Touring the Flinders Ranges and Oodnadatta Track

“Life isn’t about the destination. It’s about all the wild stuff that happens along the way.”

When heading north from Melbourne our first outback camp was at Red Banks Conservation Park just outside of Burra in South Australia, before heading into the Flinders Ranges for three peaceful nights. This proved to be a perfect short stay in this natural wonderland and rugged beauty.

The Flinders Ranges is an ancient landscape. Think towering peaks, granite gorges millions of years old, tracks that encompass dry riverbeds and majestic, gnarly gumtrees that look as though they could talk to you. Everyone we’d met had told us how busy it was in the major centres of Rawnsley Park Station and Wilpena Pound, but we found that the station stays were almost always quiet and accessible.

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Our station stay at Edeowie on the western side of the Flinders is a brilliant way to begin an outback odyssey. This sheep and cattle property neighbours the National Park and offers access to the Edeowie and Bunyeroo Gorges, with a stunning outlook and spectacular starry skies at night.

There’s a wide range of accommodation available with historic shearers quarters, Edeowie House, Brachina Hut and secluded bush camping sites. We opted for power, had campfires every night and were virtually the only ones there during our three-night stay.

One of the many highlights of a stay at Edeowie Station is a self-guided Bunyeroo 4WD loop drive of 23km from the property, which provides exclusive access to the Bunyeroo Gorge and many rocky tracks to enjoy.

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We’re given a mud map by Peter the station manager, so it’s relatively easy to orient ourselves out here on this lonesome open track. There are a few gates marked on the map, which we’re always mindful to open and close as we find them. We drive through dry riverbeds, walk for an hour in to Bunyeroo Gorge and enjoy a late lunch parked out in the middle of nowhere surrounded by those epic views the Flinders is famous for.

Back on the station, it’s a short drive to visit the ruins of the old Edeowie township, established back in 1875. It’s a compelling sight to see these ruins in the late afternoon glow with the stark mountains in the background. This is history, magnificent, mesmerising and utterly enthralling countryside.

Flinders Ranges to Farina

The sun was shining brightly as we left our station stay, with Farina our next destination; a ghost town that’s been lovingly resurrected from the stones and red dust. Signs around town reveal its history with stories telling how the Great Northern Railway arrived in 1882 making Farina the end point for supplies for remote stations and outposts.

By the time the railway arrived, the town of ‘Government Gums’ had been renamed Farina meaning ‘flour’ in Latin echoing hopes that wheat farming would become important. At its height in the 1890s, there was a population of 600 people that lived here, but this wasn’t an easy life.

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As you walk around town, past ruins of the two hotels, the school and post office you get an idea of how life was here. The ruins are captivating and we spent a couple of hours exploring the history of this once thriving pastoral town.

Truly soak up the atmosphere by staying at the station campground overnight. Facilities are basic and there’s a donkey water heater for those who want a hot shower and don’t have their own.

It costs $20 per car per night and there are no bookings required. It’s a peaceful and welcoming atmosphere, the sunsets are spectacular, the birdlife prolific and we rub shoulders with plenty of other like-minded travellers.

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Farina is a photographer’s paradise and in demand by film crews for 4WD commercials. Drop down in to the ancient, rugged hills and explore a hidden salt lake with springs so salty crystals form around the edge, yet fish survive in them. Walking trails leave from the campground, along the Farina Creek to the old railway Red Bridge or the historic cemetery.

Then there’s the bakery. This underground bakery, run by passionate volunteers who converge here to share their skills once a year, is only open eight weeks of the year from late June until July and we’ve lucked it. Fresh bread, custard tarts, apple turnovers, egg and bacon pies for breakfast with coffee, the smells that come out of here are enough to have anyone stopping.

On to the Oodnadatta

The Oodnadatta Track follows the route of the Old Ghan railway. It spans 620km from Marree to Marla in South Australia and is one of Australia’s great historical outback drives. It’s full of tantalising glimpses in to the past and makes for an adventurous way to cross over and head north to Alice Springs, Uluru and Darwin, which is where we’re heading.

Marree is right at the junction of the Birdsville and Oodnadatta Tracks and is a good place to stop, restock and refuel, lower tyre pressures, and prepare for the journey ahead. As with any outback driving, preparation is key.

One of the first and surprising things you’ll see on the track are two plane sculptures with their tails in the ground. It’s part of the quirky Mutonia Sculpture Park, created by former Victorian mechanic turned artist Robin Cooke. The Park is full of weird, wonderful, and sometimes funny pieces of art and is well-worth a stop to check them all out.

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Next stop is the lookout to Kati Thanda/Lake Eyre and a spectacular place to stop for a walk on the vast and dazzling salt plains. Although nothing beats flying over it (which can be organised from either Marree or William Creek), even just getting a glimpse of this vast lake system from the road is surreal.

Farther along the track we come upon Coward Springs, a bit of an oasis and a popular place for an overnight stay. There’s an artesian spa there but it’s crowded when we visit so we continue on. Not far away we came across Beresford Siding rest area which proved to be a fantastic overnight stop.

There are no facilities here but we’re far enough off the road to not hear any rumbles of trucks, and there’s a dam and an old railway siding. It’s scenic, the sunset is amazing, and we light a campfire. It’s just us and the galahs for the night.

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The Oodnadatta Track might be long, but it’s far from boring. It offers a real glimpse in to the past with Ghan railway tracks and bridges and lots of ruins of railway holdings scattered along a track which alternates between long straight stretches to dips and floodplains with pockets of green amid the dry landscape.

It’s at these points you need to slow down and take the dry river crossings carefully, otherwise you might damage your vehicle. The ever-changing scenery and those stunning colours of red, yellow, ochre amid a vibrant blue sky makes the trip diverse.

It’s always a relief and somewhat exciting to pull in to a roadhouse, even though we’re carrying extra diesel in the car. Arriving at William Creek in time for lunch, it was a great chance to pull over, refuel and reconnect with the outside world. The pub offers a great feed, cold beer, great coffee, and genuine outback hospitality.

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Our second night on the track was spent at Algebuckina Bridge which is about 145km from William Creek. This is the site of the most significant bridge on the Old Ghan railway and a fantastic place to pull over for the night. We find ourselves a flat spot close to the water overlooking the bridge.

Later that night, we walked up to the bridge to read the signs and find out more about this impressive structure which was built in 1892. Its creation is a true engineering feat, which spans almost 600 metres and though no train has passed over it for many years, it remains the largest single bridge in South Australia. The Algebuckina waterhole nearby has never dried out in living memory and is the largest refuge waterhole in the Neales-Peak River system.

Day three on the Oodnadatta has us arriving at the most iconic attraction on this dirt highway, the Pink Roadhouse. This ‘one stop shop’ has everything in it, including a couple of jobs which we seriously consider might be fun out here. Fuel is ludicrously expensive at $2.10 a litre, but not surprising given its remote location.

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From Oodnadatta you have the chance to detour to the Painted Desert which is sheer outback beauty and truly worth the visit. The Painted Desert also leads you to Australia’s opal capital Coober Pedy but as we’d been on a previous visit, we continue towards Marla.

That night, we camped at Kathleen Springs, a peaceful shady spot by the water about 54km past Oodnadatta. When we began our trek, I never would have guessed at the variety of landscapes along the way and the diverse scenery we’d pass. It’s truly an epic adventure, an easy outback route and an exciting way to head north. Just be prepared, check road conditions before you go and get ready for an outback journey you’ll never forget.

Five things to see and do

FLINDERS RANGES
The stunning Flinders Ranges is an excellent first stop on an outback tour. There are numerous accommodation options from camping to station stays within or adjacent to the Flinders Ranges NP.

FARINA
A one-time thriving railhead from Port Augusta, before the line was extended 55km north to Maree and eventually Alice Springs as the original route of the old Ghan railway, Farina these days is all but a ghost town. Abandoned in the 1980s, Farina has re-emerged as a popular tourist destination.

THE OODNADATTA TRACK
Regarded as a great first trip for novice 4x4 outback explorers, the 670km Oodnadatta Track runs from Maree to Marla, alongside the former route of the Old Ghan railway.

THE PINK ROADHOUSE
No journey along the Track is complete without a stop-off at the quirky Pink Roadhouse in Oodnadatta. Besides fuel and tucker, the roadhouse has parts and repairs, supplies, accommodation and a post office.

KATI-THANDI/LAKE EYRE NATIONAL PARK
From the Oodnadatta Track, you can access Kati-Thandi/Lake Eyre NP via 4WD tracks from either William Creek or Marree. The iconic lake itself is the biggest of a series of endorheic (saltpan) lakes that span a large part of South Australia.