Expressions of interest now open for historic Barkly region roadhouse

One of the Territory’s best-known roadhouses is expected to change hands in the next few months, just in time for Central Australia’s peak tourist season.

THE iconic Threeways Roadhouse is up for sale for the first time since 2009.

The landmark first sold fuel in the 1960s from a 44 gallon drum until, in 1972, Shell developed the present site including the roadhouse.

Located on a key strategic junction of the Stuart and Barkly highways, Threeways Roadhouse is being sold by Colliers.

Threeways benefits from high capture rates of northbound traffic coming from Queensland as well as traffic travelling between Adelaide and Darwin.

According to Colliers the long-established business has achieved significant success in the provision of fuel, takeaway food and drinks and restaurant food sales.

The licensed premises has a newly built beer garden, take-away liquor outlet and accommodation rooms catering to backpackers, budget and deluxe travellers.

The roadhouse also has campgrounds offering powered and unpowered sites.

Improvements to the site include a main roadhouse building with fuel canopy and forecourt, shop, restaurant, bar, beer garden and tourist room.

Accommodation includes 26 rooms, staff accommodation, swimming pool, ablution block, laundry and workshop.

The Roadhouse has 30 powered sites, unlimited unpowered sites, 18 budget rooms, 26 deluxe rooms, three new family rooms and five backpacker rooms.

Staff accommodation includes six one bedroom studio apartments.

Built on an allotment of 5.9ha, Threeways is approximately 25km north of Tennant Creek, 530km north of Alice Springs and about 975km south of Darwin.

Threeways is securely leased on a long-term basis and is currently subject to a 5-year-lease with four by five year options.

Threeways Roadhouse is up for sale with Colliers International. Picture: Supplied.

The initial term of the lease commenced in July 2011 and the current lease term expires in July 2026, with a further option to 2031.

Colliers urged potential buyers to note the surge in Australia’s regional self-drive holiday market.

“The sector has experienced unprecedented growth and demand. This activity is projected to have continued positive impacts on the performance on the Threeways business, which has a long history of catering to self drive tourism markets.”

The Roadhosues’ fuel contract with Shell expires in 2024.

The service station has two premium bowsers, one Opal bowser, three diesel bowsers including two fast flow pumps LPG access and ad blue diesel exhaust fluid.

Shell Australia is scheduled to install a 24-hour credit card payment facility.

Mains supply power is sourced from Tennant Creek power station, dam water from local catchments and there is an on-site septic system.

There are a variety of recreational opportunities including bushwalking, cycling, camping, fossicking, birdwatching and four-wheel drive adventuring.

Collier’s pitch singles out a number of prospective infrastructure projects which are anticipated to boost economic activity in the area including the $30bn Suncable project, the $800m Mount Isa pipeline and an estimated $6bn in Barkly region mining projects.

Passing rent has increased by $100,000 over the past 16 years, up from $260,000 per year in 2006, increasing to $361,440 in January this year.

Colliers is offering Threeways for sale via an Expressions of Interest campaign which closes at 4pm on March 30.

In 2020 Threeways Roadhouse received $150,000 from the Northern Territory Government’s Roadhouse to Recovery fund. The money was used to build a new family cabin, accommodation, a children’s playground and swimming pool.