Fewer bumps for Outback Way travellers

'Australia's longest shortcut' is set to be a much smoother ride for RV travellers in the not too distant future, with the Federal Government announcing funding that will seal the remainder of the 2700km Outback Way.

Currently more than half of the 2700-kilometre drive from Laverton in Western Australia to Winton in Queensland, via the Northern Territory’s Red Centre, remains unsealed, but the recent Federal Budget announcement of a $678 million investment to seal the tourist and trucking route means it could be fully sealed within five years.

The 'Outback Way' was the brainchild of five local governments whose boundaries cover thousands of square kilometres that the inland route passes through.

?The 2700km journey is made up of seven different roads, including the Great Central Road (WA); Tjukururu Road, Lassiter Highway, Stuart Highway and Plenty Highway (NT); and the Donohue Highway and Min Min Byway (QLD).

In other good news for Outback travellers, the Federal Government also pledged an additional $740 million to upgrade the Tanami Road and Central Arnhem Road, as well as funding to pave the Mereenie Loop – another popular but bumpy 'short cut' on the route from Uluru and Kings Canyon to Alice Springs.

Tourism Central Australia chief executive Danial Rochford said the funding commitments would be "a boon for the drive tourism market".

"With the announcements … it will only prove that all roads lead to Alice Springs, and that's going to be a boon for the drive tourism market," he said.

"People will be able to go from anywhere in Australia to Alice Springs with their caravan … and what we know is grey nomads spend money and they spend money in our local economy, and that's going to be great for our future."

The ABC reported that more than $1 billion has been spent on the Outback Way to upgrade and seal the route since 1997.