List of road routes in the Northern Territory

Road routes in the Northern Territory of Australia assist drivers navigating roads throughout the territory, by identifying important through-routes. The Northern Territory's National Highways are the main routes connecting Darwin to the adjacent states of Queensland, South Australia, and Western Australia. National Routes spur off the National Highways, and are other routes of national importance, while the remaining significant routes are designated as State Routes.[1][2]

The Northern Territory's National Highways and Routes. Some other state routes and alphanumeric routes are also shown.

According to the Roads & Maritime Services, the Northern Territory has begun converting their numbered routes to alphanumeric routes, with a "progressive replacement" scheme that sees alphanumeric route markers introduced only when signs are replaced.[3] The table below has a list of most signed alphanumeric routes.

Alphanumeric routes

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Below are the existing alpha numeric routes as of November 2020. Even though the Northern Territory has been converting to alphanumerics for more than two decades, only four routes are fully signed, and a former State Route 23 that is missing a letter in all of its signs and just says "23". Signage in the Northern Territory is very inconsistent. For example C24 in not signed at the Stuart Highway junction but signed further into the route. Most signs were like this and as such very few routes have been signed in the Northern Territory.

Roads of National Significance (A routes)

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A-Routes are major roads that link major destinations like   Stuart Highway which connects Darwin to Adelaide.

Route Component roads From To Length Notes
 
A1
Daly Waters WA–NT border (near Keep River National Park) 743 km (462 mi) Continues east to Daly Waters as  
Darwin Katherine 2,834 km (1,761 mi) Partially signed as alphanumeric route  ;[4] spur section connecting to Darwin. Note that this is a separate route from the A1 that goes from WA to Daly Waters
 
A3
Petermann, Northern Territory Watarrka National Park 161 km (100 mi) Partially signed as A3[5]
 
A4
Uluru Erldunda 244 km (152 mi) Partially signed as B4[6]
 
A15
Tiger Brennan Drive Tivendale Holtze 6.7 km[7] (4.2 mi)
 
A21
Pine Creek Kakadu 58.4 km (36.2 mi)
 
A36
Mount Bundey, Northern Territory McMinns Lagoon 78.4 km (49 mi) Partially signed as alphanumeric route A36/B36[8][9]
 
A87
SA–NT border (near Kulgera) Daly Waters 2,834 km (1,761 mi) Has been partially signed as A87

Roads of State Significance (B routes)

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B routes are routes that connect major settlements in the State but not eligible for A Rotes due to Road quality.

Route Component roads From To Length Notes
 
B1
Daly Waters Qld–NT border (near Wollogorang Airport) 380 km (236 mi) Continues north from Daly Waters as National Highway 1

Has been partially signed as B1[10]

 
B6
Watarrka National Park Alice Springs 325 km (202 mi) Partially signed as B6[9]
 
B11
Tablelands Cape Crawford 375 km (233 mi) See here
 
B20
Mataranka Roper Bar 206 km (128 mi) Partially signed as alphanumeric route B20[11]
 
B21
Jabiru Kakadu 150.6 km (93.5 mi)
 
B23
Adelaide River Hayes Creek, Douglas-Daly 65 km (40 mi) Partially signed as 23[12] - It seems that the B is missing. Also there are no more State Route 23 signs, all of them have been replaced.[13]
 
B30
  • Litchfield Park Road
  • Rum Jungle Road
  • Batchelor Road
Blackmore Coomalie Creek 145 km (90 mi) [12]
 
B34
Noonamah Cox Peninsula 79.5 km (49 mi) Partially signed as alphanumeric route B34[14]
 
B36
Kakadu National Park Mount Bundey, Northern Territory 148.6 km (92 mi) Partially signed as alphanumeric route A36/B36
 
B96
Duncan Road, Nicholson, WA Delamere 581 km (361 mi) Has been fully signed[15] Partially unpaved

Routes of Minor significance (C routes)

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These are essentially roads that link minor settlements or areas that aren't eligible for an A or a B route.

Route Component roads From To Length Notes
 
C5
Burt Plain WA–NT border (near Tanami) 1,035 km (643 mi) Partially signed as C5[16] Partially unpaved
 
C12
Qld–NT border (near Tobermorey) Burt Plain 496 km (308 mi) Signs on the Alice Springs Golf Club Facebook page shows a C12 sign
 
C16
Lake Woods Calvert 251 km (156 mi) See here
 
C24
Bulman Venn 663 km (412 mi) Signage very inconstant[17] Partially unpaved
 
C80
Victoria Highway (29.4 km (18 mi) south-east of Timber Creek Birdum 393 km (244 mi) Has been fully signed[18][19][20] Partially unpaved

National Highways and Routes

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There are three national highways and one current existing national route in the Northern Territory.[1][2]

Current and former National Highways and Routes
Route Planned alphanumeric route[21] Component roads From To Length Notes
Routes that haven't been replaced with an Alphanumeric Route
 
National Highway 66
 
A2

or

 

A66

Tennant Creek Qld–NT border (near Ranken) 754 km (469 mi)
Routes that have been replaced with an Alphanumeric Route
 
National Highway 1
 
A1
WA–NT border (near Keep River National Park) Daly Waters 743 km (462 mi) Mostly signed as alphanumeric route A1

Continues east from Daly Waters as B1

Katherine Darwin 2,834 km (1,761 mi) Mostly signed as alphanumeric route A1;[citation needed] spur section connecting to Darwin
 
National Highway 87
 
A87
Daly Waters SA–NT border (near Kulgera) 2,834 km (1,761 mi) Mostly signed as A87 instead of National Highway 87
 
National Route 1
 
B1
Daly Waters Qld–NT border (near Wollogorang Airport) 380 km (236 mi) Continues north from Daly Waters as A1.

Has been partially signed as B1.

Fully decommissioned National Routes
Former

Route

Replaced alphanumeric route[21] Component roads From To Length Notes
 
National Route 80
 
C80
Birdum Victoria Highway (29.4 km (18 mi) south-east of Timber Creek 393 km (244 mi) Has been fully signed[18][19][20] Partially unpaved
 
National Route 96
 
B96 To Nicholson
Delamere Duncan Road, Nicholson, WA 581 km (361 mi) Has been fully signed[15] Partially unpaved

State Routes

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State routes are numbered based on their position in the territory, generally increasing in number from south to north.[1]

Route Planned Alphanumeric Replacement[21] Component roads From To Length Notes
Routes that haven't been replaced with an Alphanumeric Route
 
State Route 2
 
B7
Larapinta Drive, Hugh Larapinta Drive, Namatjira 156 km (97 mi)
 
State Route 12
 B12 Burt Plain Qld–NT border (near Tobermorey) 496 km (308 mi)
 
State Route 14
 
C14
Plenty Highway, Anmatjere Qld–NT border (near Alpurrurulam) 561 km (349 mi) Unpaved
 
State Route 28
 
B28
  • Daly River Road
  • Port Keats Road
Robin Falls Wadeye 256 km (159 mi) Not signed at all [citation needed]
Routes that have been replaced with an Alphanumeric Route
 
State Route 3
 
A3
  • Luritja Road
Lasseter Highway Watarrka National Park 161 km (100 mi) Partially signed as A3[5]
 
State Route 4
 
B4
Erldunda Uluru 244 km (152 mi) Partially signed as A4/B4[6]
 
C4
  • Tjukaruru Road
  • Great Central Road
Uluru WA–NT border (near Kaltukatjara) 189 km (117 mi)
 
State Route 5
 
C5
Burt Plain WA–NT border (near Tanami) 1,035 km (643 mi) Partially signed as C5[16]
 
State Route 6
 
B6
Watarrka National Park Alice Springs 325 km (202 mi) Partially signed as B6[9]
 
State Route 8
 
B8
Ross Arltunga Historical Reserve, Hart 90 km (56 mi)
 
State Route 11
 
B11
Tablelands Cape Crawford 375 km (233 mi)
 
State Route 16
 
C16
Lake Woods Calvert 251 km (156 mi)
 
State Route 20
 

B20

Mataranka Roper Bar 206 km (128 mi) Partially signed as alphanumeric route B20[11]
 
State Route 23 – decommissioned
 B23 Adelaide River Hayes Creek, Douglas-Daly 65 km (40 mi) Partially signed as 23. However you will no longer be able to see a SR23 sign in the NT.
 
State Route 24
 

C24

  • Central Arnhem Road
Venn Bulman 663 km (412 mi) Signage very inconstant. Partially signed as C24.
 
State Route 30
 
B30
  • Batchelor Road
  • Rum Jungle Road
  • Litchfield Park Road
Coomalie Creek Blackmore 145 km (90 mi) Partially Signed[12]
 
State Route 34
 
B34
Noonamah Cox Peninsula 79.5 km (49 mi) Partially signed as alphanumeric route B34[14]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b c "250k Topographic Map" (Map). NT Atlas and Spatial Data Directory. Northern Territory Government. 2004. Retrieved 16 May 2014.
  2. ^ a b Department of Transport (April 1998). "Map of all NT Roads" (PDF). Government of the Northern Territory. Archived from the original (PDF) on 5 May 2013. Retrieved 13 January 2014.
  3. ^ Roads & Maritime Services. "Questions and answers: A better way to navigate NSW roads" (PDF). New South Wales Government. Archived (PDF) from the original on 16 May 2014. Retrieved 16 May 2014.
  4. ^ "Google Maps". Google Maps. Retrieved 30 September 2020.
  5. ^ a b "Petermann, Northern Territory, Australia - November 26, 2017: Road..." Getty Images. Retrieved 22 October 2020.
  6. ^ a b "Google Maps".
  7. ^ "National Highway 1 to Tiger Brennan Dr". National Highway 1 to Tiger Brennan Dr. Retrieved 30 September 2020.
  8. ^ "Google Maps". Google Maps. Retrieved 28 September 2020.
  9. ^ a b c "Google Maps". Google Maps. Retrieved 28 September 2020.
  10. ^ "Google Maps". Google Maps. Retrieved 28 September 2020.
  11. ^ a b "Google Maps". Google Maps. Retrieved 30 September 2020.
  12. ^ a b c "Google Maps". Google Maps. Retrieved 30 September 2020.
  13. ^ "Google Maps". Google Maps. Retrieved 28 September 2020.
  14. ^ a b "Google Maps". Google Maps. Retrieved 30 September 2020.
  15. ^ a b "Google Maps". Google Maps. Retrieved 28 September 2020.
  16. ^ a b "C5 Highway sign NT". Pinterest.
  17. ^ Murtagh, David. "Telehealth: a Game Changer in Laynhapuy Homelands" (PDF).
  18. ^ a b "Google Maps". Google Maps. Retrieved 28 September 2020.
  19. ^ a b "Google Maps". Google Maps. Retrieved 28 September 2020.
  20. ^ a b "Google Maps". Google Maps. Retrieved 28 September 2020.
  21. ^ a b c "Northern Territory: proposed alpha-numeric routes". OzRoads. 21 June 2012.