Hiding off a dusty South Australian road on the way to Lake Eyre is a strange place for an art installation, but this is exactly where you’ll find the Mutonia Sculpture Park.

Highlights

  • Road tripping along the Oodnadatta track to get there
  • Marvelling at the impressive iron sculptures
  • Exploring the park at night with torches

High Art or Highly Alarming?

Bouncing along the corrugations of the Oodnadatta track, Kate told me to pull over at the sculpture park. I’d had no reception for days, seen nothing but cows and flies and was sure that out here, in the middle of South Australian-nowhere, there were no sculpture parks. I rubbed my eyes as we rolled around the corner – well there it is, Mutonia Sculpture Park! 

 

 

We walked from figure to figure, trying to make out what was in front of us and why it was there. There were planes standing upright on their tails, bombs from wars fought in imaginary lands, and what I can best describe as the tree of time. 

The iron sculptures clanged in the cool afternoon breeze and a pink glow was forming on the horizon. It was a rather surreal scene, and it wasn’t long before we were in total darkness. 

With a vague sense of where we were and torches in hand, we decided to continue exploring the park. We searched and searched and couldn’t seem to find anything. It was like they all disappeared in the darkness!

Right as we decided to call it a night we ran into an enormous metal man, wearing a Christmas hat with a baby on his right shoulder. The man and baby were both waving, and I was so creeped out that I took one final photo and left. 

 

 

Driving off into the night I didn’t know where we were going to pull over and sleep, but it surely wasn’t going to be anywhere near the Mutonia Sculpture Park. 

Essential Gear

  • 4WD 
  • Camera
  • Sunglasses 
  • Hat
  • Water 
  • Sunscreen 
  • Quality shoes 
  • Torch

How To Get There

The Mutonia Sculpture park is along the famous Oodnadatta Track. It’s 50km north-east of Marree and 150km south-east of William Creek. The Oodnadatta track can be heavily corrugated depending on traffic, weather, and how recently it’s been graded – be safe!

Skill Level

Beginner

But you will need a 4WD (and 4WDriving experience) to drive the road to get there.

Distance Covered

However far you’re brave enough to wander through the park