INFORMATION SHEET

This is a 5 day, 4 night camping safari : Alice Springs - Alice Springs ~ (minimum 4 passengers).

COST: A$725.00 pp. (includes GST, all camping gear, National Park permits, camping fees and meals)
PICK UP: Your Hotel/Motel/Hostel Alice Springs at approx. 8.00 am
SET DOWN: Hotel/Motel/Hostel Alice Springs around 5.30 pm
DEPARTURE DATES:EX ALICE SPRINGS May 5, June 9, August 11, November 10

THE TOUR.
Day 1: Leaving the Alice we head down the Finke Desert Track and visit the Eraninga rock paintings, then push on following the Old Ghan Line to Maryvale Homestead, then branch off to Chalmbers Pillar, an eroded sandstone natural monument where we stop for lunch. After lunch we head back to the Old Ghan Line and make for Alice Well on the Hugh River where we'll set up camp for the night.

Day 2: After a hot breakfast we push on to the Finke River, reputed to be the oldest water course in the world. (some 3000 million years old). We pass through Finke Aboriginal Settlement, then head for New Crown Cattle Station, and the abandoned Abminga railway station on the Old Ghan Line. It was from this point that Dr Cecil Madigan commenced his historic scientific expedition across the Simpson Desert in 1939. After looking around Abminga and having lunch, we head for Bloods Creek Bore near the site of the old Bloods Creek Homestead. It was from here that Centralian Pioneer Ted Colson, together with Aboriginal companion Peter Aines, crossed the Desert on camels in 1936. We now push on towards Dalhousie Springs in the Witjira NP. It's pretty slow going through here, but that adds to the anticipation of taking your first dip in the Springs. Flowing out of the Artesian Basin at some 40ºC, these springs attract people from all over the world for their recreational and medicinal value, and for scientific research. We camp overnight at the Springs. (Showers and toilets available).

Day 3: After breakfast there's plenty of time for swimming and exploring the area. We then head down to the Dalhousie Ruins, preserved remains of the old Dalhousie Homestead. Hand hewn cattle yards still remain, testament to the toil of bygone pioneers. Old date palms still survive here, planted by itinerant Afghan Cameleers. Leaving the Ruins we head for Mt. Dare Homestead, stopping for lunch en route. We set up camp at Mt. Dare - then there's time to look around the station, or just relax in the bar. Tonight is spent once again yarning around the campfire under a billion stars.

Day 4: Leaving Mt. Dare we head Nth. on the Old Andado Track. We cross the SA-NT border again and follow the Finke River bed through floodout country to Andado Station. We pass old stockyards, windmills, bores - now superfluous to the needs of the modern cattleman. This is hard country. Names of pioneering families are legend down here - Bloomfield, Clark, Lowe, McDill - builders of "empires in grass castles" through toil and perseverance. We have lunch on the Track then push on through Andado station to Old Andado Homestead, the original homestead built in 1922, and now home to Outback legend Molly Clark. Built from Waddy trees and galvanised iron, the homestead is a classic pioneer dwelling. (A stand of Waddy trees - Acacia peuce - can be seen by the Track some 30 kms from the homestead. This stand is known as the "Mac Clark Acacia peuce Reserve", named in honour of Molly's late husband) We camp overnight at the homestead.

Day 5: Leaving Old Andado we say goodbye to Molly and head for the Reserve. The Waddy trees here are very old, and so hard they cannot be nailed: the timbers used in Molly's homestead had to be drilled and wired together. Heading Nth. we continue on up the Old Andado Track past the Train Hills and Rodinga Range, through Alambi Station and on to Santa Theresa Mission. We stop for lunch along the way, then continue on through cattle country to the Alice arriving around 5.30 pm.

This ends the tour: those joining us on the CENTRALIA - ADELAIDE 2 day return run will be picked up at their Hotel, Motel or Hostel around 8.00 am the next day.

*Please note breakfast is not provided on the 1st day, nor dinner on the last. Breakfast is Continental style (apart from that on day 2 which is a special treat! ). Lunch consists of sandwiches, cake and fruit. The evening meal is a 2 course dinner. Morning and afternoon tea's are not provided, though we often stop at pubs, roadhouses and cafés for pit stops, where snacks and drinks are available.