Camooweal to Katherine road trip: Distance, drive time & best stops
The best stops to add to a Camooweal to Katherine road trip itinerary are Daly Waters and Mataranka. By car, the distance from Camooweal to Katherine is 1,097km, with a driving time of around 11h30m.
Planning a Camooweal to Katherine road trip itinerary
A Camooweal to Katherine road trip is an epic drive through the Australian outback, crossing from Queensland to the Northern Territory. Most people passing along this route will be on a longer road trip – say from Brisbane to Darwin or Sydney to Darwin.
Camooweal is the most western town on the Barkly Highway before crossing into the Northern Territory.
Katherine offers Katherine Gorge boat cruises and the Top Didj Aboriginal cultural experience. For Katherine accommodation favourites, head this way.
There’s an awful lot to see along the way, though. This expert-researched guide should help you plan your perfect Camooweal to Katherine road trip itinerary.
Camooweal to Katherine distance and driving time
Using the quickest route by car, the distance from Camooweal to Katherine is 1,097km. That makes for a driving time of around 11 hours and 30 minutes.
The best road trip stops to add to a Camooweal to Katherine road trip itinerary include Daly Waters and Mataranka.
Things to do in Camooweal include finding out about cattle droving at the Drovers Camp, and admiring the cave mouths in Wiliyan-ngurru National Park.
Camooweal is also the gateway to Boodjamulla National Park, home of Lawn Hill Gorge.
Camooweal to Katherine drive: Camooweal to Daly Waters
After Camooweal, there’s no fuel for another 260km, so stock up at the Barkly Homestead when you arrive.
The Camooweal to Katherine drive finally meets the Stuart Highway at the Threeways Roadhouse. Tennant Creek lies 25km to the south, and realistically, most are going to want to build in an overnight stop here.
Things to do in Tennant Creek include taking in Indigenous heritage at the Nyinkka Nyunyu Art and Cultural Centre. Other options include the Bill Allen Lookout and gold rush heritage at the Battery Hill Mining Centre.
Tennant Creek accommodation
Specialist Australian accommodation booking site Wotif offers Tennant Creek accommodation for from $140 a night. Check the top deals page for the best rates.
However, to narrow down the shortlist, consider these options first.
- For (easily) the best quality: Safari Lodge.
- For roadtripper convenience: Outback Caravan Park.
- For a pool: Bluestone Motor Inn.
The landscape visibly changes on the way north, with the dry outback giving way to the vegetation of the tropics. The Renner Springs Desert Inn is a decent stop for fuel and snacks. You can also pull over at the Lake Woods Conservation Covenant. The ephemeral lake here attracts plenty of bird life.
But for an excellent overnight stop, try the Daly Waters Pub. This perhaps the quintessential great Australian outback pub. Expect live music, big steaks on the barbecue and decorations provided by donated paraphernalia from around the world.
Click through to the next section: Daly Waters to Nitmiluk National Park.