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Destinations > Outback Oddyssey
Outback Oddyssey
William Creek offers fuel, accommodation, phoneboxes and scenic flights. You could split off here and head for Coober Pedy, but we continued north. The big attraction on this section is the Algebuckina Bridge, and we're always amazed at the effort required to construct it all those years ago. There are plenty of ruins to visit but pull off well away from the road.
The interesting part of the track ends in Oodnadatta, home of the Pink Roadhouse. There you can get supplies replenished, and there's now a free 'mini-Simpson' self-drive 4WD track. Allow an hour, and if you have any difficulty at all with the track you'd better re-evaluate your tyre pressures and techniques because the Simpson proper is no easier. Aside from the Pink Roadhouse, Oodnadatta has other stores, a hotel, a playground and a museum, but it doesn't quite have an ambience that invites a traveller to stay.
From Oodnadatta you can follow the main road to Marla, but the old track through Lambina is no longer publically accessible. On this occasion we travelled north again, heading for Dalhouise Springs, stopping at the awesomely large Fogarty Claypan. It takes around 90 minutes to get to the Hamilton junction from Oodnadatta on a good dirt road.
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To get to Dalhouise you can either go via the Perdika Track or the longer way via Eringa. The Perdika is shorter, but has horrific corrugations and took us 3.5 hours with stops to do the 72km. The alternate routes are slightly better, but also badly corrugated. The Perdika ruins aren't worth a stop, but the Dalhouise ruins near the end certainly are. There are imported date trees, remnants of the time when settlers tried agriculture in the region, and you almost feel ashamed of your easy journey in a modern 4WD. If you opt to avoid Perdika you'll go via the Eringa waterhole, a good campsite and home to large yabbies.
Dalhouise is a busy campsite with showers and toilets, dingoes, mozzies and lots of people. It's the last (or first) stop over the Simpson depending on your travel direction, and the main attraction is the huge, warm (38 degrees) hot pool for bathing with little goby fish. If you aren't crossing the Simpson or don't particularly want to try the pool if you've been to others then you may decide to give Dalhouise a miss.
One place you do want to visit is the Mt Dare homestead, some 90km from Dalhouise which took us 2.5 hours along a poor road. Here you'll find meals, fuel, a newly redeveloped open bar and restaurant and information on surrounding roads, and a vehicle recovery service.
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The interesting part of the track ends in Oodnadatta, home of the Pink Roadhouse. There you can get supplies replenished, and there's now a free 'mini-Simpson' self-drive 4WD track. Allow an hour, and if you have any difficulty at all with the track you'd better re-evaluate your tyre pressures and techniques because the Simpson proper is no easier. Aside from the Pink Roadhouse, Oodnadatta has other stores, a hotel, a playground and a museum, but it doesn't quite have an ambience that invites a traveller to stay.
From Oodnadatta you can follow the main road to Marla, but the old track through Lambina is no longer publically accessible. On this occasion we travelled north again, heading for Dalhouise Springs, stopping at the awesomely large Fogarty Claypan. It takes around 90 minutes to get to the Hamilton junction from Oodnadatta on a good dirt road.
read on below advertisement
To get to Dalhouise you can either go via the Perdika Track or the longer way via Eringa. The Perdika is shorter, but has horrific corrugations and took us 3.5 hours with stops to do the 72km. The alternate routes are slightly better, but also badly corrugated. The Perdika ruins aren't worth a stop, but the Dalhouise ruins near the end certainly are. There are imported date trees, remnants of the time when settlers tried agriculture in the region, and you almost feel ashamed of your easy journey in a modern 4WD. If you opt to avoid Perdika you'll go via the Eringa waterhole, a good campsite and home to large yabbies.
Dalhouise is a busy campsite with showers and toilets, dingoes, mozzies and lots of people. It's the last (or first) stop over the Simpson depending on your travel direction, and the main attraction is the huge, warm (38 degrees) hot pool for bathing with little goby fish. If you aren't crossing the Simpson or don't particularly want to try the pool if you've been to others then you may decide to give Dalhouise a miss.
One place you do want to visit is the Mt Dare homestead, some 90km from Dalhouise which took us 2.5 hours along a poor road. Here you'll find meals, fuel, a newly redeveloped open bar and restaurant and information on surrounding roads, and a vehicle recovery service.
next page »
