What is the Stuart Highway?
The Stuart Highway is the major north-south road through the middle of Australia, running about 2,700 kilometres from Port Augusta in South Australia to Darwin in the Northern Territory.
The highway is named after John McDouall Stuart, the explorer who led the first successful south-to-north crossing of the continent in 1862. Locals often simply call it the Track.
The road passes through some of the most remote country in Australia. Key towns and stops include Coober Pedy, the Northern Territory border, Alice Springs, Tennant Creek and Katherine.
Driving the Track
Distances between fuel stops can be long, so travelers carry water, plan fuel and watch for wildlife and cattle, especially at dawn and dusk. Road trains, which are trucks pulling several trailers, are a common sight and need plenty of room to overtake.
Some sections in the Northern Territory have higher speed limits than most other Australian roads. The highway is fully sealed, but heat, fatigue and flooding during the tropical wet season can make the journey challenging.
Side trips from the Stuart Highway lead to Uluru, Kings Canyon, the West MacDonnell Ranges, Karlu Karlu Devils Marbles and Nitmiluk Gorge. Every two years the route is also used by the World Solar Challenge, a race for solar-powered cars from Darwin to Adelaide.
Did You Know?
The Stuart Highway follows a route similar to that of the Overland Telegraph Line, completed in 1872.