 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 of 4,000 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 café.
Lake Mary Ann, five kilometres from Tennant Creek, is a great place for a swim or picnic. Barbeque 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.
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