Central Arnhem Road is notorious for being rough on your gear and it is one of those road trips where being prepared for remote travel is vital. It’s a 670km corrugated, bumpy and dippy dirt road which delivers you all the way to Nhulunbuy on the Gove Peninsula.
WHAT ARE THE ROAD CONDITIONS?
Central Arnhem Road is for 4WD vehicles only. For most of way, we could maintain a steady speed between 80-100kms per hour. However, there are many times you will need to slow right down and stay hyper aware of road conditions as they change rapidly. When travelling in the dry season, there is plenty of bull dust, so it is a good idea to travel with your lights on.
WHAT TO EXPECT?
You are almost guaranteed to come across feral buffalo, wild horses and herds of donkeys!
Towards the late afternoon we came across the most amount of wildlife. Twice there was buffalo on the road and we slowed right down to pass as they didn’t seem to be a hurry to get off! Then, there was the herds of donkeys and brumbies, but they were both just off the side of the road in the scrub. Hopefully we will see them again when we leave so we get some photos. You’ll need to be extra careful driving at night, as these animals will definetly stray onto the road!
We travelled in convoy with our mates, who were on a 5 week tour from Sydney to East Arnhem Land. A 79 series towing a Blue Tongue Camper trailer and a Patrol towing a MDC XT12 Camper trailer. The Patrol managed to sustain a flat tyre from the rough conditions on Central Arnhem Road, which was deemed unrepairable by the tyre shop in Nhulunbuy. A new tyre had to be ordered in by barge from Darwin. Yes, its that remote!
WHERE TO GET FUEL?
Fuel stops are limited so if your vehicle likes to drink the juice, invest in a long range tank or simply a couple of jerry containers. Fuel is available at Mainoru Store, roughly 500kms South of Nhulunbuy. The price for fuel is as to be expected in a remote location like Central Arnhem Road. Expect to pay around $2 per litre for diesel.
WHERE TO REST OVERNIGHT?
There are very limited places to stay along Central Arnhem Road. There are green grassy campsites available at Mainoru. We camped overnight on the East bank of the Goyder River (it’s the “Old Central Arnhem Road.”) It’s an amazing location to camp overnight, about 5kms off Central Arnhem Road. We crossed two small and shallow creeks/rivers to reach camp. A magic spot but it did look a little croccy!
There is also a fantastic rest area overlooking the vast country side. It’s a top spot for lunch or overnight stop to break up the trip. The locals call this place “Jurassic Park” and it is located 60km East of Beswick.
CAN I SWIM?
Saltwater crocodiles inhabit all of the river crossings so you should not swim!
DO I NEED A PERMIT?
You do need a permit to travel on Central Arnhem Road. It’s free and you can get it easily from the Northern Land Council. Check their website for how far in advance you can apply for the permit, as there are time limits to consider.
WANT MORE INFORMATION?
At the time of writing this post, there was zero information available at the Katherine Visitor Information Centre. Which is quite unusual, considering the major regional centre of Katherine is only 50kms from the turn off for Central Arnhem Road. You’ll find information about Central Arnhem Road at the following websites:
East Arnhem Land
http://www.eastarnhemland.com.au/travel-information/
Northern Land Council
https://www.nlc.org.au
Before you head off on your next adventure, make sure you check out our Remote Travel Guide and safe travels!
