Tablelands Highway is a remote sealed road
Tablelands Highway, also known as State Route 11, is a very remote drive in the Northern Territory of Australia. There are no towns or services along its length.
How long is Tablelands Highway?
The road is a 375 km (233 mi) single lane sealed road running from Barkly Homestead (Barkly Highway) to Cape Crawford (Carpentaria Highway). The road is bitumen all the way but in some places the bitumen is in poor condition and the bitumen strip single vehicle width, but traffic is sparse. This road is generally passable year round, however if there has been rain, beware of wash-outs on the shoulders. It was initially constructed in the 1960s as a 'Beef Road' to facilitate the movement of cattle by road train. The road is quite undulating, but is fine for a road caravan.
Is Tablelands Highway sealed?
Due its unique location and passing through remote areas, it is important when driving in these conditions to be prepared. The only cautions are - if a vehicle is coming the other way, particularly a road train, slow right down and get completely off the road. You don't want to be travelling at any speed with one side on bitumen and one side on the shoulder. Also, if there has been any rain, beware of wash outs on the shoulders. Final caution is to watch out for cattle. This remote stretch of single-lane bitumen is unfenced and there are often a lot of cattle on and near the road.