Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
lers have tackled this rugged landscape on their own and required complicated
rescues after getting lost or breaking down.
Permits are issued by various Aboriginal land-management authorities; see des-
tination chapters for details. Processing applications can take anywhere from a few
minutes to a few days.
Facilities
Outback roadhouses emerge from the desert heat haze with surprising regularity. It al-
ways pays to calculate the distance to the next fuel stop, but even on the remote Ood-
nadatta Track you'll find petrol and cold beer every few hundred kilometres. Most road-
houses (many of them open 24 hours) sell fuel and have attached restaurants where you
can get a decent steak and a fry-up feed. Just don't expect an epicurean experience.
There's often accommodation for road-weary drivers out the back - including campsites,
air-conditioned motel-style rooms, and basic cabins.
Resources
Tourism NT
(
www.travelnt.com
)
Bountiful info about the Northern Territory outback. Also
produces
The Essential NT Drive Guide
, a terrific booklet with driving distances, national
parks, and outback info and advice for 2WD and 4WD travellers.
Parks & Wildlife NT
(
www.nt.gov.au/parks
)
General advice on the NT's fabulous national
parks: access, walking tracks, and camping etc.
South Australian Tourism Commission
(
www.southaustralia.com
) The lowdown on the
South Australian outback, from the Flinders Ranges to Coober Pedy.
Department of Environment, Water & Natural Resources
(
www.environment.sa.gov.au
) Advice, maps and camping permits for SA's national parks.
Parks Australia
(
www.environment.gov.au/parks
) Extensive information about the feder-
ally administered Kakadu and Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Parks.
OUTBACK CYCLING
Pedalling your way through the outback is not something to tackle lightly, and cer-
tainly not something you'd even consider in summer. But you do see the odd wiry,
suntanned soul pushing their panniers along the Stuart Hwy between Adelaide and
Darwin. Availability of drinking water is the main concern: isolated water sources
(bores, tanks, creeks etc) shown on maps may be dry or undrinkable. Make sure
you've got the necessary spare parts and bike-repair knowledge. Check with locals
