The Plenty Highway really doesn't begin until you reach the NT border, but to get there you travel from
Boulia in outback
Queensland along the Donohue Highway (just a track). Typically, the
Queensland section of the track is in the worst condition with long stretches of extreme bulldust and big holes (making it a dry
weather road only) - the NT section is more regularly maintained and graded.
The countryside changes considerably along the track and although it lacks services and "things to do" it is certainly one of the prettier shortcut tracks that you can do in this area. The overwhelming difference is that although the soil is the same red sandy stuff of the
Simpson Desert, the terrain is completely flat, the spinifex grass much greener, and if there's been recent rains then wildflowers line the roadsides. Billy buttons, bush daisies, poached egg daisies, yellow tops and native violets carpet the sides of the road where water collects in the gutters.
As you approach the Harts (Hartz) Range you begin to see the first mountains you've probably seen in quite a while. If you've come from
Birdsville or
Boulia for long your senses seemed to be bombarded, a result of having been surrounded by gibber, sand and dust.
Just past the Harts Range Police Station (next door to an aboriginal community), turn left (south) down a track to the "Racecourse". Probably deserted for 363 days of the year this racetrack becomes a mecca for the outback racing enthusiasts with a crowd of a few thousand on the last weekend in August. Just behind the racecourse a track leads south for about 10km and finally reaches the base of a few impressive mountains, the highest being
Mt Palmer.
Mt Palmer is the highest in the Harts Range and is a fabulous climb. It will take about 2 hours to reach
the summit but on the way you can explore open gaps left by mica miners and soak up the impressive
views. Black-footed rock wallabies live in the "Disputed" mine shaft (where 2 miners lost their lives in a collapse not long after it was opened) and many wildflowers grow amongst the rocky outcrops on the climb up.
This track called Cattlewater Pass is a 4WD section between the Plenty and Arltunga. The track winds through some of
Australia's finest gemstone fossicking areas and private cattle property and is a great alternative to get to
Alice Springs. It will probably take you about 3 hours to travel the 60km along the track, with the northern section being true 4WD conditions of varying type. Most people advise that is unsuitable to trailers or tall vehicles, however we have taken a trailer through there ourselves so this is up to you. The track is now pretty well sign posted, after being quite unmarked for many years.
Outback Way
The
Outback Way is made up of seven inter-connecting roads including The
Great Central Road (WA); Tjukaruru Road, Lasseter Highway, Stuart Highway and Plenty Highway (NT); and Donohue Highway and Min Min Byway (QLD). Collectively these are called The
Outback Way.
The minimum requirements would be to carry good
communications and
navigation equipment (along with being proficient with it's usage).
Safety Note - in case of an emergency, please note that a hospital complete with ambulance is located at Bonya (Orrtipa Thurra) which is north of
Jervois on the Bonya Creek along the Mt Isa-Urangdangi Track.
