William Creek

Tiny South Australian outback settlement on the Oodnadatta Track beside vast Anna Creek Station.

William Creek is the smallest town in South Australia, with a population of just 16, set near the midpoint of the famous Oodnadatta Track in the remote outback. It sits at the heart of Anna Creek Station — at over 30,000 square kilometres, the largest cattle station in the world. The town's landmark William Creek Hotel — its walls plastered with business cards and mementos from travellers — is a necessary stop for anyone driving the track.

Just down the road is Lake Eyre (Kati Thanda, about 55 km away), the vast salt lake that fills only a few times a century and becomes a magnet for birds and travellers when it does. The best way to see it is by scenic flight from the William Creek airstrip. Nearby is also Lake Cadibarrawirracanna, which holds the record for Australia's longest place name. Coober Pedy is about 160 km to the west.

Guide

Getting There

William Creek is 480 km north of Port Augusta and about 160 km east of Coober Pedy on the Oodnadatta Track. The track requires a 4WD vehicle in most conditions and becomes impassable in wet weather. Check road conditions at the South Australian outback road conditions website before setting out, and carry ample water, food, and fuel.

By air, William Creek Airport (ICAO: YWMC) has a sealed runway and handles light aircraft and some charter flights. Scenic flight operators from Port Augusta and other regional centres use the airstrip. It is the most comfortable way to see Lake Eyre if you don't want to make the full overland journey.

There is no public transport to William Creek.

Guide

Things to Do

William Creek is less a destination than a waypoint — a necessary stop for anyone driving the Oodnadatta Track, and a base for exploring some of the most remote and dramatic landscape in Australia. The pub is the social centre of the settlement, the airstrip opens the outback to aerial exploration, and the surrounding country is what brings people here.