A massive infrastructure investment that will open up a swathe of Outback Australia to more grey nomads than ever is about to be unveiled.
The Deputy Prime Minister, Barnaby Joyce, is in Alice Springs and is due to unveil a major funding commitment for a network of desert roads and highways known as the Outback Way.
The route stretches almost 3,000 kilometres from Winton in Western Queensland to Laverton in regional Western Australia and cuts through Uluru Kata Tjuta National Park, passing directly by the internationally renowned icons in the heart of the nation.
The federal government will shortly commit an extra $678 million to continue sealing and upgrading the roads.
As part of the works, the remaining unsealed and ‘substandard’ sections of Outback Way in Queensland and WA will be sealed. Priority sections on the Plenty Highway and Tjukaruru Road in the Northern Territory will also be upgraded.
The Government estimates to will create 2,197 jobs across Western Australia, Queensland and the Northern Territory.
Mr Joyce said the Outback Way was a ‘vital piece of national transport infrastructure’ and the government was committed to sealing ‘the entire 2720 km of Outback Way’.
“The Nationals and Liberals had the vision to start these upgrades and we are driving ahead with the sealing of the third road that runs east to west across our nation, from Winton to Laverton,” Mr Joyce said. “$124m will be spent on upgrades in the Northern Territory alone, creating 442 jobs for locals and delivering a much-needed economic injection in the Territory … these upgrades will spark new opportunities for industries along the route.”
Those who have long been lobbying governments for the road network to be sealed are thrilled with the news.
“Today’s announcement paves the way for sealing this new strategic link through the nation … it elevates the connection across Australia to a whole new dimension, most importantly it will enable and connect the most remote communities in Australia,” said Cr Patrick Hill Chairman Outback Highway Development Council and President of Shire of Laverton. A sealed Outback Way will unlock significant additional industry development and opportunities for the freight, agriculture, tourism manufacturing and mining sectors, across Australia.”
Needs it
Didn’t they announce this before the last election?
It is not before time! Should have been done 40 yrs ago! Where are the tunnels under the blue mtns?
I am a 71 year old lady and for 6 months of the year my 12 year old dog and I travel the Australian outback…2021 one of the highlights of the trip was The Queensland Opera in the Outback in Winton…Traveled up to Karumba and then down to Birdsville..and then up to Katherine Darwin before making my way home. . A total of 22 thousand KM ….This year I plan to go to Farina up to Marree then across to Oodnadatta cobber Pedy and work my way home …. Would love to travel across the centre of Australia from coast to coast ..Have been to Leanora and Lake Ballard so look forward to the day I can keep going…Start from the beach of Eglinton WA where I live. up to Laverton and go across the centre and reach Winton then keep going across to the coast and down to Nelson Bay NSW …my last home before moving to WA ….For me what an adventure..
Must be Election year.
This will be awesome, about time.
Yes but also the dirt was have the excitement and uniqueness of the area making different so alittle sad too. But definitely we do it again
I for one will welcome more bitumen roads through the outback. All the traditionalists will whine that it takes away the challenge of crossing these remote stretches but to the people and communities who live there it will be a God send.
No mention in the article that the Western Australian Government is also contributing millions of dollars towards the section from Laverton to the NT border.
Anyhow, that aside, what fantastic news. Apparently to be completed in 5 years, according to media reports in WA. Great decision, looking forward to it being completed.
About bloody time. We have travelled this route many times from WA. Thanks to the grader drivers who have kept it going to now. This will open up Qld and WA and save us from having to endure the SA VIcNSW BS that goes on when travelling. Don’;t get me wrong, we do enjoy the outback of the southern states. Not the cities. Looking forward to the opening annoucement.
Absolutely not ,half the enjoyment of going bush is dealing with the conditions at hand . With the plenty and the Tanami fully sealed what a boring trip it would be, these roads can never be flood proofed anyway .
Plenty of “other” untidy unsealed roads to choose from.
You must live in a city, Robert , where all your roads are sealed and don’t have to endure hours of driving on rotten corrugated roads. Glad not everyone is as mean as you.
Robert, apart from the people who would enjoy travelling through that part of Australia in reasonable comfort, do you realise how much cheaper, easier and safer it old be for the transport drivers to travel from east to west and vice versa. $500k trucks travel a lot better on bitumen than corrugated dirt roads not to mention the better condition freight will arrive in.
A large part of the romance of the Australian Outback is its remoteness & difficulty of traveling in it.
Towing a caravan at 100kph plus for 700km per day, every day, is not what its about.
Same to you, 86GTS
Romantic, well that’s new slant on roughing it in the outback. The majority or will I say the sensible folks will enjoy the sealing. Also the majority do not tow at 100 klm per hour and certainly not 700 klm’s per day. If you do that on sealed roads you need to slow down and take some time to “smell the flowers” 🙂
Exactly what I was saying, well done.
People will tow at 100kph & do 700kms per day when its sealed.
Completely incorrect.
Well, I’ve never heard of a caravaner doing 700kms in a day!!
And when you do travel and stop and talk to other caravaners in stops, they have only done 300kms each day. We have traveled 16kms and found an awesome spot with a beautiful view and stayed for the night.
99.9% of people who are caravaners are retired and enjoy the journey.
That’s us no hurry we like to travel slow
Not before time it is 2022 with all the modern road making machinery it only take a few years to complete for the benefits of traveling public and locals in the areas of proposed roads upgrade. Just do it, stop talking about it to get votes.
As we are traveling we do need or would love to have overtaking lanes and toilet stops around the 200 hundred kilometres apart that will be great
Then stay home digging a hole behind the tree is pat of the fun
How wonderful will it be when completed
Yes, absolutely. It’s a part of australia I long to visit before I die.
This is going to be a good thing for regional Australia. Lots of business opportunities for people for the many travelers.
WOW such great news one of the roads on our bucket list just hope it does not take too long to complete or atleast they bring the whole road up to motorhome standard very soon Not getting any younger
Good idea, we have given up 4wding, back to a 2wd, so this will help us much better to see more of the interior.
Absolutely!!!!
The sealing of this road will be an asset for so many, especially the transport industry and those who live within the outback who need to use this road. Even as a sealed road it will still be an “adventure ” to travel this part of our huge country. Having travelled the Stuart Hwy through the Centre and the Nullarbor in the 1960’s, both unsealed at the time, we now appreciate travelling these sealed highways in comfort without hundreds of kms of corrugations. Hopefully this work can be done while we are still able to travel. Something to look forward to.
Just My luck! Too old to enjoy it☹️
You watch the mines pop up when this is throught.
And that’s also another good thing. Think economy for Australia.
More Chinese investment
Hope they’ve factored in nonstop rubbish pickup crews, nothing surer it will become another toilet and rubbish dump
Excellent! Where there is decent infrastructure the people will follow. Australia’s interior needs development, needs people, and this will help bring them.
Yes but which decade will this happen
You obviously did not read the full announcement. Will be completed within 5 years.So that’s well within this decade.
Good news for the remote communities, transport opportunities will open prospects for industry and jobs.
Could have made this promise 7yrs ago when they were elected. Having travelled on this track it will take many years to complete.
Only 5, so hang in there.
What an utter waste of money-who will benefit-no one.The communities certainly won’t.How many of those comnenting even know where it is?.And why would they travel it?.It certainly is NOT on the big lap.The part near Laverton will help the mining companies!!.How about fixing roafs in disrepair that are travelled a lot all year round.Bureaucrat nonsense by bureaucrats that go to Bali.
Yeah, no benefit at all to all the transport companies (wrong) that will no longer need to use the Nullabor route e.g Qld to WA and NSW to WA. Chance to take the pressure of the Nullabor. Has already been correctly referred to as “Australia’s Longest Shortcut” And is in fact part of the Big lap with a bit more variety.The potential for folks to travel different ways across our great country. Anyone who is commenting would be well aware as to where it is. Talk about negativity.
The big lap is highway 1.
Actually the big lap is any way one chooses to go as they explore our great country. i.e around or by doing a figure 8 style. Try looking outside the square.
Should fix the rds that we have that are falling apart threw dodgy work and lack of maintenance
Really good point and this Central Hwy is a good example of a road that needs fixing. Good to see you agree with this up grade to a decent hwy.
this wouldn’t be getting done for our benefit
it would be more like for armed forces immovability
Rubbish.
Looking forward to it…great news and can’t happen soon enough
I do know its nessary but I will still be sad to see a great outback drive ruined by blacktop I have done it with all the bulldust and bumps and loved it but thats me
And then there are others!
No leave it alone its a great drive just the way it is its a waist of 680mil dòllars that couĺd be put to better use
To late, decision made, and a really good one according to the majority & sensible people. Not a waist of money given the transport / tourist and folks who live in that area advantages.
Didn’t see a time line! Must be an election year! Would love to see more details as it would be nice in my lifetime or when I’m still able to travel. Coming from Barnaby Joyce I take it with a heavy pinch of salt given his record!
Here’s a few more roads they can do – road from Glendambo to join up with Eyre Hwy nor west of Poochera. Would cut 100s of km off & the need to go through Pt Augusta. Alternatively, take the road west of Glendambo & link up to Googs Track into Ceduna.
Strzelecki Track from Lyndhurst & join up Bulloo development Rd west of Thargomindah. This would offer an alternative route between Adelaide & Bris & open up outback tourism for towns desperate for it ie; Leigh Creek
Tanami Road between north of Alice Springs & Great Northern Hwy near Halls Creek. Again, would cut off 100s km
This would help not just grey nomads but also the trucking industry & outback infrastructure & tourism.