The journey through the heart of Australia — from Adelaide to Darwin on the Stuart Highway — is one of the nation's greatest driving adventures.
The Stuart Highway follows the route of intrepid explorer John McDouall Stuart, who in 1862 became the first person to traverse the continent from south to north. Today the trip is infinitely easier, with a sealed highway following Stuart's epic 3245km journey.
Along the way you can "noodle" for opals in Coober Pedy; see the towering red sand dunes of the Simpson Desert; admire the ochre red domes of Kata Tjuta and marvel at the magnificent splendour of Uluru.
Duration 14 days
Day one: Adelaide — Port Augusta. Distance: 398km
Follow Main North Road to Gepps Cross and join the Port Wakefield Road (A1) through to Port Wakefield. Continue on to Crystal Brook and then divert to Port Pirie, where you can stretch your legs at Memorial Park or Solomontown Beach. Drive on to Port Germein, site of the longest wooden jetty in the southern hemisphere (1.7km), then through to Port Augusta where you'll overnight. A must-see here is the Wadlata Outback Centre, an interpretive centre offering special insights into the Flinders Ranges. At the 80-hectare Arid Lands Botanic Garden you can learn about Outback plant, bird and animal life.
Day two and three: Port Augusta — Woomera — Coober Pedy. Distance: 598km
Heading north from Port Augusta on the Stuart Highway the soil becomes red, the views widen, the vegetation becomes sparse, and the first of a string of salt pans emerge. At Pimba, detour 7km to Woomera, site of a rocket range constructed after WWII. Nearby is Nurrungar Space Tracking Station, which was once operated by NASA. Continue to Glendambo around the north-eastern reaches of the vast salt expanse of Lake Gairdner, site of various land speed record attempts. Then it's on to Coober Pedy, which produces around 85 percent of the world's opals. Spend a day here exploring the town or taking an opal field tour.
Day four: Coober Pedy — Ayers Rock Resort. Distance: 678km
Continue to Cadney Homestead Roadhouse, where special tours are available into the spectacular Breakaway Country and Painted Desert. North of Cadney is Marla, the last town before the South Australia/Northern Territory border. Cross the border and continue to Erldunda. Then take the Lasseter Highway via Curtin Springs to Ayers Rock Resort.
Day five: Ayers Rock Resort and the Uluru/Kata Tjuta National Park
Just 9km drive from Ayers Rock Resort the monolithic Uluru (Ayers Rock) totally dominates the landscape. The massive domes of Kata Tjuta (The Olgas) are 43km from the resort. There are great walking trails at Uluru and Kata Tjuta, and a variety of scenic flights over both these natural wonders are available at Ayers Rock Airport.
Day six and seven: Ayers Rock Resort — Alice Springs. Distance: 391km
Return to Erldunda where you rejoin the Stuart Highway to continue on to Alice Springs. A town steeped in history, Alice Springs is an ideal base to explore the stunning landscapes and magnificent gorges of the surrounding MacDonnell Ranges.
Day eight: Alice Springs to Wycliffe Well. Distance: 375km
Heading north from Alice Springs, visit the Alice Springs School of the Air and hear a lesson being broadcast to students in its 1.3 million square-kilometre classroom. Stop off at Ti Tree and sample fine table grapes and sparkling mango wine. Enjoy the rich colours of the desert travelling north to Wycliffe Well — reputedly Australia's UFO capital.
Day nine: Wycliffe Well — Tennant Creek. Distance: 130km
Marvel at the extraordinary Devils Marbles, finely balanced piles of huge boulders believed by Aboriginal people to be the eggs of the Rainbow Serpent. Explore the friendly town of Tennant Creek the site of Australia's last major gold rush in the 1930s, in the afternoon. Cool off with a dip in nearby Mary Ann Dam.
Day 10: Tennant Creek — Daly Waters. Distance: 400km
Explore the scenic Elliott and Newcastle Waters Discovery Trail, a network of roads (some are four-wheel-drive only) branching off the main highway to huge cattle stations, character-filled outback pubs and landmarks of World War II. Spend the night at Daly Waters, a tiny hamlet built around the Territory's oldest pub.
Day 11: Daly Waters — Mataranka. Distance: 165 kilometres
Call in at the historic Larrimah Wayside Inn for a cool drink, making time for a visit to the Larrimah Museum to learn about the area's World War II heritage. Continue to Mataranka for a pleasant dip in the warm thermal springs.
Day 12: Mataranka — Katherine. Distance: 105km
Explore the Katherine region, especially spectacular Nitmiluk National Park (Katherine Gorge). Take a boat cruises, try canoeing or go bushwalking. A short drive from Katherine is Springvale Homestead, built from sandstone by explorer and pastoralist Alfred Giles in 1878.
Day 13: Katherine — Lake Bennett. Distance: 260km
Head to Kakadu National Park following Nature's Way Drive, which branches off the Explorer's Way at Pine Creek. Meet some local characters at wayside inns on the way to the historic World War II township of Adelaide River.
Day 14: Litchfield — Darwin. Distance: 130km
Visit nearby Litchfield National Park and see stunning waterfalls and amazing termite mounds - and swim safely in crystal-clear swimming holes. Enjoy the first glimpse of the Timor Sea by following the Explorer's Way right into the heart of Darwin.
For further information visit:
Tourism South Australia:
www.www.southaustralia.com
Tourism Northern Territory : www.travelnt.com
For more information visit www.australia.com
