Stuart Highway
The Stuart Highway is the sealed backbone of the Northern Territory, crossing it from tropical Darwin to the red desert at Alice Springs along the line of the old Overland Telegraph.
- Road
- A87
- Length
- About 1,500 km from Darwin to Alice Springs (2,834 km to Port Augusta)
- Suggested time
- 4 to 7 days
- Best season
- May to September
- Speed limit
- Up to 130 km/h on signed open sections
Before you go
- Roadhouses can be up to 250 km apart in the south, so fill up at every chance and carry spare water.
- Avoid driving at dawn, dusk and night, when kangaroos and cattle are on the road, and give way to road trains up to 53.5 m long.
- The wet season, November to April, can flood sections around Katherine and cut the road for days; dry-season travel is much more reliable.
The route in stages
From Darwin, the road passes Adelaide River and Pine Creek to Katherine, about 320 km. Mataranka and Daly Waters follow, then the long Barkly stretch to Tennant Creek. South of the Devils Marbles it continues about 400 km to Alice Springs, around 1,500 km in all from Darwin.
Outback stops worth making
Warm thermal pools at Mataranka, the pub at Daly Waters, the junction memorial at Three Ways and the granite boulders of Karlu Karlu are all roadside. Aboriginal land lies on both sides in places, so stay on the road corridor and observe signs.
FAQs
How long does it take to drive Darwin to Alice Springs?
About 1,500 km, roughly 16 to 17 hours of pure driving. Most travellers take four to seven days, using Katherine, Mataranka, Daly Waters or Tennant Creek as overnight stops.
Is the Stuart Highway safe to drive in a campervan?
Yes, it is fully sealed and busy with caravans in the dry season. Plan fuel and water, avoid night driving and pull well off the road for road trains rather than stopping on the edge.
Places to see
Nitmiluk (Katherine) Gorge
A chain of thirteen sandstone gorges on the Katherine River, on Jawoyn land, explored by boat, canoe or on…
Daly Waters Historic Pub
Said to be the Territory's oldest pub, covered inside with bras, banknotes, number plates and travellers'…
Karlu Karlu / Devils Marbles
Rounded granite boulders, some balanced improbably, scattered across a plain, sacred to the Warumungu,…
Katherine Hot Springs
Warm, clear pools along the Katherine River lined with paperbark and pandanus, a few minutes from the town…
Edith Falls (Leliyn)
A large, shaded plunge pool beneath a series of falls in the northwest of Nitmiluk National Park, with an…
Cutta Cutta Caves Nature Park
A limestone cave system south of Katherine home to rare orange horseshoe bats, visited only on guided tours…
Mataranka Thermal Pool
A thermal spring pool of roughly 34 °C in Elsey National Park, set among palms with the Waterhouse River…
Bitter Springs
A thermal creek winding through palm and paperbark, where you drift downstream in a clear current. It is…
