Beltana, a thriving town spirit – less than 40 permanent residents
- The outback where people still call Beltana home
- An extraordinary opportunity to go trekking with camels
- Historic time capsule reflecting 150 years
- Off the beaten path buffs have a bucket list destination
BELTANA
Climate change lessons where people thought it would rain, what happens when it doesn’t …
BELTANA
Beltana is a town where the trains stopped running. Beltana’s location defines off the beaten track. The town continues to exist with a permanent population in excess of 50 people and, importantly an active website, Beltana.
- The outback where people still call Beltana home
- An extraordinary opportunity to go trekking with camels
- Historic time capsule reflecting 150 years
Beltana is an old railway town on the western fringe of the Flinders Ranges. Beltana is a detour and off the beaten track. Abandoned town fans will not mind the journey.
Many of the town’s buildings are being or have been restored, making Beltana a time-capsule of the I9th century. These include the original Beltana Homestead (1855), Police Station (1881), Post Office and Telegraph (1875), Bush Hospital (1898) and School (1882).
Beltana witnessed the beginnings of the Royal Flying Doctor Service and the Australian Inland Mission. In the early days it was a camel breeding station. Beltana’s decline started with the closure of the railway.
The buildings in Beltana are privately owned and are generally not open to the public. Interpretative signs encourage a self guided tour. A self guided walk, in the middle of nowhere is oddly memorising as you keep thinking of why on earth would people think it’s a good idea to grow wheat in the dry dust bowl of Beltana.
You can CAMP in BELTANA
Looking for somewhere unique to stay? Beltana now offers a small number of campsites that can be booked through Hipcamps. This is a community run facility to make our town self sustainable.
ACTIVE ADVENTURES – CAMEL TOURS & TREKS
Camels – are not just a stroll on Broome’s beaches. An authentic trek in desert territory is an immersive experience into the life of the nineteenth century and the importance camels played in exploring the interior.
Camel treks are operated from Beltana. The tour operators have collected a number of awards for excellence. It is hot and dusty and you feel as though you have been walking in the bush for a long time. Yet it is also an adventure where you get a sense of achievement at the end of the day.
THE CAMEL SANCTUARY, Save a camel | Ride or walk with a rescue. Click here for details and more information.
The best time to visit Beltana is between May to September when it is cooler. Check the local weather forecast HERE. The average summer temperature is between 33c to 35c with very little cloud cover.
WHAT IS THE BEST WAY TO GET TO BELTANA, SOUTH AUSTRALIA?
The best way to get to Beltana, SA is off the beaten track (Australian style). Beltana is approximately 2 hours or 190 km from Wilpena Pound via The Outback Hwy/B83.
The OUTBACK HIGHWAY runs alongside the western side of the Ikara Flinders Ranges to Marree. The route is designated B83 from Hawker to Lyndhurst. Route B83 continues south from Hawker along the Flinders Ranges Way. The road is unsealed in several sections.
WHAT TO DO NEARBY BELTANA, SOUTH AUSTRALIA?
- Beltana is nearby Ikara Flinders Ranges National Park
- Wilpena Pound is 1 ½ hours drive; 132 km
- Stop at the iconic Parachila pub and enjoy a kangaroo or emu pie
- Explore Hawker and Lake Torrens National Park. Lake Torrens is a lake with no water. Lake Torrens (Kuyani: Ngarndamukia) is a large ephemeral, normally endorheic salt lake in central South Australia. Remote, inaccessible without prior permission
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