Description
This route connects the
Red Centre and
the Simpson Desert but also intersects the Old Ghan in numerous
places and provides an interesting drive for travellers that enjoy exploring old relics in a remote region of historic ruins and waterholes visited by profilic birdlife.
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Dalhousie to Finke via Bloods Ck
From: Dalhousie Springs
To: Finke (Aputula)
Distance: 192.57 km
Direction: 315 °
Average Speed: 58.66 km/hr
Travel Time: 3 hours 16 mins
Using the Map
Our treks have a moving map facility, to take a virtual tour click on the Play button in the Moving map control (see Moving Map help)
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Things to See & Do
Preparation
Best Time To Visit
Closest Climatic Station
Kulgera
Distance from Trek Mid Point 174.44km W
| | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun |
Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
| Mean Max. °C |
36.6 | 35.7 | 32.2 | 27.8 |
22.6 | 19.0 | 18.9 | 22.0 |
26.8 | 30.1 | 33.6 | 35.0 |
| Mean Min. °C |
21.9 | 21.5 | 18.0 | 13.7 |
9.2 | 5.6 | 4.9 | 6.8 |
11.1 | 14.9 | 18.5 | 20.5 |
| Mean Rain mm |
32.2 | 35.7 | 32.7 | 14.3 |
12.2 | 17.5 | 12.5 | 9.2 |
16.2 | 21.0 | 21.8 | 33.5 |
Best time to travel Ok time to travel Travel NOT recommended
Services & Supplies
The following locations have various services and supplies:
Finke (Aputula)
Camp Sites & Accommodation
Finke (Aputula) - NT
Finke, also known as Aputula is administered by the Aputula Aboriginal Land Trust. Facilities, goods and services available at Finke (Aputula) include: food, water, fuel, EFTPOS, medical services, postal services, some mechanical and tyre repairs, public phone, tourist information, toilets, showers, accommodation and camping facilities.
Driving Directions
| Dalhousie Springs to Spring Creek Delta Track & Pedirka Track |
3.41 km |
SW |
223° |
5 min |
| Spring Creek Delta Track & Pedirka Track to 3 O'clock Creek |
8.02 km |
W |
256° |
9 min |
| 3 O'clock Creek to Dalhousie Rd & Bloods Creek Rd |
23.89 km |
NW |
310° |
26 min |
| Dalhousie Rd & Bloods Creek Rd to Hughes Waterhole |
4.59 km |
W |
292° |
4 min |
| Hughes Waterhole to Bloods Creek (Ruin) |
10.6 km |
NW |
294° |
12 min |
| Bloods Creek (Ruin) to Bloods Creek Bore & Stockyards |
1.83 km |
NW |
295° |
2 min |
| Bloods Creek Bore & Stockyards to Gate - Bloods Creek Tk |
9.11 km |
W |
273° |
7 min |
| Gate - Bloods Creek Tk to Bloods Creek |
7.5 km |
W |
270° |
6 min |
| Bloods Creek to Bloods Creek Tk & Eringa/Abminga Tk |
18.87 km |
W |
279° |
15 min |
| Bloods Creek Tk & Eringa/Abminga Tk to Abminga Creek & Six Mile Bore |
13.54 km |
NE |
27° |
15 min |
| Abminga Creek & Six Mile Bore to Abminga Waterhole |
3.21 km |
E |
78° |
4 min |
| Abminga Waterhole to Abminga Ruins |
0.57 km |
NE |
48° |
|
| Abminga Ruins to Border - SA and NT |
15.82 km |
N |
14° |
16 min |
| Border - SA and NT to Abminga Creek Tk & New Crown/Mt Dare Tk |
10.81 km |
N |
16° |
11 min |
| Abminga Creek Tk & New Crown/Mt Dare Tk to Charlotte Bore |
0.23 km |
W |
282° |
|
| Charlotte Bore to Gate - New Crown/Mt Dare Tk |
3.5 km |
NW |
312° |
2 min |
| Gate - New Crown/Mt Dare Tk to Mary Ann Bore |
17.33 km |
N |
342° |
14 min |
| Mary Ann Bore to New Crown - Finke Rd & New Crown - Andado Rd |
8.57 km |
N |
358° |
7 min |
| New Crown - Finke Rd & New Crown - Andado Rd to Finke (Aputula) |
31.19 km |
W |
292° |
25 min |
| Dalhousie Springs to Finke (Aputula) |
192.57 km |
|
|
3 hr 16 min |
Distance is GPS recorded driving distance (not straight line), Direction is straight line from start to end, Time is calculated from actual GPS driving data.
Simpson Desert
The Simpson Desert can be crossed via the French Line, WAA line or Rig Road. This trek provides a route using a combination of all 3 routes.
[Feature Story]
Trek Search
ExplorOz Trek Notes are detailed, factual reviews of destinations in Australia to which you can plan a self-drive camping trip. This page will enable you to access over 100 of these trek notes, using various search methods and at a glance you can see what treks we have in each area across Australia.
Simpson Desert French Line
The French Line is the most direct route across the desert and traverses directly across the tops of over 1200 red sand dunes, with Big Red being the major challenge.
Strzelecki Track
The Stzrelecki Track is strictly the route form Innamincka to Lyndhurst, however our trek note is for travellers starting at Innamincka and travelling down to Arkaroola Village in the heart of the Flinders Ranges.
Simpson Desert Rig Road
The Rig Road is the most southern access across the Simpson Desert. It is a longer route because it winds along the edge of dunes and crosses at the lowest points. Old clay-topped track is now eroding, but was once used for moving heavy equipment.
Simpson Desert WAA Line
This track is similar to the French Line and although it has smaller dunes, it is very picturesque especially after rain. While in this area take a look at the Knolls, which is a scenic but fragile part of the Simpson so please stay on the track.
Innamincka Memorials and Markers
This trek which lies purely in the Innamincka Regional Reserve follows the memorials, markers and waterholes along Cooper Creek. It is a trek filled with history and culture from the Burke and Wills Expedition to protected Aboriginal sites and artefacts.
Walkers Crossing
Route for driving between Birdsville and Innamincka through the flood plain country of the nothern overlow of the Cooper Creek before rising onto the Sturt Stony Desert on the Birdsville Track.
Birdsville Track
The Birdsville Track runs south from Birdsville to Maree and passes through the Sturt Stony Desert. It is an extremely remote region but is strikingly beautiful in its harshness.
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.
Dig Tree Circuit
This loop trek from Innamincka will take you on a historic adventure, heading towards The Burke and Wills "Dig Tree", which is one of Australia's national icons and an enduring reminder of our pioneering spirit.
Inside Track
The Inside Track was gazetted as a public road on 16th January 2002 and provides an alternative route that is also 35km shorter than the main Birdsville Track.
Cordillo Downs
This is the main route from Innamincka to Birdsville. The track is about 420km and conditions vary greatly. The countryside is a seemingly endless gibber plain but this is Australia's prime cattle country - the Channel Country.
Bore Track
The Bore Track is an access road for oil company vehicles and for property owners. This track is a great alternative to the wide gravel road of the Strzelecki Track which is more a highway than a track.
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.
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.
