Roxby Downs

Roxby Downs lies about 560 km north of Adelaide on the Country of the Kokatha people. It is one of Australia's newest towns, built in 1988 to house workers at the Olympic Dam mine. Unlike many outback towns, Roxby has modern services, sporting facilities and a young population. For travellers, it is a convenient stop with good facilities, a base for the opal town of Andamooka, and home to one of Australia's most successful arid-zone conservation projects.

Olympic Dam

The Olympic Dam ore body was discovered in 1975 and is one of the world's largest known deposits of copper and uranium, with gold and silver also produced. The mine is mostly underground and is operated by BHP. Public mine tours have been run at times; check with the Roxby Downs visitor centre whether any are currently available.

Things to do in Roxby Downs

• Arid Recovery. A fenced reserve where feral cats, foxes and rabbits have been removed, allowing reintroduced native mammals such as greater bilbies, burrowing bettongs and greater stick-nest rats to thrive. Tours run in some seasons, including evening walks when animals are active.
• Visitor information centre. Displays on the mine, local history and the environment.
• Town walking trails. Paths link the town centre, parks and sand dunes. Look for desert birds and reptiles.
• Andamooka. About 30 km east, the opal town has dugout homes, noodling areas and opal shops.

Woomera and the Stuart Highway

On the road between Pimba and Roxby Downs, Woomera was established in 1947 as a base for the joint Anglo-Australian rocket range. The heritage centre and missile park tell this Cold War story. Pimba, on the Stuart Highway, is the turnoff for Woomera and Roxby, about two hours north of Port Augusta.

Getting there

Roxby Downs is reached on the sealed Olympic Dam Highway from Pimba on the Stuart Highway. Olympic Dam Airport has flights to Adelaide. Continue north on the Stuart Highway to Coober Pedy, or east from Andamooka on unsealed roads (in dry conditions) towards Lake Torrens.

Where to stay

Roxby Downs has a motel, hotel accommodation and a caravan park. Mining work can fill rooms, so book ahead.

Landscapes

The town is set among red sand dunes and low shrubland. After rain, wildflowers bloom and birdlife increases. Lake Torrens, a vast salt lake, lies to the east.

Suggested day

Visit the visitor centre in the morning, walk a dune trail, drive to Andamooka for lunch and the opal fields, then return for an evening Arid Recovery tour if available.

When to visit

April to October is most comfortable. Summers are very hot.

Tips

• Fill up before heading north or east; services thin out quickly.
• Respect mine boundaries; leases are closed to the public.
• Watch for wildlife on roads at dawn and dusk.

Arid Recovery and conservation

Arid Recovery began in 1997 as a partnership between the mining company, government, a university and the local community. Its fenced reserve protects several reintroduced threatened species. Researchers there study how native animals can coexist with feral cats outside the fence, which is important for conservation across Australia's arid lands. Visiting supports the reserve's work. See our outback wildlife guide for more on desert animals.

Life in a mining town

Roxby Downs has a mix of permanent residents and fly-in, fly-out workers. Its facilities include a supermarket, cafés, a cinema and cultural centre, a swimming pool and sporting grounds. The town makes a comfortable stop on a trip north, with more services than most outback towns of a similar size.

Desert safety

Roxby Downs is the last town with full services before Andamooka and the tracks towards Lake Torrens. Beyond the sealed roads, conditions can change quickly. Carry spare water, tell someone your plans, and read our outback safety guide and remote-area travel safety guide. In summer, avoid strenuous activity in the middle of the day, and never attempt unsealed roads after rain.

Kokatha Country

Roxby Downs and Olympic Dam are on the Country of the Kokatha people, whose connection to the region's dunes, salt lakes and waters continues today. Native title has been recognised over parts of the region. Visitors should respect cultural heritage sites, which are protected under South Australian law, and stay on public roads and tracks.

The Borefield Road

North of Olympic Dam, the unsealed Borefield Road runs to the Oodnadatta Track near Lake Eyre South, following the pipeline that brings water from the Great Artesian Basin to the mine. It offers a shortcut between Roxby Downs and the Oodnadatta Track, but services are non-existent, conditions can be rough and the road closes after rain. Check the SA Department for Infrastructure and Transport's outback road warnings before travelling.

Dust storms and weather

Roxby Downs sits among red sand dunes, and strong winds can bring dust storms that reduce visibility on roads to almost nothing. If caught in one, slow down, turn on your headlights and pull well off the road if you can't see. Summer temperatures are extreme; winter nights can be cold. Check Bureau of Meteorology forecasts before setting out.

Mine tours

Surface tours of the Olympic Dam operation have been offered in the past through the visitor centre. Availability changes with the mine's operational and safety requirements, so check with the Roxby Downs visitor information centre before you plan around a tour.

Arid Recovery sunset tours

Arid Recovery describes itself as one of Australia's largest and longest-running predator-proof reserves. Its guided sunset tours:

• Run for about 2.5 hours, on Fridays from April to October, with extra Wednesday tours in school holidays.
• Cost $100 for adults (16+) and $50 for children (3–16), with under-3s free, at the time of writing.
• Take a maximum of 10 people, and involve walking up to 3 km over sand dunes and uneven ground.
• Include sunset from a dune-top viewing platform, then spotlighting for nocturnal wildlife.
• Start 30 minutes before sunset at the Arid Recovery gate, 12 km along Borefield Road from Olympic Way, Olympic Dam.

Book ahead. Tour fees support the reserve's research and threatened-species programs.

What is Roxby Downs famous for?

Roxby Downs was built to serve the Olympic Dam mine, one of the world's largest deposits of copper and uranium, which also produces gold and silver. Arid Recovery's conservation work is the town's other claim to fame.

Can you visit the Olympic Dam mine?

Public surface tours of Olympic Dam have run in the past. Availability changes, so ask the Roxby Downs visitor information centre whether tours are currently running before you plan around one.

Practical information

• Distance: about 560 km north of Adelaide.
• Best time: April to October.
• Related: Andamooka, Coober Pedy, Port Augusta, Outback wildlife, Adelaide to Darwin.