The Red Centre Way

By Travel Outback Australia

The only Red Centre Way/Mereenie Loop guide you'll need! 

(UPDATED MARCH 2022)

A complete driving guide to one of outback Australia's most iconic roadtrip adventures, the RED CENTRE WAY.

Over 100 pages of information, maps, photos, sightseeing and trip planning advice, written by outback locals with over 20 years of experience living and working Australia's Red Centre. 

Includes: 

-TWO complete, detailed driving itineraries 
- Alice Springs to Uluru via the West MacDonnell Ranges & Kings Canyon
- Uluru to Alice Springs via Kings Canyon & the West MacDonnell Ranges
- Detailed sightseeing, accommodation, trip planning and preparation advice
- A detailed beginner's guide to vehicle preparation and packing guides, based on more than 20 years of living and working in Outback Australia 

Written by the people behind the number one travel resource for the Australian outback on the web, Travel Outback Australia.com, this guide will show you everything you need to know to plan your Red Centre Way/Mereenie Loop adventure.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Amanda Markham
• Release date: Jun 1, 2018
• ISBN: 9781536522914

Book preview

The Red Centre Way: A Complete Guide

Travel Outback Australia.com

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Copyright ©2022 Gary Weir & Amanda Markham

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Contents

Introduction

Quick Facts

Costs (2022)

National Park Entry

Permits

Need to Know

Red Centre Way Itinerary

Start Here: Alice Springs

17km from Alice Springs – Simpsons Gap

40km Standley Chasm

46km: Namatjira Drive Intersection

56km: Hugh River – Bush Camping

77km: Point Howard – Free Camping

88km: Ellery Creek Big Hole

99km: Serpentine Gorge

105km Serpentine Chalet

107km Free Roadside Campsite

111km Ochre Pits

128km Ormiston Gorge

132km Glen Helen Gorge & Two Mile

133km Finke River & Mt Sonder Lookout

152km Redbank Gorge/Mt Sonder

177km Tylers Pass Lookout

192km Gosse Bluff (Tnorala) Turn-Off

204km Hermannsburg/Ipolera T- Intersection

230km Areyonga Gap Turnoff

230km-260km: The Mereenie Valley

236km (approx). The Famous ‘Lift ‘Um Foot’ Bend

317km – Ginty’s Lookout

358km Kings Canyon – Watarrka National Park

397-524km Kings Creek Station to the Lasseter Highway

524km-576km Lasseter Highway to Curtin Springs

576km Curtin Springs Station

595-690km Curtin Springs to Yulara/Uluru

Starting at Uluru

0km Yulara/Uluru

0km-95km Yulara/Uluru to Curtin Springs

95-147km Curtin Springs to the Luritja Road/Kings Canyon Turnoff

147km Luritja Road/Kings Canyon Turnoff

147-274km Luritja Road Turnoff to Kings Creek Station

313km Kings Canyon – Watarrka National Park

313km-354km Kings Canyon – Ginty’s Lookout

408km (approx). The Famous ‘Lift ‘Um Foot’ Bend

411-441km: The Mereenie Valley - Areyonga Turnoff

441km Areyonga Gap Turnoff

467km Hermannsburg/Ipolera T- Intersection

479km Gosse Bluff (Tnorala) Turn-Off

494km Tylers Pass Lookout

519km Redbank Gorge/Mt Sonder

538km Finke River & Mt Sonder Lookout

539km Glen Helen Gorge & Two Mile

543km Ormiston Gorge Turn Off

560km Ochre Pits

564km Free Roadside Campsite

568km Serpentine Chalet

574km: Serpentine Gorge

585km: Ellery Creek Big Hole

596km: Point Howard – Free Camping

617km: Hugh River – Bush Camping

627km: Namatjira Drive Intersection

633km Standley Chasm

656km from Alice Springs – Simpsons Gap

682km: Flynn’s Grave

Vehicle Preparation

1. Get your vehicle serviced

2. Specific Preparation for Outback Travel

3. Spare Parts

4. Loading your 4WD

4. Love Your Tyres

5. Other Essentials We Take

6. Preparing for Emergencies

7. Pre-Planning

VEHICLE PREPARATION CHECKLIST

What to Pack

The Essentials

Pants:

Tops:

Footwear

Other Clothing:

Toiletries & Medicines

Gadgets

Final Words

Introduction

The Red Centre Way used to be called ‘the Mereenie Loop’ (because a part of it travels through the Mereenie Valley).

It’s a grand tour of the very best of central Australia.

It takes you to iconic destinations like Uluru, Kata Tjuta, Alice Springs, Kings Canyon and the West MacDonnell Ranges.

It’s also a tour through central Australia’s diverse landscape: from real mountains to sand dunes to gorges and waterholes.

You’ll see plenty of wildlife: kangaroos, dingoes, wild camels and donkeys, brumbies (wild horses) and maybe even a goanna or two.

To show you how EASY it is to do this legendary outback road trip, we’ve written a complete planning and travel guide, aimed at preparing you and your vehicle from beginning to getting out there and on the road.

Quick Facts

Start/Finish

You can either begin or end in Alice Springs or Uluru

Distance

690km /428mi

Time required

5 days to do it comfortably and get the BEST value for money

Recommended Vehicle

4WD – but we’ve seen plenty of 2WD campers and backpacker vans on this road in dry weather.

Caravan/Camper Trailer friendly

Yes, but recommended for OFF-ROAD models only (there’s lots of corrugations).

Accommodation Options

Hotel/motel/budget rooms at Glen Helen, Kings Canyon, Curtin Springs & Uluru; camping or campervan. We really do recommend you try camping – especially in the West MacDonnells- for a true outback experience.

Book accommodation & get the BEST prices here.

Fuel available: Alice Springs, Glen Helen, Hermannsburg, Kings Canyon, Kings Creek Station, Curtin Springs Roadhouse, Yulara (Ayers Rock Resort). Expect to pay around $2.50 and upwards per litre (2022)

Food/Supplies: Alice Springs (supermarkets), basic supplies at Glen Helen, Kings Canyon Resort (BE WARNED- it’s very expensive), Kings Creek Station, Curtin Springs, Yulara (a good IGA supermarket at the Ayers Rock Resort).

Costs (2022)

Fuel

If you’re driving a 4WD (we really, really recommend it – more about WHY below) allow at least $200 for fuel for the whole trip each way. This will depend on your vehicle’s fuel economy.

Accommodation

Camping is cheap. It varies from free for the various Roadside Rest Stops) to $10pp at Ormiston Gorge to $50 odd in the Uluru Campground. A good rule is to budget $10pp/per day for camping in NT Parks.

You can stay in motels, hotels etc. but it is quite expensive – which is why it’s best to hire a campervan or just camp.

Allow upwards of $300 per night for accommodation (per room), although you’ll find it’s far more expensive to stay at Yulara during peak season (May-Sept). We’ve written a post on finding budget accommodation at Uluru here.

National Park Entry

Entry toUluru-Kata Tjuta National Parkis $38 per person for a 3 day pass. This is very reasonable – don’t whinge about paying it.