Plenty Highway
About this track
The Plenty Highway is a 740 km stretch of the Outback Way linking Alice Springs to Boulia through the red heart of central Australia. This is serious corrugation country—severe, relentless washboard that demands speed management and suspension commitment. Remote, sparsely fuelled and utterly unforgiving, it's the backbone of the Stuart Desert crossing and a genuine test of vehicle and driver over 2–3 days.
Highlights
- Severe corrugations—manage speed and tyre pressures ruthlessly
- Gemtree gem fossicking and historic station stopovers
- Big fuel gaps: Gemtree, Jervois, Boulia—plan refuelling carefully
- High remoteness: minimal services, nomadic stock routes nearby
- Desert landscape: gibber, spinifex, low scrub, vast horizons
- Self-sufficiency essential: carry extra fuel, water, recovery gear
What to expect
Relentless corrugated dirt with occasional graded sections. Terrain is flat to gently undulating desert—gibber plains and red loam alternating with sand. No river crossings, but water tables are deep; carry all drinking water. Driving is physically demanding: corrugations rattle vehicles and demand constant steering input. Distances between fuel are substantial (100+ km stretches); travel at dawn, work in low range and reduce tyre pressures to absorb shock. This is high-remoteness country—help is hours away.
Permits, prep & good to know
- Permits: No — confirm current details before you go.
- Surface / hazards: Severe corrugations.
- Remoteness: High — travel self-sufficient, ideally in convoy.
- Carry an EPIRB or satellite communicator, recovery gear, extra fuel and water.
No permits required. Best April–October; summer is dangerous (heat, fuel degradation). Carry 50+ litres extra fuel, 40+ litres water per person, sand recovery gear, high-lift jack, tyre repair kit and spare tubes. Travel in convoy; UHF communication is essential. Establish EPIRB registration and file a trip plan with someone reliable. Fuel depots at Gemtree, Jervois and Boulia—confirm opening hours and availability before departure. Drive early, avoid night runs. Leave no trace; pack all rubbish.