Greatest Driving Roads in Australia: The Great Central Road

Greatest Driving Roads in Australia: The Great Central Road

November 03, 2017

Australia is home to many roads and highways with the “great” word attached to it. The Great Ocean Road and the Great Alpine Road both found in Victoria are probably the most popular and frequently travelled ones. But there is a road deep in the middle of the Western Australia that also lives up to the name.

The Great Central Road is located in the heart of Western Australia.

It is 700 miles of mostly unsealed dirt roads in the outback. Just the sheer length of the travel through the road would indeed make it great. And for most of the year, you would be travelling in long, empty stretches of road which is perfect for those who just want to enjoy driving.

The Great Central Road came about when the community of Warburton was established in the 1930s. Supplies and other goods were transported to and from Warburton and Laverton through a rough dirt track. This dirt track was eventually graded into a dirt road and extended to reach Giles. In 1978, the Warburton council gathered funds for the Great Central Road to be paved as the most direct route from Warburton to Docker River.

The trip through the Grand Central Road starts in the resort town of Yulara in the Northern Territory.

The town is known as a tourist destination for those who want to explore the Docker River area and the Ayers Rock. Leaving Yulara, you will find that the Great Central Road is truly an outback adventure as the road conditions might not be all that good.

The journey can take more than a day to complete depending on the road conditions and side trips you might take. Along the route are stops where you can eat, refuel, and even camp out for the night if you wish. The end of the journey is in the gold mining town of Laverton in Western Australia.

The most popular attraction along the route are at the start which are the natural sandstone monoliths Mount Olga (or Kata Tjuta) and Ayers Rock (or Uluru). Both are found in the Uluru – Kata Tjuta National Park which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. There are lots of different things to do in the national park like camping, hiking and exploring the biodiversity of the region. The Giles Weather Station is a popular stop if you time it right. Lasseter’s Cave is also a good site to see.

The safest time to travel the Great Central Road is from autumn to early spring. The heat during the summer months will take its toll both on the car and the passengers. There are no reliable water sources along the route so it is best to stock up on water whenever you can. Also, refuel as much as you can as the rough road conditions may increase fuel consumption especially when hauling a trailer. Before leaving either Yulara or Laverton, have a mechanic check your vehicle for the trip just to be sure. You will also need two permits from the Western Australian Department of Indigenous Affairs as you will be travelling through tribal lands.

Two wheel drive vehicles (2WD) can safely travel down this road but it would be a good idea to take an all wheel drive vehicle and/or one with high ground clearance. When taking the Great Central Road, always drive with caution as there may be hidden bumps or potholes along the road.

Be safe and have fun driving the Great Central Road!

Jonno Rodd

Jonno is the hype-man for some of Australia's most rad brands. His passion for adventure, new tech, and off-roading, means there is no really automotive topic beyond Jonno's interest.

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