Innamincka - SA

20 years ago, Innamincka was simply a dusty stretch of some 100m with no more than 4 buildings of which one was a pub, the others being a store, tyre and auto service and an abandoned heritage building.Today at Innamincka you'll find the Innamincka Hotel is a bush icon and puts on excellent meals and events. The Innamincka Tyre and Auto Service has expanded its operation to include a Laundromat with small camping area, public telephone, public toilets and showers and across the road there's a new Homestay facility with capacity for up to 18 guests and the heritage building has become occupied by the Desert Parks Ranger and is an excellent trip planning information centre for your visit to the Innamincka Regional Reserve and Coongie Conservation Zone.The mancom tank public shower/toilet block is now coin operated.Innamincka Township - Coongie Lakes - Cullyamurra Waterhole - Historic sites along the Cooper Creek including Burke's and Will's Graves and King's Tree - The Cooper Creek waterholes including Queerbidie, Minkie, Tilcha, Cullyamurra, Scrubby Camp and Kudriemitchie - The Stony Tablelands on the Merninie Track - Wildlife, particularly the birds. There are also other sites and drives of interest that are worth adding into your itinerary, such as Burke and Wills Dig Tree, King's Marker and many good bush camps and fishing holes are good for either just a look or to stay a few days. There are plenty of places around to move on to with lots of free bush camping. Public Facilities Don't be surprised by prices for goods and services in Innamincka. Despite growing tourism, Innamincka is still a very isolated community. The people who live and work in the region are either station people or workers from the gas and oil fields, and all have their own infrastructure for obtaining supplies. Since the region is self-supporting to a certain extent, you'll find facilities are minimal and only established to service the short tourism season each year.However, Innamincka is beginning to change. Although there is still no "town" water in Innamincka, there are washing, showering and toileting facilities for the public, using the muddy waters from the Cooper Creek. It's not polluted (yet), and the town's folk drink it (from their private settling tanks) but you are advised only to use it for washing, not drinking - sounds like an excellent reason to go to the pub!Until recently, people used to come for just a day and then move on. However, now that there is an increasing number of facilities for tourists in this small township it is becoming more attractive to holiday-makers to stay a while.Town common costs a few $ to camp just 400m from town. Those with a Desert Parks Pass can camp for free at numerous waterholes and river reaches from 4 to 20km out.