Melbourne to Darwin road trip: Distance, drive time & best stops
Melbourne to Darwin drive: Stuart Highway and the South Australian outback
The Port Augusta to Coober Pedy leg of the Melbourne to Darwin drive is all about the outback scenery. The Stuart Highway passes through proper, unstinting desert, and the sense of wide open space is oddly exhilarating.
The best stops are at former secret military town Woomera, where you can learn about weapons testing and space research, and salt lake Lake Hart.
Coober Pedy, however, is the highlight of the South Australian outback. Most people live underground in this opal mining town. The mine tours and cave showhomes are fascinating.
Coober Pedy is the logical overnight stop and a fun place to stay.
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.
