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Karlu Karlu Devils Marbles at sunset — Image credit: Tourism NT

Natural Attractions

Karlu Karlu / Devils Marbles Conservation Reserve

Discover ancient granite boulders that seem to have dropped from the wide blue skies of the Barkly Tablelands, 95km south of Tennant Creek. Wander around Karlu Karlu / Devils Marbles where you’ll find boulders that are precariously balanced and defying gravity, scattered across a wide, shallow valley. The Devils Marbles are a sacred site known as Karlu Karlu in the language of the traditional owners the Warumungu people. Formed over millions of years, they continue to crack and erode making for a unique view each time you visit. Take your time to explore the region’s most famous landmark. Follow the walkways and learn via the information boards how the granite formations have withstood the eroding forces of wind and rain, unlike the surrounding sandstone. The fascinating geological marvel can be explored through a short self-guided walking trail with informative signage. The Karlu Karlu/Devils Marbles Conservation Reserve offers a scenic bush camping area with fireplaces. Stay the night to ensure you’re there at sunset, the most dramatic time to experience the area. Camping fees apply and campsites must be booked online before you arrive.

Tennant Creek NT

7.8 km away

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Natural Attractions

Iytwelepenty / Davenport Ranges National Park

A place of quiet beauty, the Iytwelepenty / Davenport Ranges National Park encompasses 1,120 square kilometres of the Davenport Ranges, north-east of Alice Springs. The park is bordered by the pastoral leases of Elkedra, Kurundi, Murray Downs, and Singleton and the Anurrete Aboriginal Land Trust. See the Amelia Creek crater, an eroded remnant of a former impact crater. Pitch a tent at one of three camping spots - camping fees apply and campsites must be booked online before you arrive. Enjoy a swim at the Old Police Station Waterhole which can be reached via Kurundi/ Epenara (high clearance vehicle required) or alternatively via the Taylor's Creek track (four-wheel drive vehicle required). Four-wheel drive enthusiasts can test their skills on some very demanding tracks. Look for water birds in this important refuge and discover the ecological importance of this network of waterholes. Learn about the strong and extensive Aboriginal associations within the area. The Davenport Ranges mark the boundary between the traditional lands of the Warumungu, Alyawarre and Kaytetye people. Artefacts relating to earlier occupancy remain and 'Dreamtime' or creation stories remain strong among Aboriginal people who retain traditional associations with the land.

Tennant Creek NT

92 km away

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The memorial to John McDouall Stuart’s 1860 expedition to traverse the continent south to north.

Historical Sites and Heritage Locations

Attack Creek Historical Reserve Memorial

The Attack Creek Memorial is situated on the Attack Creek Historical Reserve, located on the Stuart Highway 74 kilometres north of Tennant Creek. The memorial recalls that 'On 25 June 1860 John McDouall Stuart and his two companions William Kekwick and Benjamin Head reached Attack Creek the most northerly point of that expedition. Hostile natives and illness forced the party to return'. A short walk down the creek from the monument you can see where the old Stuart Highway once ran to the east of the current road. Named by John McDouall Stuart following a rare confrontation with Warumungu Aboriginal people over dwindling water supplies in 1871. Attack Creek is marked by a road-side memorial stonework cairn surrounded by a steel post and chain fence. A rest/camping area with toilets, bins and picnic shelters has been established near the memorial for travellers along the Stuart Highway.

Tennant Creek NT

94 km away

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Natural Attractions

Bill Allen Lookout

For sweeping 360-degree panoramic views of Tennant Creek and this unique, Central Australian district, make a stop at Bill Allen Lookout. It's situated just past the Battery Hill Mining Centre. The lookout is named after a well-known local identity Bill Allen. There are plaques to help identify and interpret significant local sites.

Tennant Creek NT

94 km away

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The entry to the centre — Image credit: Julalikari Council Aboriginal Corporation

Galleries, Museums and Collections

Nyinkka Nyunyu Art and Culture Centre

Nyinkka Nyunyu (pronounced ny-ink-a ny-oo ny-oo) is a fascinating art centre/gallery and culture museum, which provides visitors the opportunity to immerse themselves in local Warumungu culture, to learn about Aboriginal life, history and land in the Tennant Creek region. Located on Warumungu land, on the main street of Tennant Creek, the precinct includes the sacred site of the Nyinkka (spiky tailed goanna). Surrounding the sacred site are arid-zone gardens featuring local bush tucker and bush medicine plants. A visit through the museum shares uses of these plants, along with a selection of dioramas handcrafted by Warumungu artists to reflect their rich and diverse history. Follow your tour with a relaxing visit to Nyinkka Cafe, renowned for good coffee, then browse the local artwork, crafts, books and CDs in the retail area. One of the key benefits of a visit to their Centre is the chance to mingle with knowledgeable local Warumungu, who will take the time for a chat with you. They welcome you to learn about their ways, and look forward to meeting you.

Tennant Creek NT

94 km away

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Galleries, Museums and Collections

Battery Hill Gold Mining and Heritage Centre

Step back in time at the Battery Hill Gold Mining & Heritage Centre, where Tennant Creek's rich gold mining history comes to life. Situated at the site of the historic No. 3 Government Gold Stamp Battery, a key landmark of the 1930s gold rush, the centre immerses you in the pioneering spirit that shaped the region. Explore displays of heritage mining equipment and vintage vehicles, revealing the resilience and ingenuity of early miners. Go beneath the surface on the Underground Mine Tour, an immersive experience that takes you through a recreated mining tunnel. Learn about the evolution of mining techniques, from the 1930s gold rush to semi-modern methods, as you walk through dimly lit shafts and encounter authentic equipment. The centre also boasts three fascinating museum exhibits: Freedom, Fortitude and Flies, which tells the stories of Tennant Creek's early pioneers; The Borella ANZAC Story, celebrating the heroism of Albert Borella; and the McLaughlin Minerals Collection, showcasing dazzling mineral specimens from across the world. Perched on a scenic ridge, the centre offers breathtaking views of Tennant Creek and its outback landscape. This is more than just a museum – it's an unforgettable journey into the heart of Australia's gold mining heritage, providing insight into the history, science, and adventure that defined the region.

Tennant Creek NT

95 km away

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The mud hut building is used as a kiosk / bar for guests and visitors.

Historical Sites and Heritage Locations

Banka Banka Mud Hut

The homestead is a single storey, rectangular building measuring about 6.9m x 10.6m with a pitched roof consisting of a timber roof frame and corrugated metal roof sheeting, mudbrick walls, concrete floors, surrounded by a 2.7m wide verandah supported by concrete posts. The building consists of three rooms, each measuring about 3.1m x 6.3m; one is used as a bar/kiosk, and the remaining two rooms are currently empty. The mudbrick homestead has substantial social value for its associations with the Wards, particularly Mrs Mary Ward, known as the `Missus of Banka Banka', who was renowned for her hospitality as well as her work with Aboriginal families and children, particularly in the area of education. Together the Wards made a substantial contribution to the development of the NT in the mining and pastoral sectors through their ownership and development of the Blue Moon mine and Banka Banka station.

Tennant Creek NT

95 km away

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Remnants of the well — Image credit: Heritage Branch, NT Government

Historical Sites and Heritage Locations

Bonney Well

Bonney Well is one of only three remaining stock wells on the North-South Stock Route with stone dumps intact. The Well and associated remains are a good representative example of a government-built stock well constructed during the late 19th century. First dug in 1878-79 by the expedition overlanding cattle and sheep to Springvale by Arthur and Alfred Giles, Bonney Well was deepened between 1883 and 1884. A stone dump and whip system were added in 1892. The whip system no longer remains but the stone dump, tank stand and evidence of the location of troughing from this era are present. The bore, windmill and tank installed in the late 1930s and a later cement tank provide a good example of that era in the Territory's industrial heritage when bores replaced wells as the principal means of water supply for stock.

Tennant Creek NT

95 km away

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The second, 3-roomed building at the site, showing evidence of vandalism and poor restoration.

Historical Sites and Heritage Locations

Powell Creek Telegraph Station

Powell Creek Telegraph Station is of great significance, both nationally and for the NT because it is a tangible reminder of the remarkable feat of constructing about 3000kms of Overland Telegraph Line from Port Augusta to Darwin which saw the end of Australia's isolation from the rest of the world. The site includes a number of features including three buildings, a grave, line of telegraph poles, artefact scatter and a well. The main building, constructed between 1875 and 1884, has a hip roof, central core of four rooms surrounded by a partly enclosed verandah with a detached ablution block located to the west of the building. Prior to 1884 the second wing of the original station complex was lost or demolished and the current building constructed to replace it. The second wing is a three-roomed random rubble structure with skillion roof that has been extended with stone and stud walls to create an extra three rooms. A verandah is located on the eastern side of the building. The final building comprises a three-roomed random rubble structure with a corrugated galvanised iron gable roof and verandahs on the western and eastern sides that were added at a later date.

Tennant Creek NT

95 km away

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Tuxworth Fullood House Front — Image credit: NT National Trust

Galleries, Museums and Collections

Tuxworth Fullwood House, Tenant Creek

Discover one of Tennant Creek's most significant heritage buildings. Built in 1940-1941 as an extension of the original Tennant Creek Hospital. During 1942 to 1945 it was transferred to the Australian Army for military use as the No.55 Australian Camp Hospital. Tuxworth-Fullwood House is the last surviving building of the historic hospital complex. Designed by renowned Northern Territory architect B.C.G. Burnett. Explore historical displays, photographs and artefacts showcasing the people and events that shaped Tennant Creek and the Barkly. Discover information relating to the region's First Nations history and culture, the Overland Telegraph Line, Australia's Last Gold Rush, early explorers, pioneering families, and the men and women whose determination built the community.

Tennant Creek NT

95 km away

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Parks and Gardens

Tingkkarli/Lake Mary Ann

Tingkkarli/Lake Mary Ann is a cool oasis, located five kilometres north of Tennant Creek. This man-made lake was created to provide a water supply for the local town of Tennant Creek and is a pleasant surprise in a rugged Central Australian environment, offering an ideal picnic spot for locals and tourists alike. The area is large enough to allow swimming or canoeing and is surrounded by landscaped grassy areas with shaded shelters and barbecue facilities, as well as natural bushland. A bicycle path meanders from Tennant Creek township out to the lake.

Tennant Creek NT

99 km away

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