the Algebuckina Bridge which was an amazing sight especially as there was water in the creek below. It opened in January 1892 and was the longest railway bridge in South Australia until the construction of the Seaford railway bridge (not far from us here) in 2014. It was made of lattice wrought iron and spanned 587 metres. Many men died working in temperatures in the mid 40s during the construction of the bridge.
There were free camping spots by the bridge and it would have been great to stay here overnight but we were keen to stay in Oodnadatta, which was 55 kms further north.
The Pink Roadhouse, Oodnadatta. It certainly stands out, and inside equally as pink. The roadhouse was known for its hamburgers, which we indulged in too. Simply the best ever.
Oodnadatta is a very small town, currently about 204 residents live there. It was established in 1890 and was the terminus for the Ghan railway until 1929 when the line was extended to Alice Springs. The telegraph line also ran through Oodnadatta. Until the railway was closed in 1981, Oodnadatta was a very important place on the line, as a service centre and supply depot for surrounding pastoral properties.
The camping ground was a little rustic, rather like the one in Marree. A photograph of the camp kitchen.
It is now a residential freehold town for Indigenous people. There is a large Aboriginal school there, with superb outdoor facilities, including a grassed oval, and covered play areas. Unfortunately I did not take a photograph of the school. It was impressive.
I did take a photograph of one of the dilapidated houses on the main street, with the rusted cars at the side.
Plenty of character in this house.
The very large railway station, which showed the importance of Oodnadatta as a railway town. It was all a little sad to see though, especially the rusted pieces of machinery lying around on the ground. Progress.
A rather picturesque property, with the pink tyre by the front fence. Many items were pink here.
Oodnadatta was a fascinating place, and full of history. Sadly there was much paper rubbish around, especially by the roadhouse. It was almost as if no one cared anymore.
On the road again, for the last section where we passed just a few vehicles, one with a puncture (we did stop and offer to help), and one a 4WD, loaded with children, that turned off and drove across the desert to an unknown destination. I hope they knew where they were going. I forgot to say we also passed two cyclists, not an uncommon sight on the track.
There is a turn off at Oodnadatta. This road leads south west across the painted desert to Coober Pedy. A very picturesque journey I believe.
As we were heading north to Alice Springs we needed to continue to Marla. This section of the track had a subsoil of stones, and when graded would be a fairly good road. We passed many piles of stones and machinery so we think that currently there was work in progress. On the day we drove through the road was badly corrugated and rutted and we barely went above 50 kmh.. At times we drove on the opposite side of the road as the ruts were facing the opposite way, which meant we barely felt them. As vehicles were visible for kilometres away (dust) we felt fairly safe, although I always went back across to the correct side when going around corners, just in case there were cyclists.
There was not much to see on this section, other than desert, as the old railway line went straight ahead at Oodnadatta and we travelled north west to Marla.
Finally, the welcome site of Marla, and a lovely caravan park, with plenty of green grass and modern facilities.
I also had a good clean up of the inside of the caravan, including the broken eggs on the floor which had gelled with the red dust and became red glue. Now, you would think I would learn and tie the fridge door closed, after it opened on the previous stretch of the track. Although I had locked the fridge door, the bumps had opened the locking mechanism. I learnt the hard way, via the eggs and red dust. It was almost impossible to clean up dried egg yolk and red dust.
Interestingly the bumps had unscrewed the lid on the vegemite jar, the lid on the mustard jar, the lid on the herbs and the knob on the pot lid. No mess but interesting all the same.
We were invited, together with other caravaners around us, to drinks at a nearby caravan. Such a great end to a four day adventure.
And yes, it was most certainly worth the experience, despite the broken window, corrugated roads, dust and flies. An amazing experience!
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