8 must-sees on the Oodnadatta Track
Before the Oodnadatta Track existed – in fact, well before Europeans were on the scene at all – this was an Aboriginal trading route which followed a series of springs fed by the Great Artesian Basin.
To cut an extremely long story short, rain falling on the Great Dividing Range takes a million or so years to travel half way across the country via an underground aquifer – porous rock sandwiched between layers of non-porous rock. Where the aquifer bends up to meet the earth’s surface, the water is released as springs. Water means life, because you can’t survive in the desert on lizards alone.
These springs proved vital for early explorers and settlers, and this became the main route north. Then came the overland telegraph, connecting Australia with England, followed by the Great Northern Railway – later the Ghan – and finally the Oodnadatta Track as we know it today.
Even with its springs and delicious lizards, this is still a considerably hostile place. The outback heat can be brutal, and many months – sometimes years – can pass without significant rain. Yet, ironically, it was flash flooding of the waterways draining into Lake Eyre that often brought the train to a halt.
The rail service became so unreliable that by 1980 the whole shebang had been relocated further west where there was less likelihood of weather-related disruptions.
Although regularly damaged by bushfires, floods and termites, the overland telegraph line continued to be used until the 1970s, when a string of microwave towers rendered the line redundant.
Given nature’s relentless determination to destroy everything we make, it’s surprising how much of the rail and telegraph infrastructure remains. But in the end the forces of nature will win out, so maybe it’s time to plan a trip north this winter and experience a unique part of our country.
Here are eight things that shouldn’t be missed on a road trip along the Oodnadatta Track.
Kati Thanda – Lake Eyre
More often dry than not, Lake Eyre is Australia’s biggest lake. In fact it’s so big it’s difficult to truly comprehend its size from the ground.
Just off the Oodnadatta Track there are a couple of places that look out over the smaller, Lake Eyre South, but to view the main lake you’ll need to travel from Marree to Level Post Bay (96km) or from William Creek to Halligan Bay (64km). These tracks head into extremely remote areas, so self-sufficiency is crucial.
Halligan Bay is particularly remote and is only accessible in a high clearance 4wd vehicle.
To really appreciate the magnitude of this ‘inland sea’ you’ll need to take to the skies. Wrightsair flies out of William Creek, and if you have the time it’s worth including the Painted Hills on your flight (photo at the top). Located on Anna Creek cattle station, the hills are so fragile that no vehicle access is permitted.
Remnants of an ancient seafloor, these brittle mesas reveal vivid scars of colour as they crumble to the desert plain.
Curdimurka Rail Siding
The Curdimurka site was restored by the Ghan Preservation Society, who, in the mid-1980s, organised a biennial outback ball to help fund ongoing restoration. The fundraising shindig is no longer held, but the fettlers cottages and the water treatment plant remain largely intact.