australia outback

The Oodnadatta Track

The great Outback Australia travel adventure


The Oodnadatta Track is certainly the most historic Outback track in Australia, hence it should be on top of your South Australia travel itinerary.
The track is classified as an easier route, so it is just right for anyone with no Outback experience.

The Oodnadatta Track follows an ancient trail used by Aborigines for ochre trading for thousands of years. Artesian mound springs supply water in this arid region.
Aborigines relied on this water source as well as the European explorers who used the route to build the Overland Telegraph and the Old Ghan railway lines in the late 19th century.

oodnadatta track

Wongianna Ruins - Oodnadatta Track

This was the time when the story of the Australian camels began. Without the ships of the desert exploring the vast Australian inland would have been even harder.

Your Oodnadatta Track photos and stories
Have a great story and photo from the Oodnadatta Track to share with our readers?
Have you seen Lake Eyre in flood?

Click here to share your story, or ask a question about the track.
Don't be shy! It is easy to fill in the form, and yeah, your contribution will appear on a page only built for you!

These days the Oodnadatta Track is a well maintained gravel road of approx. 620 km that begins in Marree. It is a great route to travel from South Australia to the Northern Territory, and it is much more interesting than the sealed Stuart Highway.

How to get there?

Coming from the south take the Hawker-Leigh Creek Road that passes by the Flinders Ranges. The bitumen ended in Lyndhurst until recently.
On my last trip to this region (Nov. 2008) roadworks were in progress, and locals in Marree told me that the route from Marree to Lyndhurst is going to be sealed very soon.
Don't miss the Ochre Pits and the ghost town Farina on your way to Marree.

If you come from the north along the Stuart Highway, the entry to the Oodnadatta Track is roughly 160 km south of the South Australian border.

Travelling along the track can be divided into three legs, which are decribed in detail in the Outback Guide. If you really want to take it easy, and take your time to explore the ruins and natural highlights along the way, you allow yourself one day for each stage of about 200 km.

The route step by step

  • Marree To William Creek (204 km) - in my opinion the most diverse part of the track. Lake Eyre, mound springs, several ruins of former Ghan railway sidings are among the highlights.
  • William Creek to Oodnadatta (202 km) - see more relics of the Old Ghan, including the huge Algebuckina railway bridge.
  • Oodnadatta to Marla (211 km) - Both the Ghan and the Overland Telegraph Line leave the track north of the township Oodnadatta. So on this last leg you won't see much history, just beautiful Outback landscape.
  • If you get the chance make a detour to the Painted Desert from Oodnadatta. This is sheer Outback beauty, and truly worth the visit. You can also use the painted desert track for a short cut to Australia's famous opal capital, Coober Pedy.

Check the driving Distances Outback for more travel distances in this part of the South Australian Outback. Prepare yourself and your car for the trip, don't miss the section about Outback safety in this guide.

oodnadatta track
Stuart Range - Outback South Australia


Each little town along the track offers basic Outback accommodation and other facilities travellers need. It is always wise to refuel, and check your water stocks.

The Oodnadatta Track takes you into true Outback country - stony plains, rocky hills and wildflowers after good rain. You have to cross several creeks and river systems, most of them are usually dry.

"Sandy creeks that flow nowhere,

Excepting when it rains"...

This line from a Slim Dusty song really fits. Everywhere in the Outback you'll recognize dry waterways by the stands of river red gums and coolibah trees along the dry creek beds.

Talking of rain.... water causes the biggest problem when driving out there, anywhere in the Outback. It doesn't rain often, but if the rain comes it can be torrential. Always check with the locals for the weather report.

Take your time and explore this timeless land, and the historic features along the way. Make it a trip of a lifetime. For me it really was an unique Outback travel experience.

When you reach Marla on the Stuart Highway, you are back on bitumen, but still in the Outback. You can either go to the Alice Springs and Uluru, or down south to Coober Pedy, Port Augusta and Adelaide.

Permits

As long as you stay on the main road you don't need any permits. However, if you plan to make a detour to a National or Conservation Park, you need to obtain either a Deserts Park Pass or a day permit. Both are available in Marree and William Creek.


Ready to go? Let's start in my favourite Outback town, Marree.

Map of the Oodnadatta Track - opens a new window for your convenient reading and planning.

Enjoy this most interesting track in the South Australian Outback. I just loved this tour!


Have a story about your Oodnadatta Track adventure to tell?
Share it with us

You already travelled along the Oodnadatta Track, and want to tell us about your experience?
You saw Lake Eyre in flood?

Share your story with us.

You have a great photo of one of these magical Outback moments? Show us your photos and tell the story about it.

My readers want to read your stories.

You can also ask any questions. I am happy to help you to prepare your trip.

Don't be shy. It is easy to fill in the form, and your story will be online in no time.

Thanks for sharing!

Enter the title of your story

Read other readers stories

Click below to see contributions from other visitors to this page...

Sailing on Lake Eyre  I am wondering if you have any tips for us. We plan to take a heron sailing dinghy to the lake and sail on it. We have been several times before but never ...

Journey thru the most central town in Australia  I recently traveled from Quilpie in the Queensland Channel Country to Tibooburra, North of Broken Hill, NSW. There were some concerns about flood-damaged ...

Lyndhurst to Marree road conditions  What is the road surface between Leigh Creek and Marree? On Google is looks sealed, but on most maps I have looked it, it is shown as unsealed.
Reason ...

Marree - William Creek with a normal car  Hi there,

Congrats for your web site, it s full of great informations and I can't wait any more for my travel.
I am about to do a trip from Melbourne ...

Family Trip - Melbourne - Coober Pedy - Oodnadatta Track  Hi, I am very excited to be planning a trip accross S.A, Coober Pedy and then Marla down to Marree . Our Kids are rather young, 5 and 4 at the time ...

Road surface - Oodnadatta track  We are planning a trip to Darwin mid 2010 and would dearly love to travel the Oodnadatta track.

Presuming weather conditions are OK, would the road ...

Our Lake Eyre Adventure  May Day! May Day! May 1 was the beginning of our first real "outback adventure". We had driven to "The Alice" before, thru southern NSW and up to the ...

William Creek to Lake Eyre with a Subaru Forester  Hi Rita,

I am really impressed with your website and the information that has been posted. I am from Melbourne and will be working in Alice Springs,...

Driving from Melbourne to Lake Eyre  Hi Rita, first thank you for this site for intrepid travellers such as myself. I am hiring a campervan with my 12 y.o. daughter and taking her on a road ...

Lake Eyre - Level Post Bay  Hi,
I'm travelling through that area on the weekend and staying Saturday night at Lyndhurst and have Sunday free before heading down south.

My better ...

Lake Eyre Trip  hello, we would like to travel to lake eyre now the waters are there, but would also like to visit coober pedy and see the flinders national park.
We ...

Travel times for Oodnadatta track  My wife and I are planning a trip to Darwin in September 2010, and were thinking about driving to Coober Pedy via the Oodnadatta track.

We are staying ...

Victorian Invasion  Well Rita, heading your way and meeting up with some other 4x4 Earth Forum members for what should be an enjoyable Trip,

Cheers GRUMPY

Response ...

Family of 5 travelling from Boggabri to Darwin via Alice Springs   Hi Rita,
This is a great web site. We are leaving on the 25th June, and intend to head to S.A. and go on the Oodnadatta Track to Coober Pedy. What is ...

Birdsville and Oodnadatta Tracks  Hi,

We are going to be travelling these 2 tracks at end of June and beginning of July.
We are wondering how the roads are now. Are they still flooded?...

Christmas Aboriginal Santa  Hi,
I am a Journalist from Vibe Magazine which goes into all the schools in Australia for Aboriginal Kids.
I am trying to find some Info about Christmas ...

Canoeing Lake Eyre  Hi Rita,
My son and I are travelling to Lake Eyre (4 wheel drive and camper) in the school holidays and would like your help with a few things.

1....

Lake Eyre  Just wondering which is the best track to see the most, as we are planning to go to lake Eyre in a couple of weeks.

Lake Eyre Halligan Bay photo ...







Search This Guide





Oodnadatta Track

Follow the Oodnadatta Track step by step.

Oodnadatta Track

Marree

Marree to William Creek

William Creek

William Creek to Oodnadatta

Oodnadatta to Marla

Accommodation & supplies

Don't miss these great attractions in the area

Lake Eyre

Coober Pedy

Painted Desert

Australian Outback Cattle Drive

Stuart Highway

Outback South Australia

Worried about your safety out there?
Check the Outback safety section!

Outback Safety

Recommended Map

This map covers the Oodnadatta, Birdsville & Strzelecki Tracks & the Corner Country.

outback-map

Current Weather


weather radar


Advertise on the Outback Guide

Do you...

... own a local business in the Australian Outback?

... offer the unique tour that everyone enjoys?

...run the friendly lodging that feels like home?

You can advertise your business to prospective visitors!

Please check out terms and conditions.

Newsletter

I invite you to subscribe to the "Bush Telegraph", my occasional newsletter. Don't miss the news from the Australian Outback.

Email

Name

Then

Don't worry -- your e-mail address is totally secure.
I promise to use it only to send you The Bush Telegraph.

If you have missed an issue of the Bush Telegraph go to the back issues page.

ritas-outback-guide



[?] Subscribe To This Site

XML RSS
Add to Google
Add to My Yahoo!
Add to My MSN
Subscribe with Bloglines

My Secret

Have you ever dreamt about being independent? To turn your passion into a business?

Have a look at how I built this website, without any knowledge. Learn about my secret.
It could change your life. :)

SBI! Monthly Billing Option