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Tennant Creek

Tennant Creek (Australia)

Practical information on Tennant Creek

  • Desert
  • Water Sports
  • Lake
  • Museums
  • Handicraft
  • Place or Historical Monument
  • Off the beaten track
2 / 5 - 2 reviews
How to get there
6.5 hours by car from Alice Springs
When to go
Between May and September
Minimum stay
One day

Reviews of Tennant Creek

Timothée D. Seasoned Traveller
285 written opinions

Tennant Creek is one of those few towns in the middle of nowhere, in the heart of the red desert of the Northern Territories.

My suggestion:
Avoid the summer when the temperatures exceed 40°C on a daily basis, and avoid all activity.
My review

Like so many other towns located in the heart of the desert and coming out of nowhere, Tennant Crook will impress some people and repel others. It's not really anything more than some metal shacks, side by side, which seem weak against the immensity of the surrounding desert, the heat and the wind. For those who live there, the town is hell and for others, people seem to stop there just for a few moments to stretch their legs, fill their car with petrol, and quench their thirst.

As with many of these towns in the middle of the desert, I found something of interest there spending a bit of time around those who live there daily, the 2000 inhabitants of Tennant Creek, to understand what it must be like to live in such a hostile place. A stop off point in Australia which can turn out to be interesting in short.

View of Tennant Creek's telegraph station
Lisa Gaillard Seasoned Traveller
49 written opinions

Tennant Creek is an isolated town in the northern territory, near Three Ways, where the roads to the south and west intersect. This town, founded for the mining of mineral deposits, particularly of gold, experienced a boom in the 1930s.

My suggestion:
On the road, stop off at the artificial lake of Mary Ann, visit the Nyinkka Nyunyu cultural centre to learn about aboriginal culture, and then see the mining centre of Battery Hill. Finally, don't miss the Devils Marbles in the south.
My review

I travelled the Stuart Highway from north to south, starting from Darwin. You no longer pay attention to the distances here - they can be very lengthy between two points of interest. There are not many sites to visit; just enjoy the changing reflections of the landscapes and soak up the atmosphere of this red land that strikes a sharp contrast with the deep blue sky!

After a night in a campsite and swimming in the clear waters of Bitter Springs, one of my first stops was the historic Daley Water pub (no less than 5 hours away, north of Tennant Creek). With bras suspended from wires and bank notes from all over the world covering the walls, this peculiar pub is unmissable! So, my second stop was Tennant Creek: the only town between Alice Springs (500 km to the south) and Katherine (1180 km to the north) where you can make a stopduring your long journey. A Tennant Creek, you're in aborigine territory. So take advantage of it to visit the interesting Nyinkka Nyunyu: the artistic and cultural centre of the area. With the mining centre, it is the main attraction of Tennant Creek. The town did not seem particularly hospitable to me. Fortunately, the Mary Ann dam, 5 km north of the city, is a real oasis, where you can cool off and do water sports in the middle of the burning desert.

For me, you don't go to Tennant Creek just for the visit. There are much better things to do during your trip to Australia, like visiting Darwin to the north or Alice Springs to the south. So, Tennant Creek is just a place for a stopover. Nevertheless, the region houses one of the geological wonders of Australia that you shouldn't miss on the road heading south: the famous Devils Marbles, only one hour away by car (just next door, given the distances here).

Landscapes of the Stuart Highway