Trip Report – The Madigan Line Part 4
Monday July 3 – Thursday July 27, 2023
Rob & Alec Drummond – Nissan Patrol
Phillip Favaloro – Nissan Patrol
Continued…
Our first stop the next morning was Pedirka Ruins which was to be the first of many visits to abandoned railway stations along the Old Ghan Railway. Pedirka Siding began in 1929 and was abandoned in the late ’50’s after the realignment of the Ghan Line. Of note, was the only bore to be operated by air in Australia. Air was pumped underground to force water to the surface.
Having passed through Hamilton Station, the track had improved though showed signs of the recent rains with several large washouts part way across the track. It was time for ‘elevenses’ so found Fogarty’s Claypan, a dried flood plain to stop for our obligatory cuppa and cake.
It was time for lunch when we hit the junction with the Oodnadatta Track so we sought shelter from the sun and wind. Not long after refreshments we came across ‘The Angle Pole Memorial’. The Angle Pole marks the place where the Old Overland Telegraph turned north toward Alice Springs
Oodnadatta is another remnant of the Old Ghan Railway with several interesting displays scattered around the siding buildings; however, Oodnadatta survives as an ongoing township of around 100 providing fuel food and shelter for travellers. Of course, everyone’s heard about the Pink Roadhouse.
We spent a couple of hours around town poking around the rusting wrecks of trains and hoists before having a cuppa at the Roadhouse. The track is a well maintained dirt road and we were able to keep up a reasonable pace and the kilometres quickly passed by. On occasion, the vehicle track passes alongside the railway track and you can pretend to be a train, however caution is advised as there are buried railway spikes which could lead to disaster for your tyres.
Not being able to pass a good ruin, we stopped in at Mount Dutton, another railway siding.
The lonely grave not far from the siding buildings is a reminder of the stark isolation of this tiny settlement and the remoteness of the railway during its construction and operation.
We were heading for a campsite on the Nappamurra River near the Algebuckina Bridge. We found a small space clear enough for us to camp and have a campfire on the banks of the river. We set about cooking dinner of roast veggies and lamb back-straps and finishing the meal with Rob’s ‘scamper’, something between a giant scone and damper.
Next morning, we explored the Algebuckina bridge which was the longest railway bridge in South Australia at 587m until the Seaford suburban line opened in 2014. The bridge ceased operation in 1981 when the Ghan line was relocated 100km to the west.
A short visit to the Algebuckina Siding Ruins had us wondering about how easy it would be to stop the ravages of time on the buildings remaining along the track. These ruins were falling apart from the bottom up, presumably due to wind and water erosion, and will soon fall completely.
We visited several ruins of sidings that day, each with its own interesting individual appeal. One standout was the desalination tower at Edward Creek Siding. Being careful, Rob was able to climb the outside and get an insight into the operation of the plant with the resultant salt and minerals lying deep in the bottom of the tower.
We stopped at William Creek and found the remains of a rocket fired from Woomera.
We spent a short time here poking around the township. If you ever enter the hotel, don’t forget to duck – the doorway is only at shoulder height!
The day was getting long but we decided to stop in at Strangways Springs. Strangways is one of the many ‘mound springs’ found throughout outback South Australia where mineral-containing water, under pressure from deep underground, comes bubbling to the surface and forming mounds like little volcanoes. These mound springs are natural outlets for waters of the Great Artesian Basin.
Strangways was a busy little community being on the Old telegraph line, the Ghan Railway and also was a pastoral property from 1859 and even now, parts of it are still under ‘pasture’ being part of the greater Anna creek Station.
On top of one of the mounds were what appeared to be tiny succulents. The mounds though were totally dry, but the succulents were hanging dearly onto life. We supposed there must have been enough moisture coming up from down under to keep them alive, as there probably wouldn’t be enough rainfall to do so.
After leaving Strangways, we made camp alongside Stuart Creek near Curdimurka. Rob wanted to camp at Coward Springs, but that wasn’t possible as it was fully booked! Coward Springs is in private hands now so you have to book and pay for a stay and a dip in the hot springs
(to be continued)
Rob Drummond