Road in the Northern Territory and Western Australia
Tanami Road
Tanami Track / McGuire Track
Northern Territory
–Western Australia
Map of the Northern Territory and northern Western Australia with Tanami Road highlighted in red
General information
Type
Road
Length
1,035 km (643 mi)
Route number(s)
State Route 5 (Northern Territory)
Major junctions
South-east end
Stuart Highway (National Highway 87), Burt Plain
North-west end
Great Northern Highway (National Highway 1), Mueller Ranges
Location(s)
Region
Alice Springs Region
Restrictions
Fuel supply
Tilmouth Well
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Infobox instructions
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The Tanami Road, also known as the Tanami Track, Tanami Highway,[1] and the McGuire Track, is a road in Australia that runs between the Stuart Highway in the Northern Territory and the Great Northern Highway in Western Australia. It is also known as State Route 5 in the Northern Territory. Its southern junction is 19 kilometres (12 mi) north of Alice Springs and the northern junction is 17 kilometres (11 mi) south-west of Halls Creek. It follows a cattle droving route northwest from the MacDonnell Ranges area of central Australia to Halls Creek in the Kimberley.[2]
The Tanami Road is the most direct route from Alice Springs to the Kimberley, passing through the Tanami Desert. Along its route are Yuendumu,[3] the tiny community of Yuelamu,[1] and The Granites gold mine owned by Newmont Mining. In the Northern Territory it passes through land owned by the Aboriginal Warlpiri people, and in Western Australia it passes through pastoral land.
About 20% of the road is bitumen, the remainder is dirt and gravel and, although it is navigable by two-wheel drive vehicles, a four-wheel drive is recommended. Some parts of the road are prone to severe corrugations, making for an uncomfortable and slow drive at times.[4] In January 2020, the federal government committed $235 million to upgrade and seal the road.[5] The Western Australian government committed more than $250 million to sealing its portion of the road in 2022.[6]
The mid-way point, Rabbit Flat, formerly a public roadhouse, was closed indefinitely at the end of 2010, so planning for this journey must take the lack of fuel and supplies into account.[7] Tilmouth Well, located 186 km (116 mi) from Alice Springs between Alice Springs and Rabbit Flat,[8] provides fuel service seven days a week.[7] Carrying adequate fuel and water supplies is essential.
^ ab"Yuelamu". Central Desert Regional Council. Retrieved 18 March 2021.
^Hema, Maps (2006). Australia's Great Desert Tracks NC Sheet (Map). Eight Mile Plains Queensland: Hema Maps. ISBN 978-1-86500-163-0.
^Yuendumu Mining Company N.L (1980). In The Tanami road : the Aboriginal-owned Yuendumu Mining Company N.L. submission to Parliamentary Standing Committee on Public Works. Yuendumu Mining Company N.L, Darwin
^Cathy Van Extel (28 May 2013). "Is the Tanami Road the worst highway in Australia?". Australian Broadcasting Corporation. Retrieved 30 May 2013.
^Bamford, Matt (4 January 2020). "Outback adventure track Tanami Road on a $235 million path to being sealed". ABC News. Australian Broadcasting Corporation. Retrieved 5 January 2020.
^"Tanami Road to be sealed, leaders predict economic transformation to desert region". ABC News. 13 May 2022. Retrieved 14 May 2022.
^ ab"The Tanami Desert, Australia". Outback Australia Travel Guide. Retrieved 22 April 2011.
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consistent with having lived in extreme conditions. Like most deserts, the Tanami can reach 40 °C (104 °F) during the day but still be very cold at night...
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team published the results of their recent survey of such trees in the Tanami Desert. The survey records the tree markings, also known as dendroglyphs...
October 1989. The series was directed by Toshirō Kuni with scripts by Yasuo Tanami and music by Kōhei Tanaka. These episodes aired together on three specific...