Sandover Highway
Encyclopedia
The Sandover Highway is an outback unsealed track cutting across to north-western Queensland
from the Stuart Highway
.
Its total length is about 550 kilometres and it passes through semi-arid deserts and Spinifex
blacksoil plains. The track leaves the Stuart Highway 70 kilometres north of Alice Springs, follows the Plenty Highway
for the first 30 kilometres and finishes in Lake Nash, just outside of Alpurrurulam
, on the Northern Territory
/Queensland
border.
The track crosses into the Urapuntja Aboriginal lands. No permits are needed to travel on the track itself, they are however necessary for travellers wishing to visit Aboriginal communities off-track.
The Ammaroo Station is no longer open to the public. The only fuel supply along the track can be found at Arlparra.
Although the first part of track can be tackled by conventional vehicles, use of a 4 wheel drive vehicle is recommended after Ammaroo. Each year the wet season floods the western end of the Sandover Highway and Alpurrurulam/Lash Nash is completely inaccessible. Not even a 4 wheel drive vehicle will be able to get through the flooded black soil plains. Flooding can also occur after brief but heavy thunderstorms during the dry season. Tourists are advised to use alternative main routes.
Queensland
Queensland is a state of Australia, occupying the north-eastern section of the mainland continent. It is bordered by the Northern Territory, South Australia and New South Wales to the west, south-west and south respectively. To the east, Queensland is bordered by the Coral Sea and Pacific Ocean...
from the Stuart Highway
Stuart Highway
The Stuart Highway is one of Australia's major highways. It is a segment of Australia's Highway 1 extending from Darwin, Northern Territory, in the north, via Tennant Creek and Alice Springs, to Port Augusta, South Australia, in the south—a distance of...
.
Its total length is about 550 kilometres and it passes through semi-arid deserts and Spinifex
Spinifex
Spinifex may refer to:* Spinifex , a genus of grass which is indigenous to the coastal areas of Australasia and Indonesia* Triodia , a hummock grass of arid Australia, covering twenty percent of the Australian continent ** Spinifex resin* Spinifex people, or Pila Nguru, an Australian...
blacksoil plains. The track leaves the Stuart Highway 70 kilometres north of Alice Springs, follows the Plenty Highway
Plenty Highway
The Plenty Highway is a 498 kilometre outback mostly unsealed track cutting across to north-western Queensland from the Stuart Highway.The track leaves the Stuart Highway 68 kilometres north of Alice Springs, follows the Sandover Highway for the first 27 kilometres and finishes in Tobermorey...
for the first 30 kilometres and finishes in Lake Nash, just outside of Alpurrurulam
Alpurrurulam, Northern Territory
Alpurrurulam , also known as Lake Nash, is a small town located in the Northern Territory, Australia, 600 km east of Tennant Creek and 20 km from the NT-Queensland border.The 2006 Census counts 343 residents, with nearly 94% of them Aboriginal...
, on the Northern Territory
Northern Territory
The Northern Territory is a federal territory of Australia, occupying much of the centre of the mainland continent, as well as the central northern regions...
/Queensland
Queensland
Queensland is a state of Australia, occupying the north-eastern section of the mainland continent. It is bordered by the Northern Territory, South Australia and New South Wales to the west, south-west and south respectively. To the east, Queensland is bordered by the Coral Sea and Pacific Ocean...
border.
The track crosses into the Urapuntja Aboriginal lands. No permits are needed to travel on the track itself, they are however necessary for travellers wishing to visit Aboriginal communities off-track.
The Ammaroo Station is no longer open to the public. The only fuel supply along the track can be found at Arlparra.
Although the first part of track can be tackled by conventional vehicles, use of a 4 wheel drive vehicle is recommended after Ammaroo. Each year the wet season floods the western end of the Sandover Highway and Alpurrurulam/Lash Nash is completely inaccessible. Not even a 4 wheel drive vehicle will be able to get through the flooded black soil plains. Flooding can also occur after brief but heavy thunderstorms during the dry season. Tourists are advised to use alternative main routes.
See also
- Highways in AustraliaHighways in AustraliaThis is a list of highways in Australia, listed alphabetically along with each highway's route number and location. Note that some highways service more than one state or territory.-Route numbering systems:...
- List of highways in the Northern Territory