Many say the construction of an all-weather road east-west across the centre of Australia is as important as the transcontinental railway line built more than a century ago.
But perhaps of its remoteness and the length of time it is taking few people follow the staged construction of the bold nation-building project called the Outback Way.
Successive governments have already poured more than $330 million over the past decade into the 2700km route which links Laverton in outback WA to Winton in Queensland.
The railway line from Adelaide to Darwin is almost the same distance.
With about 1200km left to seal, the Outback Way which passes through Alice Springs in the NT, is just over half done.
Many four-wheel-drive enthusiasts have this collection of roads and tracks on their bucket list to complete before the project is finished and it becomes less adventurous.
The idea of spray sealing a road across the centre is to aid freight operators and various industries including agriculture, mining and tourism.
The Outback Way will also be a boon for remote communities to connect to the outside world.
The route includes the Great Central Road in WA, Tjukaruru Road and the Lasseter, Stuart and Plenty highways in the NT and the Donohue Highway, Kennedy Developmental Road and Diamantina Developmental Road in Queensland.
As outback travelers famously know, the track still varies in condition and standard, with sections of two lane seal, single lane seal, gravel, and potholed and corrugated dirt tracks.
The Federal Government kickstarted the mighty project in 2013 with $42 million.
The state and NT governments also kick in some funds for various stages of the project as do local councils when they see benefit for locals as well.
Successive governments have upped the spending and communities have won the benefits as each stage is finished.
Upgrade works between Winton and Boulia in Queensland have just finished as attention now turns to upgrading the Richmond-Winton Road.
More than 90 per cent of the Outback Way in Queensland is now fully sealed.
Most of the Outback Way bisects the NT even though there is more in the WA left to seal.
Priorities for funding are directed to more trafficked parts of the route which will likely leave the most remote to last.
Northern Australia Minister David Littleproud said progressive sealing and widening has increased connectivity and reduce travel times.
"This is also an investment in improving access for remote and Indigenous communities to health and social services," Mr Littleproud said.
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Chris McLennan
ACM national rural property writer based in Bacchus Marsh, Victoria. Career journalist. Multi award winner.
ACM national rural property writer based in Bacchus Marsh, Victoria. Career journalist. Multi award winner.
