Plenty Highway
{{More citations needed|date=March 2020}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2015}}
{{Use Australian English|date=September 2015}}
{{Infobox Australian road
| type = rural road
| state = NT
| road_name = Plenty Highway
| location = Plenty Highway route map.png
| loc_caption = Map of central Australia with Plenty Highway highlighted in red
| length = 498
| est =
| route = {{AUshield|S|12}} State Route 12
| direction_a = West
| end_a = {{AUshield|N|87}} Stuart Highway (National Highway 87), {{convert|69|km|abbr=on}} north of Alice Springs
| direction_b = East
| exits = {{AUshield|S|14}} Sandover Highway (State Route 14)
| end_b = Donohue Highway, Tobermorey Homestead (NT/Queensland border)
| through = {{NTcity|Atitjere|Huckitta|Jervois|Tarlton Downs}}
}}
The Plenty Highway is a {{convert|498|km|adj=on}} outback mostly unsealed road in the Northern Territory of Australia between the Stuart Highway and north-western Queensland.{{cite map |title=Australia's Great Desert Tracks NE Sheet|last=Hema |first=Maps|year=2005 |publisher=Hema Maps|location=Eight Mile Plains Queensland|isbn=978-1-86500-160-9|page= |pages= }}
Route description
The road begins at a turnoff from the Stuart Highway {{convert|68|km}} north of Alice Springs, and finishes at Tobermorey Homestead on the Northern Territory/Queensland border. It then continues for another {{convert|249|km}} to Boulia in Queensland, as the Donohue Highway.
The first {{convert|170|km}} from the Stuart Highway is sealed. Of the next {{convert|108|km}} to Jervois Homestead all bar {{convert|10|km}} is unsealed as is the rest of the track to the Queensland Border. From the Queensland Border to Boulia the final {{convert|128|km|mi|abbr=on}} is sealed with another {{convert|5|km|mi|abbr=on}} east of the border. Information about its condition may be obtained from the Harts Range police station, {{convert|112|km}} from the Stuart Highway.
East of Jervois Homestead, the road is formed earth, deteriorating to rocks and bulldust as it nears Tobermorey, {{convert|213|km}} from Jervois Homestead. The road north to Urandangi and thence to Mount Isa bears left just before Tobermorey.
Road condition
The worst sections of the road are in the Northern Territory, with deep potholes and bulldust. On the Queensland side of the border the road has had significant upgrades and is of a hard pack gravel surface. It is {{convert|249|km}} from Tobermorey to Boulia and good camping may be found at the Georgina River, at about the {{convert|125|km}} mark.
Fuel and food may be obtained at Gemtree, Atitjere community, Jervois Homestead and Boulia. As of June 2018, fuel and camping is available at Tobermorey. Road trains up to {{convert|53|m}} in length use both highways.
Upgrades
The Northern Australia Roads Program announced in 2016 included the following project for the Plenty Highway.
=Progressive sealing and flood immunity=
The project to progressively seal and provide flood immunity improvements was expected to be complete in late 2021 at a total cost of $25 million.{{cite web |url=https://investment.infrastructure.gov.au/projects/ProjectDetails.aspx?Project_id=067230-16NT-NAR |title=Plenty Highway Upgrading - Project Development and Delivery Phase |publisher=Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Communications |date=20 September 2021 |access-date=30 March 2022}}
Junctions and localities
{{AUSinttop |noLGA=yes
}}
{{NTint
|location=Burt Plain
|lspan=
|type=
|km=
|road={{AUshield|N|87}} Stuart Highway (National route 87) – {{NTcity/core|Alice Springs|}} {{NTcity/core|Darwin|}}
|notes={{convert|68|km}} north of Alice Springs
}}
{{NTint
|location=Anmatjere
|lspan=
|type=
|km=27
|road={{AUshield|S|14}} Sandover Highway (state route 14) – Camooweal
|notes=
}}
{{NTint
|location=Gemtree
|lspan=
|type=
|km=70
|road=
|notes=Caravan park, fuel available
}}
{{NTint
|location_special={{NTcity|Harts Range|Atitjere}}
|lspan=
|type=
|km=147
|road=
|notes=Fuel available
}}
{{NTint
|location=Huckitta Station
|lspan=
|type=
|km=200
|road=
|notes=
}}
{{NTint
|location=Jervois Station
|lspan=
|type=
|km=277
|road=
|notes=Fuel available
}}
{{NTint
|location=Tarlton Downs Station
|lspan=
|type=
|km=347
|road=
|notes=
}}
{{NTint
|location_special=Tobermorey
|lspan=
|type=
|km=492
|road=Urandangi Road – Urandangi, Mount Isa
|notes=
}}
{{NTint
|location_special=Tobermorey Homestead
|lspan=
|type=trans
|km=496
|road=Continues into Queensland as Donohue Highway – Boulia
|notes=
}}
{{Jctbtm}}
See also
{{Portal|Australian Roads}}
References
{{Reflist}}
{{Road infrastructure in Northern Territory}}
{{Authority control}}
Category:Australian outback tracks
Category:Highways in the Northern Territory
{{NorthernTerritory-geo-stub}}