Alice Springs/SA Trip

What do you use for navigation? Surely the distances are it's maps.

Phil

Martyn
Some suggestions, having just traveled many of these roads/tracks
If you decide to give Dalhousie Springs a miss, head south on the Stuart Hwy, turn left at Cadney Park about 85kms south of Marla and proceed to Arckaringa Stn (camping or cabins) - stay a day so that you can visit the Painted Desert at the right time of the day to see the best colours eg 4pm for the walk and dawn from the lookout, then head south through Mount Barry Stn to Coober Pedy.
After Coober Pedy, head east to William Creek and if you want to, take a Wright Air flight over Anna Creek Stn (Painted Hills) and Lake Eyre (~$420 for 2+ hrs)
Then south east viewing the Mound Springs and then Lake Eyre from the L/O just before the Borefield Rd TO and then on towards Marree. If you wish to see the channel between the North and South Lakes, head north to Muloorina Stn just before Marree. Good camping by the lagoon with (often prolific) bird life.
(All roads/tracks from Cadney Park to Marree subject to little or no rain)
You could then head south through Leigh Creek dropping into the Flinders Ranges (magnificent and would be my preference having come so far) and then head back up the Stuart Hwy from Pt Augusta.
Cheers
Andrew

if its too far to walk get a taxi or a friend to ur car ,an get ur maps
mechpete

Thanks for the replies.

Phil, i completely agree regarding maps. I recently did Cape York and found myself constantly checking over the maps just to reinforce knowing where i was going, as i generally don't use anything when driving (just use the road signs and if unsigned i pull over when i am near the correct distance to a turn and check on the GPS). Therefore i like to know how far i am from things just in case anything goes wrong.

I'll be working out the mileage as soon as possible. The main reason i asked that question was more to confirm the itinerary was suitable for 7-10 days while i am in the planning stage. Obviously you answered this for me anyway so once i get my car back i'll be looking at the distances and so on.

It's good to hear there shouldn't be too much of a problem though and thanks for those pressures, it's always useful to have a guide for my tyres when doing roads i've not seen yet.

Great suggestions Andrew! Thanks for the advice regarding the painted desert. I will be sure to do this as i'm sure it will look a whole let better at these times!

I'm actually doing an anti-clockwise lap of Australia and therefore will be coming through SA again at the end of the year. I have been trying not to dip too far in whilst doing Alice Springs (hence why i didn't include Flinders Ranges). I was originally not even going to include Coober Pedy on this trip but i know i will be short on time at the end so i am trying to do the top 'half' of SA now and then i will do the bottom and Flinders Ranges when i come back the other way.

When talking about viewing Lake Eyre, are there good locations from the western side, or is it better to drive round in the Marree direction? I'm trying to work out the extra distance and therefore time, whilst not wanting to miss out.

Thanks for all the help.

Martyn