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Queen of the Desert ready to hit the road

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Published 14th February 2017
If you’re looking for adventure, make sure you get your tickets for the 2017 Queen of the Desert 4wd Festival.

Queen of the Desert ready to hit the road

If you’re looking for adventure, make sure you get your tickets for the 2017 Queen of the Desert 4wd Festival.

As part of Whyalla City Council’s inaugural uneARTh Festival, the council is offering up an opportunity to explore the great South Australian outback.

Hitting the road over the Easter Long Weekend, Queen of the Desert 4wd Festival explores the Oodnadatta Track at a leisurely pace, leaving from Whyalla with overnight stops at Coober Pedy, Arckaringa Station, William Creek, and finishing up in Marree, with plenty of interesting stops, photo opportunities, and family fun along the way.

Queen of the Desert is a celebration of Australian Film, and participants are invited to dress their vehicles, and themselves, in the theme of an Australian film of their choice.

There is plenty to see in the great South Australian outback, with stops planned at the Algebuckina Bridge, the Pink Roadhouse in Oodnadatta, Coward Springs, and the incredible landscape of the South Australian desert.

There will also be opportunities to take a scenic flight over Lake Eyre with tours from Wrightsair, as well as many more opportunities to see landmarks unique to the South Australian outback.

The adventure will begin in Whyalla on Thursday, April 13 with an official welcoming dinner and entertainment by Whyalla’s very own ‘Just Me’ at Whyalla Sportfishing Club, before the troop hits the road on Friday morning, April 14 and finishing in Marree on Monday, April 17.

Tickets are $300 for three adults, or two adults and two children, $12 for an additional adult, and $6 for an additional child, and are inclusive of:

  • All camping site accommodation at Coober Pedy’s Big4-Stuart Range, Arckaringa Station, William Creek Hotel and Marree Hotel;
  • Guided tour of Coober Pedy’s famous Breakaways, underground Church, mine and museum and underground homes;
  • Participation in the Coober Pedy Opal Festival parade;
  • Dinner at William Creek and Marree, both including entertainment during the night;
  • Guided Painted Desert sunset tour, including spread of local produce; and
  • Four billy tea breaks throughout the event

Whyalla mayor Lyn Breuer said the council was working closely with Whyalla 4wd Club to develop a quality 4wd adventure over Easter.

“This will be a very exciting adventure through some of the most intriguing areas of South Australia,” Ms Breuer said.

“The council is grateful to the Whyalla 4wd Club for coming on board to assist with the organisation of this exciting new event.

“The South Australian outback is a very interesting part of the world; I have spent a great deal of time out there, and strongly encourage anyone that hasn’t seen it before to sign up to take part in Queen of the Desert for this truly amazing adventure of a lifetime.”

Places are strictly limited, and interested parties are encouraged to purchase their tickets as soon as possible to ensure they don’t miss out.

To purchase tickets, visit www.eventbrite.com.au/e/unearth-queen-of-the-desert-festival-tickets-31671224485, or drop into the Whyalla City Council’s civic building on Darling Terrace.

For more information about the Queen of the Desert 4wd Festival, or the uneARTh Festival in Whyalla, visit www.whyalla.sa.gov.au/unearthfestival