Old Ghan Railway Oodnadatta Track Lake Eyre 4WD Tour

Old Ghan Railway Oodnadatta Track Lake Eyre 4WD Tour Adelaide to Alice Springs

 

Travel the Old Ghan railway line from Port Augusta to Alice Springs with Pitchi Ritchi Railway (usually steam on the Afghan Express) to Quorn then 4WD via the Old Ghan Railway & Overland Telegraph Line (OTL), via Beltana, Farina, Marree, via Lake Eyre shore, Curdimurka, Beresford, Coward Springs, Strangeways, Algebuckina, William Creek, Oodnadatta, Dalhousie Springs, Mt Dare, Simpson Desert to Alice Springs. Small Group 4WD touring from Adelaide. Options from Sydney, Melbourne, Broken Hill, Marree, with optional Lake Eyre Flight.

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Itinerary

• If travelling from Sydney – Broken Hill Optional from Sydney visit Cowra engine sheds & Peterborough Roundhouse, night show and 3 guage yard – please ask

Day 1 – Pickups in Adelaide from 8 am from your CBD location to visit the National Rail Museum & rail photo exhibition. Depart Adelaide 12 noon via.Port Pirie, (with historic museum) Augusta, Pt Wakefield, wind farms, Pt Pirie port and rail history, Spencers Gulf to visit the Wadlata Outback Centre then overnight Port Augusta

Day 2 – The Rail Ride – Ride the steam train Pitchi Ritchi Afghan Express from Pt Augusta to Quorn, Inspect steam engines, engine sheds and yards

Depart Port Augusta railway Station 10:30 am – See the ancient Flinders Ranges landscape unfold before you on the full-day Afghan Express from Port Augusta Railway Station to the historic outback railway town of Quorn.

Travelling the old Ghan route over red earth and bluebush plains from Port Augusta, you’ll watch the ranges creep ever-closer before entering the Pichi Richi Pass with its rocky outcrops, dry riverbeds and beautiful hilly scenery.

The Afghan Express is the name railwaymen gave to the passenger train that ran from Terowie to Oodnadatta, through Quorn, in 1923. In time, this was abbreviated to the Ghan.

The railway was ultimately extended to Alice Springs by 1929. The Ghan used the Pichi Richi Railway route until 1956 when a new standard-gauge railway from Stirling North to Brachina bypassed the narrow gauge railway through the Pichi Richi Pass.

• Full day journey from Port Augusta to Quorn  (37 km) return
• Approximately 2 hour journey each way, with morning tea at Woolshed Flat
• Wherever practicable, original Ghan steam locomotive NM25 and genuine timber-bodied carriages built in the late 1920s will be used
• Diesel services use an historic Ghan locomotive, either NSU52 or NT76
• Departs Port Augusta at 10.30 am, and arrives at Quorn at approximately 12.15 pm for 1 hour stop, then return journey.

Day 3 – Leaving Port Augusta we have more time in Quorn, and steam angels willing, an engine shed and workshop tour. Closed-in footwear must be worn. We now travel by 4WD visiting railway towns and history of Hawker, Kanyaka Station, Marree, Beltana, Farina, Parachilna, see the Leigh Creek coal mine site, In Marree see the Old Ghan loop & cattle yards, 2 Old Ghan engines, 2 rail gauge platform, Tom Kruse “Outback Mailman” truck Tom Kruse museum and the Marree Rail History Museum – overnight Marree Hotel

Day 4 – Travel the Oodnadatta Track following the Old Ghan track and OT line visiting active Mound Springs and railway stops enroute including to Curdimurka, Beresford and Margaret Siding to Coward Springs (hot spa available) to view the Ghan Engineers Shed and museum – Onwards to Strangeways (Telegraph Station site)  and Angedool to William Creek Rocket Park and  William Creek hotel for overnight

Day 5 – At William Creek take a Lake Eyre flight (optional extra) then by 4WD travel Old Ghan route via Algebuckina Bridge (the largest on Old Ghan) and visit the Pink Roadhouse and extensive Railway Museum and precinct at Oodnadatta for overnight

Day 6 – Leaving Oodnadatta we head for Dalhousie Springs for hot springs swim under the palm trees. Overnight Mt Dare Hotel

Day 7 – Onwards to Finke, Rodinga Siding, Maryvale Station & Aboriginal community, Ewaninga Rock art – Overnight Alice Springs and celebration dinner

Day 8 – Morning visit to Alice Springs National Transport Museum – Optional flights home or Ghan to Adelaide or Darwin or tour to Darwin via Devils Marbles & /or Lost City – Overnight Alice Springs

 Day 9 Optional – Alice Springs optional extra day or tour to Uluru via Western MacDonnell Ranges, Meerenie Loop & Palm Valley

Our Lake Eyre component has time for an optional spectacular 1 hr flight with Warburton Groove which includes viewing Cooper Creek, Warburton Groove (the major inflows), Elliot Price Conservation Park, Campbell Point, Jackboot, Halligan & Belt Bays, Lake Eyre South, major islands & landmarks. Learn of the Marree Man giant sculpture. Visit Lake Eyre South shoreline, Mound Springs ( including “The Bubbler”) in the Wabma Kadarbu Mound Springs Conservation Park and the old Afghan created palm grove of the old Ghan town of Coward Springs with great railway heritage. Plus Painted Hills flight option.

Includes Alice Springs Transport Museum & historic steam engines and railway steam engine workshop visit.

• Day 1 – From Adelaide CBD
• From Adelaide – Visit SA National Rail Museum & rail photo exhibition. Depart 12 noon for Port Pirie, Port Augusta via Pt Wakefield, wind farms, Spencer Gulf, Wadlata Outback centre.  Ride steam train Pitchie Ritchie Explorer Pt Augusta to Quorn, engines, sheds, railway dinner- Overnight Quorn
• Day 2 – Marree Beltana, Farina, Parachilna, see Leigh Ck coal train, Overland Telegraph Station- Overnight Marree
• Day 3 – Lake Eyre flight, Old Ghan rail loop & cattle yards, engines, 2 guage platform, Tom Kruse “Outback Mailman” truck & Oodnadatta Track to Curdimurka, Coward Springs with Ghan Engineers Shed and museum , Strangeways, William Creek Rocket Park, Overnight William Creek 
• Day 4 – 4WD travel Old Ghan route via Algebuckina Bridge (the largest on Old Ghan) Visit the elaborate Railway Museum and Pink Roadhouse – Overnight Oodnadatta
• Day 5  –Dalhousie Springs, Mt Dare Painted Desert, hot springs swim under the palm trees – Overnight Mt Dare Hotel
• Day 6 – Chambers Pillar, Finke, Rodinga siding, Maryvale Station & Aboriginal community, Ewaninga Rock art- Overnight Alice Springs
• Day 7  – Alice Springs National Transport Museum – flights home or Ghan to Adelaide or Darwin or tour to Darwin via Devils Marbles & /or Lost City
• Optional Day 8 – Alice Springs optional extra day or tour to Uluru via Western MacDonnell Ranges, Meerenie Loop & Palm Valley

Our Lake Eyre tour component include a spectacular 1 hr 30 min flight (or extend for $90 to 2.5 hrs to fly over the Birdsville Track, the punt & Cooper Creek over Lake Eyre (north) OR extended Lake Eyre North flight with Warburton River, Warburton Groove and Tiari Desert from Marree, which includes viewing Cooper Creek, Warburton Groove (the major inflows), Elliot Price Conservation Park, Campbell Point, Jackboot, Halligan & Belt Bays, Lake Eyre South, major islands & landmarks. Learn of the Marree Man giant sculpture. Visit Lake Eyre South  shoreline, Mound Springs ( including “The Bubbler”) in the Wabma Kadarbu Mound Springs Conservation Park and the old Afghan created palm grove of the old Ghan town of Coward Springs with great railway heritage. Plus Painted Hills flight option.

Old Ghan Railway Tour

 

Meet in Adelaide or travel overland from  Sydney by rail or 4WD. Finish Alice Springs or optionally join new Ghan to Darwin or return to Adealide. Tour includes all Accommodation, Meals, 2.5 hr Lake Eyre Flight, Pitchi Ritchi Afghan Express rail ride, all National Park entries. Price includes 4 nights
hotel/motel accommodation, 2 nights catered comfortable desert camping.

 

Call 08 8120 036608 or 1300 763 188