Tanami Road in Australia Tanami Road in Australia

About the Kimberley
• The Kimberley in Australia is one of the last true wilderness areas on Earth, with rustic unique outback landscapes and landmarks billions of years in the making. Covering app 423,000 square kilometres in north Western Australia and with a population of less than 40,000 people, it’s here you’ll encounter some of the most extraordinary outback adventuresand folks in Australia. Discover ancient gorge country with hikes and trekking a must in planning your Kimberley vacation to enormous cattle stations, pristine coastline and sandy beaches, to one of the oldest cultures on the planet and the world’s only horizontal waterfalls.

• About Tanami Road Australia (often referred to as the Tanami Track also)

Halls Creek to Alice Springs (1053km) The Tanami Road is the most direct route from the Kimberley to Alice Springs.

Crossing the expanse of the Tanami Desert, the Tanami Road is actually a fairly well-formed earth/gravel road, that is maintained by Shire of Halls Creek until the NT Border. It is, however, an isolated route, that is closed for much of the wet season.

It is recomended that 4WD vehicles are used for the road and outlying areas, and you will need to be well-prepared and self-sufficient.

It is not recommended for caravans or trailers. Rain can close parts of the road at short notice. Take ample supplies of fuel, food and water as various roadhouses along the track can be unreliable. You should also carry enough drinking water to last two trips, as all dams and bores along the route are classified as undrinkable. The Tanami Road has some interesting features along the way.

The communities of Bililuna and Balgo have Art and Culture Centres that are well worth a visit. The community of Mulan, reached via Balgo, provides access to Lake Gregory, one of Australia's most important inland wetlands. There are some wonderful camping sites alonside the Lake, including Passover Site on the eastern shore, and Yunpu Site on the southern shore, near the Canning Stock Route. This area is a bird watcher's paradise , where over 73 varieties of waterbirds have been recorded. Permits can be obtained for the camps at Paruku IPA offices in Mulan and Bililuna.

At Stretch Lagoon, 18 kilometres south of Bililuna, at the top of the Canning Stock Route, is another great camp. Exceptional displays of Flora and Fauna can be seen, including large herds of wild Arabian thoroughbreds. The source stock for these horses were shipped up from Melbourne racing stables in the 1920's, for the Palletine Brothers at the Balgo Mission.

The Tanami Road is the most direct route from the Kimberley to Alice Springs.

PLEASE NOTE: Rabbit Flat Roadhouse has permanently closed for business.

The longest stretch on the road without fuel supplies is 586km.

FUEL STOPS ON THE TANAMI:

Billiluna (168km from Halls Creek - 885km from Alice Springs)
7am-12noon & 2pm-4pm Mon to Fri
9am - 11am Sat
($10 fee for fuel out of these hours)

Balgo (246 km from Halls Creek - 807km from Alice Springs)
Note: Balgo is approximately 35km off the Tanami Rd
9am-12noon & 2pm-4pm Mon to Fri
9am - 12noon Sat
Please call (08) 9168 8900 prior to entry

Yuendumu (754km from Halls Creek - 299km from Alice Springs)
8.30am - 1pm & 2pm - 5pm Mon to Fri
9.30am - 12noon Sat & Sun

Tilmouth (854km from Halls Creek - 199km from Alice Springs)
7am - 9pm 7 days per week

© source | courtesy of hallscreektourism.com.au/