Outback Highway

Western Australia
–Queensland
The Kennedy Development Road between Middleton and Boulia, 2011
Outback Highway is located in Australia
West end
West end
East end
East end
Coordinates
General information
TypeTrack
Length2,719 km (1,690 mi)[1]
Major junctions
West endLaverton Leonora Road
Laverton, Western Australia
 
East end Landsborough Highway
Winton, Queensland
Location(s)
RegionGoldfields-Esperance
Central Australia
Central West Queensland
viaWarburton, Yulara, Alice Springs, Boulia
Restrictions
Permits5 required
Fuel 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
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi

See also

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

External links

Road infrastructure in Queensland
Categories