Historic Engine Driver's Cottage at Coward Springs

Coward Springs Historic Engine Driver's Cottage - Oodnadatta Track visitor guide showing a virtual tour of 'Coward Springs Historic Engine Driver's Cottage' linked to an interactive map with local and travel information. 360° panoramas from South Australia.

Because of their isolation and remoteness the Mound Springs of South Australia's inland deserts were only found in 1858. Coward springs was found on 28-Oct-1858 by P.E. Warburton who named the site after Corporal Thomas Coward, a member of his expedition.

Pastoralists took up large holdings around the springs. The Overland Telegraph Line, and the Transcontinental Railway, as well as miners and drovers all made use of the springs.

Although the springs provided water for people and cattle, the semi desert landscape could not provide any fodder for cattle during prolongued droughts and the settlement which had once a school, a hotel, a hospital, and a train station rapidly declined.

Today, the springs are privately owned, there is a small campground at the springs and the site can be visited for a gold coin donation.