Sandover Highway

The Sandover Highway is an outback unsealed track in the Northern Territory between the Plenty Highway north of Alice Springs and the Northern Territory/Queensland border.

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At its western end the road branches north from the Plenty Highway 27 km east of the Stuart Highway. Its total length is 561 kilometres and it passes through semi-arid spinifex deserts and blacksoil Mitchell grass plains. The designated highway finishes near Lake Nash, just east of Alpurrurulam, on the Northern Territory/Queensland border, but the track continues into Queensland for 55 km where it joins a track north to Camooweal.

The track crosses Urapuntja Aboriginal lands. No permits are needed to travel on the track, however, they are necessary for travellers wishing to visit Aboriginal communities off-track.

Ammaroo Station has a shop with basic supplies. Fuel is available but there are no camping facilities. Another fuel supply along the track can be found at Arlparra.

Although the first part of track can be negotiated by conventional vehicles, use of a four-wheel drive vehicle is recommended after Ammaroo. Each year the wet season floods the eastern end of the Sandover Highway and Alpurrurulam/Lash Nash becomes completely inaccessible. Not even a four-wheel drive vehicle will be able to get through the flooded black soil plains. Flooding can also occur after brief but heavy thunderstorms during the dry season. Tourists are advised to use alternative main routes.