| Proclaimed a township in 1890, Innamincka is located 340
kilometres from Tibooburra, near the junction of the Strzlecki, Cordillo and
Nappa Merrie Tracks on the famous Cooper Creek.
For many years the township of Innamincka remained as it was in 1891, with a
store, hotel, saddler's shop, Chinese eating house and a police station.
In 1929 the Elizabeth Symon Nursing Home was opened by the
Australian Inland Mission to provide medical services to the people of inland
areas. Staffed by two nurses, radio contact was maintained with the Flying
Doctor at Cloncurry, Queensland, through a pedal radio.
Suffering the fate of other isolated inland communities
Innamincka virtually, died until 1972 when The Cooper's Creek Hotel-Motel and the
Innamincka Trading Post were established to service travellers through the
region.
In 1994 the Elizabeth Symon Nursing Home was reconstructed with
funds raised by the Australian Geographic Society. Today the home serves
as an information centre for the surrounding Innamincka Regional Reserve.
A hotel/ motel, store and more
provide for today's visitors.
Just a few kilometres to the east is a monument marking the site
of the death of John O'Hara Burke, leader of the ill-fated Burke and Wills
Expedition of 1861, whilst the site of Will's death is a few kilometres to the
west of Innamincka.
Further east, on Nappa Merrie Station is the now famous Dig
Tree, site of the cache of food left for the starving members of the South-North
transcontinental expedition.
Facilities at the Dig Tree include a nearby
airstrip, information bay and public toilets. For those travelling by air.
An airstrip is available at S27 42.0 E140 44.0 VAR 8
DEG E
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