The Oodnadatta Track

Visitors to the Oodnadatta Track might think that they are journeying of waterless plains. But beneath them lies one of the world's largest aquifers, The Great Artesian Basin.

And it is along the edges of the Oodnadatta Track that the basin squeezes to the surface creating an oasis of springs and attracting birds, wildlife, industry and tourists. There's not much rain - it varies from around 180mm ( 7 inches ) a year in the northern parts of the Track to around 115mm ( 4 1/5 inches ) in the South. Temperatures can be high, sometimes reaching 50 degrees in Summer. Rainfall patterns are largely cyclical, ranging from years of dry to heavy flood events. In wet times, plants flourish and animal number boom. In dry times, the country is lean and all life keeps a low profile.  

String of Springs

The Oodnadatta Track isn't the straightest route but it is the only one if you want to survive. The Track has many stories to tell. And water is at the heart of them all.

• This is the path of ancient Aboriginal trade routes, where traders hoppped from one spring to another, carrying materials from the Flinders Ranges deep into Central Australia and back;

• The String of Springs following the Track made it possible for John McDouall Stuart to complete the first inland crossing of Australia's interior from South to North in 1862;

• The Overland Telegraph was constructed along this pathway, linking Australia to the World for the first time;

• This was the route of the Great Northern Railway which made the land in the Northern Territory accessible for white settlement;

• The Algebuckina Waterhole has never dried up in the living memory. It is the largest refuge waterhole on the Neales (Napumurra) River system and crucial to the survival of both wildlife and stock.

• And this is pastoral country, where cattle graze in rangelands that are some of the cleanest pastures in Australia.

All of this is possible because of the waters of the Great Australian Artesian Basin that comes to the surface along the Oodnadatta Track, creating the 'String of Springs'.

Travellers Tips

• All waterholes are important in the Outback. Plese take care at all water sources - the creatures that live here depend on this water to survive.
• Please take care when travelling the Oodnadatta Track. Roads are unsealed and travellers should be prepared for all circumstances. If your car breaks down, stay by your car.
• Don't spoil this wonderful landscape for others. Take what you bring in. Do not bury your rubbish.
• Make sure you have plenty of water.
• No chainsaws and no shooting.
• Leave your travel details with a family or friend.
• And remember You MUST seek permission from the local pastoralist before travelling off the Oodnadatta Track unless you are on a designated Public Access Route. Call the Pastoral Branch on 1800 678 447 or (08) 8648 5174 for individual contact details for the relevent pastoral properties in your journey.