In Part 1 of Cameron Corner Caper I gave you an introduction to touring through the Corner Country region of New South Wales, Queensland, and South Australia. In Part 2 I will break it down and go into more detail about the trip.
Key Points Along The Track
The distance shown is from Broken Hill.
0km – Broken Hill
This is a city worth spending a few days in. The sculpture park and numerous art galleries, including those of Pro Hart and Jack Absolom are scattered around the town. The architecture around the main street has been well-maintained with many explanatory signs to ensure a good understanding of the significance of these sites. The Miners Memorial on the top of the town slag heap is a must, not only a poignant reminder of the many who have died in pursuit of the magic ore, but provides a great view over the city.
Just 25km away is the town of Silverton. Spend some time wandering around this old mining area and perhaps have a cooling beverage at the Silverton pub. Just a few kilometres further on is the escarpment overlooking the Mundi Mundi Plains, well worth a look.
The famous Silverton Hotel in outback New South Wales. Mad Max, anyone?
291km – Milparinka
A small gold mining town from the 1800’s, Milparinka has some well-preserved old buildings, thanks to dedicated volunteers. The Albert Hotel, dating from the 1880s, was closed for some time but has been re-opened and is a good spot for some refreshment, as well as a chance to have a look at a very historic building.
For those interested in history, about 18km away is Depot Glen, the site where Sturt and his team were stranded for some time in their quest to find the inland sea. A small cemetery is nearby, site of Poole’s grave, one of Sturt’s men. Also, on top of a hill nearby is Sturt’s Cairn, built by his men to keep them occupied in the time spent there. The track to Depot Glen is signposted at Milparinka.
331km – Tibooburra
Another town set up to support gold mining, it is well known for its historic pubs and the art work on the wall of the Family Hotel, done by Clifton Pugh and others. On the edge of town is a memorial to Charles Sturt and a mining reserve where you can walk around and gain a better understanding of the hardships experienced by miners in the late 1800s.
376km – Fort Grey, Sturt National Park
A good campground with toilets and barbecues, this is also the site of a fort built by Sturt on his trek north.
470km – Cameron Corner
Visit 3 states in 5 seconds as you run around the Cameron Corner marker, have a drink at the Corner Store and even play golf! If you have the need you could visit the “flip-dry” or “drip-dry”. You will understand when you get there!
578km – Merty Merty
Merty Merty is a station homestead but also marks the intersection of the Old Strzelecki Track. This narrow, sandy and winding track follows the Strzelecki Creek and is only recommended for well-prepared 4WD vehicles. It can be boggy in places and treacherous after rain. If you are up for it, it is a very interesting track that passes numerous oil and gas wells. Be aware that mining vehicles travel this route so be especially careful on blind corners. This section of track once again intersects with the new Strzelecki Track after 67km.
588km – Strzelecki Track intersection
At this point head north on the Strzelecki Track.
This is the sort of place you have to put up with when camping in Corner Country. The serenity…
638km – Moomba Lookout
Moomba is a closed town and only accessible by workers. There is a lookout nearby with a detailed sign explaining the purpose of Moomba and describing the infrastructure you can see.
678km – Old Strzelecki Track
At this point the Old Strzelecki Track intersects once again and continues north to Innamincka. It is important to note that travel on this northern section of the Old Strzelecki Track requires a Desert Parks Permit (see details later).
744km – Innamincka
Check out the “Strzelecki Track Part 2” blog for details.
Accommodation
There are numerous places to bush camp along the way but for those wanting a more structured option, try these:
Broken Hill
Being a major city, all forms of accommodation are available.
Milparinka
There are camping opportunities along the creek that runs through Milparinka, or stay at the historic hotel. Camping is also allowed at Depot Glen.
Tibooburra
A good caravan park with powered and unpowered sites as well as some cabins is a good option. There are several hotels and a motel as well.
Fort Grey
A campground with toilets and barbecues situated in Sturt National Park. This is a large area and bookings are not required. Fees, payable at entry, were $6/person at time of writing.
Cameron Corner
Camping sites, both powered and unpowered are available, together with some air-conditioned rooms with shared facilities.
Innamincka
For most people, coming to Innamincka is about camping along the Cooper and there are many great sites to make this possible. Other than in the Town Common, a Desert Parks Pass is required to camp anywhere in the Innamincka Regional Reserve. Camp areas are well-defined and listed in the material provided with the Pass. Only camp in these defined areas as this country is very fragile and the Park Rangers do their best to protect this environment by enforcing the “camp in designated areas” rule. Permits are available from here or from the Trading Post and visitor information centre in Innamincka.
If camping is not your thing, the Trading Post and hotel have some cabins and there is a motel in town. You should book ahead, especially in the cooler months, if you want this type of accommodation.
It wouldn’t be a four wheel driving adventure in the Australian bush without one river crossing!
Where To From Here
There are many options for travel once having reached Innamincka. Read the “Strzelecki Track – Part 3” blog for all the details and notes on preparation and safely travelling in the outback.
Services
Fuel: U = Unleaded, D = Diesel, L = LPG
Accommodation: P = Caravan Park, H = Hotel/Motel, C = Cabin
| Fuel | Accommodation | Public Toilets | |
| Broken Hill | U,D,L | CP,H,C | Y |
| Milparinka | H | Y | |
| Tibooburra | U,D | CP,H,C | Y |
| Cameron Corner | U,D | C | Y |
| Innamincka | U,D | H,C | Y |
Maps
Hema’s Great Desert Tracks Eastern Sheet (Snowys stock this map, give them a call if you would like to buy a copy!)
Is Corner Country on your list of outback adventures to do?
After experiencing camping, and being a boy scout as a child, I developed a love of the outdoors and the outback. I’ve taken every opportunity to travel across the outback through South Australia, the Northern Territory, and down the Western Australian Coast. In more recent times, after becoming an empty nester, I have organised and led many outback trips for family members, friends and acquaintances, to explore some of the more remote places across the country.