Plenty and Donohue Highways

Thanks for the advice but I did check it before I asked the question and the last post was 2007.

Oooops!!

"excellent condition' needs to be qualified. Yes, you can travel on the Donohue at 100kmh in many places but the road conditions (bulldust holes, corrugations and some really tricky corners) can catch you out very badly.

I travelled the Plenty from the west last May and was surprised at how well they had improved the road, especially considering that the whole journey was in wet conditions until about 50 kis out of Tobermory. The NT road crews have done a lot of sterling work. I crossed the border at Tobermory, drove for about 20 Kms on the Donohue and was met with what could be described as a goat track! This road, considering the volume of traffic it carries, is a disgrace and being black soil is closed very quickly in rain - I got through 4 hours before the rain arrived and I was told next morning (in Boulia) that the Donohue was now closed.

That said, with a decent 4by both roads a very navigable. No fuel at Tobermory now and you'll have to call the station at Jervois beforehand if you want fuel. If you fill up at Boulia you should get through to the Stuart Hwy without the need to refuel

By your own admission you travelled the road last May.

I travelled the road last August.

The Boulia Shire had effected extensive roadworks east of Tobermorey in the months preceeding August.

So my information in this thread is more up to date than yours.

Blacksoil is blacksoil and is a fact of life. When it rains you stay where you are or take an alternative route.

As with everything, drive to the road conditions and you will not get caught out very badly

Yes, your info is more current and yes I did pass through the road upgrades that were being done at the border. However, I think you missed my point.

This road is now a major gateway to the west and is shared by two governments. The work that the NT Govt has done on the Plenty in the last 7 years has drastically improved the road and conditions from when I first travelled it on '01 and again in '03. Unfortunately, the same can't be said for the Donohue which, after the road works, immediately degenerates into a one lane goat track.( I have pictorial evidence of this). Now if those road improvements are going to continue to steadily travel east then that's great news. If not, then the comparison between the two sections of road are like chalk and cheese. Let's hope the former is true

My Paj comfortably handled both roads.

What seems to be an ordinary road for some is a goat track to others

Hopefully the original poster can read between the lines and make up their own mind

A picture of the Donohue not too far east of Tobermory

Richard & leonie
We are planning to hop across the donahue to the plenty hwy on our travels to mintabie in a couple of weeks if you are able, could you post a current road condition for us. We are towing an off road 14ft caravan with a triton twin cab. We travelled across the gibb river and then across the gulf last year and ended up buying a place a mintabie, south ausi. Idea of road conditions seem to be an individual thing but i have found it best to ask what speed are people travelling. You have a good trip and stay save Stan & "E'