Buchanan
NT 852 • Northern Territory
About Buchanan
Buchanan is a vast and remote locality in the Northern Territory, situated approximately 612 kilometres south of Darwin and around 473 kilometres south-west of Katherine. Named after pioneering drover Nathaniel Buchanan, who first drove cattle overland from Queensland to the Territory in 1877, the locality was gazetted in April 2007. Covering an extraordinary 24,253 square kilometres of outback pastoral land and Aboriginal Land Trust territory bordering Western Australia, Buchanan is one of Australia's most sparsely populated localities, with the 2021 Census recording just 80 residents.
The locality is bisected by the unsealed Buchanan Highway, which runs westward from Birdum on the Stuart Highway through some of Australia's most remote outback terrain before connecting with the Victoria Highway near Timber Creek. Pastoral stations and Aboriginal land make up virtually all of the area, with the surrounding landscape characterised by red-soil plains, savanna grasslands, and dry creek systems typical of the Top End's transition to the arid interior. Access is challenging and self-sufficient four-wheel drive travel is essential, with the nearest services found in Katherine, which offers hospitals, shops, and schools for the region.
Buchanan falls under postcode 852 and is governed by the local council Council (LGA). For state elections, residents vote in the Katherine electorate.
Location
Transport & Commute
Bus Services
- No scheduled bus services — N/A N/A
Commute to Darwin CBD
🛣️ Buchanan Highway is unsealed for its entire 393 km length; 4WD and fuel reserves are essential; nearest services are in Katherine
Buchanan is a vast remote outback locality with no services, no sealed roads within the locality, and no public transport of any kind
Supermarkets Nearby
No major supermarkets listed for this suburb.
Schools
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Buntine Highway