Roper Bar

Start		Borroloola
Finish	Katherine
Difficulty
Suitable For
Distance	870.02 km
Minimum Days	3
Average Speed	39.52 km/hr
Travel Time	22 hrs

Description

Preparation

Diesel	ULP	LPG
4cyl 122 litres	4cyl 141 litres	4cyl 174 litres
6cyl 133 litres	6cyl 158 litres	6cyl 153 litres
8cyl 133 litres	8cyl 144 litres


Mean Max. °C
Jan	35.5
Feb	34.8
Mar	34.1
Apr	33.8
May	31.7
Jun	29.8
Jul	29.6
Aug	31.9
Sep	35.0
Oct	37.5
Nov	38.8
Dec	37.7
Mean Min. °C
Jan	24.9
Feb	24.7
Mar	24.0
Apr	22.0
May	19.1
Jun	16.2
Jul	15.2
Aug	16.2
Sep	19.2
Oct	22.6
Nov	25.0
Dec	25.5
Mean Rain mm
Jan	182.8
Feb	176.5
Mar	174.8
Apr	55.9
May	10.2
Jun	5.1
Jul	1.1
Aug	0.7
Sep	1.8
Oct	13.5
Nov	42.4
Dec	131.6

	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Mean Max. °C	35.5	34.8	34.1	33.8	31.7	29.8	29.6	31.9	35.0	37.5	38.8	37.7
Mean Min. °C	24.9	24.7	24.0	22.0	19.1	16.2	15.2	16.2	19.2	22.6	25.0	25.5
Mean Rain mm	182.8	176.5	174.8	55.9	10.2	5.1	1.1	0.7	1.8	13.5	42.4	131.6

Map

Directions

Borroloola to Leila Hill

Driving: 94.59 km

Heading: 218°

Avg Speed: 63.83 km/hr

EST Time: 01:28:54

Drive south on Robinson Road. for: 2 km time: 02:28
Turn right at the end of the road, onto Carpentaria Highway for: 8.2 km time: 06:29
Turn left at the end of the road, onto Carpentaria Highway for: 84.38 km time: 01:19:57

Leila Hill to Leila Crossing (Carpentaria Hwy)

Driving: 1.84 km

Heading: 251°

Avg Speed: 60 km/hr

EST Time: 01:50

Drive west on Carpentaria Highway/1. for: 1.84 km time: 01:51

Leila Crossing (Carpentaria Hwy) to Heartbreak Hotel

Driving: 15.76 km

Heading: 239°

Avg Speed: 57.41 km/hr

EST Time: 16:28

Drive south on Carpentaria Highway/1. for: 15.5 km time: 15:30
Turn left onto Tablelands Highway/11. for: 0.14 km time: 00:10
Turn right. for: 0.03 km time: 00:17
Turn left. for: 0.1 km time: 00:32

Heartbreak Hotel to Cape Crawford

Driving: 0.38 km

Heading: 278°

Avg Speed: 17.73 km/hr

EST Time: 01:17

Drive northeast. for: 0.1 km time: 00:30
Turn left. for: 0.09 km time: 00:27
Turn left onto Carpentaria Highway/1. for: 0.19 km time: 00:19
Turn left. for: 0 km time: 00:02

Cape Crawford to Leila 1st Crossing

Driving: 15.36 km

Heading: 340°

Avg Speed: 21.88 km/hr

EST Time: 42:07

Drive north. for: 0 km time: 00:01
Turn left onto Carpentaria Highway/1. for: 1.93 km time: 01:43
Turn right onto Ryans Bend Road. for: 13.43 km time: 40:23

Leila 1st Crossing to Batten Creek

Driving: 35.6 km

Heading: 5°

Avg Speed: 19.93 km/hr

EST Time: 01:47:10

Drive northwest on Ryans Bend Road. for: 32.04 km time: 01:36:08
Turn left onto Nathan River Road. for: 3.41 km time: 10:16
Turn right. for: 0.15 km time: 00:48

Batten Creek to Lorella Springs Station

Driving: 83.29 km

Heading: 354°

Avg Speed: 21.52 km/hr

EST Time: 03:52:13

Drive south. for: 0.15 km time: 00:46
Turn right at the end of the road, onto Nathan River Road for: 52.78 km time: 02:38:27
Turn right. for: 30.36 km time: 01:12:57

Lorella Springs Station to Southern Lost City

Driving: 47.25 km

Heading: 244°

Avg Speed: 22.92 km/hr

EST Time: 02:03:41

Drive west. for: 30.36 km time: 01:12:51
Turn right at the end of the road, onto Nathan River Road for: 12.99 km time: 39:02
Turn right. for: 3.91 km time: 11:50

Southern Lost City to Limmen Bight R at Nathan R Rd

Driving: 51.96 km

Heading: 351°

Avg Speed: 19.99 km/hr

EST Time: 02:35:57

Drive south. for: 3.91 km time: 11:44
Turn right onto Nathan River Road. for: 35.39 km time: 01:46:15
Turn right. for: 2.05 km time: 06:11
Turn right at the end of the road, onto Nathan River Road for: 10.61 km time: 31:50

Limmen Bight R at Nathan R Rd to Cox River at Nathan R Rd

Driving: 21.31 km

Heading: 341°

Avg Speed: 20 km/hr

EST Time: 01:03:55

Drive northeast on Nathan River Road. for: 21.31 km time: 01:03:56

Cox River at Nathan R Rd to Maria (Wamungku) Lagoon

Driving: 13.64 km

Heading: 77°

Avg Speed: 18.14 km/hr

EST Time: 45:06

Drive north on Nathan River Road. for: 0.14 km time: 00:25
Turn right. for: 13.06 km time: 39:14
Make a sharp right. for: 0.37 km time: 04:30
Keep left at the fork. for: 0.08 km time: 00:58

Maria (Wamungku) Lagoon to Limmen River Fishing Camp

Driving: 7.7 km

Heading: 58°

Avg Speed: 17.04 km/hr

EST Time: 27:06

Drive northwest. for: 7.7 km time: 27:07

Limmen River Fishing Camp to Maria (Wamungku) Lagoon

Driving: 8.68 km

Heading: 238°

Avg Speed: 16.19 km/hr

EST Time: 32:10

Drive north. for: 8.01 km time: 24:02
Make a sharp left. for: 0.44 km time: 05:24
Turn right. for: 0.23 km time: 02:44

Maria (Wamungku) Lagoon to Cox River at Nathan R Rd

Driving: 13.64 km

Heading: 257°

Avg Speed: 18.16 km/hr

EST Time: 45:03

Drive northwest. for: 0.45 km time: 05:21
Make a sharp left. for: 13.06 km time: 39:17
Turn left at the end of the road, onto Nathan River Road for: 0.14 km time: 00:26

Cox River at Nathan R Rd to Towns River

Driving: 37.77 km

Heading: 335°

Avg Speed: 20 km/hr

EST Time: 01:53:18

Drive north on Nathan River Road. for: 37.77 km time: 01:53:19

Towns River to St Vidgeon Ruins

Driving: 48.88 km

Heading: 310°

Avg Speed: 20 km/hr

EST Time: 02:26:38

Drive southwest on Nathan River Road. for: 48.88 km time: 02:26:38

St Vidgeon Ruins to Lomarieum Lagoon

Driving: 0.47 km

Heading: 317°

Avg Speed: 20 km/hr

EST Time: 01:24

Drive northwest. for: 0.47 km time: 01:24

Lomarieum Lagoon to Queensland Crossing

Driving: 46.56 km

Heading: 252°

Avg Speed: 24.35 km/hr

EST Time: 01:54:43

Drive northwest. for: 46.56 km time: 01:54:42

Queensland Crossing to Roper Bar

Driving: 22.53 km

Heading: 345°

Avg Speed: 20.55 km/hr

EST Time: 01:05:46

Drive northwest. for: 21.51 km time: 01:04:31
Turn right onto Roper Highway/20. for: 1.03 km time: 01:16

Roper Bar to Leichhardts Caravan Park

Driving: 0.47 km

Heading: 322°

Avg Speed: 38.15 km/hr

EST Time: 00:44

Drive north on Roper Highway/20. for: 0.42 km time: 00:29
Bear left. for: 0.05 km time: 00:15

Leichhardts Caravan Park to Roper Bar

Driving: 0.47 km

Heading: 143°

Avg Speed: 38.05 km/hr

EST Time: 00:44

Drive southwest. for: 0.05 km time: 00:15
Bear right onto Roper Highway/20. for: 0.42 km time: 00:29

Roper Bar to Mount Price Rest Area

Driving: 98.47 km

Heading: 257°

Avg Speed: 52.8 km/hr

EST Time: 01:51:53

Drive south on Roper Highway/20. Continue on Roper Highway. for: 98.47 km time: 01:51:55

Mount Price Rest Area to Mataranka Homestead Tourist Resort

Driving: 87.32 km

Heading: 269°

Avg Speed: 74.34 km/hr

EST Time: 01:10:28

Drive west on Roper Highway/B20. Continue on Roper Highway. for: 75.6 km time: 01:01:59
Turn right at the end of the road, onto Stuart Highway for: 4.86 km time: 02:50
Turn right onto Homestead Road. for: 6.85 km time: 05:39

Mataranka Homestead Tourist Resort to Mataranka

Driving: 9.06 km

Heading: 270°

Avg Speed: 65.73 km/hr

EST Time: 08:16

Drive west on Homestead Road. for: 6.85 km time: 05:47
Turn right at the end of the road, onto Stuart Highway for: 2.21 km time: 02:29

Mataranka to Stirling Mill Rest Area

Driving: 13.59 km

Heading: 313°

Avg Speed: 90.42 km/hr

EST Time: 09:01

Drive northwest on A1/Stuart Highway. Continue on Stuart Highway. for: 13.59 km time: 09:01

Stirling Mill Rest Area to Mataranka Station

Driving: 1.04 km

Heading: 286°

Avg Speed: 46.99 km/hr

EST Time: 01:19

Drive northwest on A1/Stuart Highway. for: 0.67 km time: 00:25
Turn left. for: 0.37 km time: 00:55

Mataranka Station to King River Rest Area

Driving: 44.36 km

Heading: 301°

Avg Speed: 109.09 km/hr

EST Time: 24:23

Drive northeast. for: 0.37 km time: 00:52
Turn left onto A1/Stuart Highway. Continue on Stuart Highway. for: 43.93 km time: 23:11
Turn right onto King River. for: 0.04 km time: 00:15
Turn left at the end of the road, ontofor: 0.02 km time: 00:07

King River Rest Area to Katherine

Driving: 48.03 km

Heading: 297°

Avg Speed: 91.45 km/hr

EST Time: 31:30

Drive southeast. for: 0.02 km time: 00:05
Turn right onto King River. for: 0.04 km time: 00:14
Turn right at the end of the road, onto Stuart Highway for: 47.96 km time: 31:03
Turn right onto 1/Victoria Highway. for: 0.01 km time: 00:08

Distance is based on the travel mode shown (Driving, Straight, Cycling, Walking etc), Direction is straight line from start to end, Avg Speed & EST Time is calculated from GPS data.

What to See

Facilities

Wildflowers

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Comments & Reviews(6)

18 Apr 22 Gazza70

Good evening all, Just wondering what the road from Roper Bar to Borroloola (via Limmen) is generally like in the dry season. Have driven the road from Daly Waters across to Borroloola , Hells Gate Roadhouse, Doomadgee etc many years ago. Will have a small off-road Caravan in tow. Cheers

Replies: 4 FollowUps: 2 View

24 Jun 21 Member - Drew T (Melbourne)

Hi there. Looking at doing Mataranka to Roper Bar to Borooloola in late Jul/early Aug 2021. There is lots of old info on this section f road but nothing recent...... 1. FYI ...Trek Note doesn't mention Roper Bar fuel yet I'm pretty certain that there is now fuel avail ie "Roper Bar Park & Store" is on fb & replied to my msg a few days ago "Hello Drew, Yes we do have both Opal and Diesel available on site from our bowser. Should you have any further questions, please do not hesitate to contact us on bookings@roperbarpark.com.au or (08) 8975 4636 or https://www.facebook.com/Roperbarpark/" 2. Anyone done that section recently that can report on the road condition? I'm travelling in a well prepared LC200 & offroad caravan but don't want to unnecessarily destroy the van!!

Replies: 3 FollowUps: 1 View

13 Jun 15 Nerida S

Has anyone done the road this year? Thinking of doing this trip from roper south in July, anyone know the state of the road? Have a 4wd ute with canopy so not towing anything. Thanks

Replies: 6 FollowUps: 0 View

21 Dec 08 Warstar

Hi all, just planning next winters run. When we go around we normally take the Tablelands Hwy north from Barkly Homestead to Cape Crawford and then west to Daly Waters. It is probably 4 years since we last went that way and we were advised the road to Roper Bar was not suitable for a large caravan. Does anyone know the present state? We are towing a standard tandem axle Crusader van which will handle light going, but is not an "off- road" van, behind a LC100 TD. It seems to have changed its status in the Hema maps from track to "Savannah Way". Does this mean its been graded since the last rain or has it actually been formed and gravelled?? Any recent travellers??

Replies: 6 FollowUps: 3 View

12 Jan 08 Member - John D M (NSW)

I now own a mobile home we've been to places like Birdsville driven the motor home through the gorges in the Flinders rangers,.. In 1997 we drove to Roper Bar on a run through the top and the only time we used 4x4 was when we drove across Lawn Hill station instead of using the formed road and the places we saw young overseas tourists male and female (in old ford or holden station wagons) was fantastic. Now to my request how about in the trek notes (may it's there but it is not easy to find) give an indication regarding the condition of the road as to 2 wheel (Motor home) conditions .Most motor homes are based on some form of truck bodies. Regards John Moore.

Replies: 1 FollowUps: 0 View

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