The Outback Track Less Travelled: From South Australia's Breakaways to The NT's Rainbow Valley
- Adventure Lifestyle
- Dec 30, 2025
- 5 min read
Updated: Jan 4
The Breakaways: Worth the Hype
We pick up this blog in outback South Australia, at our lunch spot: the Breakaways.
I've seen many, many Instagram posts about this place. We do try to stay away from Instagram hotspots, but sometimes you have to make exceptions. It's incredible.
The Breakaways lived up to every post I'd ever seen and then some. As usual, these things are always better with the naked eye than captured with someone else's camera. After lunch we snaked our way through the Breakaways Conservation Reserve to the east towards the Painted Desert. Our mission? To make it to the Painted Desert for golden hour and sunset.
The Painted Desert: Scenery Out Of This World
We arrived at golden hour, and what a spot for a beer. The light painted those ancient rock formations in shades of amber and rust, creating one of those moments where you just have to stop and appreciate where you are.
We settled in, soaked up the scenery and enjoyed a beer for about as long as we could. Unfortunately as we visited shortly after significant rainfall, the flies were absolutely ruthless and put a bit of a dampener on the moment. Just before sunset, we packed up and set our sights on Oodnadatta for the night.
A Beautiful Outback Morning
After a peaceful night at the Oodnadatta town free camp, the next morning brought clear skies, sunshine, and a sense of adventure.
We topped up on fuel at the iconic Pink Roadhouse, then hit the Oodnadatta Track very briefly before heading to our real destination: Chambers Pillar, about 450 kilometers north. Hot tip for young players, the Pink Roadhouse doesn't open until 08:30AM. Luckily for us the manager very kindly let us top up about half an hour before opening.
The Mount Dare Road: Outback Paradise
Not too far up the Oodnadatta Track was the turn off to Mount Dare and the adventure began in earnest.
Mount Dare Road had just been graded and was unreal fun to drive. Fast, smooth and flowly with enough bends and crests to keep you interested. We made pretty good progress in the morning, covering close to 200 kilometers by 10:30 AM.
Crossing State Lines on Foot
We turned off the smooth Mount Dare Road onto a proper single trail outback track with outback scenery to match. This was the outback adventure we'd been hoping for.
This border crossing into the Northern Territory was special. It was the last mainland state/territory that Paul and I had to cross together to complete our journey across all of them. We're not really 'photos with signs' kind of people, however this was one border crossing I was keen to get a photo of. However, in the middle of nowhere with hard-to-follow tracks, there was no sign to be seen. No one had been out here checking the fences for a while, that's for sure.
We had been in three states in six days. We cracked open a West Australian Emu Export on the South Australian/Northern Territory border. Some donkeys even joined us to help mark the occasion.
Finke Race Track Memories
We made it to the Finke turnoff and came out onto the famous Finke race track. Behind us was the finish of day one and the start of day two for the legendary Finke Desert Race. We followed the track along for a while, which brought back memories of when Paul raced it in 2021. It was a lot different this time going down this track. No racing, just cruising and taking in the scenery.
The Journey to Chambers Pillar
We smashed down the old Ghan railway line next to the Finke race track for about 100 kilometers. Then we ducked off onto a little dirt road, followed that, and jumped onto a four-wheel-drive-only track out to Chambers Pillar. It was a fun little track with a couple of creek crossings (all dry), some sections running up the creek bed, and then some nice, windy, open, surprisingly comfortable roads.
Before descending the final hill, I took a moment to appreciate the view. Chambers Pillar was just visible in the distance. Our destination rising from the landscape like a sentinel in the desert.
Chambers Pillar Camp: Worth Every Kilometer
And what a view greeted us at our campground. The famous pillar stood proudly, but honestly, the surrounding formations were equally impressive. The campsite had benches, fire pits (communal style), and that incredible red rock backdrop.
The Climb Up Chambers Pillar
We had to wear the flies our. Or more accurately, they were wearing us out. The flies were out of control, forming an actual cloud around you. But we decided to go for a walk and climb to the base of the pillar. This would be the most exercise we'd done in a while after six days of sitting in the cars driving.
We spotted some old graffiti carved into the rock: "J. Ross." Turns out J. Ross was part of the original telegraph line crew and was ahead of his time as an artist. The inscription was from John Ross's party who visited the pillar in 1870. They were traveling in advance of the overland telegraph line construction crew to find water and pole timber. The country around Chambers Pillar lacked both, so the line was built along the Hugh River about 30 kilometers east of here.
After the walk we settled in at camp for the evening and took in the sights. The colours of the outback are incredible, and we could never get sick of remote Australian scenery.
Rainbow Valley: The Grand Finale
The following morning we packed up camp, left Chambers Pillar and headed over to Rainbow Valley. It was a bit of an adventure getting there down some random tracks, but we made it in the end. Over the previous few days we'd seen some absolutely incredible scenery and rock formations, but Rainbow Valley was possibly the most spectacular of them all!
And that's a wrap for this blog from Rainbow Valley, a proper outback gem. The red dust, the scenery, every bump in the road - it's all absolutely worth it for moments like these. Being able to witness these incredible sights is exactly why we travel.
The Real Outback Adventure
This journey from South Australia's Breakaways through to the Northern Territory's Chambers Pillar and Rainbow Valley represents what outback travel is really about. It's not just the Instagram-worthy sunset shots (though those are nice). It's the random bucket finds that make your week. It's crossing state borders on foot in the middle of nowhere with a beer in hand. It's discovering oases in the desert and abandoned homesteads with Datsuns that somehow still have their factory rims.
It's about proper single-track adventure, about tracks that challenge your vehicle and your navigation skills. It's about climbs that test your fitness and flies that test your sanity. It's about historical telegraph lines, ancient rock formations, and the satisfaction of reaching destinations that require genuine effort to access.
The Mount Dare Road, the Finke Desert Race track, Chambers Pillar - these aren't places you stumble upon. They're destinations you plan for, prepare for, and commit to. And that's exactly what makes them special.
Next blog, we're heading further north to the East MacDonnell Ranges. The adventure continues here.
Have you tackled the tracks through outback South Australia and into the NT? What was your most unexpected find along the way? Share your outback stories below!
Watch the full video from this blog here! 👇🏼
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