Tablelands Highway NT

Our original plans was to drive from Borroloola, Northern Territory to Hellsgate Roadhouse, Queensland along the National Highway 1. This is part of a network of highways that circumnavigate the country, joining all mainland capital cities except the national capital of Canberra. At a total length of approximately 14,500 km it is the longest national highway in the world. Unfortunately this section of the highway has been described to us as F*#&@d and horrendous. The bloke at the repair shop said you would be a fool to take your vehicle along that road. So we decided to go the long way around and head south along the Tablelands Highway.

But before we set off from our cheeky overnight stop we went for the 2km hike around the Caranbirini Lost City. 

48km later we turned off the Carpentaria Hwy #1 at the Heartbreak Hotel, also known as Cape Crawford, onto the Tablelands Highway. It’s 375km of mainly single lane sealed road with plenty of pot holes and undulating bumpy sections. FYI we got to 280m in altitude..

 It took us 5 hours with one rest stop from 9:30am to 2:30pm when we eventually got to the Barkly Highway. We rate this as one of the worst 'Highways' we have ever driven on...

We then travelled another 40km/30mjns to the Wonarah Bore Rest Area, finding a good spot down the back, ending a long day in the road.

478km today