After 25 years and countless stops and starts, one of Australia's most iconic stretches of desert road may finally be sealed.
In Tuesday night's budget, the federal government confirmed it would fund sealing the remainder of the Outback Way, also known as Australia's longest shortcut.
Running from Laverton in Western Australia to Winton in Queensland, via the Northern Territory’s Red Centre, more than half of the 2,700-kilometre drive remains unpaved.
Outback Highway Development Council (OHDC) general manager Helen Lewis welcomed the government's $678 million investment — a budget commitment made by the previous Coalition government and carried through by Labor.
"It's a moment in history," she said.
"We now have a national bipartisan project that is going to be finished, and it's going to connect the nation."
25 years in the making
Each year, thousands of tourists and truckers are drawn to the well-worn track, which passes by dozens of outback towns and remote communities.
First envisioned by Laverton Shire president Patrick Hill in 1997, the idea gained the support of local councils along the route, and the OHDC was formed the following year.
"I've been working on this project for 20 years, so it's certainly a huge result," Ms Lewis said.
"[With] all the previous ministers, the councillors, the mayors, the CEOs — there are just so many people who've been involved with making this project a reality."
She believed the final portion of road could be sealed within the next five years "if we just keep going".
A game changer for tourism
In Central Australia, the Outback Way was not the only major infrastructure project promised in the budget — a further $740 million was pledged to upgrade the Tanami Road and Central Arnhem Road, as well as funding to pave the scenic Mereenie Loop.
Tourism Central Australia chief executive Danial Rochford said the funding commitments were the result of many years of advocacy.
"With the announcements … it will only prove that all roads lead to Alice Springs, and that's going to be a boon for the drive tourism market," he said.
"People will be able to go from anywhere in Australia to Alice Springs with their caravan … and what we know is grey nomads spend money and they spend money in our local economy, and that's going to be great for our future."
Mr Rochford said while he could not be sure how Australia's inflation pressures would impact the final cost of the projects, he believed the government had looked at the costings "very closely".
Since 1997, more than $1 billion has been poured into the Outback Way to upgrade and seal the route.
