What is the worst road you have ever driven on?

The 20 Worst Roads in Australia, According to RFTTE Members

What is the worst road you have ever driven on?

We asked the RFTTE community this simple question and hundreds of answers came rattling in.

There were corrugations deep enough to loosen your fillings, potholes capable of swallowing a small car, bull dust holes that could hide a vehicle and sealed highways that members reckoned were worse than the dirt tracks.

We went through the comments, grouped different spellings and sections of the same route, and counted the roads that were mentioned most often.

So, according to RFTTE members, here are 20 of the worst roads in Australia.

1. Bruce Highway, Queensland

The Bruce Highway was the runaway winner, or loser, depending on how you look at it. Members nominated sections from north of Gympie right through to Cairns, describing potholes, rough edges, endless roadworks and some seriously ordinary bitumen.

“The Bruce Highway north of Gympie. A billygoat track is better.” Lea Lee

“The Bruce Highway. Words can’t explain.” Chris Roker

2. Gibb River Road, Western Australia

The Gibb attracted plenty of nominations, particularly from travellers who tackled it before more sections were upgraded. Corrugations, sharp rocks and tyre damage featured heavily.

“Corrugations that bad you could eat a sandwich without chewing. You couldn’t go fast or slow, no use pulling up either.” John Bassingthwaighte

“Felt every bump, and I was in a helicopter.” Ian Hayes

3. Plenty Highway, Northern Territory and Queensland

The Plenty was repeatedly described as rough, remote and very hard on cars and caravans, especially after wet weather.

“The Plenty Highway. It will plenty wreck your car and off-road caravan!” Kirrily Gilby

4. Tanami Road, Northern Territory and Western Australia

The Tanami earned its place through relentless corrugations, bull dust, tyre damage and a reputation for shaking vehicles to pieces.

“Ask the truckie whose air conditioner dropped from the roof into the cab on the Tanami.” Viviene Patterson

5. Peninsula Developmental Road and Cape York roads, Queensland

Members mentioned the Peninsula Developmental Road, Laura to Coen, Coen to Weipa and other sections of the run to the Tip. Many remembered the journey before large sections were sealed.

“The Peninsula Development Road to Weipa with four decks of cattle. Corrugations were that bad one of the front shock absorbers caught alight.” Jim Mitchell

“Even the table drains have corrugations.” Rae Motter

“Don’t think it’s seen a grader since the 70s. Definitely should have worn a high-impact sports bra!” Matthew N Nakia Evans, describing the road between Batavia Station and the bitumen to Weipa.

6. Gunbarrel Highway, Western Australia

The Gunbarrel delivered one of the thread’s best survival stories. Ange Bowerman recalled friends taking three days to cover 600 kilometres. After cooking their only spaghetti and tomato sauce, dingoes ate the leftovers from the pan overnight. That left them with no food, no water and warm beer.

“A reminder to check road conditions first and carry water and food.” Ange Bowerman

7. Central Arnhem Road, Northern Territory

The road through Beswick and Bulman towards Nhulunbuy was repeatedly nominated for severe corrugations and tyre damage.

“Central Arnhem. Six tyres between Nhulunbuy and Katherine. Saved by Com Station. Forever grateful.” Peter Botsman

8. Hells Gate to Borroloola, Queensland and Northern Territory

The Savannah Way section around Hells Gate and Borroloola received plenty of short, decisive nominations. Apparently, those who know it do not need many words.

“Hells Gate to Borroloola.” Julia Francis

9. Kalumburu Road, Western Australia

Whether wet or dry, the road north from the Gibb towards Kalumburu and Mitchell Plateau was a regular nomination.

“Kalumburu Road in the wet or dry season.” Eugene G McMahon

10. Bourke to Wanaaring Road, New South Wales

Several members remembered the old road before sealing and upgrades. The corrugations made a lasting impression, sometimes on the vehicle itself.

“Shook the engine mounts loose on my Holden ute.” Justine Gilby-Wilson

“Lucky to still have all my teeth.” Rod Onus

11. Hughenden roads, Queensland

Hughenden to Muttaburra, Richmond and Winton were all nominated, along with the Hughenden end of the Developmental Road.

“Hughenden Developmental Road 13 years ago, tackled in an HSV Clubsport R8.” Shayne Doherty

That may not have been the ideal vehicle, but full marks for commitment.

12. Road into Purnululu and the Bungle Bungles, Western Australia

The access road into Purnululu National Park was called slow, rough and a genuine shocker, although most agreed the destination was worth the punishment.

“Two and a half hours to do 70 kilometres.” Mark Dorrington

13. Great Central Road, Western Australia and Northern Territory

The Great Central Road earned nominations for corrugations and the damage they inflicted on vehicles heading across the centre.

“Rattled me old Luxxy to bits going to the Finke one year.” Ben Abel

14. Birdsville Track and Birdsville Developmental Road

The roads into Birdsville have changed greatly over the years, but older trips and wet-weather journeys still produced plenty of memorable stories.

“The Birdsville Track 40 years ago in a Volvo station wagon was a better road!” Nigel Minton, comparing it with a rough road near Maningrida.

15. Strzelecki Track, South Australia

The Strzelecki featured for its combination of corrugations, rough surfaces and bull dust.

“Corrugated and rough as hell.” Gwen Hogben

16. Stuart Highway, Mereenie Loop and the old roads around Uluru

Members recalled the Stuart Highway, the Mereenie Loop and the old unsealed roads around Uluru and Kata Tjuta before modern upgrades.

“The kangaroos could camp in the shade of the corrugations in the middle of the day.” Les Cahill

“The loop road from Kings Creek Station to Alice Springs. The corrugations had shadows in them.” Lyle Withers

17. Canning Stock Route, Western Australia

Not every section was nominated, but the rough parts sounded properly brutal.

“Corrugations eight inches deep, 10 to 12 inches apart. Five kilometres per hour.” Matt Ledger

18. Duncan Road, Western Australia and Northern Territory

The Duncan Road around Halls Creek and the WA and NT border also collected several votes from members familiar with the region.

“The Duncan Highway, just over the NT and WA border!” Edwina Hick

19. Woody Woody and Telfer Road, Western Australia

Truck drivers who knew this Pilbara road in the 1990s remembered deep corrugations, cap rock, broken axles and shredded tyres.

“Nine-inch truck corrugations with lots of cap rock. Unforgettable road.” Kenno Oldfield

“The rocks slice tyres into tiny pieces.” Ernest Cleghorn

20. Anne Beadell Highway, South Australia and Western Australia

The Anne Beadell rounded out the top 20 with descriptions of deep corrugations, damaged trailers and more than 1,300 kilometres of punishment.

“Coober Pedy to Laverton, 1,325 kilometres of torture.” Warren Wazza Cranston

Honourable mentions

The Sandover Highway, Savannah Way, Mitchell Plateau Road, Cameron Corner routes, Moonie Highway, Leichhardt Highway, Gregory Developmental Road, Cape Leveque Road and the road into Lorella Springs all received nominations too.

Then there were the members who took a slightly different approach:

“The road to work every morning. New bitumen, smooth drive, minimal congestion, takes too short a time and ends at WORK!” Kris Anne

“Any road into a cemetery!” Garry Monroe

“The road to my mother-in-law’s place.” Warren Parrish

“The one to work, but it’s better in the other direction.” Darren Spillane

More classic RFTTE road descriptions

Some roads did not make the Top 20, but the descriptions were simply too good to leave out.

“The cream in the milk bottle had turned to butter when we stopped for a cuppa, before we even got there!” Sandy Hatton, describing Wombeyan Caves Road.

“My Fitbit said I did 15,000 steps travelling in the car!” Melissa Royle

“Lost a carton of beer from the corrugations. Popped all the caps off.” Paul Reid, describing Stanage Bay Road.

“I don’t really remember the road, but I remember Dad’s bad language. If that was a gauge, I reckon it was pretty bad.” Mick Kelly, recalling the old Charleville to Quilpie road.

Which road deserves the number one spot?

This list is based on the roads mentioned most often by members in one RFTTE Facebook discussion. It is not an official road-quality survey, and conditions can change quickly after rain, flooding, heavy traffic, maintenance or a visit from the grader.

But one thing is clear: RFTTE members have travelled some seriously ordinary roads and come home with some very good yarns.

What is the worst road you have ever driven on, and what happened?

Read the original discussion and join the yarn on the RFTTE Facebook Group.
or email us your worst road contender and why.

Road names, alternative spellings and connected sections were grouped where appropriate. Comments have been lightly edited for spelling, punctuation and readability. Always check current road conditions and official closures before travelling in remote areas. And if there are any mistakes re name spelling locations of roads etc, we apologise and be sure to let us correct them by emailing us above.