Bush Camping Recommendations on the Oodnadatta Track

[chris_a]

Planning a trip up the Oodnadatta Track and interested to hear of preferred bush camping options between Farina in the south and Finke in the north. We won't be heading off until the cooler months return.


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[Shaker]

There are many places to free camp such as,
Beresford Siding, Algebuckina Bridge, just off the track on Mount Sarah or Hamilton Stations etc.

[mons2travel]

Eringa waterhole is amazing ..... and take a yebbie net.

[boobook]

Definitely Eringa Waterhole and the old homestead. When we were there in July there were tons of really big yabbies.

The waterhole is more like a lake than a waterhole.

[debian]

The bush camp spots others have mentioned. But also for a couple of pay ones, a visit to Muloorina (camp fee donation to RFDS) and drive from there to Lake Eyre is good. Coward Springs is worth a visit for a spa and look at the little museum - if you don't want to pay to camp there you can just visit during the day for an entry fee. It's a well set up place (or was when we were there a few years ago). Not too far from Finke you can go and take a look/freecamp at Lambert's Centre of Australia and get an iconic photo there. When we travelled the Oodnadatta Tk in 2011, there was a rather hefty mouse plague which was interesting - didn't spoil our fun though 

[chris_a]

Had noted Lambert's centre of AUS as a place to check out. Didn't consider it as a camping option. Thanks for that.


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[Wildmax]

Hi
There is a reasonable free camp just out of Oodnadatta at Hookey's waterhole. Suggest that from there you consider heading out via Pedirka to Dalhousie Springs and then to Mt Dare (neither free). From Mt Dare you can go up part of the Binns Track to Old Andado station which is fascinating - and then back across to Finke and Lamberts Centre (I agree with debian that this is an interesting stop and good free camping). Then you can head up the Finke (Ghan) track via Chambers Pillar to Alice, or instead go back out to the bitumen at Kulgera. If you get up to Alice, don't neglect the EAST McDonnells, great national park camping at Trephina Gorge and easy access to Arltunga etc. Enjoy!

[chris_a]

Initial plans have had us looking at heading from Finke to Alice Spings via Chambers Pillar. Could the drive be completed in a day (including a side trip to Chambers Pillar) without it being to much of a stretch?


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[Wildmax]

I wouldn't try to do Finke-Chambers-Alice in a day. Distance is not great, but when we did it the Finke was rough as guts - not difficult, but worse corrugations than anywhere else we travelled this year (eg, worse than the Kalumburu road off the Gibb). But of course that was just after the Finke desert race, so no doubt the track was knocked around by a big number of spectator vehicles pretending to be racers!
In any event, don't cut short your time at Chambers Pillar - it is spectacular at both dawn and dusk, so you really need to overnight there to get maximum enjoyment. You can turn off the Finke road at Maryvale and then follow the fence line track to Tatjikala (Maryvale) before turning in to Chambers. It's a pretty good drive, just a bit rough in parts, but it saves you backtracking on the way out to Alice.

[debian]

Was just about to say the same as Wildmax. We travelled the Old Ghan Heritage Rd just before the Finke races in 2012 - they were only running trials at the time but there were some badly corrugated patches (and fast moving people then as well!). The track is peppered with railway spikes - good for a souvenir (in your hand - not in your tyre!! Unlikely to spike a tyre (?) but the locals said to take care). If you have time, we agree that sunset and dawn is definitely worth staying at Chambers Pillar for.

[Jim and Lyn]

Hi Chris,
If you go to Chambers and want to avoid some of the corrugations on the way out you can turn west just at the bottom of the escarpment as you leave the park. There is a track the rangers use which runs through the bush to the railway line. There is a steepish pinch but a couple we were travelling with pulled their Quantum up it no drama. You run north up the railway and take a lefty on to the highway at one of a couple of crossings below Rainbow Valley. The track was only wheel tracks in the grass at the turning point and runs along a fence most of the way. It was an interesting little side trip.
And Chambers is well worth some time to explore and enjoy!
And I'm with Wildmax about the Finke Road. It was shocking when we were there last year. Stop often and let things cool down. Adjust your Tyre pressures and put it down to experience. Everyone needs to drive a bit of track like that for the memory banks knowing you will drive a long, long way to find a worse bit.
Having said that I bet it has just been graded hen you go through!!
There was also a really nice dry creek bed campsite we used up above Hamilton. You could get in on a track a couple of hundred yards. Found land crab shells there which we'd never seen before.
Cheers
Jim

[chris_a]

Thanks for the advice regarding the Tracks North of Finke. It's always better to have a sense of what is ahead and plan accordingly and if the graders have been through its a bonus. Getting the sense we should be overnighting at Chambers Pillar. Might need another week just to take in the suggestions offered up.


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[boomer52]

Chris
If you're in the planning stages, then travel the Finke to Alice leg 2 weeks b4 the Desert race. We did so last year and it was very reasonably graded for access for support vehicles and spectator traffic. Just be wary of motorcycles/vehicles that may be practicing for the event. 

[chris_a]

I'll check out the dates and see if they line up with our current thinking. Importantly, we also need to keep clear during the event. Wouldn't have thought of that - thanks.


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[boomer52]

The race is usually on the long weekend in June. We were 2 weeks prior to that, and after quizzing some racing locks they said it was graded and prepared in April, but judging by the condition we encountered last year I don't think 2 months of traffic had travelled the road.
cheers Dennis