Road trips from Port Augusta at a glance
Port Augusta sits where the Stuart Highway, the Eyre Highway and the Augusta Highway meet. It is a service stop for travelers and freight heading toward the Nullarbor and the Northern Territory. Most long road trips from here go north on the Stuart Highway to Coober Pedy and on to Alice Springs.
The distances are long and the stops are far apart. The figures below are planning guides from published sources, not a promise of travel time. Published sources disagree on some distances, so build in margin and check the current road conditions before each leg.
Port Augusta to Coober Pedy and Alice Springs
Distances come from an operator route guide, a local tourism site and a regional fuel guide. Treat them as rough figures.
| Leg | Distance | Time | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Port Augusta to Coober Pedy | About 538 km | About 5.5 hours | Fuel at Pimba and Glendambo on the way |
| Coober Pedy to Alice Springs | About 685 km | 6 to 8 hours | Fuel at Marla and Kulgera |
| Port Augusta to Alice Springs | About 1,226 km | – | Allow at least two days |
Do not add a side trip to Kings Canyon or Uluru to these figures. They sit outside the route above. One more caution: unsealed side roads near Coober Pedy are often impassable after heavy rain.
Coober Pedy
Coober Pedy is the usual overnight stop on this route. The opal fields around the town are marked by hills of spoil from mining, and the Breakaways lie nearby. Treat Coober Pedy as a stop of at least one night, so that you do not drive on tired at the end of a long day.
If you are driving the whole way, plan your overnight stops before you leave Port Augusta. Book your Coober Pedy stay in advance and confirm the check-in time with the operator.
Our picks: north along the Stuart Highway
Two week-long trips from Adelaide through Coober Pedy, one ending at Uluru and one in Alice Springs.
Hand-picked tours, booked through GetYourGuide. Prices are indicative starting prices in Australian dollars (as of October 2026). Tap a tour for live availability and the current price in your currency.
7-day trip from Adelaide to Alice Springs with rooms
Starts in Adelaide and passes Quorn, the Arid Lands Botanic Garden and Coober Pedy. Six nights in rooms and a dorm, a guide and park fees are included; meals are not.
Check availability →
7-day camping adventure from Adelaide to Uluru
A long outback trip from Adelaide, not a day trip from Port Augusta, with a stop in Coober Pedy. Five nights in swags and one night in a dorm, plus a guide and park fees; a sleeping bag and a swag upgrade are extra.
Check availability →Tours and outback trips from Port Augusta
Day trips and multi-day tours around Port Augusta, the Flinders Ranges and the outback, with live prices and availability.
Fuel and supplies on the Stuart Highway
Plan fuel stop by stop. Do not rely on a station being open at night.
Pimba and Spud's Roadhouse
Fuel stops on the Stuart Highway north of Port Augusta.
Glendambo
Listings give different opening hours for fuel at Glendambo, from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. in one place to 24 hours in another. Do not plan to refuel here at night.
Coober Pedy
A town on the route where you can fill up and stay the night.
Marla and Kulgera
Further stops listed on the way to Alice Springs. Night service is not guaranteed anywhere, and fuel stock, prices and card payment can vary.
Safety on long outback drives
Stay on marked roads and avoid closed sections. Tell someone your route and your expected return. Mobile coverage is unreliable in remote areas, so do not count on being able to call for help.
For roads, Traffic SA covers roadworks and incidents, and the Outback Road Warnings service covers temporary closures and restrictions north and west of Port Augusta. Check them on the day. Carry more water than you expect to need. The parks service gives a guide of 1 litre per hour of physical activity, and water is not guaranteed in remote areas. Wildlife is more common at dawn and dusk, so slow down then.
Heat matters. Port Augusta's average daily maximum is 34.2 °C in January (Bureau of Meteorology, 2026). For the seasons, see our weather guide.
Shorter trips from Port Augusta
You do not have to drive for days.
Flinders Ranges via Hawker
Port Augusta to Hawker is 110 km, Quorn to Hawker 64 km and Hawker to Wilpena Pound 64 km. That makes roughly 174 km from Port Augusta to Wilpena via Hawker, a calculated figure, not a measured route. Hawker Motors sells fuel and runs a shop and a tire service, with hours of 7:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. from mid March to mid November and 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. the rest of the year.
Flinders Ranges guide →Heritage train to Quorn
The Afghan Express runs on selected days from Port Augusta to Quorn and back. Check the timetable before you plan around it.
Pichi Richi Railway →Mount Remarkable
Alligator Gorge and Mambray Creek make a day or an overnight trip, with set closures in November 2026.
Mount Remarkable guide →Whyalla and the Eyre Peninsula
Whyalla is a separate destination, not part of Port Augusta. Stateliner runs coaches from Port Augusta to Whyalla and on toward Port Lincoln. Check the timetable and book ahead.
Plan before you go
Where to arrive, sleep and park.
Road trips from Port Augusta: frequently asked questions
How far is Port Augusta from Coober Pedy?
One operator's route guide gives 538 km and about 5.5 hours. Other sources give different figures, so treat it as a planning guide and add time for breaks.
How far is Coober Pedy from Alice Springs?
A local tourism site gives 685 km and 6 to 8 hours. Another source gives 687 km. Plan a full day.
Where can I get fuel on the Stuart Highway?
Stops listed include Pimba and Spud's Roadhouse, Glendambo, Coober Pedy, Marla and Kulgera. Night service is not guaranteed, so refuel early in the day.
Where do I check road closures?
Use Traffic SA for roadworks and incidents, and the Outback Road Warnings service for temporary closures north and west of Port Augusta.
Is it possible to go to Whyalla and Port Lincoln?
Yes, by Stateliner coach from Port Augusta. Whyalla is a destination of its own. Check the timetable, because coaches do not run on Christmas Day and long weekends can change the schedule.