About this place
What to expect
The Painted Desert is an area of spectacular colourful hills. It's an amazing sight - you'll see rocky outcrops of large and small hills, which emerge suddenly out of a flat desert landscape. It's perhaps best viewed in bright sunlight which brings out vivid colours such as ochre yellow, oxide red, and deep, rich brown, contrasting with crisp whites and jet blacks. Created more than 80 million years ago, the it forms part of the spectacular breakaway country, located 50 kilometres south west of Oodnadatta. The Painted Desert is a superb example of the forces of nature weathering and eroding the desert landscape. Air access tours to the Painted Desert is available through Trevor Wright of Wrightsair, from William Creek, Coober Pedy and Arkaroola. Costs apply for scenic flights.