The
Old Andado Track is part of a larger tourist route known as the Binns Track, and though signage for the Binns helps with navigation, travellers should also be equipped with the right maps.
The route traverses fascinating terrain that includes mountain ranges, rocky gibber plains, desert sand dunes and floodplains. It truly is a breathtaking experience and one that you will not expect to see in Central Australia. You can extend this trip to include
Dalhousie Springs or Finke, and it joins up nicely with the
Simpson Desert trek notes. The
Old Andado Track is recommended for 4WD's only.
How to Use this Trek Note
If you'd like to download this Trek there are two options:
- Purchase our app ExplorOz Traveller. This Australian-made GPS & Navigation app will allow you to download all the ExplorOz Treks to your GPS enabled smartphone/tablet/iPad or laptop and enable active route guidance along the route as per the Directions shown on this page. The app enables offline navigation and mapping and will show where you are as you travel along the route. The app also allows you to edit/customise the route. Viewing the Trek in the Traveller app also includes all the words, images and POIs exactly as on the website (excludes Wildflowers). For more info see the ExplorOz Traveller webpage.
- Alternatively, if you already have another raster mapping software program you can Download this route in GPX format using the button shown below the map on this page .
TIP | To purchase our maps for offline use, you will need to purchase the EOTopo 2021 map licence. To install the maps you will need the ExplorOz Traveller app. |
Environment
Mac Clarke Conservation Reserve
One of Australia's rarest trees, the Waddy Tree (Acacia Peuce) is found in this reserve. It can only be found in 3 isolated stands on the edge of the
Simpson Desert in the Northern Territory and in Queensland. The other 2 locations are on the
Bedourie Road and near Montague Downs, QLD. Each site has up to several hundred trees, scattered over a few square kilometres. Even though the tree may live to over 500 years old, there are little signs of regeneration at the
Andado and
Birdsville sites. The waddy tree has a very dense hard wood and was used by aboriginals for weapons and early surveyors used the timber as
miles markers when making state boundary surveys in the 1880's.
History
The
Old Andado Homestead was built in the mid 1920's by the McDill Brothers, Robert and George. They erected the original two room section as an addition to the earlier mud brick living quarters on the occasion of George's wedding. The iron and other materials used in the house were carted to
Andado on a camel team from
Oodnadatta by the then carriers Bagot and Marsh. The materials were dismantled from the house of Mrs McDill, Robert and Georges' mother.
Andado changed hands a number of times and in 1955 Mr H Overton, a part owner of Clifton Hills station formed a partnership with Mac Clarke, forming the
Andado Pastoral Company. In 1958, the first of several new residences built 16kms west of
Old Andado were completed forming the new and now
Andado Station. Members of the Clarke family remained in the old
homestead and in 1969; the Clarke family acquired the station outright, securing Freehold Lease no 778.
Mac Clarke died in 1979 and Molly stayed on to manage the property. Molly died in 2012 however a volunteer caretaker system has been in place to keep up preservation of the site and to enable campers to visit between May and October each season. An announcement by the family on 23rd July 2018 has been given that the station will be soon be leased to a tourism business to ensure that camping and access to the old
homestead will be ongoing and managed professionally.
The most important other bit of history to take place at
Old Andado was that Dr Cecil Madigan started his 1939
Simpson Desert Scientific Expedition from
Old Andado.
TrekID: 120