Places Visited
Lake Eyre Tours isn’t just restricted to Lake Eyre. Throughout our tours, you will visit a number of towns and iconic locations across South Australia. If you opt for our three day tour, you will also journey into south-west Queensland.
Coober Pedy
Coober Pedy is one of the most unique and extraordinary places in Australia. Renowned as the "Opal Capital of the World", the town has evolved through the opal mining industry and tourism.
Most of the population of the Outback town is settled underground to escape the high temperatures in summer. You will find underground restaurants, hotels, bars, an underground church and a golf course without a blade of grass.
It's a fascinating place, with epic rolling plains and boulders, which create an Out-of-Space feel. Travellers can try their luck at "noodling" for opals in various spots around the town. You can tag along with the famous Outback Mail Run to Oodnadatta and William Creek, or join the nightly Star Gazing Tour on the Moon Plain.
Image credit: Lachlan Swan, South Australian Tourism Commission
William Creek
William Creek is the entry point from Coober Pedy to Lake Eyre in the Tirari Desert. It is the smallest settlement in South Australia. It has the only petrol station between Marree, Coober Pedy and Oodnadatta on the Oodandatta Track. William Creek is home to the world's largest cattle station, Anna Creek Station.
The town is a halfway point along the Track, with accommodation and meals at the local William Creek Hotel. Scenic flights are based from William Creek to Lake Eyre and surrounds.
Image credit: Lachlan Swan, South Australian Tourism Commission
Oodnadatta Track
The Oodnadatta Track is one of the most famous tracks in Australia's Outback. The 620 kilometre unsealed road passes through undulating countryside, vast plains, sandy patches and occasional bulldust. The Track is steeped in history, with relics of the Overland Telegraph Line, outback towns and heritage ruins.
The Oodnadatta Track follows a traditional Aboriginal trading route. It provides travellers with stunning semi-desert scenery. Along the Track are numerous springs feeding water from the Great Artesian Basin.
Image credit: Adam Bruzzone, South Australian Tourism Commission
Lake Eyre
The spectacular Lake Eyre is a true Australian icon. It is the fifth largest terminal lake, located in the arid and semi-arid part of the driest inhabited continent. Lake Eyre can be seen from several vantage points along the Oodnadatta Track and appears as a large, rather featureless, white saltpan. It is only from the air that its immensity can be appreciated.
A flight over Lake Eyre is an unforgettable experience. Marvel at the extremity of contrasted colours, the array of wildlife and the beautiful native flora. The scenic flight includes a tour over the brilliantly coloured eroded sandstone ridges of Painted Hills to the west, then along the southern edge of the lake.
Image credit: Ian Routledge, South Australian Tourism Commission
Parachilna
The town of Parachilna is located on the road between Port Augusta and Leigh Creek in South Australia's Flinders Ranges. Parachilna is renowned for its famous Prairie Hotel, a fabulous place to eat, stay and explore the region.
Visitors can enjoy 4WD and 2WD experiences, scenic flights, bush-walking and cycling. Surrounded by desert plains and the rugged Flinders Ranges, Parachilna is a popular tourist location. Nearby, the Parachilna Gorge is an extraordinary site, even more so after a rain event.
Image credit: David Godfrey, South Australian Tourism Commission
Marree
Marree is a small town located in the north of South Australia. It lies 685 kilometres north of Adelaide at the junction of the Oodnadatta Track and the Birdsville Track. The town was home to Australia's first mosque made of mud brick and built by the Afghan cameleers employed at Marree's inception. At one time, the town was divided in two, with Europeans on one side and Afghans and Aboriginals on the other.
Image credit: John Montesi, South Australian Tourism Commission
Clare Valley
The Clare Valley is located two hours north of Adelaide. The countryside consists of rolling hills, pristine farmland and stone cottages. Along the 25 kilometre road, hamlets of towns, including Auburn, Watervale, Sevenhill and Clare reside. Although a small wine region, the quality of Clare Valley wines in exceptional.
There are about 40 cellar doors located in the Clare Valley, some operating out of old farmhouses, sheds and heritage buildings. Clare is famous for world class Riesling, which is richer and more concentrated than most.