March 13 Coward Springs- Oodnadatta Track

March 16, 2018 - Reading time: 3 minutes

Had a lovely drive from Koolaman through Brachina gorge and out onto the highway heading to Marree the start of the Oodnadatta Track refueling at the mining town Leigh Creek, Lyndhurst (where the Strzelecki track starts) and Marree ( where the Birdsville track also starts). We had our first close call with nature, when a emu ran out of the scrub as we just passed it…. The wind knocked it over … probably saving its life as it would have hit myrtle in the rear. It stood up… shook it head and returned to whence it had come.

This was mostly on the bitumen but just outside of Lyndhurst the dirt started though I must say it was in very good condition with very few corrugations. We got a magnificent view of the Lake Eyre South which is 12 metres below sea level and is one sixth the size of the north lake – in a word amazing!

We also visited two mound springs – the Blanche Cup Springs and the the Bubbler. These springs come from the Great Artesian Basin and turn the desert into a mini oasis and apparently where the basis of an Indigenous trading route and highway! John McDougall Stuart followed it to first white person to transverse the nation south to north. If Burke and Wills had used traditional knowledge in the same way perhaps they might have survived.

We have decided to make camp at Coward Springs surrounded by very active and noisy Cockatoos and thousands of flies have joined us. The sun is beginning to set and I would not be surprised if the mozzies come out to play as well! Surprisingly the mozzies only appeared in low numbers, but others closer to the pools got hammered! Lake Eyre South Bubbler Springs flies were bad at Coward Springs William Creek full of character waiting for take off Lake Eyre from the air William Creek from the air Algebuckina Bridge at Sunset