Is the Tanami really a short cut?

G'day, the Tanami can be a short cut or it can be a bone jarring slow cut. If you are pushed for time the extra 300k's via Katherine will be a very minor consideration, It is going to be two days which ever way you go, mainly depends on how you feel after the GRR etc. Enjoy your trip which ever way you end up going.

Birdnerd, you may find that early May is too early for the Wet to have cleared the Kimberley, roads may still be closed.

Hi Birdnerd,
We did the Tanami in July 2013 from Alice. The road itself is not too demanding, at least when we were there. Some sand on the NT side of the WA/NT border, however that being said we managed to catch up to a Commodore which was progressing slowly but surely along the road.
Wolfe Creek Meteorite Crater is worth a visit, however the road in was very corrugated.Stretch Lagoon is about 15 km south of Billiluna on the northern end of the Canning Stock Route. A pleasant place to stay as an alternative to Wolfe Crater where the camping area is very exposed.
For birdwatching there is Newhaven Wildlife Conservancy on the southern side of the Tanami. It is about 115 km off the road but although we were not able to visit it is certainly worth checking out.
Overall we were pleased to have done this road at least once. Others can give you ideas for camping spots as we stayed at Tilmouth Well Roadhouse CV Park and Stretch Lagoon.
We managed the trip from Tilmouth Well Roadhouse to Stretch Lagoon in a day.

Hi birdnerd, go to these links in Places and look at pix and read comments re our 2013 trip.
Tanami Road - Yuendumu to Stuart Highway
Tanami Road - Great Northern Highway to NT border
Tanami Road - WA border to The Granites Mine
Tanami Road - The Granites Mine to Yuendumu

Cheers, Warrie

Distance between fuel fills is a problem for many on the Tanami Amanda. The very minimum span is 561 kilometres, and that is if you go into Balgo for fuel (35 - 40 kilometres off the road, permit required, and limited opening hours) and Yuendumu (one kilometres from the road).

You can see My Blog for the Tanami from 2008.

We had three nights "bush camping".

Amanda,
I have not travelled the Tanami for years so cannot comment on the road conditions but I think it would be the same as all Aus outback roads - good in patches sometimes, awful in patches sometimes. Just take it as it comes and drive to the conditions.

As to sights. Others have detailed many things. If you just drive it is not very senic if you are not keen on the flat outback. If you look around and go off to old mines, interesting geology, birds animals then it is really worth the trip. The first time I did it in 1972 I had planned to spend 1 night on the track but took nearly a week. Since then it has changed with the vagaries of the mining industry and other influences.

Like most of outback Aus it is much more interesting if you take time.
cheers

G'day : when we did the Kimberley few year back now , we went straight up Stuart hwy to Dunmarra & turned off at Buchanan hwy( it has a nick name ???) takes you to Timber ck just north of lake Argyle . This is a good track bit boring till Top Springs & Victoria river downs then gets a lot better , good photo opportunity .

Tanami can get very rough , MANY trucks use this a lot to go to the granite gold mine & the west but if your up to it good short cut back .

This is one of those yes / no / maybe questions. If you're heading into Alice Springs and either south or across the Plenty Hwy, then it is probably a short-cut. If you're planning to head into QLD along the Barkly, then Nick B's suggestion is probably correct.

Having said that, if you want to travel it, then do it. However keep in mind it's a service road, not a tourist route. Apart from Wolfe Crater, there's not a heck of a lot along the route. 800k's of corrugations.