Oodnadatta Track

[lynley.des]

I am wanting your thoughts. We are thinking of towing our 20ft Heritage Jayco van with our 100 series 1999 landscruiser down the Oodnadatta Track next year, and would like to hear from anyone who might have done it and survived, or not survived. Also open to your thoughts. I drive for pleasure no rip doodoo and bust driving, as we enjoy trvelling this great country. Awaiting your replies.

[Outback Granny Flat]

Hi lynley.des,
We travelled the Oodnadatta late April this year after doing a flight over Lake Eyre out of Lyndhurst which is the end of the tar coming up from Port Augusta. This is where the Oodnadatta and the Strezlekki Tracks starts (or finish depending on which way you look at it) and the Track was in good condition. We went up through William Creek (where you can also get Lake Eyre flights from) stayed at William Creek for 5 days (along with 10 million flies) and did the tourist thing then went onto Oodnadatta. We were going to Dalhousie Springs but we were told that we may not get through (with the van) as there was heavy rains up around that area in late Jan so we headed back out through the "Painted Desert" and glad we did, it was terrific. We have an Isuzu D-Max 4x4 with a Jayco Discovery Outback 18ft pop top and did it with ease. Remembering that you drive to suit the coinditions at the time. There are some good free camp spots, if your set up for free camp, along the way and the history about the "Old Gahan" rail is also along that way. I noted that you had a Jayco Heritage and would suggest that you invert the axles (put the axles under the springs) if you have not already done so to give you better ground clearance, have good quality A/T light truck tyres and have a dust vent in your roof of the van to stop the dust getting in. We didn't have one and wife spent 2 days cleaning and washing everything. You can also contact William Creek Hotel for road conditions when getting close, 08 8670 7880 or [email protected] or get road conditions from Port Augusta Info Centre depending which way your coming from. I loved it out that area and we had good dry conditions at that time.

Cheers
OGF

[vwillis]

Hi OGF

Your comments above are great.

Just one question, I was told by a caravan repairer in NSW that inverting caravan axles is now not allowed without an engineering certificate. Can you shed any light on that?

[Old Techo]

Wrong terminology. Relocating the axle under the springs is common and perhaps an acceptable practice. Inverting means to rotate the axle 180 degrees (flip upside down) and with an offset axle this is almost always a no-no.

[Outback Granny Flat]

Hi OGF

Your comments above are great.

Just one question, I was told by a caravan repairer in NSW that inverting caravan axles is now not allowed without an engineering certificate. Can you shed any light on that?

Hi vwillis,
I used the wrong wording as Old Techo has noted & he is 100% correct. I was amazed i could even spell invert

Cheers
OGF

[dieseltojo]

Hi lynley.des,
The OodnadattaTrack is a great destination, and worth the effort. It is just a well made road that gets graded regularly and if you go at a respectable speed is, well worth doing.
Having sad that there are few places where I have had to be helped out of a bog, and the Track was one of them, and that was with out a van attached.
Luckily I was travelling with a mate and it saved me a big dig out.
If the area gets decent rain you can have problems just getting through with a vehicle let alone even a loaded trailer. But that time was an exceptionally wet year, that only happens every ten or 15 years.
No need to worry but just get good road reports and act accordingly.
Make sure that your tanks and plastic pipes have some protection and don't go too fast.