The Tanami Road, also known as the Tanami Track and the McGuire Track, is a road in northern Australia.[1] [2]
It follows a cattle droving route northwest from the MacDonnell Ranges area of central Australia just north of Alice Springs to Halls Creek in the Kimberley.
The Tanami Road is the most direct route from Alice Springs to the Kimberley, passing through the Tanami Desert. Along its route are Yuendumu [3] and the Granites Mine owned by Newmont Mining. In the Northern Territory it passes through land owned by the Aboriginal Warlpiri Nation, and in Western Australia it passes through pastoral land.
The track is a graded, dirt road and although navigable by two-wheel drive vehicles, a four-wheel drive is recommended. Some parts of the road are prone to severe corrugations, making for an uncomfortable and slow drive at times. The mid-way point: Rabbit Flat, formerly a public roadhouse, was closed indefinitely at the end of 2010, so planning for this journey must take the lack of fuel and supplies into account. [4] Another Roadhouse, located 206 km (128 mi) from Alice Springs between Alice Springs and Rabbit Flat: Tilmouth Well[5] provides fuel service 7 days a week.[4] Carrying adequate fuel and water supplies is essential.
Eugene Shoemaker died along this route in a car accident in 1997.
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