Cairns to Darwin road trip: Distance, stops and best route

Cairns to Darwin road trip: Camooweal to Daly Waters

The next fuel stop along the Barkly Highway is the Barkly Homestead, a lonely outpost on a lonely road.

The Cairns to Darwin 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.

It’s another 989km from Tennant Creek to Darwin, but there are a few key attractions along the way.

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.

Cairns to Darwin 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.

Click through to the next section: Katherine to Litchfield National Park.