Great Outback Drive - Corner Country

by Terry Everson
(Whalan NSW)

The Roller Coaster Drive

The Roller Coaster Drive

There are many classic outback drives and one of my favourites is the drive from Tibooburra to Innamincka run via Cameron Corner referred to for obvious reasons as Corner Country.

It takes in the North West corner of New South Wales and the North East part of South Australia and South West Corner of Queensland. Cameron Corner is where the three States meet and there is a corner store there to provide fuel, a drink and a feed.

If you are interested in Australia's history of early white exploration it is worthwhile visiting Depot Glen and nearby Mt Poole. It was at Depot Glen where Explorer Charles Sturt and his men were trapped from January 1845 to July 1845 because of drought and this being a permanent water supply sustained them. To give his men something to do Sturt instructed them to build a rock cairn on nearby Mt. Poole which he named after his second in command. Little did Sturt realise that he was erecting a monument to John Poole who later died here. This Rock Cairn and John Poole's crude grave and marked tree located near the base of Mt. Poole can still be seen to-day.

Getting back to the drive. After leaving Cameron Corner it is a roller coaster ride over clay capped sand dunes until you reach the Strezlecki Track near Merti Merti Station. Although the dunes are clay acapped and generally pose no problems except when it is wet, it is wise to take care at the crests for in times of drought they can sometimes break up and be a trap for the unwary.

Near Merti Merti there is a line of red sand dunes a good bush camp an ideal spot to take photographs of the sandhills at sunset. From here you also have a choice of taking the old Strezlecki Track which follows the creek lie or continue on to the usually well graded new Strezlecki Track to Innamincka and the delightful Cooper Creek.
For the intrepid traveller I would recommend the old Strezlecki Track, while it doesn't offer too much difficulty it gives you more of a feeling of being Outback and isn't that what we go there for.

Comments for Great Outback Drive - Corner Country

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Feb 28, 2015
Photo
by: Australia So Much to See

Are you aware this photo Corner Country appears on http://www.travelwithamate.com/exciting-4wd-tracks-australia/? This is a world travel website of photos which in the majority are taken from travel websites.

Apr 14, 2011
Loved the corner country
by: Rita

Hi Terry and everyone,

I finally made it to the corner country last October, before the big rains hit the area. This is such a beautiful area.
I never saw the Outback so green, so many wildflowers, it was stunning.

I thoroughly enjoyed the drive from Cameron Corner to Merti Merti, sorry to hear your friend got problems there, Damien.

The old Strzelecki Track was closed, and even the main track had some wet sections which were a bit difficult to drive on.

Rita

Nov 10, 2009
Adventure
by: Dexter Nicholas

What would you expect on the great outback? A great adventure of course!. The winding and exciting roads here are one of the best especially when your on a 4x4.

Nov 03, 2009
Not for those that get car sick
by: Damian

I also drove down this road with a mate that didn't know beforehand that he gets car sick. We made it, but not without him having his head out the window sucking in a lot of air along the way.

Oct 27, 2009
Beautiful Photo
by: Rita

Thank you for the beautiful photo and the very interesting report.

On the way from Mount Ive to Kingoonya we drove on a roller coaster road like the one in your picture. We called it "Yahoo Road" as we always felt like yelling yahoo when we went down a crest, and climbed the next one.

Rita

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