STAGE 5 DUNES, SPRINGS AND SALT PANS

HIGHLIGHTS
Tour five enjoys some of the most intriguing sights of the Cattle Drive thanks to the resource that's so precious in this region... water. As you drive the herd through the Outback landscape, you'll see stretches of rocky plains and dunes ranging in colour from yellow to brown to rich, rich red. You'll also see dramatic outcrops of rock as well as the searing saltpans that were a daunting sight for the earliest pioneers. Not surprisingly, natural springs will make for an extra-welcome sight... Waters from the subterranean Great Artesian Basin leak through a chain of springs running along what is now the Oodnadatta Track; the aboriginal people understood the secrets of the springs for millennia. For the Europeans, however, the springs offered the means to water cattle, sustain telegraph stations and power steam engines. At Strangways historic site, you'll see the ruin of the 1870 repeater station, another hub along the great 'singing wires' complex. Beresford Springs was an important railway siding, telegraph and radar station. Coward Springs was another railway stop - though today this is also an astonishing oasis, a place where you'll get the chance to soak in warm waters while marvelling at the wetlands, date palms and bird life. Perhaps the most striking landforms are the mound springs. These domes of limestone literally loom out of the plains, leaking their precious water and creating unique ecosystems. Two of these mounds have come to be known as 'The Bubbler' and 'Blanche Cup', though they've had great spiritual significance to Aboriginal groups for many thousands of years. You can do as much or as little of this cattle drive as you wish; optional coach tours on Days 3 and 4 are available to show you further regional highlights and histories. Experience the Outback from a unique vantage point and join a scenic flight over Lake Eyre, or the Painted Desert or discover Coward Springs oasis on a camel tour at an additional cost. Your village of superior tented accommodation is Strangways Campsite, located 236km south of Oodnadatta

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