Buntine Highway upgrades

The Australian and Northern Territory Governments are upgrading the Buntine Highway.

This is a $125 million project, jointly funded over ten years from 2019 ($100 million from the Australian Government and $25 million from the Northern Territory Government).

Aim

The upgrades will improve access for remote communities in the Katherine and Victoria River regions to:

• health and education services
• fresh produce
• job opportunities
• social and cultural connections.

Upgrading the Buntine Highway will also assist in the growth and future development of industries such as tourism, mining and the pastoral sector along the corridor.

The overall objectives for the upgrade of the Buntine Highway are to:

• increase safety
• support regional and local economic development
• improve freight efficiency, connectivity and travel time
• support Indigenous employment
• respect culture and country.

The funding available will address key priorities along the route.

Project update

Stage 4 (10km to 26.5km)

• Design is due for completion in Q4 2026.
• Construction tender to be released in Q1 2027.
• Construction due to commence in Q3 2027 and be completed in 2028.

Stage 5 (256.7km to 300.0km)

• Design is due for completion in Q4 2026.
• Construction tender to be released in Q1 2027.
• Construction due to commence in Q3 2027 and be completed in 2029.

Contact

For more information, email transport.infrastructure@nt.gov.au.