Marree, the start of the Oodnadatta Track, was once an important rail town. No rail now, but the town hasn't quite died. The most substantial and conspicuous building is the hotel, which offers good accommodation and great meals. But for me, the most memorable thing about Marree is the mud. I set up my camper-trailer in a slightly dusty place, but it rained in the night (13 mm out of an average annual 100 mm), and when I stepped out in the morning I stepped into thick red mud. Waiting for the roads north to open, I took a walk around the town and collected more mud than photographs.

The Oodnadatta Track is a regularly maintained gravel road, which in good weather would be O.K. for an ordinary family car. But it is impassable after rain. And when "borderline impassable" it is still officially closed, so that (1) optimistic or inexperienced motorists don't have to be rescued, and (2) vehicles can't leave ruts and ridges in the muddy surface that are expensive to fix when the sun dries them out. Camels were once the preferred method of transport in this area.