Alice Springs part of treasure-rich Outback Way linking WA and...

Alice Springs part of treasure-rich Outback Way linking WA and Qld

October 2, 2015 10:31am
Toyah ShakespeareNT News

NT Chief Minister Adam Giles and Deputy Prime Minister Warren Truss on the Plenty Highway at the announcement of $40 million of road funding to upgrade the Outback Way.

THE world’s biggest treasure trail is on the cards, passing through gemstone and mining hot spots and spanning thousands of kilometres, directly linking the sites to Alice Springs and Yulara.

The Outback Highway Development Council hosted its annual general meeting this week, with the proposed inland treasure trail a highlight of discussions.

The council continues to push for the sealing of the highway from Laverton in Western Australia to Winton in Queensland, set to link Perth to Cairns by 2025.

Outback Highway Development Council general manager Helen Lewis said the treasure trail concept generated by the Desert Knowledge Precinct had generated “quite a bit of interest”.

The treasure trail span between WA and Queensland and would pass through Yulara, Alice Springs, Gemtree and Harts Range in the Territory.

“It’s all about linking all the gemstones, the mining, the panning, you’ve got sapphires, gold, gemstones, opals,” she said.




“We want to reinvigorate the idea; ultimately it would be great to have the world’s biggest treasure hunt right along the Outback Way.
“People would find the tokens along the route with geocaching and when they arrive at the end of the route they can hand their tokens in and get the real deal.”
Ms Lewis said they would work with Australia’s Golden Outback, Tourism Central Australia, Outback Queensland Tourism and the Central Highlands Development Corporation on the project.

Gemtree Caravan Park owner Kate McMaster said they had thousands of visitors every year to check out their gemstones.
She said most people had to drive out of their way, coming from the Stuart Highway to their Plenty Highway location.

“If there was a sealed road to Queensland our business would quadruple,” she said.

Ms McMaster said a completed Outback Way would mean they could also access services from the east and west which would help make local shops more competitive with their online counterparts.
She said they had been in discussions about creation of the treasure trail on the highway.

“So people interested in mining, fossicking, gems, the treasures of our land, can come to a one-stop shop,” Ms McMaster said.

“It keeps us informed about what our peers are doing … so we won’t duplicate experiences with similar businesses, but rather enrich the journey.”

Ms Lewis said they had $60 million worth of projects for the next stage of the $500 million Outback Way “shovel-ready” and waiting funding, which would add to the $75 million Territory and Federal funding already being spent.

She said the second round of construction would include further works on the Docker River Road and entrances to development areas on the Plenty Highway.

“We’re going to Northern Australia Beef Roads Roundtable (today) to meet with the Deputy Prime Minister to discuss our allocation of the Beef Roads money,” she said.

Ms Lewis said a satellite-driven app, which would show distances and points of interest, had been allocated in their budget.

Ms Lewis said two mines currently seeking capitalisation along the Plenty Highway had been in touch.