Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
'off the beaten track'. Driving in the outback has its challenges - immense distances and
occasionally difficult terrain - but it's ultimately the most rewarding and intimate way to ex-
perience Australia's 'dead heart' (rest assured, it's alive and kicking!).
Essential Outback
The Red Centre: Alice Springs, Uluru & Kings Canyon
From Alice Springs it's a six-hour drive to Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park. Alice is a
surprising oasis: big enough to have some great places to eat and stay, as well as some
social problems. Uluru is to tourists what half a watermelon is to ants at a picnic: people
from all over the globe swarm to and from this monolith at all times of the day. But it's
still a remarkable find. The local Anangu people would prefer that you didn't climb it.
Kings Canyon, north of Uluru, is a spectacular chasm carved into the rugged landscape.
The Stuart Highway: Adelaide to Darwin
In either direction, from the north or south, this is one of Australia's greatest road trips:
3020km of red desert sands, flat scrublands and galloping roadside emus. Make sure you
stop at spookily pock-marked Coober Pedy − the opal-mining capital of the world − and
detour to Uluru on your way to the Alice. Nitmiluk (Katherine Gorge) National Park is
also en route, a photogenic series of sheer rocky gorges and waterholes. Kakadu National
Park is next, with World Heritage listed tropical wetlands. When you get to Darwin, re-
ward yourself with a cold beer and some nocturnal high jinks on Mitchell St.
OUTBACK DRIVING & SAFETY CHECKLIST
You need to be particularly organised and vigilant when travelling in the outback,
especially on remote sandy tracks, due to the lack of water, long distances
between fuel stops and isolation. Here are a few tips:
Communication
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Report your route and schedule to the police, a friend or relative.
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Mobile phones are useless if you travel off the highway. Consider hiring a satellite
phone, high-frequency (HF) radio transceiver equipped to pick up Royal Flying
Doctor Service bases, or emergency position-indicating radio beacon (EPIRB).
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In an emergency, stay with your vehicle; it's easier to spot than you are, and you
won't be able to carry a heavy load of water very far.
