The remoteness of the Australian outback is a drawcard for many. The wide open spaces and dirt tracks plus the options for 4 wd driving are second to none.

This blog is a trip down memory lane today, 5 years ago today we woke up along the dirt track after leaving Coober Pedy and inspecting seeing the longest dingo fence in the world, in remote South Australia.

We had parked on the side of the track for the night and decided to go to Oodnadatta Roadhouse in Oodnadatta for lunch. It was just a short ride after all only 100km to the roadhouse.

For 5 days we had no contact with the outside world. We were so remote in Australia, however, Mark and I did come prepared we had satellite communication with us and our individual PLB….. all part of preparing for such a remote trip.

Oodnadatta track is 614km of unsealed outback road in remote South Australia, SA, of
Australia.

It follows a traditional Australian Aboriginal trading route and the reason why we went was to observe and explore the Central Australia Railway, The Ghan, and its railway tracks.

Now these days, there are only three fuel supply places along the track at Oodnadatta Road, William Creek and Marree. In the old days, the Aboriginal trading route was chosen because along the track were numerous springs feeding water from the Great Artesian Basin. The track was chosen due to the availability of water for the steam-train-powered Central Australia Railway, the original route of The Ghan.

It was also the route taken by the explorer John McDouall Stuart on his third expedition in 1859. Remnants of the many railway sidings and bridges, the ruins of railway buildings, and Overland Telegraph Line repeater stations are located along the track – some of the best preserved are at the Coward Springs Campground.

Construction of the Railway started in Port Augustus in 1878, they reached Marree in January 1884 and Oodnadatta in January 1891. Work on the extension to Alice Springs began in 1926, and was completed in 1929. Until then, the final leg of the train journey was still made by camel.

The video attached was filmed at the end of day one on Oodnadatta Track. It shows you the remoteness of the place. We could not visit one Mt Hutton Railway station as it is now on Allandale Station. One of the biggest cattle stations in SA.