The 25 November 2030 Total Solar Eclipse
in South Australia

Overview of the total eclipse path (grey shading) and some main roads in South Australia. Click on the image for a bigger version.
On this map the red contours are the Sun's altitude at maximum eclipse, and the dashed blue lines are partial eclipse % obscurations. See the following maps for detail of the total eclipse. Adelaide has the closest international airport to this part of the eclipse path. Port Augusta is about 300km driving distance from Adelaide.


The total eclipse path through South Australia in more detail; starting from the southwest end on the coast. There are three views of each map area; click on the preview for a bigger version. All three views show:

• The total eclipse path as a grey band across the map, with a purple Centre Line and two purple boundaries (North limit and South limit). You will need to be inside this grey band to see a Total Solar Eclipse.
  If you're less than two kilometres outside the purple boundaries you will see a "Beaded" eclipse.
  Everywhere else on the maps sees a Partial eclipse.
• Some of the towns within and near the total eclipse are labelled, for easier comparison of these maps with your other maps.
  
• The roads which feature in the duration graphs (below) are highlighted and labelled. Dark pink for sealed roads, dark orange for unsealed roads.
  
• All maps and eclipse times have been corrected for lunar and local topography, and assume Delta-T = 70.2 seconds. We've also suppressed known errors from Google Maps and Open Street Map.
  

The differences between each view are:

• First view shows total eclipse duration contours (in seconds) as dashed purple lines, and partial eclipse obscuration percentages as dashed blue lines.
  
• Second view show the (local) starting time of the total eclipse, in hh:mm:ss, using contours at 10 second intervals.
  
• Third view show the (local) ending time of the total eclipse using contours at 10 second intervals.
  

We tried showing all of this information combined onto single maps but it was too hard to read! Also see the location photos below.

Closer views of the near-misses:

• Smoky Bay  
  
  
• Kyancutta  
  
  
• Pimba  
  
  
• Arkaroola  

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These road graphs plot driving distance in kilometres along a road -vs- the duration in seconds of total solar eclipse.
The durations were calculated for hundreds of points along each road, and an identifiable location (usually a road intersection) is chosen as zero km. Reset your vehicle's trip meter at this location and start driving to your chosen spot. No need for a GPS or navigation app. The graphs include road intersections and other identifiable features as a distance check.
All of the durations have been corrected for lunar and local topography, and assume Delta-T = 70.2 seconds. Driving distances between points were also corrected for any changes in height.

Some of these roads are unsealed and you should check the weather forecasts and the current Outback road conditions before travelling on them. You will be prosecuted & fined $$ if you drive on an officially closed road. You may also become trapped out there and require a very expensive rescue.
Also note some car rental companies prohibit driving their vehicles on any unsealed roads at any time.

If you're not an experienced traveller then we highly recommend watching Visit Corner Country's excellent series of videos about driving safely in the Australian Outback.

Click on the graphs for a bigger version. Also see the location photos below.

Flinders Highway (B100)

This is a sealed road with a single lane in each direction. Numerous minor roads -- sealed and unsealed -- provide access to spectacular coastline lookouts, many of them with a totally unobstructed view to the eclipse. Long intervals of this highway and its neighbouring minor roads are bordered by remnant indigenous vegetation (mostly "mallee" -- multi-stemmed trees up to six metres high).
Beware -- if you see an inviting gap in this roadside vegetation, check that it isn't the entrance to a paddock of grain crop that's being harvested on eclipse day!



Driving northwest from Elliston through Streaky Bay to Ceduna (click for a larger image).


Driving southeast from Ceduna through Streaky Bay to Elliston (click for a larger image).

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Eyre Highway (A1)

This is a sealed road with a single lane in each direction. Part of National Highway One which circumnavigates Australia. Long intervals of this highway and its neighbouring minor roads are bordered by remnant indigenous vegetation (mostly "mallee" -- multi-stemmed trees up to six metres high).
Beware -- if you see an inviting gap in this roadside vegetation, check that it isn't the entrance to a paddock of grain crop that's being harvested on eclipse day!



Driving northwest from Kyancutta through Poochera to Ceduna (click for a larger image).


Driving southeast from Ceduna through Poochera to Kyancutta (click for a larger image).

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Roads in the Gawler Ranges
(north of Eyre Highway, west of Stuart Highway)

Check the weather forecasts and road conditions before travelling on these unsealed roads in the Gawler Ranges. They are passable (with care) to all vehicles when conditions are dry. They can become impassable to any wheeled vehicle after rain. Many intervals within the path of total eclipse on these roads are devoid of tall roadside vegetation and terrain obstructions to the southwest. Many other intervals have only scattered trees that are easily avoided. Forested intervals sometimes contain large gaps due to old bushfires.

Beware -- all of these roads are crossed by intermittent creeks and floodways; and have low places that may collect water. Check the depth of any water over the roadway before driving through it. A shallow puddle may hide a very deep pothole, deep mud, missing pieces of road, or debris that punctures tyres or breaks your car. Flowing water more than 0.2 metre deep can push your car off the road. Four Wheel Drive or All Wheel Drive does not make you invincible.

Also beware of wandering sheep & cattle, and suicidally stupid wildlife, on these unfenced roads. Including a large population of wombats who like to dig their burrows into the edges of the roads.



Buckleboo Road, driving northwest from Kimba to the Hiltaba Road intersection (click for a larger image). Unsealed road.


Gawler Ranges Road, driving northeast from Wirrula to Skull Camp Tanks intersection (click for a larger image). Unsealed road.


Nonning Road + Hiltaba Road, driving west from Iron Knob to Hiltaba (click for a larger image). Unsealed road.


Hiltaba Road + Nonning Road, driving east from Hiltaba to Iron Knob (click for a larger image). Unsealed road.


Yardea Road, driving northeast from Minnipa to the Hiltaba Road intersection (click for a larger image). Unsealed road.

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Stuart Highway (A87)

This is a sealed road with a single lane in each direction, linking Port Augusta to central Australia and Darwin. Used by the biannual World Solar Challenge races. The Adelaide <--> Darwin (Ghan) and Sydney <--> Perth (Indian Pacific) rail services both use the nearby railway track. Many long intervals within the path of total eclipse have zero to minimal tall roadside vegetation, and flat terrain to the southwest. Many other intervals have only scattered trees that are easily avoided. Long intervals of the Highway are built upon embankments to keep it above local floodwaters -- and the sides of the embankment can be steep. Be careful if parking on the roadside on these embankments.
Warning -- ALL of the lakes shown are SALT, any water in them is undrinkable.



Driving northwest from Port Augusta to Pimba and Woomera (click for a larger image).


Driving southeast from Pimba to Port Augusta (click for a larger image).

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Roads in the Flinders Ranges
(north of Port Augusta)

Beware -- all of these roads are crossed by numerous intermittent creeks and floodways; and have low places that may collect water. Check the depth of any water over the roadway before driving through it. A shallow puddle may hide a very deep pothole, deep mud, missing pieces of road, or debris that punctures tyres or breaks your car. Flowing water more than 0.2 metre deep can push your car off the road. Four Wheel Drive or All Wheel Drive does not make you invincible.

Also beware of wandering sheep & cattle, and suicidally stupid wildlife, on these unfenced roads.

The Outback Highway (B83) begins at a T junction in Hawker and continues northwards to Leigh Creek and beyond. Long intervals within the path of total eclipse are devoid of tall roadside vegetation and terrain obstructions to the southwest. The Flinders Ranges Way begins near Port Augusta, then passes through Quorn and Hawker and a national park to finish at Blinman. Despite some spectacular mountain scenery and semi-desert woodlands, there are many places offering unobstructed views of the eclipse. A third road RM Williams Way passes through Cradock and joins Flinders Ranges Way at a T junction a few kilometres south of Hawker. All three of these roads are sealed, with a single lane in each direction.


Driving south from Leigh Creek through Hawker to Cradock (click for a larger image).


Driving north from Kanyaka ruins through Hawker to Blinman via Flinders Ranges Way, and then west to Parachilna (on The Outback Highway) via the scenic Parachilna Gorge Road. Flinders Ranges Way is sealed with a single lane in each direction. Parachilna Gorge Road is unsealed; check weather forecasts and road conditions before travelling. It is passable (with care) to all vehicles when dry.
Three other unsealed roads, Moralana Gorge Road, Brachina Gorge Road & Bunyeroo Gorge Road, also link Flinders Ranges Way to The Outback Highway through spectacular scenery. These three roads receive far less maintenance so check weather forecasts and their road conditions before travelling.



Driving east from Parachilna to Blinman, and then south through Hawker to Kanyaka ruins (click for a larger image).

Driving east on Gammon Ranges Road from Copley through Nipapanha (Nepabunna) to Balcanoona (click for a larger image). Unsealed road; check the weather forecasts and road conditions before travelling.


Driving north from Yunta through Balcanoona to Arkaroola village (click for a larger image). Unsealed roads; check the weather forecasts and road conditions before travelling. Also note both graphs omit the 121km of unsealed road between Yunta and the Erudina Road intersection.


Driving south from Arkaroola village to Yunta (click for a larger image).




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Images are presented in the following photo albums in (approximate) geographical order. Some images include the Sun's late afternoon sky path and a "total eclipse" graphic, which is in the correct sky location but enlarged for clarity. Click on the images for a bigger version.



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Bureau of Meteorology 7 day weather forecasts for South Australia, and for towns in/near total eclipse (Ceduna, Elliston, Hawker, Kimba, Leigh Creek, Port Augusta, Woomera, Wudinna). Plus their zoomable high resolution weather satellite images

Cloud forecast maps and meteograms from Cloud Free Night, Meteologix and Skippy Sky.

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• Road conditions and traffic restrictions for South Australia and road conditions in outback South Australia.
  
  
• Weather radars homepage, high resolution weather satellite images and weather forecasts.
  
  
• Fuel prices and locations at Petrol Spy, or use their phone apps.
  
  
• Interactive map of RV Dump Points (for your caravan / motorhome toilet waste).
  
  
• Some tourism websites in South Australia:
  • South Australian tourism.
    
  • Ceduna district council visitor information (Smoky Bay).
    
  • Streaky Bay district council visitor information (Streaky Bay, Sceale Bay, Poochera, Haslam, the Eyre Highway, and the Flinders Highway).
    
  • Elliston district council visitor information (Venus Bay, Port Kenny, the Flinders Highway).
    
  • Wudinna district council visitor information (Wudinna, Minnipa, Kyancutta, the Gawler Ranges, the Eyre Highway.
    
  • Kimba district council visitor information (Buckleboo, Kimba, the Gawler Ranges)
    
  • Flinders Ranges district council visitor information (Hawker, the Flinders Ranges).
    
  • Wadlata Outback Centre (Port Augusta, Flinders Ranges and outback South Australia).
    
  • Eyre Peninsula tourism website (Ceduna, Streaky Bay, Elliston, Wudinna, Kimba and many other places).
    
  • Station Stays SA (outback SA accommodation, many of them within the total eclipse path)
    
  • Flinders Ranges and Outback tourism website
    
  • Angorichina Village.
    
  • Blinman visitor information.
    
  • Beltana historic town visitor information.
    
  • Leigh Creek visitor information.
    
  • Nipapanha (Nepabunna) community website.
    
  • Wilpena resort and visitor centre.
    
  • Outback Communities Authority website (Leigh Creek, Blinman, northern Flinders Ranges, Gawler Ranges).
    
• Also:
  • New South Wales tourism.
    
  • Queensland tourism.
    
• Aussie Towns contains descriptions of hundreds of Australian towns and localities.
  
  
• Peak Finder can generate simulated views of the actual horizon and the Sun's path for any location and date. The link goes to a simulation of the view from Hawker (SA) during total eclipse. Specify your own location by name or coordinates or choose from a map.

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