The Gunbarrel Highway takes its name from the 'Gunbarrel Road Construction Party' which, under the leadership of famous surveyor, the late Len Beadell, built a network of desert highways to service Woomera and the Giles meteorological station. Of these highways, the Gunbarrel (Wiluna to Docker River) and the Great Central Road (Laverton to Warburton) are the most well-known and used. The section from Docker River (also known as Kaltukatjara) to Yulara is usually lumped in under the 'Gunbarrel' umbrella, although it is technically the Great Central Road.

Nowadays, it's impossible to drive the entire length of the original Gunbarrel Highway because some sections of it have been abandoned and other sections pass through Aboriginal land with restricted access. You can, however, get from Wiluna to Yulara on various tracks, loosely termed the Gunbarrel Highway, and this is the route described below.

The Great Central Road, whilst sandy, is generally negotiable by conventional vehicles. The Gunbarrel is not. You will need to tackle it in a 4WD as the 'highway' is little more than a rough, sandy, corrugated track past Carnegie Homestead. Trailers suffer enormously along the track - previous attempts have left their remains littering the roadside, so think twice before you take one and if you do, make sure it is exceptionally robust. Don't even think about towing a caravan along the Gunbarrel!

Before you go

Register with the police at Wiluna and Yulara on departure and arrival and carry communications equipment with you.

If you're just travelling the major routes with no diversions, you will not need any special permits. If, however, you're planning to pass through Aboriginal lands in both Western Australia and the Northern Territory, you will need to obtain prior permission. There are two main types of permit: a transit permit, which only allows through travel with no stops or entry to any areas other than the designated road, and an entry permit, which allows entry to a designated area for a specific reason and period of time. You should allow at least four weeks for your entry permit application to be processed. Transit permits will take less time.

For Western Australia, contact the Aboriginal Affairs Department, 1st floor, 197 St Georges Tce, Perth WA 6005 (PO Box 7770, Cloisters Square, Perth WA 6850) telephone (08) 9235 8058 or visit its website at www.aad.wa.gov.au and apply for a permit online. The Aboriginal Affairs Department will be able to tell you whether or not you will need to contact the Ngaanyatjarra Council for any particular permits relating to the Gunbarrel; if so, it's address is 58 Head St (PO Box 644), Alice Springs NT 0871, telephone (08) 8950 1711.

For central and southern central Australia, you'll need to go through the Central Land Council. All requests for permits must be on an approved application form available from the Council, with a stamped self-addressed envelope enclosed for a reply. Contact the Permits Officer, Central Land Council, 33 Stuart Hwy (PO Box 3321), Alice Springs NT 0871, telephone (08) 8951 6320.

In the Northern Territory and Western Australia, Aboriginal communities and areas of Aboriginal land have been declared dry by law. Alcohol must not be taken into or consumed in their communities or areas of land. The penalty for possession or consumption is a hefty $5000 - and prosecutions are made. You are, however, permitted to travel through a dry area with alcohol for the sole purpose of transporting that liquor to a destination outside the dry area. Keep the alcohol out of public view and advise the local police station of your travel arrangements, including details of the alcohol that you are transporting.

Note that Western Australian time is 1hr 30mins behind Central Australian time, and take this into account when planning to refuel at a particular point. Roadhouse's opening hours vary and depending on the direction of travel, you could be too early or too late.

The RAC in Western Australia produces a good detailed map of the Gunbarrel and Great Central Road. It's called 'Perth to Alice Springs Strip Map' and can be bought online at the RAC website www.rac.com.au

Wiluna to Carnegie Homestead (350km)

Wiluna is small, remote and the jump-off point for both the Gunbarrel Highway and the Canning Stock Route. Facilities include a hotel/motel, caravan park, general store, fuel (leaded, unleaded and diesel), mechanical repairs, food, post office, police and a banking agency for the Commonwealth Bank.

From Wiluna, the road is formed earth in reasonable condition with plenty of grids. It remains fairly unremarkable until you reach the Princess Ranges, just south of Wongawol Station and 223km from Wiluna, where the route degenerates into a harsh gravel road with numerous creek crossings. Travel around the edge of the salt Lake Carnegie until you reach Harry Johnston Water, 58km further on and a great place for camping with picnic tables provided.

From here, it is about 70km to Carnegie Homestead where you can find accommodation, camp, buy fuel (unleaded and diesel) and limited supplies and have minor mechanical repairs carried out. Open 24 hours. This is a pleasant spot with the Lady Lawley and Boodie Boodie Ranges forming a distant backdrop, particularly nice in dusky light.

Carnegie to Everard Junction (237km)

Leaving Carnegie on the original Gunbarrel, the road is formed but generally in pretty poor condition. From where a track leads off to the left to Mount Nossiter, about 104km from Carnegie, there is a soft sandy section which gradually deteriorates into a series of nasty corrugations near Everard Junction.

After entering the Mangkili Claypan Nature Reserve, 45km further on, the road crosses the David Carnegie Road (previously known as the Eagle Highway) and the Mangkili Claypan before veering north-east to the Geraldton Historical Society Bore. Water at the bore is drinkable if you're desperate. Here you are at the edge of the Gibson Desert Nature Reserve and 30km from Everard Junction, where the Gunbarrel crosses the Gary Highway. Look for Len Beadell's sign - you can't miss it!

Everard Junction to Warburton (252km)

Eight kilometres from Everard Junction, a track to the right leads to Mount Everard, part of the Browne Range. The road then takes a south-easterly dive, running alongside the range almost as far as Mount Beadell. It's worth taking the time to climb to the top of this reddish bluff, both to appreciate the view and to see the memorial erected in honour of Len Beadell. The latter consists of replica of a theodolite (his favourite surveying tool), a plaque and an information board outlining his travails. Not far away is the barren and abandoned Camp Beadell.

Extensive corrugation of the road surface with the occasional sandy patch prevails along this section. Fifty-five kilometres beyond the camp lies Len Beadell's tree, a gum tree that was marked by Beadell in 1958; opposite it, there's a bore with drinkable water. You might choose to camp near here as it's a relatively agreeable spot.

About 10km past the tree, you'll come to an intersection where the Heather Highway veers off to the right and the old Gunbarrel continues on its south-easterly course across the Baker and Todd Ranges. Take the Heather Highway, since much of the old Gunbarrel has been abandoned and it is not recommended as a route. You need to be an extremely experienced four-wheel driver and navigator to tackle it, there are strict conditions relating to its use and if you travel along it, you do so at your own risk. It passes through Ngaanyatjarra land and if you do decide to use it, there are steps you must take before setting out. Firstly, you must write to the Ngaanyatjarra Council letting it know of your intentions and acknowledging that you are doing the trip at your own risk. Secondly, you are only allowed on this section of the Gunbarrel with a minimum of two vehicles and a maximum of five vehicles. Thirdly, you must be carrying effective communications equipment and finally, you must adhere to the standard conditions of a normal transit permit. For more details, see the Aboriginal Affairs Department website.

At a T-intersection 38km down the Heather, turn left. Another T-intersection at a point known as Steptoe's Turnoff will bring you on to the Great Central Road, from where it's an easy 40km to Warburton. The Great Central Road is generally well formed and clearly defined, but the corrugations on this stretch can still be pretty bad.

Warburton is a large Aboriginal community, with a roadhouse where you can pick up fuel (unleaded and diesel) and supplies. There is also accommodation and camping available. Trading hours are generally Monday to Thursday, 8am-5pm, Friday, 8am-7pm and weekends, 9am-3pm.

Warburton to Yulara (562km)

This leg is basically the Great Central Road, although the Gunbarrel travels with it for approximately 45km near Warakurna Roadhouse before shooting off to the south through Aboriginal land, inaccessible without special permission.

The first 200km past Warburton has a couple of tracks leading to various Aboriginal communities. You will see where the old Gunbarrel comes in from the north about 215km from Warburton; from here, it's only another 15km or so to a T-intersection where you can either turn right to Yulara and the Warakurna Roadhouse, or left to the Giles meteorological station.

You do not need a permit to visit Giles, but you will need to call ahead to let them know you're coming. Phone (08) 8956 7358, wait for about 20 seconds until you hear a new dial tone, then dial 405 and talk to the Officer in Charge. Camping is prohibited at Giles, however you can camp or stay in a caravan at Warakurna Roadhouse, as well as stock up on supplies of food and fuel (unleaded and diesel). The roadhouse is open weekdays, 8.30am-6pm and weekends, 9am-3pm and will also be able to help you out with mechanical repairs. Accommodation includes camping sites, backpacker rooms and motel units. Note that Warakurna operates on Northern Territory time, an hour-and-a-half ahead of WA time.

Thirty kilometres from Warakurna, the Great Central Road and the Gunbarrel part company, the Warburton veering to the north-east tracing the line of the now visible Walter James Range. Follow the signs to Docker River, over numerous creek crossings and past the Sandy Blight Junction turnoff. You'll find the community 8km beyond the Northern Territory border. The Docker River Store is open for fuel (unleaded and diesel) and food supplies on weekdays, 9am-12pm and 2pm-4pm, Saturday, 9am-12pm and Sunday for takeaway food, 11am-1.30pm and 3.30pm-5.30pm.

The road continues to curve around the Petermann Ranges. Have a look at Lasseter's Cave, 40km from Docker River on the Hull River, where Harold Lasseter sheltered in 1930 on his return from pegging out his famous gold reef. He was stranded in the area and died trying to make it back to Docker River. Many prospectors have since set out in search of the reef, but it has proved elusive.

During the next 100km of dusty, corrugated road, the massive figures of Kata Tjuta (the Olgas) and Uluru (Ayers Rock) loom on the horizon. They lie about 40km apart, national symbols surrounded by the Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park.

Yulara, about 8km from Uluru, sprang up during the 1980s to service the hordes of annual visitors and was designed to complement its surroundings. Facilities include various types of accommodation, a post office, supermarket, medical centre, bank, police, fuel (leaded, unleaded, diesel and LPG) and mechanical repairs.

Laverton to Warburton via the Great Central Road (560km)

This part of the Great Central Road is an alternative route to the Wiluna to Warburton leg of the Gunbarrel Highway. Crossing the Great Victoria Desert, it is suitable for conventional vehicles with care, being generally well-formed and occasionally graded, but the usual corrugations, bulldust, rocky outcrops and soft sandy river beds are all par for the course! Plans are afoot to upgrade this road as part of the Outback Highway, a proposal that will see the creation of an all weather link across the heart of Australia from the west coast to the east coast.

Laverton is a small gold and nickel mining community with various facilities including a hotel/motel, caravan park, fuel, post office, hospital, police, a supermarket and mechanical repairs. The friendly folk at the local shire council in McPherson Place can give you tourist information and a rundown on road conditions.

There are various things to see along the Great Central Road, including the ochre bluff of Giles Breakaway, the salt Lake Throssel, Lake Yeo Nature Reserve with its magnificent spring wildflowers, Peegull Waterhole and Caves, and Emperor Springs, "discovered" by David Carnegie (with more than a little help from local Aborigines) on an expedition through the Western Australian deserts in the 1890s.

There are two roadhouses between Laverton and Warburton. One is operated by the Aboriginal community at Cosmo Newbery, 85km from Laverton, and offers fuel (leaded, unleaded and diesel), supplies and emergency repairs. It's open weekdays, 9 am-5 pm and Saturday, 9 am-12 pm. The other, Tjukayirla Roadhouse, lies 260km south-west of Warburton near Lake Throssel and has fuel (leaded, unleaded and diesel), supplies and can carry out minor mechanical repairs. They also have accommodation, a caravan park and camping area. Note that facilities are no longer available at Yamarna Homestead, 230km from Laverton and south of the main road - it's now part of a local mine.

All information quoted on this site is correct as at December 2001 however the information could change without notice and National Roads and Motorists' Association Limited cannot accept responsibility for any consequences whatsoever.

Traveller's Tip 

At the end of your trip, leave time to enjoy the spectacular Northern Territory sites, such as Ayres Rock and The Olga's, both of which you'll find at the conclusion of the track.
Martin, NT.