Marla Travellers Rest: Your Last (Or First) Oodnadatta Track Stop
If you’re driving the Oodnadatta Track chances are you’ll end up at Marla Travellers Rest. This roadhouse is right where the Stuart Highway meets the Oodnadatta Track.
This makes the Marla Travellers Rest an obvious choice for your first or last campsite and supply point before heading into some seriously remote country or taking a rest at the end of it. We’ve stopped here multiple times over the years and it’s one of our regular stops in the region. Here’s what you need to know.
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Marla Travellers Rest Caravan Park Location And Info At A Glance
Cost: $45 per night powered – $25 per night unpowered
Type: Caravan Park
Location: Wattle St, Marla, South Australia
GPS: -27.3040320, 133.6244510
Pet Friendly: Yes
Website: https://www.marla.com.au/
Distance From Marree: 603km
Distance From Oodnadatta: 254km
Distance From Marla: 0km
Marla Travellers Rest On Google Earth
Why Marla Travellers Rest Caravan Park Works
The amenities here are fantastic. The shower blocks are spotless despite constant use from travellers coming off dusty tracks. Someone’s clearly taking pride in maintaining these facilities properly.
Sites are well thought out too. The powered spots give you gravel to park on but grass to step onto when you open your van door – simple but effective. Unpowered sites follow a more relaxed roundabout setup that works fine, though it’s less structured than in some parks.
What’s Available
Marla Travellers Rest Caravan Park covers pretty much everything you’d expect:
Food And Drink
- Café doing breakfast, lunch and dinner
- Decent coffee that actually tastes like coffee
- Bar with proper happy hour ($5 beers)
- Good feed available in the restaurant – they don’t skimp on the vegetables
Supplies
- Supermarket with solid range of basics
- Cold goods and frozen items
- Camping gear and mechanical bits
- Fuel – both diesel and unleaded
Facilities
- Swimming pool (clean and refreshing)
- Camp kitchen with sinks and power points
- Phone coverage works fine
- Hot showers with good pressure
Pricing And Practicalities
| Service | Details | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Powered Sites | $45 a night | Book early afternoon for best availability |
| Unpowered Sites | $25 a night | Roundabout-style layout |
| Fuel | Diesel and petrol | Occasional supply disruptions possible |
| Supermarket | Full range of supplies | Cold goods, camping gear, mechanical items |
| Café/Restaurant | Breakfast, lunch, dinner | Good portions, fresh vegetables |
| Bar | Happy hour specials | $5 beers during happy hour |
| Swimming Pool | Clean and maintained | Great for cooling off |
| Amenities | Exceptionally clean | Hot showers, good water pressure |
Get in by early afternoon if you want a powered site. Place fills up fast, especially when there’s fuel issues elsewhere along the highway. We’ve seen it absolutely packed by nightfall, but it stays surprisingly quiet given the numbers.
Oodnadatta Track Considerations
Whether you’re starting or finishing the Oodnadatta Track, Marla serves a crucial role. Heading out? This is your last reliable chance to grab supplies, top up water and fuel up properly. The next decent services are a long way away. Coming back? Time to celebrate with a cold beer and hot shower after days of rough camping.
The supermarket stocks more than you’d expect for such a remote location. They’ve got the basics covered plus camping accessories and some mechanical gear. Won’t replace proper preparation, but handy for last-minute items or emergency supplies.
What It Is
It’s not fancy. You’re paying for location and reliability rather than luxury. When you’re this far from anywhere location and reliability matter more than fancy landscaping. The pool’s clean, the showers are hot and the bar serves cold beer at good prices. Hard to ask for much more.
Road noise exists but it’s not excessive. Most nights stay pretty quiet despite being right off the highway. The grass areas give you somewhere decent to sit outside your van rather than just dirt or gravel.
Amanda & I At The End Or Start (End For Us This Trip) Of The Oodnadatta Track At Marla In 2024
Bottom Line
Marla works because it delivers the essentials without fuss. Clean facilities, fair prices, reliable services and everything you need for track preparation or recovery. We keep coming back because it consistently meets expectations rather than promising more than it delivers.
For anyone serious about the Oodnadatta Track this stop makes sense. Just don’t expect to roll in at 5pm and get your pick of powered sites.