The Strzelecki Track was originally created by the cattle thief, Harry Redford, when he drove 1000 head of stolen cattle from Queensland along the Strzelecki Creek to Blanchewater Station, giving him the nickname, Captain Starlight. Although he was caught for his crime, he was not charged due to the audacious feat of blazing a new cattle stock route, making him a national hero of the day. The track was actually named in 1845 by Charles Sturt and the area around Innamincka became famous due to the tragic events of the Burke and Wills Expedition. Today the area is largely occupied by the Santos Gas and Oil fields which branch out from Moomba and appear in most areas throughout the Strzelecki and Sturt Stony Deserts.