4x4 Vehicle hire

They want to include travel to Chambers Pillar, do the Oodnadatta track , Farina ruins etc

No worries, you need something with good tyres, at least AT, light truck preferrable, and rims no bigger than 18" max so you have some sidewall. If you're going to have a failure, it will most likely be tyres. Those roads can be pretty rough if you catch them at the wrong time.

Hi Lloyd
There is quite a bit to consider. No hire vehicle will legally be allowed to go where you want to, they stipulate not to go onto the dirt. Wherever you hire from, there will be a km charge, as its impossible to get from Alice to the rock and back in the 500kms they give you, let alone Chambers/Farina.
Getting there is part of the fun, but it does add days to the holiday each way. You may not have enough time to drive from Wollongong to Alice and back, there is 2 weeks travel just there.
Andrew Wollongong

"No hire vehicle will legally be allowed to go where you want to, they stipulate not to go onto the dirt. "
Not quite true. I reckon a KEA Troopy Camper would be OK with pre arrangement and there is a German bloke in Australia (cant't recall the company name - it is just a small sticker on a side window) that specialises in hiring to Europeans that lets the vehicles go almost anywhere. Good prices too, and great to deal with. They offer a variety of vehicles.
This Troopy travelled with us across the Simpson in 2018 was from this organisation. They even supplied the sand flag.

Cheers,
Peter
OKA196 motorhome

Peter
I think this is the company you were referring to…..https://www.travelcar.com.au/

I reckon it is.
Cheers,
Peter
OKA196 motorhome

Dozer,

Both Apollo & Btriz, arguably the two largest 4WD Hire companies in Australia, allow dirt road driving including Gibb River Road & GCR with written permission. In fact, they actually suggest various outback roads and trip itineraries for those who are unsure of what they want to see.

Macca.

Thanks Robbo

I think I would be checking with hire companies how they feel about their cars being taken down the oodnadatta track, chambers pillar etc first before making any decisions. Some I'm sure will allow that, but you may have to factor in extra costs for that. If you fly/hire you have to factor in extra accomodation costs, & the hire of unfamiliar camping gear.

Personally, if I had the time I would far rather make a road trip out of it. Flying in saves on the travel time, but it is the travel getting there which makes creates the perspective which enhances the experience once there.

Folk who, for example, fly into Alice to see Uluru are far more likely to just LOOK at it, rather than FEEL it in it's broader context. I'm sure some will have different views, but I feel strongly that to appreciate remote places one must feel the remoteness, & you just don't get that by being dropped there & picked up from there in a plane.

While I do agree about the journey being important, time may be an issue. Realistically, driving there and back will take around a week with minimal sight seeing. If you want to spend a week at the destination then you need 2 weeks minimum. We don't know the OP's time frame, but flying in sure saves a lot of time. Then again, Alice to Marree via the Oodnadatta, Chambers Pillar and Farina isn't much different time wise than Woolongong straight to Marree as it's tar all the way. I wonder what sort of car the OP has? If it's a Subaru, I'd put decent tyres on it and take that. Cheapest option.

Not that I know of, perhaps in Finke itself but I've just driven through without stopping. If you camp at Chambers Pillar there's a small fee.

Go to the Central Lands Council website to get first hand information on permits, they have a map here click on the Legend for details.
Presumably you're thinking of going across from Maryvale to the Old Ghan track. There have been a few threads discussing the track.