Sunday, Aug 02, 2026 at 15:43
Bit more info.....
The current
population of
Innamincka is as follows.....
(2) Manager of the pub + his assistant (open 7 days, I think).
(2) at the shop/
servo (open 7 days, kitchen closed Sunday).
(1) Owner of the backpacker's accommodation.
(2)
Park rangers.
(?) Backpackers that work at the hotel.
(2) Royal Flying Doctor Service para medics (available 24/7) These guys work 2 weeks on, 2 weeks off. They also help out at the
shop when not busy.
On Friday they had a clinic when they were joined by a doctor and a nurse from
Port Augusta for the day.
On their 2 weeks off in
Adelaide, they drive ambulances.
Our group (32) had a BBQ last night. All of the above (the total
population of the town) was present.
The pub usually has 6 rooms occupied each night.
At the BBQ we also had a visiting Ecologist from National Parks
Port Augusta, the Head
Ranger from
Port Augusta, Regional
Ranger from
Port Augusta, and a representative from Santos.
There were probably 6 tourist vehicles in the area for the night ("normally" this would be dozens or hundreds, except for the road closures and floods) and 3 or 4 semis/road trains overnight (the drivers sleep in their vehicles). There is considerable heavy vehicle traffic on a daily basis mostly either cattle trucks or Moomba gear.
The tourists numbers that come by air are up significantly compared to "normal". We see up to 6 aircraft per day. I spoke to one group that came from the
Gold Coast that morning, spent a couple of hours here (the pub provides a courtesy bus to and from the air strip). They were going to spend the night at
Birdsville then continue to the Cape as part of a 2 week air tour.
Then there is the occasional local chopper that usually lands next to the pub (and makes a lot of dust :evil: ).
Relative to the
population of this place, the facilities provided for tourists is quite exceptional.
There are excellent, clean,
public toilets and showers near the pub/
servo. A donation is requested.
Dump point near the pub/
servo.
Bore water on tap also an RO
drinking water (coin-in-the-slot) outlet (unserviceable since the flood).
There is the "Town Common"
camping area on the river nearby (with
toilets when we get them fixed, if we can). $10/night/vehicle, payable at the pub, or
the servo, or into an honesty box on site. There is also another
dump point out there. The camps are closed until the roads are fixed.
The RFDS clinic is quite exceptional.
I arrived with a chest infection that should have gone away and hadn't, so called in to see if they could help me.
I got a very professional full check-over (including an ECG). The Paramedics then rang the RFDS 24/7 on-duty-doctor in
Port Augusta and had a video discussion. The doctor then spoke directly to me via video and prescribed some antibiotics which were dispensed on-the-spot. Follow-up appointments are available when required.
There is no charge for any RFDS service, including medications or an air
ambulance evacuation, if required.
They have their own 4WD
ambulance on site, but they did get it bogged when they came out to one of our work sites to check up on us. :oops:
Cheers,
Peter
OKA196 motorhome
AnswerID:
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