Sandover Highway

The Sandover Highway is an outback unsealed track in the Northern Territory between the Plenty Highway north of Alice Springs and the Northern Territory/Queensland border.[1]

Sandover Highway

Northern Territory
Map of central Australia with Sandover Highway (State Route 14) highlighted in red
Coordinates
General information
TypeTrack
Length561 km (349 mi)
Route number(s) State Route 14
Major junctions
Southwest end Plenty Highway
Northeast endAlpurrurulam,
NT/Qld Border
Restrictions
Fuel supply
FacilitiesArlparra, Ammaroo Station

At its western end the road branches north from the Plenty Highway 27 kilometres (17 mi) east of the Stuart Highway. Its total length is 561 kilometres (349 mi) and it passes through semi-arid spinifex deserts and blacksoil Mitchell grass plains. The designated highway finishes just east of Alpurrurulam at the Northern Territory/Queensland border, but the track continues into Queensland for 55 kilometres (34 mi) where it joins the Camooweal Urandangi Road, which runs north to Camooweal.[2]

The track crosses Urapuntja Aboriginal lands. No permits are needed to travel on the track, however, they are necessary for travellers wishing to visit Aboriginal communities off-track.

Ammaroo Station has a shop with basic supplies. Fuel is available but there are no camping facilities. Another fuel supply along the track can be found at Arlparra.

Although the first part of the track can be negotiated by conventional vehicles, use of a four-wheel drive vehicle is recommended after Ammaroo. Each year the wet season floods the eastern end of the Sandover Highway and Alpurrurulam/Lash Nash becomes completely inaccessible. Not even a four-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.

The highway's name is derived from the Sandover River because its alignment follows that of the river.[3]

See also

Australian Roads portal

References
  1. "NT Map - All Roads" (PDF). Northern Territory Government. Archived from the original (PDF) on 5 May 2013. Retrieved 14 March 2020. National highways, primary roads & secondary roads
  2. Hema, Maps (2005). Australia’s Great Desert Tracks NE Sheet (Map). Eight Mile Plains Queensland: Hema Maps. ISBN 978-1-86500-160-9.
  3. "Place Names Register Extract for "Sandover River"". NT Place Names Register. Northern Territory Government. Retrieved 26 April 2019.


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