Oodnadatta SA @ ExplorOz

The town population of around 150 is 80 per cent Aboriginal, and its people have Aranda, Antakarainnja, Loritja and Pitjantjatjara family ties. The name of the town is probably an adaptation of an Aboriginal word 'utnadata' meaning 'blossom of the mulga'.

Every road leading into Oodnadatta is unsealed and today that means the passing trade is typically 4WD tourists. Oodnadatta however, was once an important stopover point on the Central Australian Railway - the route of The Ghan.

Significant early Eurpoean infrastructure occurred in the region in 1859 when explorer John McDouall Stuart's 1857 to 1862 routes was adopted as part of the Overland Telegraph Line route. During the 1870's the region was utilised extensively by pastoralists.

In 1874 the explorer John Forrest camped beneath a large box tree some 8km north of Oodnadatta at Angle Pool Waterhole on a branch of the Neales River. This was probably the start of significant early European discoveries of what the local aboriginals had known for thousands of years, that good quality artesian water was readily accessible throughout the region. The discovery of good water supply meant that Oodnadatta was the ideal railhead for the new Central Australian Railway upon which the famous Ghan train operated from 1891 for the next 90 years.

From this time on, Oddnadatta become rather cosmopolitan in much the same way as many townships in other parts of Australia were suddendly populated on the back of the Goldrushes.

Oodnadatta had Chinese, Afghans and attracted enterprising pioneers such as John Flynn who in 1911 designed the Oodnadatta Medical Hostel. In 1928 the railroad was extended further northward and Oodnadatta lost some of its former importance as a railhead. The decision to close the railway line and build the new Tarcoola to Alice Springs railway appeared to herald the end of Oodnadatta for European interests, however the local Aboriginal community were determined to retain the town as their home and still remain today.

Oodnadatta now consists of just one main street with the Transcontinental Hotel, the General Store and the Pink Roadhouse on one side and the old railway line and the Railway Museum on the other side.

Mt Dare to Oodnadatta via Dalhousie
This trek provides an easy opportunity to access Dalhousie Springs, one of the main icons of the Simpson Desert without a significant detour if touring between South Australia and the Red Centre.

Oodnadatta Track
If you’re a history buff you’re going to go nuts crossing the Oodnadatta Track. The track follows the orignal Ghan line from Marla to Oodnadatta and then on to Marree. There's stacks of ruins, mound springs, excellent conservation park information & railway sidings/rubble. [Feature Story]

Painted Desert
The Painted Desert has to be the highlight of the South Australian Desert experience. This trek from Coober Pedy takes as little as one day, but if you are a photographer or painter, you may choose to spend an entire week in the Painted Desert.

Oodnadatta Caravan Park [0km]

Oodnadatta Track Oodnadatta SA 5734 Phone: 08 8670 7822 Fax: 08 8670 7831

Pink Roadhouse [0.11km]
Service Station,Roadhouse

Situated 200kms north east of Coober Pedy, on the famous Oodnadatta Track, Oodnadatta's Pink Roadhouse is the town's most notable icon. With many litres of pink paint adorning objects and signposts in the surrounding area, the Pink Roadhouse, operating since its inception in 1974 by Adam and Lynnie Plate, supplies passing tourists with their every need.

Oodnadatta Airstrip [1.23km]

No description entered. Enter description or photos.

Water Supply Reserve [1.96km]
Water Catchment Reserves

No description entered. Enter description or photos.

Mount O'halloran [4.7km]
Mountain,Peak,Hill

No description entered. Enter description or photos.

Oodnadatta Caravan Park [0km]	Water Supply Reserve [1.96km]
Pink Roadhouse [0.11km]	Mount O'halloran [4.7km]
Oodnadatta Airstrip [1.23km]

Natmap Raster 2005

This NATMAP Raster was released in April 2005. This is a 4 CD set that contains all 1:250 000 scale NATMAP topographic maps covering Australia, published to December 2004.

$99.00 [Add to Cart]

Natmap Raster 2005: Premium - DVD

This new NATMAP Raster was released in April 2005. This is a 2 DVD set that contains all 1:250 000 scale NATMAP topographic maps covering Australia, published to December 2004.

$119.00 [Add to Cart]

Alice Springs - Oodnadatta

This map will help you to safely experience the adventure of exploration and the wonder of the outback with both detailed information and GPS readings.

$8.50 [Add to Cart]

Simpson Desert Trip Planning Map

This is the revised Simpson Desert Map designed for Trip Planning use. On one side is the map containing GPS points, whilst on the other is information about each point of interest, track information and services available.

$8.50 [Add to Cart]

Oodnadatta Track

This map covers the Oodnadatta Track from Lyndhurst to Oodnadatta via Marree, Lake Eyre, William Creek and Algebuckina.The Oodnadatta Track closely follows a major Aboriginal trade route, the Overland Telegraph Line and the Old Ghan Line.

$7.95 [Add to Cart]

South Australia

This double sided road map of South Australia features a comprehensive map of the state on one side and the Flinders Ranges and the South East on the other. This easy to read fully indexed map features national parks, places of interest plus more.

$6.95 [Add to Cart]

South Australia (Polyart Paper)

$8.95 [Add to Cart]

Great Desert Tracks of Australia SC

This is just one map from the 6 map set of the Great Desert Tracks Map Pack. This particular map covers Googs Track, Nullarbor Plain, Connie Sue Hwy, Anne Beadell Hwy.

$14.95 [Add to Cart]Latest Edition

Natmap Raster 2005	Oodnadatta Track
Natmap Raster 2005: Premium - DVD	South Australia
Alice Springs - Oodnadatta	South Australia (Polyart Paper)
Simpson Desert Trip Planning Map	Great Desert Tracks of Australia SC

Oodnadatta is an unusal township with a checkered history. Located 1,011 km north of Adelaide via Coober Pedy, or 1092 km via Marree and the Oodnadatta Track Oodnadatta lies just south of Lake Eyre on the edge of the Tirari Desert. With many summer temperatures reaching over 50 degrees Celsius, Oodnadatta is very close to being the hottest and driest town in Australia.