Oodnadatta Track

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Oodnadatta Track


From	Stuart Highway, Marla (27°18′S, 133°37′E)
To	Birdsville Track, Marree (29°38′S, 138°03′E)
Length	578 km
State(s)	South Australia
Region(s)	Tirari Desert, Lake Eyre National Park
Permit	No
Fuel supply
Facilities

Lake Eyre South from Oodnadatta Track

Mound Springs on the Oodnadatta Track. Photo- www.djolsen.com

Railway Cottage at Coward Springs- Oodnadatta Track. Photo www.djolsen.com

The Oodnadatta Track (28°54′S, 136°21′E), Australia is an unsealed 406 kilometre track between Marree and Marla via Oodnadatta crossing the Tirari Desert in South Australia. It passes the southern lake of the Lake Eyre National Park.

The track is a traditional aboriginal trading route. Along the route are a series of springs feeding water from the Great Artesian Basin - the best remaining example is the mound springs found near Coward Springs. Later, because of the availability of water, the route was chosen for the Central Australian Railway, the original route of The Ghan. Remnants of the many railway sidings and telegraph repeater stations are still along the track - one of the best preserved is the Coward Springs Campground - complete with natural artesian spa. Today, the Oodnadatta Track roughly follows the former railway line, and is passable to most vehicles but a 4-wheel-drive is preferable.