Buchanan Highway

I towed a van from Dunmarra to Timber Creek across that Highway and it was a lot of unsealed road with some corrugates however it was fairly easy going when one drives to the road conditions. You will find that top springs roadhouse is an eye opener. We enjoyed the trip and took a leisurley 3 days to do it looking about as we did so.

Pretty reasonable road, although we were run off it by a cattle truck in Jasper Gorge some years back.

Cheers,
Peter
OKA196 motorhome

Thanks Peter. My research had indicated there might be some cattle trucks. That's OK ....... no hurry .

Cheers
Jim

First of all those roads do not interconnect.

We have done both and completely different.

The Duncan road is a great drive, starts at Halls Creek an then around 170km east heads north and zig zags a few times into the NT before coming out east of the WA quarantine some 10 or so kilometres away, but still in the NT.

The Buchanan on the other hand starts around 10km north of Dunmarra and then goes through to Top Springs. We did the whole drive last year with our Prado, also towing an Ultimate. From all out Outback travels, those 188 kilometres from the turn off to Top Sorings were some of the most servers corrugations we have ever come across,.

Top Springs is also the junction of the Buntine Highway, and from there north through to the Victoria Highway, all bitumen. From Top Springs west up to Timber Creek, the Buchanan Highway improves over 1000% and a great easy road to drive.

We put the extreme corrugations from Top Spring out the Stuart Highway down to the main route taken by the stock truck from station country and to markets in Katherine.

If you want to see images of what it was like only mid last year, check out my blog that I did for the Binns Track.

I have also done a blog on the Duncan Road

Jim,

Travelled the Buchanan, through Jasper’s Gorge, a couple of times in the early ‘70’s in an HT Holden ute, without any dramas. Don’t recall there being many corrugations, but double decker road trains were scarce then, so no doubt the corrugations are now “better”.

Duncan H’way is an interesting drive. A good camp, with plenty of room, on the southern bank of the Negri River if it suits you. Not far from Duncan H’way turnoff, along the Victoria H’way, to Keep River NP. Interesting area, with 2 campsites available in the park.

Bob

Following on Jim, we have also just got a new X Terrain, but no suspension upgrade, you with do it with ease, just drop tyre pressures and drive to the conditions.

I would still recommend a good quality compressor and good string puncture repair kit to be on the safe side.

Seen a dual axle 20 foot van get dragged through by a 100 series, most of it made it to Top Springs.

Bit of flooding up that way at present, but assuming it will be OK in a few months.

Cheers
Jim

Towed our Tvan along Duncans Rd/Buntine Hwy to Kalkarindji from Halls Creek. One of the better dirt roads we've driven in regard to smoothness. Sept 2019. Little in the way of corrugations . Drove through the Gregory NP to the Victoria Highway. Lots of slow narrow & rocky tracks, but nothing the Ultimate wouldn't handle. One short steep section on one jump up was a psychological challenge, but we managed it OK.

If you have some time to spare, do an exploration of Gregory National Park. We spent a week in there volunteering with Parks some years ago. There is some great country to find and explore.
Cheers,
Peter
OKA196 motorhome