Outback Highway

Series of roads and dirt tracks across Australia

Outback Highway is located in Australia
West end
West end
East end
East end
Coordinates
  • 28°37′32″S 122°24′05″E / 28.625671°S 122.401344°E / -28.625671; 122.401344 (West end)
  • 22°23′26″S 143°02′28″E / 22.390557°S 143.041199°E / -22.390557; 143.041199 (East end)
General informationTypeTrackLength2,719 km (1,690 mi)[1]Major junctionsWest endLaverton Leonora Road
Laverton, Western Australia 
  • Gunbarrel Highway
  • Stuart Highway
  • Diamantina Developmental Road
East end Landsborough Highway
Winton, QueenslandLocation(s)RegionGoldfields-Esperance
Central Australia
Central West QueenslandviaWarburton, Yulara, Alice Springs, BouliaRestrictionsPermits5 requiredFuel supplyLaverton 28°37′27″S 122°23′47″E / 28.624120°S 122.396416°E / -28.624120; 122.396416
Tjukayirla Roadhouse 27°09′19″S 124°34′29″E / 27.155334°S 124.574817°E / -27.155334; 124.574817
Warburton (26°07′55″S 126°34′08″E / 26.131861°S 126.569026°E / -26.131861; 126.569026
Warakurna Roadhouse 25°02′34″S 128°18′12″E / 25.042906°S 128.303417°E / -25.042906; 128.303417
Kaltukatjara 24°52′25″S 129°05′00″E / 24.873483°S 129.083220°E / -24.873483; 129.083220
Atitjere 22°59′03″S 134°56′08″E / 22.984045°S 134.935457°E / -22.984045; 134.935457
Tobermorey Roadhouse 22°16′28″S 137°58′25″E / 22.274469°S 137.973721°E / -22.274469; 137.973721

The Outback Highway or Outback Way is a series of roads and dirt tracks linking Laverton, Western Australia and Winton, Queensland. At 2,719 km (1,690 mi), it crosses Central Australia (colloquially known as the Outback), passing through Western Australia, the Northern Territory and Queensland.[2]

Proposed upgrade

It has been proposed as a development to provide an inland route between southern Western Australia and northern Queensland as an alternative to the National Highway 1 along either coast.[3]

Roads that make up the highway are:

Support for the project is strong amongst local government areas along the route and elsewhere.[4] The project has secured over $400 million in funding; 80% Federal funding and 20% from the Western Australia, Northern Territory, and Queensland governments. As at June 2021 there is 1200km to seal.

Major intersections

State/TerritoryLGALocation[1]km[1]miDestinationsNotes
Western AustraliaLavertonLaverton00.0Laverton–Leonora Road – LeonoraWestern terminus of highway
Continues east as Great Central Road
Warburton554344Connie Sue Highway – Rawlinna
NgaanyatjarrakuWarakurna/Giles781485Old Gunbarrel Highway – CarnegieConcurrency with Gunbarrel Highway
807501Gunbarrel Highway – Pipalyatjara
Western Australia – Northern Territory border870540Western Australia – Northern Territory borderContinues east as Great Central Road
Continues west as Tjukaruru Road
Northern TerritoryMacDonnell RegionKaltukatjara878546Lungkata Road – Kaltukatjara
unincorporated areaYulara1,107688Yulara Drive – YularaContinues east as Tjukaruru Road
Continues east as Lasseter Highway
MacDonnell RegionErldunda1,351839 Stuart Highway (A87 south) – Coober Pedy, Port Augusta, AdelaideContinues west as Lasseter Highway
Continues north as Stuart Highway
Alice SpringsAlice Springs1,546961 Ross Highway (B8) – Arltunga Historical Reserve
1,550960 Larapinta Drive (B6) – Hermannsburg, Mereenie
MacDonnell RegionBurt Plain1,570980 Tanami Road (C5) – Tanami
1,6201,010 Stuart Highway (A87 north) – Tennant Creek, Katherine, DarwinContinues south as Stuart Highway
Continues north as Plenty Highway
Northern Territory – Queensland border2,1161,315Northern Territory – Queensland borderContinues west as Plenty Highway
Continues east as Donohue Highway
QueenslandBouliaBoulia2,3631,468 Diamantina Developmental Road (National Route 83) – Mount Isa, Bedourie, BirdsvilleContinues west as Donohue Highway
Continues east as Kennedy Developmental Road
WintonWinton2,7191,690 Landsborough Highway (A2) – Cloncurry, LongreachEastern terminus of highway
Continues west as Kennedy Developmental Road
  •       Concurrency terminus
  •       Route transition

See also

  • iconAustralian Roads portal
  • flagAustralia portal

References

  1. ^ a b c Google (28 May 2022). "Outback Highway" (Map). Google Maps. Google. Retrieved 28 May 2022.
  2. ^ Morris, Nathan (3 October 2016). "The Outback Way: What a sealed road from WA to Queensland will mean for regional communities". ABC News. Australian Broadcasting Corporation. Archived from the original on 3 October 2016. Retrieved 3 October 2016.
  3. ^ BSD Consultants.(1998) Outback Highway feasibility study : final report / prepared for Main Roads Western Australia, Northern Territory Department of Transport and Works, and Main Roads Queensland ; prepared by BSD Consultants Pty. Ltd. Subiaco, WA "March 1998"
  4. ^ "Councils back outback highway push". ABC News. Australian Broadcasting Corporation. 23 June 2011. Archived from the original on 2 September 2011. Retrieved 25 August 2011.

Further reading

  • Ham, Anthony (13 June 2022). "The Outback Way: Is this the world's emptiest road?". BBC Travel. Archived from the original on 20 June 2022. Retrieved 20 June 2022.

External links

  • Outback Highway official website
  • v
  • t
  • e
Road infrastructure in Queensland
National highways
Highways
Major roads
Other roads – South–east
Other roads – Regional
Developmental roads / Outback tracks
Minor roads – South–east (Described in other articles)
Minor roads – Regional (A–K) (Described in other articles)
Minor roads – Regional (L–Z) (Described in other articles)
Proposals