If youโre planning to travel the Great Central Road, youโll need information on permits, fuel and supplies. Read onโฆ
Note: This information is subject to change. Call a few of the communities before you leave to confirm they still have fuel and supplies, as they can close without notice.
Transit Permit
Before you leave you’ll need one Transit Permit, as you’ll be travelling through Aboriginal land in the Northern Territory. It is:
- Permit to Transit Aboriginal Land for ULURU TO WA BORDER. Go here to apply.
This permit is free and easy to obtain online.
Make sure your permit is accessible on your phone or tablet so you can show it when required.
Permits are easy to get and are free of charge. People often moan about getting a permit, why they need one and so on. Well, youโre travelling through other peoplesโ land. So to my way of thinking, a permit is perfectly reasonable.
Aboriginal land is no different to driving through a pastoral lease. Youโd ask the station owner for permission to drive through their land, so why should Aboriginal land be any different?
One final comment to keep in mind. The permits last for three days.
Fuel And Supplies
Fuel is available at Laverton, Cosmo Newbery, Tjukayirla, Warburton, Warakurna, Docker River and Yulara. Be aware they all have unusual opening times and may close at lunchtime. Weekends, they are only open for a few hours.
Check opening times before you leave. All quality maps should have contact numbers. Call before you leave, if youโre concerned about opening times.
As expected fuel is expensive out here. Hardly surprising given the distances involved.
You can get basic supplies wherever you buy fuel. Keep in mind though, their supplies are solely reliant on the delivery truck arriving on schedule. And out here, a delivery truck can easily be delayed by several days. Therefore you shouldn’t rely on these stores.
Where To Camp?
If you’re looking for places to camp, we’ve compiled list of possible campsites along the Great Central Road here.
Road Conditions
For more information on the Great Central Road Conditions, go here.
In Summary
The Great Central Road permit is easy to apply for. Make sure you get one, otherwise you could be refused entry to a community where you intended to buy fuel or food.
If you find any additional places or changes, please let me know in the Comments below, and Iโll add them to this article.
Most importantly, Have a fantastic trip. Itโs such a beautiful drive.
The Great Central Road passes through Tjalkanti, Ngaanyatjarra, Ngaanyatjarra, Mandjindja, Ngatatjara and Pitjantjatjara Country.
For more articles on The Outback Way, go here.
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Any errors or omissions are mine alone.
Is the availability of permits likely to be effected by the current Coronavirus as we are looking at applying for permits earlyMay 2020
Hi Richard,
The latest advice from here:
https://www.clc.org.au/index.php?/articles/info/transit-permit-application
“Due to health risks for community members any non-resident travel to remote communities in Central Australia should be reconsidered other than required travel for health, supply and essential services personnel. Non-essential travel to or through remote communities in Central Australia is not recommended at this time due to the CV19 transmission risk. Any issued permits are invalid if permittee has travelled to any of the countries listed in the Australian Government travel advisories within last 14 days.”
So it looks like they are saying to avoid non-essential travel.
Hope this helps. Cheers, Andrew