A 150km section of the Tanami Road from Yuendumu to the west of Chilla Well has now been sealed at a cost of $197 million, the Finocchiaro Government has said.

The remote bush road, also known as the Tanami Track or Tanami Highway, stretches for 1,035km, linking Alice Springs to the Great Northern Highway close to Halls Creek in Western Australia and provides access to Wolfe Creek Crater National Park.

Logistics and Infrastructure Minister Bill Yan said the upgraded 150km section would be a crucial link for remote communities and mining operations and significantly boosts safety and access for communities, tourists and industry.

“The Tanami Road is a lifeline for many industries and communities across Central Australia – this upgrade will make travel safer, faster and more reliable,” Mr Yan said.

“It is a key inter-regional freight and access route linking Alice Springs to Western Australia, servicing remote Indigenous communities, pastoral stations, and mining operations.”

It was a $197 million project co-funded by both the NT and Australian governments, with about $289 million allocated in the 2025-26 budget for more work on the road.

The project was completed in two phases: the first phase covered 60 km, while the second phase extended 90 km.

In 2021, Exact Contracting sealed an additional 11.8km of road as part of initial efforts to speed up progress.