Page 374 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Australia

372  SOUTH A USTR ALIA

South Australian Outback

South Australia’s outback is an enormous area of harsh but
often breathtaking scenery. Much of the region is untamed
desert, broken in places by steep, ancient mountain ranges,
huge salt lakes, gorges and occasional hot springs. Although
very hot and dry for most of the year, many places burst into
life after heavy winter rains and hundreds of species of
wildflowers, animals and birds can be seen. The area’s recent Locator Map
history is one of fabled stock routes, now Outback tracks for South Australian Outback
adventurous travellers. Isolated former mining and railway The Yorke and Eyre Peninsulas
towns now cater for Outback tourists. Vast areas in the west see pp362–71
form extensive Aboriginal lands, accessible by permit only.
Alice Springs
Musg sg s rave Ranges TU STUART Marryat SIMPSON DESERT
U
TUA
WITJIRA CONSERVATION PARK
NATIONAL
PARK
TRACK
Everard Ranges HIGHWAY Oodnadatta TR R C
W
WA
Iltur Marla LAKE EYRE BIRDSVILLE TRACK Innamincka
Regional
V
Great Victor ia NATIONAL PARK IRDSVI I D Reserve
Deser t Moomba
Pootnoura
Emu Junction William Lake Strzelecki
Eyre
Creek
Tallaringa North Regional
Lake Conservation Reserve
Dey-Dey Park COOBER
Lake PEDY Curdimurka
Maurice Marree
Gina
Watson Ooldea Wynbring Gammon Ranges Arkaroola
National Park Lake
Lake
Nullarbor Plain Kingoonya Torrens Frome
Flinders Ranges
Key Lake National Park
Sights at a Glance Gairdner
Major road Hawker FLINDERS RANGES Broken Hill
r Coober Pedy
Minor road Quorn
t Witjira National Park Port Augusta
Track Mount Remarkable
y Simpson Desert National Park
Main railway Conservation Park 960m Peterborough
State border u Lake Eyre National Park 0 km 200 Adelaide
Summit i Flinders Ranges
0 miles 200
rCoober Pedy produces a large percentage from the Aboriginal kupa piti,
of the world’s supply. Mining meaning “white man in a hole”,
* 3,500. ~ @ n Lot 773
Hutchison St (08) 8672 4600. claims, limited to one per person, and it is apt indeed. Not only
∑ cooberpedy.sa.gov.au can measure no more than the mines, but also houses,
100 m by 50 m (320 ft by 160 ft). hotels and churches are built
One of Australia’s most famous For this reason opal mining is underground. This way, the
Outback towns, Coober Pedy, the preserve of individuals, not residents escape the extreme
850 km (530 miles) northwest large companies, and this adds temperatures of up to 50°C
of Adelaide, is an unusual to the town’s “frontier” quality. (122°F) during the day and 0°C
settlement in the heart of an Coober Pedy’s name comes (32°F) at night. Several such
extremely hostile landscape. homes are open to the public.
Frequent duststorms and a The Underground Art Gallery
colourless desert landscape displays Aboriginal art. It also
littered with abandoned mines has displays relating to opal
contribute to the town’s mining, and visitors can dig for
desolate appearance, yet the their own opals.
small population has a cultural
mix of over 42 nationalities. E Underground Art Gallery
Opal was discovered here in Hutchison St. Tel (08) 8672 5985.
1915, and today Coober Pedy Underground “dugout” home in Coober Pedy Open daily. Closed 25 Dec. & 7
For hotels and restaurants in this area see pp491–2 and pp522–5