The Explorer's Way: Port Augusta to Darwin
Australia's classic north-south drive on the Stuart Highway, about 2,800 km from the Flinders gateway to the tropical Top End, with underground opal towns, red desert and thermal pools.
- Distance
- 2,932 km (1,822 mi)
- Driving
- 31 h 57 min
- Suggested days
- 8
- Stops
- 12
- States
- South Australia, Northern Territory
- Updated
- April 24, 2026
At a glance: 8-day road trip of about 2,932 km (1,822 mi) with 12 stops, from Port Augusta to Darwin. About 31 h 57 min of driving in total.
More road trips in South Australia, Northern Territory · More road trips from Port Augusta
Route description
Day 1: Port Augusta to Coober Pedy, about 540 km. The road runs north through Pimba, from where the Woomera rocket-range museum is a short detour, then past salt lakes to the opal town. Fuel is available at Glendambo and Pimba; do not rely on remote stops after dark. Heat in summer can exceed 40 degrees, so travel early and carry water.
Days 2 and 3: Coober Pedy to Alice Springs, about 690 km. Spend a morning underground in the Old Timers Mine or the dugout churches before leaving; the town is cool inside whatever the weather. The next fuel stops include Cadney Park, Marla and Kulgera at the Northern Territory border, where signposted limits reach 130 km/h on much of the Territory section. Many drivers split the day at Marla or Kulgera.
Days 4 and 5: Alice Springs to Tennant Creek, about 500 km. Visit the Telegraph Station for the town's origins, then drive north to Karlu Karlu / Devils Marbles, around 100 km south of Tennant Creek, for the best light at sunrise or sunset. Wycliffe Well is a quirky roadhouse nearby. Fuel at Barrow Creek and Wycliffe Well; kangaroos and cattle are hazards at dusk.
Days 6 to 8: Tennant Creek to Darwin, about 1,000 km. Daly Waters Pub, about 450 km north, is a classic overnight stop. Mataranka's thermal pool is the next reward, then Katherine for Nitmiluk Gorge and the hot springs; Darwin is about 320 km further. In the Top End, crocodile warnings apply to most waterways and the wet season, roughly November to April, can cut side roads.
Stop-by-stop itinerary
In driving order. Distances are estimates between consecutive stops.
- 1Start
Port Augusta
South Australia - 2203 km
Woomera Rocket Park and Heritage Centre
HistoryWoomera, South AustraliaAn open-air display of rockets, missiles and aircraft beside the Heritage Centre, telling the story of the Woomera rocket range, set up in 1947. The town lies a few kilometres off the Stuart Highway.
- 3377 km
Coober Pedy
South Australia - 40 km
Old Timers Mine
HistoryCoober Pedy, South AustraliaA hand-dug opal mine from the early 1900s turned museum, where tunnels and a dugout home show how people mined and lived underground to escape the desert heat. Cool at any time of year.
- 5717 km
Alice Springs
Northern Territory - 64 km
Alice Springs Telegraph Station
HistoryAlice Springs, Northern TerritoryThe original 1872 settlement on the Todd River, built to relay messages on the Overland Telegraph Line. Stone buildings, a waterhole and short walks sit a few minutes from the town centre.
- 7417 km
Karlu Karlu / Devils Marbles
NatureWauchope, Northern TerritoryHuge rounded granite boulders, many precariously balanced, scattered across a sacred Aboriginal landscape of the Kaytetye and Warumungu peoples. Sunrise and sunset colour the rocks red; camping is available in the reserve.
- 8123 km
Tennant Creek
Northern Territory - 9464 km
Daly Waters Historic Pub
OdditiesDaly Waters, Northern TerritorySaid to be the Territory's oldest pub, covered inside with bras, banknotes, number plates and travellers' scribbles. It sits on the old Stuart Highway route and Qantas and Overland Telegraph history; many stop for a meal and the evening show.
- 10183 km
Mataranka Thermal Pool
NatureMataranka, Northern TerritoryA thermal spring pool of roughly 34 °C in Elsey National Park, set among palms with the Waterhouse River nearby. A classic way to unwind on the long Stuart Highway drive; best early or late, when fewer people are there.
- 11120 km
Katherine
Northern Territory - 12324 km
Darwin
Northern Territory
Suggested stages and overnight stops
8 days, split by driving time. Campsites from OpenStreetMap: check opening dates before you go.
- Day 1: Port Augusta → Woomera Rocket Park and Heritage Centre · 203 km · 2 h 13 min
- Day 2: Woomera Rocket Park and Heritage Centre → Old Timers Mine · 377 km · 4 h 06 minOn the way: Coober Pedy.
- Day 3: Old Timers Mine → Alice Springs · 717 km · 7 h 49 min
- Day 4: Alice Springs → Alice Springs Telegraph Station · 4 km · 0 h 02 min
- Day 5: Alice Springs Telegraph Station → Tennant Creek · 540 km · 5 h 53 minOn the way: Karlu Karlu / Devils Marbles.
- Day 6: Tennant Creek → Daly Waters Historic Pub · 464 km · 5 h 03 min
- Day 7: Daly Waters Historic Pub → Katherine · 303 km · 3 h 18 minOn the way: Mataranka Thermal Pool.
- Day 8: Katherine → Darwin · 324 km · 3 h 32 min
Best time to go
The most pleasant months are usually May–September. Still fine, with some compromises, in April and October. Hot in November–March. July and August are the busiest months: book campsites early.
Estimate from long-term temperature averages, terrain and pass seasons
FAQs
How long is The Explorer's Way: Port Augusta to Darwin?
8-day road trip of about 2,932 km (1,822 mi) with 12 stops, from Port Augusta to Darwin. About 31 h 57 min of driving in total.
How many days do you need for The Explorer's Way: Port Augusta to Darwin?
We suggest 8 days: about 31 h 57 min of driving, which leaves time for the stops.
Where does The Explorer's Way: Port Augusta to Darwin start and end?
It starts in Port Augusta and ends in Darwin.
Which states does The Explorer's Way: Port Augusta to Darwin pass through?
South Australia and Northern Territory.
When is the best time for The Explorer's Way: Port Augusta to Darwin?
The most pleasant months are usually May–September. Still fine, with some compromises, in April and October. (Estimate from long-term temperature averages, terrain and pass seasons)
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