William Creek, South Australia facts for kids
Quick facts for kids William CreekSouth Australia |
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 William Creek
Location in South Australia
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| Established | 1889 | ||||||||||||||
| Elevation | 77 m (253 ft) | ||||||||||||||
| Time zone | ACST (UTC+9:30) | ||||||||||||||
| • Summer (DST) | ACST (UTC+10:30) | ||||||||||||||
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| LGA(s) | Outback Communities Authority | ||||||||||||||
| State electorate(s) | Stuart | ||||||||||||||
| Federal Division(s) | Grey | ||||||||||||||
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| Footnotes | Adjoining localities | ||||||||||||||
William Creek is a tiny, isolated town in the Outback of South Australia. The Outback is a huge, dry, and remote area in Australia. This small community has fewer than 20 people living there.
William Creek is located about halfway along the Oodnadatta Track. This track is a long, unsealed road. The town is about 210 kilometers (130 miles) northwest of Marree. It is also about 166 kilometers (103 miles) east of Coober Pedy.
Contents
Exploring William Creek and Its Surroundings
William Creek is a key spot for travelers heading to Lake Eyre from Coober Pedy. Lake Eyre is a huge, usually dry salt lake in the Tirari Desert.
Important Stop for Travelers
William Creek is the only place to get petrol between Marree, Coober Pedy, and Oodnadatta. It has a campground for tents and caravans. There are also two small motels. The town is home to one of the most remote pubs in the world. A pub is a place where people can eat and drink.
The world's largest cattle station is nearby. It is called Anna Creek Station. A cattle station is a very large farm where cattle are raised. The Woomera Prohibited Area is also close by. This is a special area used for defense and aerospace testing.
Memorial Park and Its Stories
William Creek is a good place to stop and rest on the Oodnadatta Track. You can find food and a place to stay at the hotel. There is also a campground, which can be quite dusty.
In the Memorial Park, you can see different items. One sad story remembered here is about a young Austrian woman. She died in 1998 trying to walk back to William Creek. Her 4WD vehicle got stuck in the sand near Lake Eyre. This reminds us how dangerous the Outback can be.
For nearly 50 years, a part of the Black Arrow Rocket was in the park. This was the first stage of Britain's only successful independent space launch. It was found on the nearby Anna Creek Station. Recently, a technology company called Skyrora took it back to the UK.
The Unique Mail Run
William Creek gets mail twice a week. The mail is delivered by the Coober Pedy Oodnadatta One Day Mail Run. This special four-wheel-drive truck also carries some goods and passengers.
William Creek's Past
William Creek is on the traditional lands of the Arabana people. In 2012, a court officially recognized their native title rights. This means the Arabana people have special rights to more than 68,000 square kilometers (26,000 square miles) of land in the area.
How William Creek Got Its Name
The explorer John McDouall Stuart named the area William Creek in 1859. He was exploring the region at the time. William was the second son of John Chambers. John Chambers was an early farmer in South Australia. He was also a strong supporter of Stuart.
The Arrival of the Railway
A small settlement started in 1889. This happened when the Great Northern railway arrived. This railway later became known as The Ghan. Work on the railway began in 1878 near Port Augusta. It took ten years for the line to reach William Creek in June 1889.
The railway work continued, eventually linking Port Augusta to Oodnadatta. Oodnadatta became the northern end of the railway until the late 1920s. As many workers came to the area, a boarding house was set up in 1886. A place to eat, run by James Jagoe, was also there in 1886. In 1890, Henry Lane took over the business.
In 1911, a traveler named Gilbert Reed described a stop at William Creek. He was on a train journey to Oodnadatta. He ate at Paige's boarding house. The meal was goat, but it was served like mutton.
Telegraph Station and Early Life
In 1896, William Creek became a repeater station for the Australian Overland Telegraph Line. This line helped send messages across Australia. William Charles Brennan was the first Station Master. It replaced a nearby station called Strangways Springs.
Early visitors to the area were amazed by the vast open spaces. They were also fascinated by the heat, the natural springs, and the long distances.
The town has always been small. It has never been more than a few houses, a small school, and a hotel-store. The historic William Creek Hotel is a very old building. It is listed on the South Australian Heritage Register because of its importance.
How William Creek is Governed
William Creek is part of the federal electoral division of Grey. It is also in the state electoral district of Stuart.
Most of South Australia (about 63%) is not part of a local government area. This means it is "unincorporated." This huge area is about 625,000 square kilometers (241,000 square miles). That's more than twice the size of the United Kingdom!
About 4,500 people live in this unincorporated area. This is less than 0.2% of South Australia's population. A state government agency called the Outback Communities Authority provides services to these residents. This is a special way of managing the area, combining government help with local community self-management.
Amazing Sights Near William Creek
You can see Lake Eyre from different spots along the Oodnadatta Track. From the ground, it looks like a huge, flat white saltpan. But to truly see how big it is, you need to view it from the air.
Flying Over Lake Eyre
From an airplane, you can see the curve of the Earth on the horizon. Below, you can spot the paths of ancient rivers. These rivers still flow into the lake sometimes.
Trevor Wright and the pilots from Wrightsair offer flights from William Creek. They take up to five passengers on a 60-minute flight. The flight goes over the amazing Painted Hills to the west. Then it flies along the southern edge of Lake Eyre. The pilots point out interesting features and explain the landscape.
The Painted Hills
The Painted Hills are brightly colored ridges made of eroded sandstone. These hills, and all the land seen on the flight, are part of Anna Creek Station. From the air, you can also see the Oodnadatta Track stretching far into the distance.
