Innamincka promotion highlights Kinipapa, waterholes and camping

Innamincka is being promoted as more than a stop for fuel, food and a night’s rest in far north-east South Australia, near the Queensland border.

The tourism pitch centres on Kinipapa, also known as Cooper Creek, one of the last unregulated water systems in Australia.

Kinipapa forms part of the Lake Eyre Basin catchment and stretches across Queensland and South Australia.

Cooper Creek only reaches Kati Thanda-Lake Eyre in major flood years. Around Innamincka, however, it creates permanent water, shaded banks, campsites and birdlife.

A typical day can start at the Innamincka Hotel, then move to the Australian Inland Mission building, the information shelter and the creek.

Visitors can swim in Cooper Creek, fish for bony bream, yellowbelly and yabbies, or look for turtles in the waterholes.

Travellers can also take a canoe onto Cooper Creek or Cullyamurra Waterhole. Boat access is possible where conditions allow.

Along the creek, picnic spots and shaded banks support slower days. Hilltops add lunchtime and sunset views across the township.

Many waterholes sit close enough to town for an easy outing. Birdwatching, fishing, canoeing and changing light make them worth repeat visits.

Innamincka’s historic walk includes the old police station, RFDS, cemetery, Cooper Creek crossing, Trading Post and hotel.

Burke and Wills sites

Short walks at King’s Site, Burke’s Grave and Strzelecki Creek connect the district to the Burke and Wills story.

Longer drives from Innamincka reach the Dig Tree across the Queensland border, Cordillo Downs Woolshed, the Old Strzelecki Track and the Bore Track.

The same network also includes Kudriemitchie Outstation and Malkumba-Coongie Lakes National Park when access is available.

Practical services still matter in Innamincka. The town has drinking water, toilets, showers, groceries, meals and 24-hour fuel at the Trading Post.

Accommodation options include camping on the common, sites in the Innamincka Regional Reserve, stays in Malkumba-Coongie Lakes National Park, Cooper Creek Homestay, the Trading Post and rooms at the Innamincka Hotel.

The source material presents Innamincka as both a base and a destination. Kinipapa, local history and scenic drives can fill several days rather than one night.

Funding for the promotion is being delivered by the Australian Government and South Australian Government under the Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangements.