What the drive involves

The Finke Road links Alice Springs with the community of Finke (Aputula), and from there tracks continue across the border to Oodnadatta, or east to Mount Dare and the Simpson Desert. It is unsealed, heavily corrugated and sandy in places, and it closes after rain. Older tracks run through the same country: the Old South Road beyond Maryvale Station, and the Ghan Heritage Road along the old railway line between Titjikala and Finke. They are rougher and sandier, and hire terms treat them as separate roads.

What written approval means for your hire

Written approval means the trip is approved before you collect the camper and noted on your rental agreement. Ask for it when you book: approval can be refused, or come with conditions such as the season, a satellite phone or travel with a second vehicle. Driving there without it breaches the hire terms, and damage on the way is usually not covered.

Approval for the Finke Road does not cover the Old South Road beyond Maryvale or the Ghan Heritage Road between Titjikala and Finke. Every camper listed here is barred from at least one of them, and all of them from Boggy Hole in Finke Gorge, so ask us which way to Finke your camper may take before you plan the route.

Questions about the Finke Road

Is the Finke Road open during the Finke Desert Race?

The race runs along the old railway line between Alice Springs and Finke in June each year, and the area is busy or restricted around race days. Check the dates before you plan the trip.

Where can I get fuel on the Finke Road?

In Alice Springs and, at limited hours, in Finke. Carry enough to reach Oodnadatta or Mount Dare.

Can I visit Chambers Pillar on the way?

Chambers Pillar is reached on the Old South Road by way of Maryvale Station rather than on the Finke Road itself, and it has its own rules and its own page. Return the way you came unless your camper is approved for the Old South Road beyond Maryvale.