| Central Australia Railway |
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Route and principal completion dates |
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| Status | Partially closed and removed, remaining section used by the Pichi Richi Railway |
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| Termini | |
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| System |
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| Operator(s) | South Australian Railways
Commonwealth Railways
(became Australian National) |
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| Opened | Port Augusta–Marree: 1884
Marree–Oodnadatta: 1891
Oodnadatta–Alice Springs: 1929 |
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| Closed | 1981 |
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| Line length | 1,241 km (771 mi) |
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| Track gauge | 1,067 mm (3 ft 6 in);
1,435 mm (4 ft 8+1⁄2 in) standard gauge from 1957 to 2016 (new route Port Augusta–Marree) |
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1241 km |
Alice Springs (old) |
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| Alice Springs abattoir |
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Alice Springs (current) |
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1237 km |
Heavitree |
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Macdonnell triangle |
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1231 km |
Macdonnell |
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1224 km |
Mount Ertwa |
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end preserved track |
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Ewaninga triangle |
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1208 km |
Ewaninga |
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1192 km |
Pohill Siding |
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1175 km |
Ooraminna |
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1163 km |
Deep Well |
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Deep Well siding |
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1141 km |
Rodinga |
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Rodinga stock yards |
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1125 km |
Maryvale |
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1099 km |
Bundooma |
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1076 km |
Engoordina |
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1060 km |
Mount Squire |
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1044 km |
Rumbalara |
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Rumbalara stock yards |
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1028 km |
Musgrave |
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1014 km |
Finke (Aputula) |
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1012 km |
Finke stock yards |
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997 km |
Crown Point |
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981 km |
Duffield |
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965 km |
Wall Creek |
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962 km |
border |
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945 km |
Abminga |
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Abminga sidings |
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929 km |
Bloods Creek |
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908 km |
Ilbunga |
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895 km |
Mount Emery |
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876 km |
Pedirka |
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859 km |
Mt Rebecca |
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841 km |
Mt Sarah (Stevenson Creek) |
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825 km |
Macumba |
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811 km |
Alberga |
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804 km |
Wire Creek |
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Wire Creek siding |
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792 km |
Todmorten |
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Oodnadatta sidings |
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770 km |
Oodnadatta |
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744 km |
North Creek |
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Mount Dutton stock yards |
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729 km |
Mount Dutton |
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Mount Dutton triangle |
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714 km |
Algebuckina |
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698 km |
Peake Creek |
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Warrina stock yards |
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682 km |
Warrina |
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Edwards Creek triangle |
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666 km |
Edwards Creek |
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Edwards Creek siding |
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650 km |
Duff Creek (Weedina) |
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632 km |
Boorthana |
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616 km |
Box Creek |
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600 km |
Anna Creek |
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588 km |
Douglas |
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574 km |
William Creek |
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William Creek triangle |
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554 km |
Irrappatana |
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537 km |
Strangways Springs |
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525 km |
Beresford |
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501 km |
Coward Springs |
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Coward Springs triangle |
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489 km |
Margaret |
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473 km |
Curdimurka (Stuarts Creek) |
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453 km |
Lake Eyre |
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440 km |
Bopeechee |
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425 km |
Alberrie Creek |
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407 km |
Wangianna |
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387 km |
Callanna |
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Marree gauge interchange |
| Marree |
356 km |
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372 km |
Marree |
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359 km |
Mundownda |
| Witchelina |
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339 km |
Wirrawilla |
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Farina triangles |
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| Farina |
303 km |
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320 km |
Farina |
| Lyndhurst |
278 km |
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294 km |
Lyndhurst |
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Old Mine loop |
| Telford |
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271 km |
Telford |
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Leigh Creek Coalfield |
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| Copley |
245 km |
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262 km |
Copley |
| Leigh Creek |
240 km |
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| Puttapa |
231 km |
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247 km |
Puttapa |
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| Beltana |
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232 km |
Beltana |
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212 km |
Nilpena (Black Fellows Creek) |
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| Parachilna |
175 km |
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195 km |
Parachilna |
| Commodore |
163 km |
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183 km |
Commodore |
| Brachina |
153 km |
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173 km |
Brachina |
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163 km |
Edeowie |
| Moralana |
127 km |
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137 km |
Mern Merna |
| Cotabena |
107 km |
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124 km |
Hookina (Wonoka) |
| Neuroodla |
89 km |
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105 km |
Hawker |
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89.6 km |
Wilson |
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73.0 km |
Gordon |
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57.5 km |
Willochra |
| Wilkatana |
48 km |
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39.8 km |
Quorn |
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Quorn Pichi Richi Depot |
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32.4 km |
Summit siding |
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23.6 km |
Woolshed Flat |
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18.2 km |
Saltia siding |
start dormant tracks |
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| Bungala Solar Plant |
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| Goods yard |
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Northern Power Station |
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Port Augusta Racecourse |
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0 km |
Port Augusta |
Pichi Richi Depot |
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The routes of the narrow-gauge Central Australia Railway (1878–1980) and the standard-gauge Marree line which replaced the southernmost third of the route (1957–2019). Perspective view with the southern Flinders Ranges routes in the foreground. Political pressure mandated the difficult eastern alignment of the original route. |
The former Central Australia Railway, which was built between 1878 and 1929 and dismantled in 1980, was a 1241 km (771 mi) 1067 mm narrow gauge railway between Port Augusta and Alice Springs. A standard gauge line duplicated the southern section from Port Augusta to Maree in 1957 on a new nearby alignment. The entire Central Australia Railway was superseded in 1980 after the standard gauge Tarcoola–Alice Springs Railway was opened, using a new route up to 200 km to the west. A small southern section of the original line between Port Augusta and Quorn has been preserved and is operated as the Pichi Richi Railway.
