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Day 13
Marree to William creek via the Oodnadatta track. Then onwards to Coober Pedy.
Travelled along the old Telegraph line and the old Ghan train line (last train 1980). Left Marree which as Michael said calling it a one horse town is an insult to the horse. General store, post office and pub. Originally the point along the Ghan where the narrow gauge railway from Alice Springs in the North switched to standard gauge to travel to Port Augusta in the South. Since the Ghan now bypasses the town it is pretty quiet. However, as the start of the Birdsville and Oodnadatta tracks, it is the last stocking up point for tourists.
The track travels along past old railway sidings where the water tanks used to power the steam engines are left rusting on the horizon. Past Lake Eyre, which spans 22% of the Australian land mass lay shimmering in the distance which was an impressive sight. This normally dry lake is flooded for only the 4th time in 100 years.
The tracks were in better shape than we expected so made William Creek by lunchtime only to have to fill up with fuel at an extorsionist 199.90 cents per litre. With a population of 2, we had quickly seen the sights and the fact that the road to Coober Pedy was open for the first time in a week, we decided to take it while we could. Along this recently graded 166km, we traversed sand hills, clay pans and salt pans before bouncing into Coober Pedy in the late afternoon.
Distance: 380km, 374 unsealed
Overnight: Oasis campsite, Big4, Coober Pedy
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Breda Caught up with you at last--better late than never! What a trip you are having,oh to be young again! Enjoy! Have had Jean & Kieran here for couple of days,good time.