Plan Book Travel Australia

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 4,000, 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 Devils Marbles Conservation Reserve. The 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. 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.