Lyn takes us along the Outback Way

from Western 4W Driver #114 Autumn 2020

by Vanguard Publishing Perth

A 'down south' holiday minus the crowds

Australia's Longest Shortcut

By Lyn Mitchell

The Outback Way, or Australia’s Longest Shortcut as it’s often called, is one of Australia’s great 4WD odysseys, but like so many other roads and tracks in the backblocks, more are being bitumised every year.

Providing a much-needed direct route between Perth and Cairns, the Outback Way stretches 2,700km from the gold country of Laverton in Western Australia through to Winton in Queensland, the birthplace of Australia’s favourite song, Waltzing Matilda. Around 1,300km of this distance is already blacktop and the rest is made up of graded gravel or unsealed sections of sand, bull dust holes and corrugations. The west-east link is made up of seven interconnecting highways – the Great Central Road, Tjukaruru Road, Lasseter Highway, Stuart Highway, Plenty Highway, Donohue Highway and the Min Min Byway. It’s called Australia’s longest shortcut because it passes diagonally through the heart of outback Australia, cutting off more than 1,000km versus driving on Highway 1 and other main roads. Weather conditions can make the road conditions treacherous and sometimes, sections are closed to all traffic if there’s been plenty of rain in that particular area. The idea to establish an Outback Way to make remote access easier across Australia came from Patrick Hill, who was a Councillor at the Shire of Laverton in WA. In 1997, Councillor Hill started to gather local government support from councils along the route. The following year, the Outback Highway Development Council Inc. (OHDC) was formed to lobby for upgrades to the road. Councillor Hill has been the chair of the OHDC ever since and the group hopes to secure further funding to complete the Outback Way by 2025/26. Over the years, OHDC’s lobbying has been successful in securing millions for road

The signage at the turnoff to the Donohue Highway near Boulia, Queensland. Diesel was $2.30 per litre at Tobermorey roadhouse.

One of the new bitumen sections on the Plenty Highway was nearly ready for use.

upgrades and to promote tourism along the route. The Australian Government has committed $330 million in funding from the 2013-14 financial year through to the 2026-27 financial years to upgrade key sections of the Outback Way through a project in conjunction with State and local governments. Once the sealing is completed, the new road is expected to reduce travel times, bring down freight costs, open up new opportunities for industries and tourism and improve the overall safety for travellers. While Alice Springs is the largest location on the route, many other spots along the way are simply remote roadhouses, outback stations or Aboriginal settlements. Many of these provide vital services to travellers such as fuel, meals, showers, basic groceries, medical assistance, caravan and camping sites and occasionally motel-style rooms with air conditioning and ensuites. When we came through the Outback Way in July 2019, we discovered fuel in limited supplies along the Donohue and Plenty Highway sections. It’s a good idea to either phone ahead (if you have mobile service) to check that each stop has fuel for sale or ensure that you have long range fuel tanks that can do the required distances or carry a spare jerry can of fuel just in case. When we got to Tobermorey cattle station on the Queensland/NT border, people were queued up for fuel at $2.30 per litre. However, the only person serving in the shop advised everyone that she was busy warming pies and couldn’t leave the shop to start any refuelling. We all had quite a laugh at that and it was a timely reminder that these are often small communities running on limited staffing and resources. Next day, we stopped at Gemtree near Harts Range. Gemtree is a lovely spot run by the Chalmers family and features a fullyserviced caravan park and a licensed bar that operates a couple of nights a week. They also sell great coffee and have a pleasant, shady outdoor area where you can sit and enjoy it. As the name suggests, Gemtree is famous for its gemstones and fossickers from all round the world visit the area to try their hand at searching for garnets, zircons and other gemstones. However, we discovered that fuel was in limited supply at Gemtree too. Signs on the fuel pumps advised patrons that they were only able to buy 25 litres of fuel. Staff advised us that Gemtree had received its 5,000 litre delivery of fuel for the month and didn’t want to place another order until the first of the next month otherwise they would have to pay for two deliveries in the one month.

Gemtree was a delightful place to have a much needed coffee.

Ron Mitchell refuelling at Gemtree – only 25 litres allowed.

These issues highlighted the often tenuous financial position that many small outback roadhouses and communities face. It is important for travellers to support these local businesses by stopping and buying fuel or other items wherever they can to help keep these vital services going. On reaching the Stuart Highway in the Northern Territory, the Outback Way dog-legs south through Alice Springs. At Erldunda Roadhouse south of The Alice, it then continues west via the Lasseter Highway through Curtin Springs, Yulara to Docker River at the NT border. It continues into WA to pass through Warakurna, Warburton, Tjukayirla and Cosmo Newberry on the Great Central Road before finally reaching the end of the Outback Way at Laverton. While more and more bitumen is being laid, this vital roadway still wends its way through beautiful, remote, rugged desert country providing travellers with the opportunity to continue to capture and experience the essence of the outback.