Cloncurry to Katherine road trip: Distance, drive time & best stops

The best stops to add to a Cloncurry to Katherine road trip itinerary are Mount Isa, Daly Waters and Mataranka. By car, the distance from Cloncurry to Katherine is 1,407km, with a driving time of around 14h52m.

Planning a Cloncurry to Katherine road trip itinerary

A Cloncurry 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.

Cloncurry is where the Landsborough Highway, Flinders Highway and Barkly Highway meet. To find the best Cloncurry accommodation deals, hunt here.

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 Cloncurry to Katherine road trip itinerary.

Cloncurry to Katherine distance and driving time

Using the quickest route by car, the distance from Cloncurry to Katherine is 1,407km. That makes for a driving time of around 14 hours and 52 minutes.

The best road trip stops to add to a Cloncurry to Katherine road trip itinerary include Mount Isa, Daly Waters and Mataranka.

Things to do in Cloncurry include the John Flynn Place Museum, devoted to the founder of the Royal Flying Doctor Service, and fossil-fancying Cloncurry Unearthed.

Cloncurry accommodation options include the personality-packed Gidgee Inn and the solidly decent Leichhardt Hotel Motel.

Cloncurry to Katherine road trip: Cloncurry to Camooweal

On the way from Cloncurry to Mount Isa along the Barkly Highway, decent stops include the Burke and Wills Memorial, the Corella Dam swimming hole and the eerie ghost town at Mary Kathleen.

Mount Isa, the last proper-sized town in Queensland has several attractions. These include the Riversleigh Fossil Centre, the 4.2km walking track up Telstra Hill, and underground tours at the Hard Times Mine.

Mount Isa activity options include the two hour best-of Mount Isa tour, outback scenic flights, a sunset tour to Lake Moondarra and a fascinating visit to the abandoned Mary Kathleen uranium mine.

For Mount Isa accommodation, try the peppy four star Copper City Motel, the centrally-located Icon on Isa and the roadtripper-friendly Discovery Parks Argylla.

The next stretch from Mount Isa to Tennant Creek is a long 661km slog, requiring careful use of fuel stops. The only town on the route is Camooweal, just on the Queensland side of the Northern Territory border. 

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.

Cloncurry 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 Cloncurry 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.

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.

Cloncurry to Katherine road trip: Daly Waters to Nitmiluk National Park

Another option is Larrimah, home to the Pink Panther Roadhouse and the Larrimah Hotel – another great outback pub. It offers cold beer, meals, accommodation and a bizarre collection of animals in a mini-zoo outside.

You can also see the Gorrie Airstrip, a key World War II air base, about 10km to the north.

But you’re better off ploughing through to Mataranka and swimming in the Mataranka Thermal Pool next to the Mataranka Homestead. You can also swim at Bitter Springs or go for a walk by the Roper River in Elsey National Park.

Mataranka accommodation options are limited. Pick between the Mataranka Roadhouse and Territory Manor Motel and Caravan Park.

The Sterling Mill Rest Area and King River Rest Area are feasible stops on the leg from Mataranka to Katherine. But the Cutta Cutta Caves, part of a massive limestone karst system, are the biggest draw.

Katherine is usually used as a base for visiting Nitmiluk National Park, where the Katherine Gorge cruises and canoe tours are highlights of the whole trip.

Good things to do in Katherine itself include the Katherine Hot Springs, the Katherine Outback Experience and the Top Didj Cultural Experience.

Further north along the Stuart Highway is the turn off for Leliyn (Edith Falls), which has a fantastic natural swimming pool at the base.

More Northern Territory travel

How long is the drive from Daly Waters to Alice Springs?

Are there any crocodiles in Katherine, Northern Territory?

Where to stop on the Camooweal to Katherine drive.

What to see on a Longreach to Uluru road trip.

Are there any Kakadu tours during the wet season?