The Wanderer
Binns Track
Arnhem Way (7-9 days)
Considered one of Australia's last unspoilt areas, Arnhem Land is home to some of the country's most pristine beaches and is steeped in Indigenous culture.
Begin your journey along the Central Arnhem Road, 50 kilometres south of Katherine, stopping at Barunga and Wugularr (Beswick). Arrive in Nhulunbuy in time for a sunset drink at the Gove Boat Club, and spend the next week exploring East Arnhem's beaches, lookouts, 4WD trails, wetlands and secluded walking tracks. Connect with Aboriginal culture on a locally guided tour, or join a fishing charter to tackle some of the world's best fishing and try to catch a Million Dollar Fish. You'll require a permit from the Northern Land Council before heading into Arnhem Land.
Binns Track (10 days)
This four-wheel-drive adventure was named after Bill Binns, a Ranger who worked with NT Parks and Wildlife for more than three decades. His dream was to help visitors discover the vivid colours, native wildlife and mighty rock formations of Central Australia; and for those who choose Binns Track, he's achieved it.
Begin the 2,230 kilometre drive at the Northern Territory/South Australia border, discovering far-flung historic towns like Arlunga, Gemtree and Tennant Creek. Journey through the East MacDonnell Ranges where you'll see ancient rock carvings that record the Arrernte people's history of the land; pass gold rush towns and continue north through expansive cattle stations and on to Judbarra/Gregory National Park – known for its Barramundi fishing, Boab trees and limestone landscapes.
The Explorer's Way
Reynolds Track Litchfield National Park (1-2 days)
You only need a few days to do this remote track, although you have to get here first.
The one- to two-day track takes you between Tolmer and Wangi Falls in the Litchfield National Park and it's your ticket to some of the Top End's best secret spots.
The 44 kilometre adventure (only accessible during the dry season) winds through sandstone landscapes, tropical rainforests and secluded waterholes. Cool off in the Tjaynera Falls (Sandy Creek Falls) or Surprise Creek Falls, explore the historic Blyth Homestead, and wander the sandstone spires of the Lost City.
This 3,000-kilometre journey will have you ticking off many of Australia's bucket list destinations. The route from Adelaide to Darwin (or vice versa) can also be done in ultimate luxury by train on The Ghan. But driving it will mean you can stop more often to make the most of the iconic destinations along the way. And there is no shortage of them: Uluru and Kata Tjuta, Watarrka National Park/Kings Canyon, MacDonnell Ranges, Karlu Karlu/Devils Marbles, Nitmiluk National Park and Litchfield National Park.
Start in South Australia, driving through the wine region of Clare Valley before heading into the heart of Flinders Ranges to the State's most iconic national park – Ikara-Flinders Ranges National Park – a remote wilderness with towering clifftops, deep craters, jaw-dropping mountain ranges and dusty, red roads. From here, visit Coober Pedy and discover an underground town in the middle of the desert before making your way to the Red Centre. After spending time at Uluru and Kata Tjuta, head to Kings Canyon to find 100 metres high sandstone walls and myriad of walking trails. Alice Springs is your next stop. From Alice Springs drive to Tennant Creek, taking time to stop at Karlu Karlu/Devils Marbles (a sacred site to the Warumungu people), before making your way to Katherine. End the long drive at Mataranka Thermal Pool – surrounded by a palm forest and fed by spring water that sits at a constant 34 degrees Celsius. From here, head to Litchfield National Park – a 90-minute drive from Darwin – where you can celebrate being an official 'explorer'.
NORTHERN TERRITORY EXPLORERS WAY
Gibb River Road (10-14 days)
A pilgrimage through the heart of the Kimberley's red-dirt wilderness, the Gibb River Road is a 660-kilometre 4WD track from Derby to Kununurra (accessible between April and October). Originally constructed in the 1960s to transport cattle from outlying stations, the trail is a unique Aussie Outback adventure through ancient gorges and cattle stations.
Start in Derby and head towards Windjana Gorge National Park. From Windjana, take the 37 kilometre drive out to Western Australia's oldest cave system Tunnel Creek … famous as a hideout last century for Aboriginal warrior Jandamarra. From here head to Bell Gorge, stopping at Lennard Gorge for a swim before making the 126 kilometre drive to Manning Gorge. Drysdale River Station is the next stop and the gateway to the Mitchell River National Park, home to waterfalls and historic Indigenous sites, then head to Home Valley Station, El Questro and Kununurra.
Category: Features
Written: Tue 01 July 2025
Printed: July, 2025
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