Coober Pedy to Erldunda drive: Distance, time & fuel stops

The Coober Pedy to Erldunda drive on a Stuart Highway road trip covers a 488km distance in a driving time of around 4h55m. The only fuel stops between Coober Pedy and Erldunda are at Cadney Homestead, Marla and Kulgera.

The drive from Coober Pedy to Erldunda takes you from South Australia into the Northern Territory. Almost everyone driving this route will be tackling a longer road trip, perhaps from Adelaide to Uluru or Melbourne to Darwin.

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The Erldunda Roadhouse is at the crossroads of the Lasseter Highway and the Stuart Highway. Turn west if driving from Coober Pedy to Uluru. Keep going straight on if travelling from Coober Pedy to Alice Springs.

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Coober Pedy to Erldunda distance and driving time

By car, the distance from Coober Pedy to Erldunda is 488km. That makes for a driving time of around four hours and 55 minutes. If you’re expecting plenty of exciting road trip stops along the way, then prepare for some bad news – this is basically a mission through stark desert.

The main attraction along the route is the Northern Territory border sign.

Best Coober Pedy accommodation choices

The most interesting places to stay in Coober Pedy are:

For gloriously weird underground rooms in a former opal mine: Comfort Inn Coober Pedy Experience.
For (usually) the cheapest rates: The Underground Motel.
For pool, playground and apartments: Big4 Stuart Range Outback Resort.
For above ground rooms made from rammed earth, with merciful air-conditioning: Mud Hut Motel.

Fuel stops between Coober Pedy and Erldunda

There are, however, three roadhouses between Coober Pedy and Erldunda. None of them are particularly exciting, but they offer the opportunity to refuel, and grab a few snacks.

It’s 154km from Coober Pedy to Cadney Homestead, then another 81km from Cadney Homestead to Marla.

The next fuel stop on the Coober Pedy to Erldunda drive is Kulgera over the Northern Territory border. The drive from Marla to Kulgera is 179km long.

The final stretch of the Coober Pedy to Erldunda drive is from Kulgera to Erldunda, which covers a distance of 75km.