Coward springs

gordon_adl · Senior Member

Coward springs

ozi2 · Guru

Hi Gordon.........yep, as have many GN's on this forum. Its a great little oasis on the Oodnadatta track. Lovely spring spa to refresh your body at the end of a long hot day, nice quiet camping spots with good toilet facilities.

cheers

ozi2

gordon_adl · Senior Member

Thanks. I looked at their web site and it says no pre booking unless with 4 vehicles or more. I'm hoping they're not booked out. Heading that way in little more than a week.

Cruising Granny · Guru

You should be ok. It's fairly busy out that way with everyone wanting to see Lake Eyre, but the turn around is fairly quick. The nights are freezing out there, but the days were nice when I was out that way a few weeks ago.
Good luck and safe travels.

gordon_adl · Senior Member

Granny, how where the roads when you were there? I know we've had a fair bit or rain but I reckon they should be ok.

pricey43 · Guru

Gordon, we travelled up the track in July last year, in between lots of rain and track closures. We did it in a 2 wheel territory towing an A'van pop-top. We did a bit of shaving the middle mud at times but didn't have any trouble. Stayed at Coward Springs. Avery nice little oasis but don't expect the Spring to be hot. It is about 25 deg. Warm enough to stay in for a while nut its very pleasant having a shower after heating the donkey water heater.

gordon_adl · Senior Member

Thanks everyone for all the help. geez what a fantastic group of people here.

Cruising Granny · Guru

That's the smallest donkey hot water service I've ever seen.
Most of them are 44 gal drums or similar.
I guess if it's enough, then it's big enough.
As for the roads, I only got as far as Lyndhurst, but the truckies heading up the Strez Track reported ROUGH.
The track to Maree to the Birdville Track looked really good from the air, and the people I spoke to at the pub reported it to be pretty good.

Mary · Senior Member

Coward Springs is a very attractive little campsite.The restored railway cottage etc and the spa is heaven after a trip over the Simpson etc.Don't miss a visit to the nearby mound springs-faboulous,

Cheers,

Mary

wendyv · Guru

Some of the camp sites at Coward Springs are tucked in amongst big tamarisk trees - very pretty. It is great to be able to have a campfire, too. We stayed a couple of nights there, last time up the Oodnadatta Track. Unhitched and went to visit the mound springs nearby without the van. Great birdlife around the camp area because the spring outflow creates a little wetland, and fascinating history too.

jules47 · The Happy Helper

We went into Coward Springs few years back - parked up - hubby walked over to the spring/spa - and there was a woman in there completely starkers - I don't know who was more shocked John or the woman - her partner came running over, and told John to "bu......r off!" - bit rude, and we didn't hang around - moved on somewhere down the track. Their camp looked like they had been there a while, maybe they thought they owned the place.

Peter_n_Margaret · Guru

We went to Coward Springs the first time in 1970 in a Mini.

That is the Ghan going past.

The railway buildings were abandoned at that time and there were almost no trees. The spring was there though.

No bookings needed then

Cheers,

Peter

-- Edited by Peter_n_Margaret on Sunday 29th of May 2011 07:01:47 AM

Travel Bug · Guru

Peter n Margaret.....what a fabulous old pic....

Thanks for sharing it....Cheers smile

pricey43 · Guru

LOL Love the picture. Don't think I'd try to get there in a mini these days!!!!!!!

Peter_n_Margaret · Guru

pricey43 wrote:
LOL Love the picture. Don't think I'd try to get there in a mini these days!!!!!!!

Why?

The road is better now than it was then, but we all think we need 4x4s now.

Cheers,

Peter

jimricho · Guru

I owned a Morris Major back in 1970 and took it to places that we use 4x4s for these days. Loaded it up with gear and a ten foot tinny on the roof. Not even a limited slip diff back then.