Tennant Creek Destination-Information Listings
Barkly Tablelands Area
The Barkly Tablelands run northeast of Tennant Creek and are an enormous expanse of golden Mitchell grasslands divided into vast cattle stations. This land of big skies and far horizons gives a true sense of the outback. The Barkly is known for the epic cattle drives of yesteryear that passed through the area en route to Queensland.
Today the stock route is the Overlander’s Way (Barkly Highway) and is plied by mighty road trains and visitors alike. Standing alone in this ocean of Mitchell grass is the wayside inn of Barkly Homestead on the junction of the Barkly and Tablelands Highway. It provides a welcome respite on the long drive to or from Queensland.
Tennant Creek
From its rough and tumble beginnings as a gold rush and cattle town, Tennant Creek has become an important regional centre. Located 507 kilometres north of Alice Springs the town has a population around 3,000 and is the main service centre for the Barkly Tablelands and the sprawling cattle stations there.
Tennant Creek’s gold rush of the 1930s was the last in Australia’s history and was at one time the third largest gold producer in the country. Visitors to Tennant Creek today can take a tour through an underground mine where various mining techniques and devices from throughout history are on display and in some cases demonstrated.
The excellent Nyinkka Nyunyu Art and Cultural Centre provides a useful insight into Aboriginal history and culture of this region. Local arts and crafts are on sale and the centre has a great cafe.
Tingkkarli / Lake Mary Ann, five kilometres from Tennant Creek, is a great place for a swim or picnic. Barbecue facilities, safe swimming areas, bushwalking tracks and wildlife watching areas are all available and you can reach it by the cycle path from town.
Built in 1872, the Tennant Creek Telegraph Station is a collection of historic stone buildings that functioned as an important part of the Overland Telegraph Line that linked Australia with the outside world. The station, 11 kilometres north of town and has a self-guided walk with interpretative signage on the region's telegraph communications and pastoral history. The station is particularly beautiful just before sunset where the golden light that the region is known for lights up the stone walls.
Tennant Creek and Surrounds
The Tennant Creek region is centred on the junction of two great highways, the Barkly Highway and the Stuart Highway. It encompasses the sprawling Barkly Tablelands and has a rich gold mining history. With a population of 3,000, Tennant Creek is an important supply and service centre for outlying cattle stations on the Barkly Tablelands. Located some 500 kilometres north of Alice Springs and around 1,000 kilometres south of Darwin, the town has a diverse history shaped by Aboriginal culture, pastoralism and gold mining.
About 100 kilometres south of Tennant Creek is the region's most spectacular landmark, the Karlu Karlu / Devils Marbles Conservation Reserve. The Karlu Karlu / Devils Marbles are made up of thousands of huge, precariously balanced boulders. Local indigenous people believe these mysterious rock spheres are the eggs of the Dreamtime’s Rainbow Serpent. Kunjarra / The Pebbles, a miniature version of the Marbles, is a short drive north of Tennant Creek and are worth a visit also.
There is much to explore in the Tennant Creek region. Small towns, such as Wycliffe Well (which is famous for numerous UFO sightings), Ti Tree (servicing several Aboriginal communities), Newcastle Waters (a historic settlement that is now virtually a ghost town) and Elliott (established during World War II as a camp for troops) provide an opportunity to enjoy the unique character of the outback.
The Davenport Ranges, accessed via the Barkly Highway, are an ideal spot for camping, bushwalking and four-wheel driving. A great way to explore the region is via the Overlander’s Way tourism drive, which links Tennant Creek and Townsville through the Barkly Tablelands. The Overlander’s Way follows the footsteps of pioneering cattlemen, and provides a unique insight into a bygone era.
Tennant Creek Area
Tennant Creek is known for its gold mining history. The surrounding region, the Barkly Tablelands, is characterised by wide plains and vast skies, and with a population of 3,000, Tennant Creek is the main service centre for the area.
Located 507 kilometres north of Alice Springs and around 1,000 kilometres south of Darwin, the town has a diverse history, shaped by Aboriginal culture, pastoralism and gold mining.
The site of Australia’s last major gold rush in the 1930s, Tennant Creek’s rich mining history can be explored in the Battery Hill Mining Centre. The Nyinkka Nyunyu Art and Culture Centre is an award winning museum and gallery showcasing the culture of the traditional Aboriginal owners of the area, the Warumungu people. Travellers can stop at a character filled outback pub or roadhouse for an insight into a unique lifestyle shaped by isolation. Enjoy a swim in Tingkkarli / Lake Mary Ann, explore the historic Overland Telegraph Line, built in 1872, and spend a couple of star filled nights in Tennant Creek area for a truly unique Territory experience.
The mysterious rock spheres of the nearby Karlu Karlu / Devils Marbles Conservation Reserve, located 100 kilometres south of Tennant Creek, are one of the Outback’s iconic attractions.