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The Plenty Highway is a 498-kilometre (309 mi) outback mostly unsealed road in the Northern Territory of Australia between the Stuart Highway and north-western Queensland.[1]
Plenty Highway | |
|---|---|
 | |
Map of central Australia with Plenty Highway highlighted in red | |
| General information | |
| Type | Rural road |
| Length | 498 km (309 mi) |
| Route number(s) |  State Route 12 |
| Major junctions | |
| West end |  Stuart Highway (National Highway 87), 69 km (43 mi) north of Alice Springs |
 Sandover Highway (State Route 14) | |
| East end | Donohue Highway, Tobermorey Homestead (NT/Queensland border) |
| Location(s) | |
| Major settlements | Atitjere, Huckitta, Jervois, Tarlton Downs |
Route description
editThe road begins at a turnoff from the Stuart Highway 68 kilometres (42 mi) north of Alice Springs, and finishes at Tobermorey Homestead on the Northern Territory/Queensland border. It then continues for another 249 kilometres (155 mi) to Boulia in Queensland, as the Donohue Highway.
The first 170 kilometres (110 mi) from the Stuart Highway is sealed. Of the next 108 kilometres (67 mi) to Jervois Homestead all bar 10 kilometres (6.2 mi) is unsealed as is the rest of the track to the Queensland Border. From the Queensland Border to Boulia the final 128 km (80 mi) is sealed with another 5 km (3.1 mi) east of the border. Information about its condition may be obtained from the Harts Range police station, 112 kilometres (70 mi) from the Stuart Highway.
East of Jervois Homestead, the road is formed earth, deteriorating to rocks and bulldust as it nears Tobermorey, 213 kilometres (132 mi) from Jervois Homestead. The road north to Urandangi and thence to Mount Isa bears left just before Tobermorey.
Road condition
editThe worst sections of the road are in the Northern Territory, with deep potholes and bulldust. On the Queensland side of the border the road has had significant upgrades and is of a hard pack gravel surface. It is 249 kilometres (155 mi) from Tobermorey to Boulia and good camping may be found at the Georgina River, at about the 125 kilometres (78 mi) mark.
Fuel and food may be obtained at Gemtree, Atitjere community, Jervois Homestead and Boulia. As of June 2018, fuel and camping is available at Tobermorey. Road trains up to 53 metres (174 ft) in length use both highways.
Upgrades
editThe Northern Australia Roads Program announced in 2016 included the following project for the Plenty Highway.
Progressive sealing and flood immunity
editThe project to progressively seal and provide flood immunity improvements was expected to be complete in late 2021 at a total cost of $25 million.[2]
Junctions and localities
edit| Location[3] | km[3] | mi | Destinations | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Burt Plain | Stuart Highway (National route 87) – Alice Springs Darwin | 68 kilometres (42 mi) north of Alice Springs | |||
| Anmatjere | 27 | 17 | Sandover Highway (state route 14) – Camooweal | ||
| Gemtree | 70 | 43 | Caravan park, fuel available | ||
| Harts Range, Atitjere | 147 | 91 | Fuel available | ||
| Huckitta Station | 200 | 120 | |||
| Jervois Station | 277 | 172 | Fuel available | ||
| Tarlton Downs Station | 347 | 216 | |||
| Tobermorey | 492 | 306 | Urandangi Road – Urandangi, Mount Isa | ||
| Tobermorey Homestead | 496 | 308 | Continues into Queensland as Donohue Highway – Boulia | ||
| 1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi | |||||
See also
edit
References
edit- ^ Hema, Maps (2005). Australia's Great Desert Tracks NE Sheet (Map). Eight Mile Plains Queensland: Hema Maps. ISBN 978-1-86500-160-9.
- ^ "Plenty Highway Upgrading - Project Development and Delivery Phase". Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Communications. 20 September 2021. Retrieved 30 March 2022.
- ^ a b "Plenty Highway" (Map). Google Maps. Retrieved 21 January 2017.
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