Cairns to Alice Springs road trip: Best stops, distance & drive time

Cairns to Alice Springs road trip: Queensland border to Tennant Creek

The drive from Camooweal to Tennant Creek is a long and lonely one. It leaves Queensland and heads through the middle of the Northern Territory, where barely a soul lives.

However, the Camooweal to Tennant Creek drive is a key leg on several road trips. These include Townsville to Darwin and Brisbane to Alice Springs.

Once inside the Northern Territory, the Barkly Highway ploughs through a seemingly relentless stretch of outback. The key stop before joining the Stuart Highway is Barkly Homestead. This roadhouse is very handy as a snack, fuel and toilet stop, but it does have accommodation if you wish to stay the night.

The Barkly Highway joins the Stuart Highway at the Threeways Roadhouse. This is 25km north of Tennant Creek.

Things to do in Tennant Creek include doing the underground tour at the Battery Hill Mine and learning about Indigenous culture at the Nyinkka Nyunyu Art and Cultural Centre.

Click through to the next section: Devils Marbles to Alice Springs.