Road condition Cooper Pedy to Oodnadatta

Submitted: Wednesday, Sep 09, 2009 at 08:24

ThreadID: 72131 Views:6402 Replies:6 FollowUps:2

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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,

Oodnadatta Track

Section: Treks

If you're a history buff you're going to go nuts crossing the Oodnadatta Track. The track follows the original Ghan line from Marree to Oodnadatta. There's stacks of ruins, mound springs,

Member - Tony Z (NSW)

Hi all we started our trip 1week ago to day from Central Coast NSW stopping at Cobar/ Broken Hill/ Leigh Creek/ Coward Springs/ William Creek and now at Cooper Pedy. We are heading of tomorrow to Oodnadatta via Moon Plain to The Painted Desert (an overnight or two)
We are after any info on road conditions in this area and further up to Dalhousie/Mt Dare Finke our aim is to see Ayers Rock (Uluru !!!) before some stupid idiot get it closed, if what I here some person has used it as a Toilet!!! We will get to Alice Via Meerinee Loop and am reading all other threads on where to stop and look at
This is our 1st Outback adventure and still getting used to ALL the DUST that gets in EVERYWHERE
Meeting wonderful travellers doing the same having a great adventure so far

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Reply By: Ozrover - Wednesday, Sep 09, 2009 at 08:34

Wednesday, Sep 09, 2009 at 08:34

Hi Tony,
The track from Oodna' to Mt Dare via Eringa waterhole is in good condition at the moment, via Pedirka & Dalhousie is rough so watch your tyre pressures.

The Merinee loop is always rough.

Jeff

AnswerID: 382466

Follow Up By: Rip64 - Wednesday, Sep 09, 2009 at 09:42

Wednesday, Sep 09, 2009 at 09:42

"Merinee Loop is ALWAYS rough".
Basically being a Toll road, each time I have travelled this loop - yes it has always been rough. As minimal as the toll is, maybe some $ could be steered at passing a grader over surface more frequently ??As it is a great access loop to some wonderful locations .

FollowupID: 650023

Reply By: Member -Signman - Wednesday, Sep 09, 2009 at 08:47

Wednesday, Sep 09, 2009 at 08:47

C/P to Oodna via Painted Desert and Oodna Track all good.
Good fossil fosicking on Moon Plains.
Good bush camping in dry creek bed on the Oodna side of the 'no camping' Arkaringa property.

AnswerID: 382469

Reply By: Member - Phil G (SA) - Wednesday, Sep 09, 2009 at 08:55

Wednesday, Sep 09, 2009 at 08:55

Coober Pedy to oodnadatta via painted desert is well maintained gravel roads. We usually run tyre pressures in the high 20's and go no faster than 80kph. The road is deceptive - its very easy to travel too fast, and go off camber on the gravel corners. Been enough 4wd rollovers from people travelling too fast and having tyres blowout.

Oodnadatta to Hamilton Station is very good. In all directions after Hamilton Station and until you get to Alice there will be a mixture of corrugations and reasonable roads.

Eringa waterhole is a nice spot to camp. It was the site of Sidney Kidman's first property.

AnswerID: 382470

Reply By: anglepole - Wednesday, Sep 09, 2009 at 10:31

Wednesday, Sep 09, 2009 at 10:31

Hi Tony

You could ring 1300 361 033 for the latest road condition from the Department of Transport (local call)

or log onto their web site

http://www.transport.sa.gov.au/quicklinks/northern_roads/northern.asp

When I travelled from Coober Pedy to Oodnadatta for the races in May the road was excellent, sat on 90-95 k/hour for most of the way.

Enjoy your trip.

AnswerID: 382486

Reply By: Member - Mark (Tamworth NSW) - Wednesday, Sep 09, 2009 at 10:58

Wednesday, Sep 09, 2009 at 10:58

Mt Dare Hotel has a web site which regularly updates road conditions, suggest you look at what the locals say.

We did similar trip in July, the direct road in the National Park from Dalhousie direct to Mt Dare was a shocker, much worse than Meerenie Loop. Towing a CT we probably averaged 40km hr on the Dalhousie to MT Dare (direct) and 70km hr on the Meerenie loop section. I was told we "should have gone" via Eringa.

Road from MT Dare to Finke was OK, 80km/hr, the road from Finke to the Highway was a gravel super highway.

Someone once gave me the advice that if you haven't recently travelled the road, if it's dirt, no matter how good it looks, don't exceed 80km hr.

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AnswerID: 382491

Reply By: Member - Tony Z (NSW) - Wednesday, Sep 09, 2009 at 19:41

Wednesday, Sep 09, 2009 at 19:41

can't thank you all enough for the info, as we must see the Painted desert after seeing The Breakerways at Coober. told it's 100x better and they were spectacular. The Moon Plain sound like the real outback
Again thanks so much

AnswerID: 382551