Fly Free to Alice when you book an eligible Red Centre holiday package*!
Fly Free to Alice when you book an eligible Red Centre holiday package*!
The Stuart Highway is one of Australia’s great outback road trips, stretching through the heart of Central Australia from South Australia to the Northern Territory’s Top End. With hundreds of kilometres between some stops, knowing where to refuel is an important part of planning your journey.
Use our guide to find fuel stops along the Stuart Highway, from Darwin in the north, through Alice Springs and Tennant Creek, to Port Augusta in South Australia.
1,496km from Alice Springs | 320km from Katherine
Fuel Available 24/7
For travellers beginning or ending their journey on the Stuart Highway, there are several convenient fuel stops in and around Winnellie, Berrimah and Darwin's northern suburbs. The Shell Reddy Express in Darwin City is open 24 hours and offers Unleaded 91, Unleaded 95 and Diesel, while several other stations along the Stuart Highway also provide 24-hour fuel.
114km from Darwin | 198km from Katherine
Fuel Available 24/7 | Inn: 7am-10pm daily
Adelaide River is a convenient place to refuel along the Stuart Highway. The town has two fuel stations, including the Shell Adelaide River Inn and Mobil Adelaide River, with both offering a range of fuel options for travellers. The Shell Adelaide River Inn provides Unleaded 91, Unleaded 95 and Diesel, as well as a shop, toilets, ATM and food options.
If you're looking for more than just fuel, the Adelaide River Inn also has a restaurant, bistro, lounge and public bar, making it a convenient place to stop for a meal or refreshments. The town is also a popular base for exploring nearby Litchfield National Park, which is around 30 minutes away by car.
320km from Darwin | 270km from Mataranka
Fuel Available 24/7 | Inn: 7am-10pm daily
With a wide selection of fuel stations throughout town, including BP, Ampol, Shell, United, Puma, Liberty and EG Ampol, travellers have plenty of options to top up before continuing their journey. Several stations operate 24 hours, making Katherine a convenient place to refuel regardless of your travel schedule.
420km from Darwin | 100km from Katherine
Fuel available 24/7 | Roadhouse: 6:30am – 7pm daily
Mataranka is a convenient refuelling stop along the Stuart Highway, with several service stations available in town. Options include Mataranka Roadhouse, Mataranka Central and Mataranka Store & Service Station, giving travellers a choice of places to top up and stock up on supplies.
Mataranka Roadhouse offers BP Premium Unleaded 95 and Diesel, with fuel available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. The roadhouse also has a general store stocked with groceries, snacks, drinks and travel essentials, as well as a bakery, café, takeaway food, ATM and clean amenities. Note that standard Unleaded 91 is not available at the Mataranka Roadhouse.
With the thermal pools of Elsey National Park and Bitter Springs nearby, Mataranka is also a great place to take a break from the road, stretch your legs and explore some of the region's natural attractions before continuing your journey.
307km from Katherine | 170km from Mataranka
Fuel available 24/7 at Daly Waters Hi-Way | Daly Waters Pub: 7am – 11pm daily
Daly Waters is an important refuelling stop along the Stuart Highway. There are two fuel options in the area: the Daly Waters Hi-Way Inn (Puma), located directly on the Stuart Highway, and the iconic Daly Waters Pub, approximately 3km off the highway. Both offer Opal and Diesel fuel.
The Hi-Way Inn is a convenient option if you're looking to refuel without venturing far from the highway, while the Daly Waters Pub is worth the short detour if you have time to stop and explore. The historic pub offers fuel, accommodation, a convenience store, meals and its famously quirky collection of memorabilia, making it much more than just a fuel stop.
250km from Tennant Creek | 154km from Daly Waters
Fuel available 24/7
Fuel in Elliott is found by turning off the Stuart Highway at the service road (left if you are heading north), and is operated as a BP service station. The town of Elliott is quiet and a very nice stop for a picnic or stroll. Right next to the service station is The Elliott Store, where you'll find groceries, supplies and other travel essentials. Elliott is approximately 242km north of Tennant Creek.
150km from Tennant Creek | 100km from Elliot
Fuel available 24/7 via self-service | Roadhouse: 6:30am – 8:30pm
At Renner Springs Desert Inn you'll find BP-operated fuel pumps, 24-hour amenities and a convenience store selling cold drinks and snacks. The Desert Inn is also an excellent overnight stop, offering comfortable accommodation and a popular restaurant. Renner Springs is located 161km north of Tennant Creek.
24km from Tennant Creek | 136km from Renner Springs
Fuel available 6am – 11pm
The Shell Threeways Roadhouse is just 23km north of Tennant Creek. Sitting on the right-hand side of the highway once you pass the Stuart Highway’s intersection with Barkly Highway, you can’t miss the enormous Shell Truck mural on its brick wall. The station also has its own restaurant and pub as well as a wall of license plates from all around Australia to commemorate the many travellers who have stopped by.
508km from Alice Springs | 675km from Katherine
Fuel available 24/7 at BP
Tennant Creek is a well-developed town with several good stations to refuel. BP (24hrs), Astrol, Lone Star, and Ampol are all located at various points in the town along the Stuart Highway. You’ll find all your basic convenience needs and there are plenty of cafes & restaurants around for a more substantial meal. Tennant Creek itself is also home to plenty of interesting activities as it once was a very important gold mining town. With historical mines & museums and even mines still operational close by, you’ll want to spend a little time here.
393km from Alice Springs | 115km from Tennant Creek
Fuel available 6am - 10pm
The best place to refuel in Wauchope is at the Devils Marbles Hotel, around 135km south of Tennant Creek and 375km north of Alice Springs. The hotel provides comfortable accommodation and it's well worth visiting nearby Karlu Karlu / Devils Marbles. It's one of the Northern Territory's most iconic attractions and a perfect spot for a picnic.
283km from Alice Springs | 206km from Tennant Creek
Fuel available 7am – 9pm
Barrow Creek fuel station operated by United is found beside the Barrow Creek Service Road (turn right off the Stuart Highway if heading north) and is right next to the Barrow Creek Hotel. Cold drinks, snacks and a toilet are available and if you have the time it’s well worth driving a little further into Barrow Creek itself and visiting the site of the Barrow Creek Telegraph Station and finding out about the areas incredibly interesting history.
194km from Alice Springs | 314km from Tennant Creek
Fuel available 6am - 8pm
Located 194km north of Alice Springs and 314km south of Tennant Creek, Ti Tree is a popular stopover in the heart of Anmatjere Country. The township has three fuel stations: Ampol (6am - 10pm), Puma Food Store (9am - 5pm) and Ti Tree Farm Garden (24h). The Ampol offers the widest range of fuels and is conveniently located just off the Stuart Highway beside the Greyhound bus stop on the Stuart Highway service road.
If you're planning to stay overnight, Ti Tree Roadhouse offers a range of accommodation, including motel rooms, powered and unpowered caravan sites, and camping. Travellers can also enjoy breakfast, lunch and dinner seven days a week at Ti Tree Roadhouse, relax in the licensed outback pub, or make use of facilities including a swimming pool, camp kitchen, laundry, hot showers and a pet-friendly caravan park. The convenience store stocks snacks, drinks, travel essentials and locally crafted souvenirs, making Ti Tree an ideal place to rest and recharge before continuing your journey. Oh, and don't forget to say hi to Steve, the resident peacock.
135km from Alice Springs | 370km from Tennant Creek
Fuel available 6:30am – 7:30pm
Located 135km north of Alice Springs, Aileron Roadhouse is a Caltex-branded fuel stop offering Unleaded, Premium Unleaded and Diesel fuel, along with a larger-than-average convenience store stocked with snacks and drinks.
A range of accommodation is available, including powered and unpowered campsites, a backpacker dormitory and self-contained motel rooms. To book accommodation, contact the roadhouse on (08) 8956 9703. Please note that the restaurant is not licensed and does not sell alcohol.
While you're in the area, don't miss the Anmatjere Man statue – a striking 17m-high sculpture of an Aboriginal man holding a spear, which can be admired up close via a short walk. If you'd prefer not to walk, you can instead admire the 12m-high Anmatjere Woman and Child statue, located beside the former art gallery.
If you're travelling through over the Easter long weekend, Aileron also hosts its famous Aileron Rodeo, one of Central Australia's iconic annual events.
1,496km from Darwin | 1,226km from Port Augusta
Fuel available 24/7
Alice Springs is the largest fuel hub in Central Australia. It is the last place where travellers will find multiple competing fuel retailers before travelling to destinations such as Uluru, Kings Canyon, East and West MacDonnell Ranges, Simpson Desert and Tennant Creek. Because of this, it is generally recommended that visitors fill up before leaving town, even if they expect to refuel at a roadhouse later.
92km from Alice Springs | 108km from Erldunda Roadhouse
Fuel available 6am – 9pm
Located approximately 90km south of Alice Springs, Stuarts Well Roadhouse offers a small mini mart, barista coffee, petrol - opal, premium unleaded and diesel, they sell ice, souvenirs, clothing, takeaway food and accommodation. The roadhouse offers a range of accommodation options, including recently refurbished ensuite cabins, budget rooms, powered caravan sites, unpowered camping and a grassed campground, making it a popular choice for caravanners and road trippers. It's a great base for exploring nearby attractions such as Rainbow Valley, Henbury Meteorites Conservation Reserve and Chambers Pillar (4WD only). The roadhouse is open from 6am till late every day of the week except Christmas day.
200km from Alice Springs | 78km from Kulgera
Fuel available 6:30am – 9pm
Located 200km south of Alice Springs and 1,300km north of Adelaide at the junction of the Stuart and Lasseter Highways, Erldunda Roadhouse is a true outback oasis. The Shell-operated service station has a well-stocked shop for cold drinks, snacks and travel essentials, while the roadhouse also offers accommodation and dining.
With Kings Canyon, Uluru and Kata Tjuta all within 300km, Erldunda makes an ideal base or a convenient place to refuel. It's also home to a popular caravan park with an emu enclosure, making it a fun place to stay overnight or simply stretch your legs for a few hours.
953km from Port Augusta | 414km from Coober Pedy
Fuel available 7am-8pm | Food: 12pm-2pm, 5pm-8pm
The very first stop in NT if driving from SA, the famous Kulgera Roadhouse is the perfect pit stop, offering accommodation, a caravan park and a local pub. Located approximately 275km south of Alice Springs along the Stuart Highway, it is also just 20km north of the Northern Territory–South Australia border. To book accommodation, call the roadhouse on (08) 8956 0973.
773km from Port Augusta | 234km from Coober Pedy
Fuel available 24/7
Marla Travellers Rest is the town's main fuel stop, offering 24-hour fuel service with Unleaded, Premium Unleaded, Diesel and LPG available. Aside from petrol supply, Marla Travellers Rest is a comprehensive outback service centre with a supermarket, restaurant, bar, accommodation, caravan and camping facilities, showers, laundry and a swimming pool.
254km from Port Augusta | 687km from Alice Springs
Fuel available 24/7
Coober Pedy is a major refuelling and resupply point on the Stuart Highway, with several fuel stations located throughout town, including Ampol, Mobil, Shell, OME Fuel and Perrys. The Shell Coober Pedy Roadhouse is open 24 hours and offers Unleaded 91, Shell V-Power, Diesel and LPG, as well as a shop, restaurant, showers, toilets, ATM and truck parking. Ampol Coober also offers Unleaded 91, Amplify 98 and Diesel, along with an ATM, BBQ gas, toilets, truck parking and a restaurant.
286km from Port Augusta | 254km from Coober Pedy
Fuel available 6am-8pm
The AMPM Glendambo Travelstop offers Unleaded 91, Premium Unleaded, Diesel and Premium Diesel, with a shop, restaurant, toilets, showers and truck parking available. Fuel is available 24 hours a day, making it a convenient stop for travellers covering the long distances between South Australia's major towns.
175km from Port Augusta | 368km from Coober Pedy
Fuel available 6am-10pm
The town is home to Spud's Roadhouse, which offers Unleaded 91, Unleaded 95, Premium Unleaded 98, Diesel and LPG. The roadhouse also has a shop, takeaway food, toilets, truck parking and a car wash. Spud's Roadhouse also provides accommodation, making Pimba a good place to stop overnight or take a longer break from the road. If you're turning off the Stuart Highway towards Woomera, be sure to fuel up in Pimba, as there is no fuel available in Woomera.
1,226km from Alice Springs | 542km from Coober Pedy
Fuel available 24/7
Port Augusta is a major refuelling and resupply point at the crossroads of the Stuart Highway, Eyre Highway and Augusta Highway. With numerous service stations throughout Port Augusta and Port Augusta West, travellers have plenty of opportunities to fill up before heading north into the outback.
Fuel options include Unleaded 91, Unleaded 95, Unleaded 98 and Diesel, with LPG also available at selected stations. Several larger truck stops offer high-flow Diesel, truck parking, showers, toilets and food, making Port Augusta particularly convenient for travellers towing caravans or travelling in larger vehicles
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