The Great Central Road is part of a network of desert highways built under the leadership of the famous surveyor, the late Len Beadell, to service Woomera and the Giles meteorological station. The road runs from Laverton to Yulara. Laverton is a small gold and nickel mining community with a hotel/motel, supermarket, fuel, mechanical repairs, post office, police station and hospital.
The section of the Great Central Road from Laverton to Warburton is 560 kilometres. Conventional two wheel drive vehicles are deemed suitable to cross the Great Victoria Desert with care, the road generally being well-formed and occasionally graded. There are still the usual corrugations, bulldust potholes, rocky outcrops, and soft sandy riverbeds to be aware of.
Some attractions to check out along this section include the ochre bluff of Giles Breakaway, the salt Lake Throssel, Lake Yeo Nature Reserve for wildflowers in spring, Peegull Waterhole and Caves, and the Emperor Springs.
The Warburton to Yulara section stretches 562 kilometres. The first 200 kilometres past Warburton has tracks leading to Aboriginal communities. The old Gunbarrel Highway comes into the Great Central Road about 215 kilometres out of Warburton. Another 15 kilometres from here is a t-junction at which you can either turn right to Yulara and the Warakurna Roadhouse, or left to the Giles meteorological station.
The roadhouse offers backpacker rooms, motel units, caravan and camping grounds, as well as the chance to stock up on food supplies and fuel. Mechanical repairs are also available.
30 kilometres from Warakurna the Great Central Road and Gunbarrel Highway part company. Follow the signs to Docker River over a number of creek crossings and past the Sandy Blight Junction turnoff. The Docker River Store is open for food and fuel supplies.
The road continues to curve around the Petermann Ranges. Check out Lasseter's Cave 40 kilometres from Docker River. The massive figures of Kata Tjuta (the Olgas) and Uluru (Ayers Rock) appear on the horizon over the next 100 kilometres (each 40 kilometres apart) within the Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park. The road is dusty and corrugated.
Yulara became a town in the 1980s in response to the huge visitor numbers visiting the local attractions. The town has various accommodations, a post office, supermarket, medical centre, bank, police station, fuel services and mechanical repairs.
Please Note
It is recommended that you register with the police at the beginning and end of your journey and carry communications equipment with you. If you wish to enter Aboriginal land you will need to attain permits. This is not necessary if you are not deviating from the Great Central Road. Please note, the roadhouses opening hours vary so check with a visitor centre before you go.
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