Ooldea, South Australia
| Ooldea South Australia | |
|---|---|
A wood and water train in Ooldea, 1919. | |
| Coordinates | 30°27′33″S 131°50′08″E / 30.459139°S 131.835615°E |
| Location |
|
| LGA(s) | Pastoral Unincorporated Area |
| State electorate(s) | Giles |
| Federal division(s) | Grey |
Ooldea, known as Yuldea and various other names by Western Desert peoples (Aṉangu), is a tiny settlement in South Australia. It is on the eastern edge of the Nullarbor Plain, 863 km (536 mi) west of Port Augusta on the Trans-Australian Railway. Ooldea is 143 km (89 mi) from the bitumen Eyre Highway.
The site had a permanent waterhole, Ooldea Soak, also known as "Yooldil Kapi" in the language of the Aṉangu. The presence of the water caused it to became the site of a camp for railway construction workers in the early 20th century, and the Ooldea Mission from 1933 to 1952. The soak dried up and the site was closed to the public in 1991.