Outback South Australia

Outback South Australia was a big part of the old Outback Now directory, with pages for Innamincka, Mintabie, Marree, Oodnadatta, Andamooka and the Flinders towns. The state's outback is one of the easiest to reach from a capital city: Port Augusta, three hours from Adelaide, is the gateway.

Town guides

• Coober Pedy — opal capital and underground town.
• Marree — railway and cameleer heritage at the junction of two tracks.
• William Creek — a pub and airstrip on the Oodnadatta Track, gateway to Lake Eyre flights.
• Innamincka — Cooper Creek and the Burke and Wills story.

The Flinders Ranges

Ikara-Flinders Ranges National Park, Wilpena Pound, the Brachina Gorge geological trail and towns such as Hawker, Quorn, Blinman and Leigh Creek make the Flinders an ideal first outback trip. See our national parks guide.

The great tracks

• Oodnadatta Track — Marree to Marla via William Creek and Oodnadatta, following the old Ghan railway and a string of mound springs.
• Birdsville Track — Marree to Birdsville, about 520 km of gibber and sand.
• Strzelecki Track — Lyndhurst to Innamincka through the Cooper Basin oil and gas fields.

All three are unsealed and close after rain. A high-clearance vehicle, spare tyres and plenty of fuel and water are essential.

Getting there

The Stuart Highway runs north from Port Augusta to Coober Pedy and the NT — see Adelaide to Darwin. The Ghan stops at Port Augusta and Manguri (for Coober Pedy) on some departures.

Outback South Australia at a glance

South Australia is often called the driest state in the driest inhabited continent, and most of it is outback. From Port Augusta at the head of Spencer Gulf, the land stretches north to the NT border and the Simpson Desert, west to the Nullarbor and east to the Corner Country with NSW and Queensland. Highlights include the ancient ranges of the Flinders, the vast salt lake of Kati Thanda–Lake Eyre, the opal fields of Coober Pedy and Andamooka, and three of Australia's most famous outback tracks.

More towns to know

• Andamooka — a quirky opal-mining town near Roxby Downs.
• Roxby Downs — the modern town built for the Olympic Dam mine.
• Leigh Creek — a former coal-mining town in the northern Flinders.
• Hawker — a gateway to Wilpena Pound and the central Flinders.
• Oodnadatta — the Pink Roadhouse and old Ghan railway town.
• Port Augusta — the crossroads of the outback.

The Flinders Ranges in more detail

The Flinders Ranges are among the oldest landscapes in Australia, with rock layers recording hundreds of millions of years of Earth's history. The Brachina Gorge Geological Trail passes through layers of rock with signs explaining their age, and the Ediacara fossils found in the region record some of the earliest complex life on Earth. The ranges are on Adnyamathanha Country, and the Adnyamathanha people co-manage Ikara-Flinders Ranges National Park. Further north, Vulkathunha-Gammon Ranges National Park and Arkaroola Wilderness Sanctuary offer rugged scenery, ridgetop tours and stargazing.

Kati Thanda–Lake Eyre

Kati Thanda–Lake Eyre is Australia's largest salt lake and the lowest point on the continent. It is usually dry, but floods from Queensland's Channel Country rivers occasionally fill parts of it, attracting waterbirds in vast numbers. The best way to appreciate its scale is on a scenic flight from William Creek, Marree or Coober Pedy. The lake is jointly managed with the Arabana people, and visitors are asked not to walk or drive on the lakebed.

The Nullarbor and far west

West of Port Augusta, the Eyre Highway crosses the Nullarbor Plain to WA, passing the Head of Bight, where southern right whales can be seen from viewing platforms in winter, and the Bunda Cliffs. The far west also includes the Great Victoria Desert and Aboriginal lands that require permits.

Permits and passes

Many of South Australia's outback parks require a Desert Parks Pass or park entry permit from National Parks and Wildlife Service SA. The APY Lands in the far north-west and the Maralinga Tjarutja Lands require entry permits from the relevant land holding bodies. Read our guide to fuel, permits and road conditions.

Road conditions

South Australia's Department for Infrastructure and Transport publishes outback road warnings and closures, updated regularly. Unsealed roads close quickly after rain and can stay closed for days. Driving on closed roads can attract heavy fines. Check before you go and at each town.

When to go

Autumn, winter and spring are the main seasons. The Flinders Ranges can be visited year-round, though summer is hot. The far north is best from about May to September, and the Simpson Desert parks close over summer.

Suggested trip

A classic outback SA loop from Adelaide runs through the Clare Valley to the Flinders Ranges, north to Marree, along the Oodnadatta Track to William Creek and Coober Pedy, then back south on the Stuart Highway. Allow at least ten days.

Visitor centres

Visitor information centres in Port Augusta (the Wadlata Outback Centre), Hawker, Coober Pedy and Roxby Downs can advise on road conditions, permits and tours before you head north.

Plan a drive: outback South Australia road trip.