21 Apr 10 – The Oodnadatta Track to Oodnadatta

By Craig: The Oodnadatta Track for me was a 'must do' as I had read a lot about it in various 4wd mags and as expected it was rough in parts, wet and sometimes very dusty but in general a great track with a great deal to see.














The track follows and crosses many times the Ghan railway and has numerous historical sidings. We visited many such sidings; some in disrepair and some just depicted by an old sign.

Another interesting aspect was the remaining overland telegraph line poles,
the original ones made of Cyprus pine and to their makers credit still remain in place.

Although the single line strung between each pole no longer exists and satellite communication for remote areas has taken the lead, standing beside the cypress pole installed in 1872 gave me a great sense of yesteryear and the achievements of this time.








The Ghan rail track itself is for many kilometres just a mound of dirt with a scattering of old sleepers, many of the sleepers over the years have apparently been used for firewood by travellers(or so the story goes) however some sections of the rail line remain. Many of the bridges remain in part or in some cases restored and as you quietly stand on the bridge you could imagine the old steam trains chugging along. (Thankfully there were none today)


We had many stops along the track: some to take photos; some to stop and catch up with fellow travellers and some to rest for the night.



But in the end after 300kms or so of dry stony, boggy & dusty road we made it to Oodnadatta.
But we didn’t stay long. They say the journey is greater than the destination and that’s how we felt about Oodnadatta.
A quick visit to the Pink Road House and Tick! destination reached and we’re back on the road heading toward the Painted Desert. It’s late but we have enough daylight to reach a private homestead for an overnight stay.

By Lou: My initial interest in doing the Oodnadatta Track was to see the destination, Oodnadatta, just coz. However, I really came to enjoy the journey and was intrigued by the countryside which was ever changing. I tried to conjure up a description to explain to others the beauty of it, but just as I nailed it the landscape would dramatically change and I'd be struggling again. Again, cloud formation continued to impress me and I was quietly anxious about the chances of meeting rain and getting bogged.
I must say I was more relaxed knowing that there were other travellers on our path and having company at camp really enhanced the experience.





PS. And some never make it.