Flinders Ranges / Oodnadatta Track

I've just returned from an 8 day, 4200km trip from Melbourne to the Flinders Ranges, then along the Oodnadatta Track, returning via Coober Pedy, Port Augusta, then along the coast via the Coorong and Mt Gambier back to Melbourne. It was an excellent adventure, some of the highlights for me:

- Crossing the Murray on a ferry (the crow-eaters might yawn, but it was a new experience for me!)
- Exploring the Flinders Ranges and Wilpena Pound, both by car and on foot
- Seeing fish crossing the road...
- Driving along the Oodnadatta Track
- Visiting the Mound Springs
- Seeing Lake Eyre full (and watching the sun rise over the water)
- Visiting Coober Pedy, and finding a bucket load of opal
- Wandering around Woomera
- Being amazed at the color of Blue Lake

I have about 700 photos, and a few videos, but I'll start with these:





Scenic drive along the southern wall of Wilpena Pound:


Along Bunyeroo road:


In Bunyeroo Gorge, where the track is actually the river bed:


Along Brachina Gorge, where again, the track is the river bed:


I camped in Wilpena Pound, and had some guests for breakfast:


From the Flinders Ranges, I headed north via Blinman, and Glass Gorge, where there was a very wide river crossing:


Then it was up to Leigh Creek and Lyndhurst, where there was water over the road. Nothing particularly special about that, but in this case, there were dozens of fish trying to swim across.

Part Two

Then it was on to Farina, which is an old town full of ruins, there are dozens of ruined buildings to explore:


From Farina, on to Marree and the official start of the Oodnadatta Track. The scenery doesn't change much - it's a wide, flat land:


The road surface varied a bit, gravel, rock, sand, mud, but the scenery was fairly constant:


I took a detour to see the Mound Springs. This area was very flat:


The mound springs are amazing - in the middle of the desert, water bubbles to the surface, bringing sediment with it, which slowly builds up into mounds, and eventually hills. On top of the mound is a beautiful oasis - it was incredible, and the highlight of the Oodnadatta Track.



I then called in at Lake Eyre, and camped the night, waiting for a sunrise over the water:


From Lake Eyre, onto William Creek:


Then I continued north along the track, not much change in scenery, 670km of wide, flat terrain:


Algebuckina Bridge, and waterhole:


And finally into Oodnadatta:


From here, I turned off and headed towards Coober Pedy:



Same views, but now heading south west, instead of north:





And eventually into Coober Pedy, where the offroad adventure finished, and it was back onto sealed roads...

Gidday SJM

Wonderful shots, mate.
Thanks for sharing these. I look forward to the next tranche ... :ebiggrin:

I am looking forward to doing a (slightly ... ) similar trip myself, perhaps later this year.

BTW, are the mound springs part of the western end of the Tasman Geosyncline? Or is it a separate phenomenon with some different causative process?

great pictures mate, looks like a great trip.
any mods on the forester?

Absolutely fantastic trip report!

Love the pic of the 'roos! They must be very sociable to come up that close.

Any dramas along the way? Was the car rock solid?

Great trip report sjm
There are some magnificent pics in that lot mate :ebiggrin:

Looks & sounds as though you had a fantastic time :biggrin:

Regards
Mr Turbo

Awesome! I am so jealous, I used to go to the Flinders Ranges a couple of times per year, but not for bout 3 years now since I buggered my knee

I think you've inspired me.... :iconwink:

Sweet images. Love it. Great part of the country. Thanks.

Awesome pics mate! Man you get to go on some nice trips :iconwink:

Awesome, great report and pics to back it up!!!

Thanks for sharing.

Yes, thanks sjm. I love it out there!

Here's a couple of videos of the mound springs, and one of me hooning across Elatina Creek in the Flinders Ranges.

No mods to the vehicle, I bought it new, and it's only 6 months old, with 16000km, and still under factory warranty. There were no problems at all, I'm very happy with the performance so far.

[ame="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b9oYymUdL10"]Blanche Cup, Mound Springs - YouTube[/ame]

[ame="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zQs5bQ2EqSU"]The Bubbler, Mound Springs - YouTube[/ame]

[ame="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YqvmQ2jZsTA"]Elatina Creek Crossing - YouTube[/ame]

Great vids sjm :ebiggrin:
The Bubbler, Mound Springs is amazing

Regards
Mr Turbo

Yeah great vids. Being at "The Bubbler" in the middle of that arid area must have seemed so unreal...other worldly

The Bubblers are really cool, would love to see those.:ebiggrin:

carljwnc said:

The Bubblers are really cool, would love to see those.:ebiggrin:

Click to expand...

If you ever come over I'm sure we could put together a trip :iconwink:

Very nice

shots, OP. What a great country we live in.

Like the others these pics make me want to saddle up and go some place a long way from anywhere.

Thanks