The access road for the Trans Australia Railway runs from Kalgoorlie in Western Australia to Glendambo in South Australia, a distance of 1385 kilometres. It is the seventh longest road in Australia and the fourth longest in Western Australia.

In Western Australia the access road is on the south side of the railway and continues on this alignment until Barton in South Australia. Between Tarcoola and Kingoonya the road crosses the railway numerous times, eventually being routed on the north side through to Glendambo. From Kalgoorlie it is about 100 metres distant from the railway. East of Rawlinna it is immediately adjacent to the railway. From Ooldea to Glendambo it shares the name Tarcoola Road. The Trans Access Road does not continue to terminus of the railway in Port Augusta.

At no point along the route does the Trans Access Road cross a permanent watercourse.

The Trans Access Road is the service road for pastoral stations between Kalgoorlie and Rawlinna. Western Australian pastoral stations east of Rawlinna are serviced from the south.

Telstra Track

Telstra upgraded (relative term) their access track when they upgraded their communication link for the railway in the late 1980s. It would appear that no maintenance has been made on the track since that time. This track is about 50-80 metres south of the railway and only becomes important east of Rawlinna as the Trans Access Road degrades. On a couple of occasions the Telstra Track melds into the Trans Access Road and it is necessary to go cross country to get away from the railway.

Because the Telstra Track hasn’t been maintained it is in very poor condition. It is very tempting to use the track alongside the railway – don’t do it.

Fuel/Water/Phone

Kalgoorlie
641 km
Forrest (about a 50% premium on Kalgoorlie prices)
718 km
Kingoonya (card operated pump behind hotel)

Water is available at Rawlinna and Forrest.

End to end Telstra connectivity.

Use of the Access Road

There is a lot of chatter on various websites, forums and groups about permission to use the Trans Access Road. If only the layout of the two tracks that follow the railway was better explained the answer would be clearer. Most, if not all, of the discussion is totally irrelevant because it is unwise in the extreme to use the Trans Access Road east of Rawlinna for these reasons:

It is littered with dog spikes and other metal nasties and you WILL get a puncture and/or damage your vehicle/bike.

It is immediately adjacent to the railway and any loose straps from the railway trucks flailing about (happens) could have devastating consequences.

The owners/managers of the Trans Access Road, ARTC, state that they don’t want travellers/tourists driving on it.

Telstra has built a track parallel (sort of) to the south of the railway. It is crap but there is no issue in using it. When you are bouncing around at 10 km/h –  suck it up. Stay on this track.  You will get to your destination.

Remains of Prisoner of War Camp at Nurina

One of the most interesting sites (and sights) along the Trans Access Road is at Nurina. It was one of six World War II Prisoner of War sub camps along the Trans Line, headquartered at Cook. It was officially known as the Cook POW Labour Camp No. 3 POW Labour Detachment. In April 1942, approximately 300 Italian prisoners of war/internees were put to work on the Trans Australian Railway to expedite sleeper renewals between Watson and Rawlinna. More information.

The Trans Australia Railway

Australia’s longest single railway runs 1693 kilometres across the arid Nullarbor from Port Augusta, South Australia to Kalgoorlie in Western Australia. It forms part of the Indian Pacific ‘experiential’ journey from Perth to Sydney. The railway has the longest straight of any railway in the world – 478 kilometres from near Ooldea/Watson – 30°28′10″S, 131°37′37″E (-30.4695, 131.6271) – in South Australia to near Nurina/Loongana – 30°58′33″S, 126°40′07″E (-30.9759, 126.6685) – in Western Australia.

Sidings of the Trans Australia Railway

There are 22 sidings along the Western Australian section of the Trans Australia Railway, most of them disused.

Sidings of the Trans Australia Railway.

Time and Distance Information

 

Download GPX File 0033-trans-access-road

 

 

© Kim Epton 2026

748 words, three photographs.

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