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Major city · Australia

Tennant Creek

One night on the Stuart Highway, not a base: see the Telegraph Station and Nyinkka Nyunyu, then drive on. Two nights only if you 4WD to Davenport Range.

Weather
see forecast
Currency
AUD
Best months
May–Sep (dry, cooler nights)
avoid Nov–Mar (40 °C+ days, wet-season road closures north)
Airport
TCA
Nights
1
Not field-verifiedbasic guide
Print / PDF guide
3 pages, for the metro and roaming-off days
Map
Google Maps Apple Maps Street View
Rules in force · 7
  • Oceania ↗Oceania's island states guard their farms and reefs at the border: tick 'yes' on the arrival card for any food, plant, animal product, soil or used outdoor gear, and let the officer decide.
  • Oceania ↗Across the tropical South Pacific, cyclones are possible from November to April: choose insurance that covers weather delays and keep one spare night before a long-haul departure.
  • Australia and New Zealand ↗Both countries drive on the left, with long distances between fuel stops in the outback and on New Zealand's back roads; fatigue causes more visitor crashes than speed.
  • Australia ↗Almost every visitor needs a visa or an electronic authorisation (ETA or eVisitor, depending on passport) before boarding: apply only through the official Department of Home Affairs site or the official AustralianETA app, and check the rules for your passport.
  • Australia ↗Declare all food, plant material, seeds, wood and animal products on your arrival declaration; undeclared items can bring on-the-spot fines or visa cancellation. When unsure, declare it.
  • Australia ↗Drive on the left. An overseas licence in English (or with an official translation or International Driving Permit) is accepted for visitors; check the state rules and your rental contract.
  • Australia ↗Swim between the red and yellow flags on patrolled beaches; rip currents cause most beach drownings.

Tennant Creek is a small town on the Explorer's Way, 500 km north of Alice Springs and 1,000 km south of Darwin, in Warumungu country. It exists for travellers as a fuel, food and bed stop between Alice and Darwin, with a gold-mining past, an Aboriginal culture centre and granite outcrops north and south. The town itself is walkable in an hour; everything else needs a car. Crime is a real concern here, so plan your arrival in daylight and keep the evening short.

Essentials

Quick answers and what things cost

Quick answers

The questions people ask first about Tennant Creek, one line each. Tap a card for the full answer.

Cost cheat-sheet

2026 desk estimate · check

Typical prices for the everyday things, as ranges. Your currency is shown next to the local price.

  • CoffeeA$5–7 (≈ US$4–5)
  • Museum or sight ticketMuseum or culture-centre entryTelegraph Station free; Nyinkka Nyunyu and Tuxworth Fullwood House charge entry (check)A$0–20 (≈ US$0–14)
  • Budget bedCaravan-park cabin (up to 4), a night, per roomA$130 (≈ US$90)
  • Mid-range bedMotel double room, a night, per roomA$150 (≈ US$100)
  • High-end bedMotel double room, a night, per roomA$200 (≈ US$140)

A day, not counting the bed: Budget A$90 (≈ US$60) · Mid A$160 (≈ US$110) · High A$260 (≈ US$180)

Local prices, with USD next to them (rates 2026-09 (approximate); change it in the header). Ranges are desk estimates: check locally. Every price and the budget calculator →

Decide

What it is known for, and when the weather works

At a glance

What the city is known for, how you fly in, and where to find the phrases.

Nyinkka Nyunyu Culture CentreTennant Creek Telegraph Station (1872)Kunjarra (The Pebbles)Gold-mining historyWarumungu country
Airports
TCA Tennant Creek Airport (Charter and some scheduled services from Darwin or Alice Springs; no regular jet service. Check current operators.)

Weather and climate

Forecast from Open-Meteo · averages rounded

Tennant Creek: next 7 days

Loading forecast…

Forecast: Open-Meteo (CC BY 4.0), model data for this point.

Air quality

Loading…

Model estimate (CAMS via Open-Meteo), not a street-level station; readings near busy roads run higher.

Jan

37°C

24°C

9 rd

Feb

36°C

24°C

9 rd

Mar

34°C

22°C

7 rd

Apr

31°C

18°C

3 rd

May

27°C

13°C

2 rd

Jun

24°C

9°C

1 rd

Jul

24°C

8°C

1 rd

Aug

27°C

10°C

1 rd

Sep

31°C

14°C

2 rd

Oct

34°C

19°C

4 rd

Nov

36°C

22°C

6 rd

Dec

37°C

24°C

8 rd

High / low °C · rd = rain days

Arrive & move

Airports are listed under At a glance; this is how to move once you are in

Getting around

The town is small enough to walk end to end in about 20 minutes. A car is required for the Telegraph Station, Kunjarra, Mary Ann Dam and Davenport Range. Fuel up here: the next reliable stops are 250 km north (Elliott) and 200 km south (Barrow Creek).

See & do

Day-trips, door to door

Day-trips

Door-to-door, not ride time

Tennant Creek Telegraph Station

go

Door to door: About 30 min return plus visit

Drive 10 km north on the Stuart Highway

1872 stone buildings, free entry; go early or late for the light and the heat.

Kunjarra (The Pebbles)

go

Door to door: About 45 min return plus visit

Drive 10 km north; the dirt road starts opposite the Telegraph Station

Sacred Warumungu women's site; stay on the marked ground and don't climb the boulders.

Mary Ann Dam Recreation Lake

go

Door to door: About 20 min each way

Drive 5 km north via the Stuart Highway

Picnic and swim spot; free entry. Best in the cooler months.

Davenport Range National Park

caution

Door to door: Half a day or more

87 km south off the Explorer's Way, then high-clearance 4WD to the Old Police Station Waterhole

The Frew River loop is a rocky 17 km 4WD track for experienced drivers only; check conditions first.

Banka Banka Station

overnight

Door to door: About 1 h 15 min each way

Drive 100 km north on the Stuart Highway

Working cattle station with grassed camping; too far to treat as a day trip.

Wycliffe Well

overnight

Door to door: About 1 h 30 min each way

Drive 132 km south on the Stuart Highway

Caravan park, cabins and fuel; a natural overnight break heading to Alice Springs.

Eat & sleep

Which area to sleep in

Where to sleep

Areas, not hotels: pick the one that fits your arrival time and plans.

Paterson Street strip (Stuart Highway)

Motels, caravan park and the supermarket on one road; walkable to everything in town.

Schmidt Street / town centre

Memorial Club, museum and shops; a short walk from Paterson Street.

Highway roadhouses north and south

Banka Banka Station (100 km north) and Wycliffe Well (132 km south) if you want to break the drive outside town.

Practical

What a day costs, what to watch out for, and the pocket card

Cost per day

2026 estimate, excluding the bed unless stated
Budget
A$90–140 (≈ US$60–95) excl. bed
Mid
A$150–230 (≈ US$100–160) excl. bed
High
A$250 (≈ US$170)+ excl. bed

Trip budget

2026 estimate · converts to your currency
Motel double room1 × 1 night × A$150A$150
Food, local transport, entries2 × 1 day × A$160A$320
Greyhound Alice Springs → Tennant Creek, one way2 × A$130 · checkA$260
Greyhound Tennant Creek → Darwin, one way2 × A$220 · checkA$440
eSIM, about a week of data2 × A$30A$60
Buffer 10%Price creep, a taxi you did not plan, one splurgeA$123
Trip total≈ A$677 per person per day, bed includedA$1,353≈ US$900

2026 estimate in Australian dollars; fuel and vehicle costs excluded. Your choices stay in this browser.

Prices of common things

CoffeeA$5–7 (≈ US$4–5)
Pub meal (Memorial Club or hotel)A$25–40 (≈ US$17–30)
Supermarket picnic supplies, per personA$15–25 (≈ US$10–17)
Unleaded fuel, per litreHigher than the big cities; fill up here.A$2.00–2.40 (≈ US$2)
Motel double room, per nightA$110–200 (≈ US$75–140)
Caravan-park powered site, per nightcheckA$45–70 (≈ US$30–50)
Museum or culture-centre entryTelegraph Station free; Nyinkka Nyunyu and Tuxworth Fullwood House charge entry (check)A$0–20 (≈ US$0–14)

2026 estimate; check locally.

Watch out

Safety

Tennant Creek has one of the highest crime rates of any Australian town for its size; avoid bottle shops, don't walk alone after dark, lock the car and keep the evening inside your accommodation or the Memorial Club.
  • Crime rates are high for a town this size; avoid bottle shops and public areas after dark, and don't leave valuables visible in the car.
  • Summer days regularly pass 40 °C; carry 4+ litres of water per person and don't walk far after 10:00.
  • Davenport Range and the Frew River loop need a high-clearance 4WD; check road conditions with the Ali Curung police station before setting out.
  • The Ghan passes through but does not stop: don't plan a rail arrival.
  • Greyhound coaches stop in the middle of the night (roughly 02:00–03:45), so book a bed for that night, not the next.

Emergency numbers

Police, fire, ambulance
000
From mobiles
112

Pocket card

One page · print or save as PDF

Fill in, then print or save as PDF

Stays in this browser only; nothing is sent anywhere.

Tennant CreekTennant Creek

Pocket card · Voykit

My bed tonight

—

—

—

To this address, pleaseTo this address, please

Emergency

  • Police, fire, ambulance000
  • From mobiles112

Embassy

No embassies in Tennant Creek. The nearest consulates are in Darwin; most countries are represented in Canberra or Sydney.

My embassy: —

Fare anchors (2026 estimate)

  • Greyhound Alice Springs → Tennant Creek: about A$130 (≈ US$90), 5–6 h (check)
  • Greyhound Tennant Creek → Darwin: about A$220 (≈ US$150), 12 h+ (check)
  • Taxi across town: A$10–20 (≈ US$7–14) (check)

Say or show

  • Thank you — Thank you
  • How much is it? — How much is it?
  • Where is the fuel station? — Where is the fuel station?
  • Is the road open? — Is the road open?
  • I need help — I need help
  • Can I pay by card? — Can I pay by card?

Fuel, water and phone coverage are the three things to sort before leaving town.

Deep dive

What this guide covers so far, and its sources

Not a trip line yet

This is a basic guide: no airport-to-bed contract, walking clusters or day plans are published for Tennant Creek. Airport, fare and schedule details are unverified; check the operators before you fly.

What we know, and what is coming

On this page

  1. Best months: May–Sep (dry, cooler nights) · avoid Nov–Mar (40 °C+ days, wet-season road closures north) · month by month →
  2. 1 airport and 3 areas to sleep in
  3. Weather: a 7-day forecast and monthly averages
  4. Cost per day in 3 bands
  5. 6 day-trips, door to door
  6. 5 things to watch out for, with emergency numbers

Coming as the guide grows

  1. Airport and coach arrival fixtures: charter operators, Greyhound night arrivals, taxi fallback.
  2. Four walking clusters with rescue anchors: Paterson Street, Schmidt Street, Nyinkka Nyunyu, Bill Allen Lookout.
  3. Place pages with verified opening hours and entry fees (Nyinkka Nyunyu, Tuxworth Fullwood House, Telegraph Station) and eat pages with last orders.
  4. Road-condition and heat fixtures so the Davenport Range and summer pages can go green or red.

Meanwhile

Back to Australia

Sources