Strzelecki Track

Not to be confused with Strzelecki Highway.

Strzelecki Track South Australia
The Strzelecki Track (blue and white) and the old part of the track at the northern end Transferring mail from a camel-drawn coach to a motor truck at Carraweena, near the mid-point of the Strzelecki Track, about 1920
Coordinates	(Northeast end) (Southwest end)
General information
Type	Track
Length	472 km (293 mi)
Major junctions
Northeast end	Cordillo Downs Road Innamincka, South Australia
	Adventure Way
Southwest end	The Outback Highway Lyndhurst, South Australia
Location(s)
Region	Far North
Restrictions
Fuel supply	Lyndhurst, Innamincka, Cameron Corner

Strzelecki Track is a mostly unsealed outback track in South Australia, linking Innamincka to Lyndhurst.

History

In 1870, the 472-kilometre (293-mile) track was pioneered by stockman, drover and cattle thief Harry Readford. He stole 1,000 head of cattle from a remote cattle station in Queensland. He drove them down the track, and sold them at Blanchewater Station. He then fled to Adelaide. Pastoralists then used the track as a stock route in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

After gas was discovered by Santos in the 1960s, it started carrying more traffic as a route to Moomba. Some sections were sealed.

Description

The track links Innamincka to Lyndhurst through the Strzelecki Desert. It is mostly unsealed, but with a few short sealed sections to facilitate overtaking. It is passable to conventional vehicles during the dry season, although caution is required.

The track is prone to flooding after heavy rains. At other times the surface can be corrugated, with loose stones and dust.

The Strzelecki Track is linked with the Birdsville Track via the Walkers Crossing Track. It is closed in summer and only traversable in dry weather.

A shorter route is available via a public access road between Moomba and Innamincka, making the distance 458 kilometres (285 miles).

Heritage listings

A number of isolated heritage-listed sites are located nearby to the Strzelecki Track:

• Tinga Tingana Homestead Ruins
• Gray's Tree
• Well and Whim, Coochilara Waterhole, Merty Merty Station
• Old Mulga Bore, Merty Merty Station

See also

• Highways in Australia
• List of highways in South Australia
• Stock route

Further reading

• Lewis, Craig and Savage, Cathy (2005) Australia's top 4WD getaways Prahran, Vic. Explore Australia Publishing.
• Flinders Range Research – Historical information about South Australia and the Northern Territory