Marree

Marree is a tiny, sun-baked outback settlement in South Australia that serves as the unofficial gateway to the legendary Birdsville and Oodnadatta Tracks. Once a bustling railway town, today it feels like a ghost town frozen in time, with a handful of locals, a classic pub, and a surreal landscape of red dirt and blue sky. It's a place where the silence is profound and the stars blaze at night.

Highlights & What to See

• Marree Hotel – The historic pub is the heart of town, offering cold beer, hearty meals, and a chance to swap stories with fellow travellers and locals.
• Afghan Mosque – A small, simple corrugated-iron mosque built by early Afghan cameleers in the 1880s, a poignant reminder of the region's multicultural past.
• Marree Man – A giant geoglyph etched into the desert 60 km west of town, visible only from the air. It's one of the world's largest artworks, and its origin remains a mystery.
• Old Ghan Railway Ruins – Explore remnants of the original Ghan railway line, including the station platform and water tanks, which tell the story of the town's railway heyday.
• Lake Eyre viewpoint – When the lake has water (rarely), the drive from Marree to the lake's edge offers a chance to see Australia's largest salt lake shimmering in the distance.

Suggested Time to Spend

Marree is a stopover rather than a destination. Most travellers spend one night here, arriving in the late afternoon to enjoy a beer at the pub and a walk around town before sunset. If you're flying in or have a 4WD, you could add a day to explore the Marree Man and the surrounding desert tracks, but for most people, a single overnight stay is enough to soak up the atmosphere.

Nearby Areas Worth Combining

• Oodnadatta Track – The 620 km unsealed road between Marree and Marla, passing through remote stations and the ghost town of Farina.
• Birdsville Track – The iconic 520 km dirt road from Marree to Birdsville (Queensland), crossing the Simpson Desert.
• Lake Eyre – A full-day 4WD trip to the lake's edge (when accessible) for a surreal encounter with Australia's largest salt lake.
• Farina – A historic ghost town 30 km north of Marree, with restored underground cellars and a bakery that operates during winter.
• Coober Pedy – The opal-mining town 300 km west, famous for its underground homes, churches, and lunar-like landscapes.

Please check official sources for current details.