Great Outback Drive - Corner Country

by Terry Everson
(Whalan NSW)

There are many classic outback drives and one of my favourites is the drive from Tibooburra to Innamincka run via Cameron Corner referred to for obvious reasons as Corner Country.

It takes in the North West corner of New South Wales and the North East part of South Australia and South West Corner of Queensland. Cameron Corner is where the three States meet and there is a corner store there to provide fuel, a drink and a feed.

If you are interested in Australia's history of early white exploration it is worthwhile visiting Depot Glen and nearby Mt Poole. It was at Depot Glen where Explorer Charles Sturt and his men were trapped from January 1845 to July 1845 because of drought and this being a permanent water supply sustained them. To give his men something to do Sturt instructed them to build a rock cairn on nearby Mt. Poole which he named after his second in command. Little did Sturt realise that he was erecting a monument to John Poole who later died here. This Rock Cairn and John Poole's crude grave and marked tree located near the base of Mt. Poole can still be seen to-day.

Getting back to the drive. After leaving Cameron Corner it is a roller coaster ride over clay capped sand dunes until you reach the Strezlecki Track near Merti Merti Station. Although the dunes are clay acapped and generally pose no problems except when it is wet, it is wise to take care at the crests for in times of drought they can sometimes break up and be a trap for the unwary.

Near Merti Merti there is a line of red sand dunes a good bush camp an ideal spot to take photographs of the sandhills at sunset. From here you also have a choice of taking the old Strezlecki Track which follows the creek lie or continue on to the usually well graded new Strezlecki Track to Innamincka and the delightful Cooper Creek.
For the intrepid traveller I would recommend the old Strezlecki Track, while it doesn't offer too much difficulty it gives you more of a feeling of being Outback and isn't that what we go there for.