Central Arnhem Road

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Central Arnhem Road is a 663-kilometre state road (C24) in the Northern Territory. It starts at the Stuart Highway near Katherine and runs east to Nhulunbuy on the Gove Peninsula (ending near Melville Bay Road and Gove Airport). The route serves more than 12,000 residents and is important for tourism, mining and pastoral freight. It passes through Aboriginal land and communities such as Barunga, Beswick (Wulugarr) and Bulman. A free permit from the Northern Land Council is required for non-Indigenous travelers to drive the full length.

Key travel notes:
- The road is mostly unsealed and can flood from December to April, causing restrictions or closures.
- Four-wheel-drive vehicles are recommended; caravans and camping trailers should be heavy-duty.
- Fuel is available at Wulugarr, Mainoru Store, and Bulman. Telstra service is available in Barunga, Beswick, Bulman, and at blue signposts along the route.

Upgrades and future plans:
- In 2014, funding was announced for river crossings and a bridge, with improvements under the National Partnership Agreement on Land Transport to seal and widen priority sections toward a dual-lane standard.
- The plan envisages 25–35% of the road sealed within about 5–10 years from 2019.
- The 2022–23 Budget added around $350 million to continue sealing Central Arnhem Road (alongside the Tanami Road).
- Nhulunbuy remains the NT’s largest town not yet connected to the National Highway via a sealed road. The government aims to seal the entire road to a dual-lane standard to boost the economy, improve safety, shorten travel times, and enhance access to health and education.