Erldunda Roadhouse, Northern Territory: Erldunda accommodation and tours

The main reasons to stop at the Erldunda Roadhouse in the Northern Territory are fuel and refreshments. But this Stuart Highway roadhouse also offers motel accommodation and Uluru tours.

The Erldunda Roadhouse in the Northern Territory is one of several Stuart Highway roadhouses that punctuate the long drive through the desert.

Where is the Erldunda Roadhouse?

The Erldunda Roadhouse is around 200km south of Alice Springs in the Red Centre. If you’re driving from Adelaide to Alice Springs – or even Sydney to Alice Springs – you’re going to pass Erldunda.

Erldunda Roadhouse on the drive to Uluru

Perhaps more crucially, however, you’ll pass through Erldunda on the five hour drive from Alice Springs to Uluru. The Erldunda Roadhouse is at the junction of the Stuart Highway and the Lasseter Highway.

This means the Erldunda Roadhouse is in both an unimportant and important position.

The Erldunda to Uluru drive is 267km and takes around two hours and 40 minutes. It’s close enough to both Alice Springs and Uluru to make staying the night at Erldunda somewhat pointless. But loads of people are going to stop there for fuel and refreshments.

Erldunda Roadhouse: Geographic centre of Australia?

The Erldunda Roadhouse likes to bill itself as the Centre of the Centre – the mid-point of the various places with recognised claims to be the geographic centre of Australia. If that seems tenuous, then wait until you see the pitch to be a base to explore Uluru.

The principle is that Erldunda is much cheaper to stay at than the Ayers Rock Resort, but the idea of a six hour round trip is probably not that appealing. When you factor in the fuel costs and the fact that sunset and sunrise are the best times to see Uluru, this is not very sensible.

Uluru day tour from Erldunda

Still, if you really want to see Uluru from the Erldunda Roadhouse, there’s a day tour costing $245. This departs at 08.30 and returns at 22.00. This includes a visit to Kata-Tjuta and a sunset barbecue at Uluru.

If, for some reason, you’d just prefer to stop at Uluru for fuel, there are a few animals to see. There are four rescued kangaroos that live there, branded somewhat outrageously as the Uluru Kangaroo Farm. There’s also an emu enclosure with more than 30 emus. You can hand-feed the emus if you dare hold your hand out for long enough.

Erldunda Roadhouse accommodation

The accommodation at Erldunda Roadhouse is pretty decent by roadhouse standards, and there’s the handy bonus of a pool. You can choose from caravan sites and motel units.

This is only likely to be of any interest if you’re coming from South Australia.

The driving distance from Coober Pedy to Erldunda is 487km, taking four hours and 52 minutes. The extra couple of hours to Uluru or Alice Springs may be too much for some.

More Northern Territory travel

Have a beer or seven in the Daly Waters Pub at the end of the Tennant Creek to Daly Waters drive.

Stop at Threeways Roadhouse on the drive from Mount Isa to Tennant Creek.

Feast at the Mataranka Homestead on the drive from Daly Waters to Katherine.

How long is the drive from Uluru to Kings Canyon?

Fill up at Barkly Homestead on the Barkly Highway.