Visit for the day or set up camp in a national park and discover the sacred sites, diverse wildlife and spectacular landscapes of the Barkly region.
A number of national parks and conservation and historical reserves make for great adventures in and around Tennant Creek.
Devils Marbles
Be sure to take the time to visit Karlu Karlu (Devils Marbles), an enigmatic place of breathtaking beauty, featuring precarious piles of huge granite boulders, wide open skies and golden sunlight. Situated in the Devils Marbles Conservation Reserve, they’re known as Karlu Karlu in all four local Aboriginal languages.
Wander around the site along the network of informal walking tracks. Here you’ll find many species of local plants and animals and the large clumps of rocks create a variety of miniature refuges and sheltered environments for wildlife such as fairy martins and spiny-tailed goannas.
National parks & reserves around Tennant Creek
By the lagoon
A track within Connells Lagoon Conservation Reserve, established primarily for the conservation of Mitchell Grassland communities, provides access to native flora and fauna. The Parks and Wildlife Commission carried out a biological survey in the region finding 189 species of plants, nine mammal, 53 bird and 19 reptile species in and near the reserve – this place is nothing if not diverse! Local inhabitants include the red kangaroo, carnivorous marsupials such as the long-tailed planingale, several native rodents and the iconic dingo.
On the range
Spend a day out in the Davenport Ranges, which mark the boundary between the traditional lands of the Warumungu, Alyawarre and Kaytetye people. Their traditional connections with the land are strong and many artefacts can still be found in the area today.
Campers, nature lovers and 4WD enthusiasts will love the abundant four-wheel drive tracks, camping and picnic facilities, as well as walking trails and swimming spots. The area is an important refuge for fauna, especially water birds, owing to the extensive network of waterholes.
Park passes
To visit national parks and reserves around Tennant Creek and the Barkly Region, you may require a park pass. Find out more about passes and permits in the NT.
Camping
Both Davenport Ranges National Park and Devils Marbles Conservation Reserve have dedicated camping areas that can be booked online.
Find out more about camping around Tennant Creek.
