Stuart highway camping

Bob, unless something has changed I wouldn't rule out camping at Longreach Waterhole just near Elliott. Was just looking at the Places part of this Forum and was surprised it isn't noted. We hope to be there for a couple of nights in 2 months time while headed South. Just to the North of town there's a cattle grid and you turn immediately West just after it (may or may not be a sign) and follow your nose for about 11km. It takes you to the edge of the feeder creek in to Lake Woods. Depending on the level of water there is more than ample room for a lot of campers. There are toilets near the entry point together with a tank and a Stainless Steel gas BBQ but when we were last there, there was no water or gas. There can be a lot of Pelicans there from pictures I've seen on Wikicamps.

The only problem is the track in and that's why I earlier asked about the OP's vehicle. It can be quite sandy and corrugated.

As to other places, we have a few favourites and some not so favourite:
Lake Hart a bit further on from Pimba. No toilets but generally quiet as both road and rail line are just far enough away that you can see but not hear them. Walks through the Sandhill's and down to edge of Lake. Very scenic when there is water in the Lake.
A couple of roadside rest areas North of Glendambo for the sunrise's and sunset's at times. No toilets at many official rest stops.
Border Rest area is one we wouldn't bother with again with as can be quite crowded and very close together.
Desert Oaks rest area a bit to the North of Erldunda. Red Sandhill's, some tree shading and toilets.
Stuarts Well Roadhouse about halfway from Erldunda to Alice. Has a free camping area to one side and can pay a small amount to use toilets & showers plus have a meal.

Many of the official Rest Stops are very close to the Highway but may have an area outside of the gravelled or bituminised main part where you can get a bit further away from the Highway.

You're right, of course Phil! Totally forgot about this gem, in trying to think of all the other good spots.

Never been in there but my parents stayed there a number of times, and used to rave about it. That was back in the late '60's.

No doubt the OP will have more campsites than he can use. All good for future travels,

Thanks,
Bob

Longreach waterhole is actually part of Newcastle Waters/Creek that feeds in to Lake Woods just south of the camp site. I don't know how regularly the Creek flows or goes in to flood but I do know that it very well flooded back in early 1975. It has also been known for people to take a boat for some distance just to go to the Lake for some inland water skiing and maybe some fishing.

Further North up the Stuart Hwy there is a place called "George Redmond Crossing" which goes over the Newcastle Creek and was constructed after that flooding and to my knowledge hasn't since been tested by a similar flood. While traversing the Crossing you can see sections of the old Stuart Hwy below. I do know that during that flood the Hwy was cut at this point for some time and all traffic was diverted via the Carpentaria and Tablelands Hwy's with roadblocks at the Daly Waters Roadhouse and what is now the Barkly Homestead junction on the Barkly Hwy. For one day the traffic was allowed one way then closed for a day to allow traffic to clear then opened the other way for one day and then repeated. This was done because the Hwy's were so narrow and the sides so soft that they feared a pair of Road trains going in opposite directions would cause a major blockage. I believe that for a while there was some kind of barge/punt service across the flooded section at Newcastle Creek but only for light vehicles or pedestrians. We had some workers with us at Katherine that had to get to a place not far South of the flooded section and they had to drive all the way around the Carpentaria, Tablelands, Barkly and back up the Stuart Hwy to get to their work, just because of a few K's of the cut Stuart.