The Sandover Highway

The Sandover Highway - Australia

We have several maps and guides that cover the Sandover Highway - click on the following link

The Sandover runs from Alice Springs in the Northern Territory to Mount Isa in Queensland.

Essentially this is a short cut from central Australia to the Gulf or to northern Queensland.

This trip is from Alice Springs in the Northern Territory to Mt Isa in Queensland. Of course, as with all of these trips, you can simply reverse the instructions if you are coming from the opposite direction.

This is a longish trip over very remote and little used tracks and is very dry country in places. You shouldn't even think about it if you don't have a decent, well prepared and well equipped vehicle.

Much of the territory that you will cover is historical pioneering country. The best time to go is spring or autumn, the longest run between fuel stops is about 320 km and the total distance could be over 1000 km, depending on what trips you take of the main route.

The trip heads out of Alice along the Plenty Highway, about 70 km north off the Stuart Highway.It is only a short distance along here that you turn of north onto the Sandover Highway, where you will travel for some distance through scrub and spinifex country. You will need to make regular checks that spinifex hasn't blocked the airflow to your radiator as it will lead to over-heating and mechanical failure if left. Also check under your vehicle as spinifex collects around the exhaust and you run a real risk of your vehicle catching on fire.

There are many tracks off to the left and right during this stretch but they are into Aboriginal territory and you don't have any right of access. The exception is Utopia, or Urapuntja where you are able to get emergency supplies of basic food and fuel.

At Alpara you can do the same and then, for some distance, the road runs parallel to the Sandover River. You probably won't see much of it unless you take one of the tracks off to the right, or south.

From here you head past the Amaroo Station and pass into, mainly, cattle country.

Once you have travelled some 650 km or so you will pass Lake Nash, which is, officially, the end of the Sandover Highway. From here you have a choice of two routes, to the north via Camooweal, and somewhat better countryside, or south via Urandagi.

South is shorter in kilometers, but a much harsher drive, and both end up at Mt Isa.

Looking forward to seeing you back here soon,
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