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Coober Peedy, Simpson Desert, Lake Eyre National Park, Strzelecki & Birdsville Tracks
Many of the outback townships were founded with an ignorance relative to the time. For example, Maralinga and Mirikata were used for government nuclear testing and rocket tracking before we new of the potential harm and older towns such as Gordon were laid to pave the way for prosperous and fertile farmlands. With no regard for the harsh climatic conditions these towns struggled to survive. Some were abandoned as late as the 1960’s while others by this time, were already in ruins and these have become the Ghost Towns of South Australia.
You can visit libraries whose shelves are filled
with dust covered books and hear the winds howl their way through broken
windows, banging open doors. It is said that some of the old timers
still live in these towns or could these nightly sightings be the hauntings
of lonely prospectors, determined to fulfill their dreams. Lake Torrens and Lake Frome to the west and east of the Flinders Ranges National Park are usually found as nothing more than large dry salt pans. The majority of town residents live underground in dug-outs. Originating as mines, these unusual homes continue to improve in size and structure as the mines become larger. Many run by solar power and they are ideal in the hot climate of the desert. Natural insulation keeps temperatures constant and natural lighting is provided through tunnels carved into the rock with glass panels concreted into the holes. If you have the opportunity for an overnight stay, take it!
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backpacker tours australia |
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