A former 'Ghan' railway town, Copley sits at the crossroads of the Strzlecki and Oodnadatta Tracks in the midst of the spectacular Northern Flinders Ranges, 6 kms north of Leigh Creek township, 600 kms (6 hours' drive) north of Adelaide or 3 hours north of Port Augusta. With a population of approximately 100, most bypass the turn-off without a second glance, unaware of the seething social drama playing out beneath its sleepy façade. As to the performers, well you must come and see for yourself who they are. How to get to Copley

What's up in Copley?
In the town itself, the first stop on the south end of the main street, Railway Terrace West is the Copley Caravan Park, hosted by Shirley and David Mills with regular coffee and scones sessions in the mornings and campfire-side drinks celebrating astonishing sunsets and impressive astronomical events in the clear night skies. Bookings can be made here for local tours, including Red Gorge and the geologists’ paradise, Arkaroola Resort where the nail-biting, white knuckle 4WD Ridgetop Tour is a MUST.

Nearby, the Packsaddle General Store is also a Post Office Agency with a public phone service and next to it the Leigh Creek (Copley) Hotel offers a traditional outback welcome, meals and accommodation.

Should your vehicle need a little TLC, David Pinkerton runs Cookes Outback Motors, the local RAA outpost. Thirty years of experience running transport convoys across Africa gave Dave both the ability to surmount any mechanical challenge and a fund of African adventure tales told at the drop of a hat in either Arabic or Swahili, whichever version you prefer.

Over the road is Copley Food Van where Kelvin Hawking (UHF - DU2) serves the only hot food between Moomba and Port Augusta. It's a regular truckie's stop.

Adjacent to the Quandong Cafe is the Copley Art Space, a venue for arts workshops and a showcase of local artworks, crafts and artefacts. Our creative hub is the drop-in Copley Arts Studio hosted by the Chapel of St John's Mission of the Eighth Sister over the tracks. This is where you might be blessed with a lick from Copley Avatar of Love, Laikananda Spacedog, who features in Copley's cult collectable postcard series.

Also over on the East side in Railway Terrace East, Richard Reynolds is the genial host at Rick's Place. He'll cook you a barbeque supper and guide you through the Copley Blacksmith's Shop, a 'frozen moment' of local history, left just as it was when the blacksmith died 60 years ago. Rick's Place also encompasses the two bed B&B in a restored railway carraige, and a fledgling ceramics factory awaiting inspired potters to help set up.

Accommodation is also available through the Quandong Cafe at the Tin Shed, a four bed apartment nearby. Designed for burnt out activists and spiritual types, it does not boast a television set or telephone.

Just up the road from Rick's Place, outback souvineers and antiques are available at The Overland Telegraph. And you probably won't leave town without admiring the infamous Agnew Spread, one of the most impressive sprawls of scrap in the country, aquired by town patriarch with many an Irish yarn, Tommy Agnew.

Mr Apollos is a pastor with the United Aboriginal Ministry. He has come here recently from Adelaide to take up a ministry with the Copley Christian Fellowship. His family will join him shortly. Mr Apollos comes from the Solomon Islands and Copley is his first outback ministry.

Who's who in Copley?
Check out our Copley Identikit to sort out which residents are likely to lick you, crush your garbage and serve you donuts.

Northern Exposure
“Lake Eyre holds up the world”, says Arabunna nulla Reg Dodd whose Arabunna Tours bring together the ancient and natural wonders of the Lake Eyre region, sharing land, culture, history and life.

Adrenaline junkies can be swept over stunning Lake Eyre and beyond by Wrights Air who also offer Aboriginal Art Tours to outlying Aboriginal communities producing amazing art works such as Ernabella, Amata, Fregon, Indulkana, Western Desert, Blackstone and Patjar.
The Mysterious East

Heading East towards Arkaroola, visit the Adnyamathanha communities of Iga Warta, Nepabunna and Mt Serle. Adnyamathanha translates as “People of the Stones”. Phonetically in Tamil, it means “an outpouring of Light”.

And along the way you might just encounter a strange ark drawn by camels and a cavalcade of creatures, Kye’s and Gill Wheaton’s ‘family’ of rescued animals. Selling on Ebay under the label Wunjocrow their radiant ritual clothing is perfect for formal occasions on the outback tracks. Their ongoing animal rescue work can be tracked onine.

We've got a great deal to offer. A warm welcome, the chance to catch a few fish in the local retention dam, paint your own statue of Elvis or just chill out under the stars while you plan the next stage of your journey. There's a community garden under way, so stay a while in Copley.