Tennant Creek is a town located in the Northern Territory of Australia. It is the fifth largest town in Northern Territory and it is located on the Stuart Highway, just south of the intersection with the western terminus of the Barkly Highway. Capital Darwin Government Const. ... Image File history File links Size of this preview: 600 × 391 pixelsFull resolution (600 × 391 pixel, file size: 55 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) File links The following pages on the English Wikipedia link to this file (pages on other projects are not listed): Tennant Creek, Northern Territory ... A time zone is a region of the Earth that has adopted the same standard time, usually referred to as the local time. ... A mayor (from the Latin māior, meaning larger, greater) is the modern title of the highest ranking municipal officer. ... km redirects here. ... This article or section does not adequately cite its references or sources. ... km redirects here. ... Adelaide is the capital and most populous city of the Australian state of South Australia, and is the fifth largest city in Australia, with a population of over 1. ... km redirects here. ... Alice Springs on a large scale map Alice Springs is a large town in the Northern Territory of Australia located at 23°42′ S 133°52′ E. Its population of 28,178 (2001 Census) makes it the second-largest settlement in the Territory (the only other towns of... The Northern Territory has 63 Local Government Areas; though only 6 councils are considered municipalities, there are other types of local bodies. ... State Electoral District is a term used to refer to a voting area within Australian states. ... Barkly is an electoral division of the Legislative Assembly in Australias Northern Territory. ... The Australian House of Representatives is elected from 150 single-member districts called Divisions. ... The Division of Lingiari is an Australian Electoral Division in the Northern Territory. ... Capital Darwin Government Const. ... The Stuart Highway (National A87 in SA and National 87 in NT) is one of Australias major roadways. ... The Barkly Highway is a national highway of both Queensland and the Northern Territory. ...

Location of Tennant Creek (red)

Tennant Creek is approximately 1000 kilometres south of the territory capital, Darwin, and 500 kilometres north of Alice Springs. The town is named after a nearby watercourse of the same name. At the 2001 census, Tennant Creek had a population of 3,185, of which 1,176 identified themselves as Aboriginal.^[1] Tennant Creek is near well-known attractions including the Devils Marbles, Lake Mary Ann, Battery Hill Mining Centre and the Nyinkka Nyunyu Culture Centre and is the hub of the sprawling Barkly Tablelands, vast elevated plains of black soil with golden Mitchell grass, that cover more than 240,000 square kilometres. No file by this name exists; you can upload it. ... No file by this name exists; you can upload it. ... This article or section does not adequately cite its references or sources. ... Alice Springs on a large scale map Alice Springs is a large town in the Northern Territory of Australia located at 23°42′ S 133°52′ E. Its population of 28,178 (2001 Census) makes it the second-largest settlement in the Territory (the only other towns of... The Australian census is run by the Australian Bureau of Statistics. ... Indigenous Australians or Aborigines[1][2] are the first human inhabitants of the Australian continent and its nearby islands. ... redirect Devils_Marbles_Conservation_Reserve ...

The Barkly tablelands run east from Tennant Creek towards the Queensland border and are among the most important cattle grazing areas in the Northern Territory.Roughly the same size as the UK or New Zealand, the region consists largely of open grass plains and some of the world’s largest cattle stations. It runs as far south as Barrow Creek, north above Elliott and west into the Tanami Desert. Capital Brisbane Government Constitutional monarchy Governor Quentin Bryce Premier Peter Beattie (ALP) Federal representation  - House seats 28  - Senate seats 12 Gross State Product (2004-05)  - Product ($m)  $158,506 (3rd)  - Product per capita  $40,170/person (6th) Population (End of September 2006)  - Population  4,070,400 (3rd)  - Density  2. ... Capital Darwin Government Const. ... Barrow Creek is a small rural mining town with a population of about 100, that is located about 100 km north of Alice Springs on the way towards Tennant Creek. ... The Tanami Desert is a desert in northern Australia. ...

The region encompasses the junction of two great highways, the Barkly and the Stuart, also known as the Overlander and Explorer’s Ways. The Overlander's Way (Barkly Highway) retraces the original route of early stockmen who drove their cattle from Queensland through the grazing lands in the Northern Territory.

Geography and climate

Climate

Tennant Creek is located in the middle of the Northern Territory, 376.5 metres above sea level. Day temperatures range from 24 degrees to 38 degrees, with an average of 22 days per year exceeding 40 degrees. Day time minimum temperatures range from 12 degrees in winter to 25 degrees in the hotter months. Image File history File links Size of this preview: 800 × 557 pixelsFull resolution (800 × 557 pixel, file size: 29 KB, MIME type: image/png) File links The following pages on the English Wikipedia link to this file (pages on other projects are not listed): Tennant Creek, Northern Territory ... Image File history File links Size of this preview: 800 × 557 pixelsFull resolution (800 × 557 pixel, file size: 29 KB, MIME type: image/png) File links The following pages on the English Wikipedia link to this file (pages on other projects are not listed): Tennant Creek, Northern Territory ... Capital Darwin Government Const. ...

Most of the rain falls during the summer months, but occasional storms occur at other times of the year. Average annual rainfall is 426mm. Winter (May to October) in Tennant Creek is dry with cool nights and mornings. Summer November to April) is hot and dry with occasional rainfall.^[2]

Topography and climate

Mary Ann Dam

Tennant Creek has a warm continental climate with distinct wet and dry seasons. Most rain falls during the period from December to March, when temperatures are also at their highest. Temperatures fall during the dry months with sunny days and mild nights. There is 9.1 to 10.4 hours of sunshine per day with an average of 155 clear days per year. Prevailing winds are from the east to south-east. I HATE THE MONKEY AND JULIUS BUT I LOVE JOLIUS Image File history File links Size of this preview: 600 × 393 pixelsFull resolution (600 × 393 pixel, file size: 93 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) File links The following pages on the English Wikipedia link to this file (pages on other projects are not listed): Tennant Creek, Northern Territory ... Image File history File links Size of this preview: 600 × 393 pixelsFull resolution (600 × 393 pixel, file size: 93 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) File links The following pages on the English Wikipedia link to this file (pages on other projects are not listed): Tennant Creek, Northern Territory ... A continental climate is the climate typical of the middle-latitude interiors of the large continents of the Northern Hemisphere in the zone of westerly winds; similar climates exist along the east coasts and southwest coasts of the same continents, and also at higher elevations in certain other parts of...

Built environment

Devils Marbles

Tennant Creek has developed from its rough, tough droving and gold mining days into a modern town with shops and supermarkets, accommodation, bars, clubs and restaurants, a major regional hospital, schools and banking facilities. Image File history File links Size of this preview: 700 × 459 pixelsFull resolution (700 × 459 pixel, file size: 95 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) File links The following pages on the English Wikipedia link to this file (pages on other projects are not listed): Tennant Creek, Northern Territory ... Image File history File links Size of this preview: 700 × 459 pixelsFull resolution (700 × 459 pixel, file size: 95 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) File links The following pages on the English Wikipedia link to this file (pages on other projects are not listed): Tennant Creek, Northern Territory ...

Parks and gardens

Lake Mary Ann (previously known as Mary Ann Dam) is a popular recreation spot, easily accessible from town by road or bicycle track and popular for swimming, barbecues, picnics or bush walks. The area’s best known attraction, the Devil's Marbles Conservation Reserve is 100 kilometres south of Tennant Creek and is one of the Territory's most photographed features. These huge granite boulders are scattered through a wide, shallow valley. The formations provide shelter to a variety of flora and fauna of the area and glow a rich red in the light of the early evening. Local Aboriginal mythology holds that the boulders are the eggs of the Rainbow Serpent. (Note: This is an old not necessarily true depiction of the story. Since joint management of the parks, and with consultation with the 4 main groups of Aboriginals in the area, the CLC has come to a joint story for the site, however permission to use it must come from CLC first. That story is in the latest Barkly visitor guide) Visitors can take a self-guided walk from the car park. This is a great place to camp and experience a real outback sunset. One of the boulder formations at the Devils Marbles site, called Karlu Karlu by the Kaytetye. ... Quarrying granite for the Mormon Temple, Utah Territory. ... Australian Aborigines are the main indigenous people of Australia. ...

Another popular spot close to Tennant Creek is the Davenport Ranges National Park, best explored by four-wheel-drive vehicle. Davenport Murchison is a national park in the Northern Territory (Australia), 1033 km southeast of Darwin. ...

==History== The Creek of Tennant

Telegraph Station - Tennant Creek

Buildings of the Overland Telegraph Station

Statue of Jack Noble

Mine Shaft Monument

European history of this area began in 1860 when explorer John McDouall Stuart passed this way on his unsuccessful first attempt to cross the continent from South to North. He named a creek to the north of town after John Tennant, a financier of his expedition and a pastoralist from Port Lincoln, South Australia, in gratitude for the financial help Tennant had provided for Stuart's expeditions across Australia. Image File history File links Size of this preview: 600 × 396 pixelsFull resolution (600 × 396 pixel, file size: 61 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) File links The following pages on the English Wikipedia link to this file (pages on other projects are not listed): Tennant Creek, Northern Territory ... Image File history File links Size of this preview: 600 × 396 pixelsFull resolution (600 × 396 pixel, file size: 61 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) File links The following pages on the English Wikipedia link to this file (pages on other projects are not listed): Tennant Creek, Northern Territory ... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high resolution version (1024x392, 83 KB) Summary Taken and supplied by Brian Voon Yee Yap. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high resolution version (1024x392, 83 KB) Summary Taken and supplied by Brian Voon Yee Yap. ... Image File history File links Size of this preview: 391 × 600 pixelsFull resolution (391 × 600 pixel, file size: 55 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) File links The following pages on the English Wikipedia link to this file (pages on other projects are not listed): Tennant Creek, Northern Territory ... Image File history File links Size of this preview: 391 × 600 pixelsFull resolution (391 × 600 pixel, file size: 55 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) File links The following pages on the English Wikipedia link to this file (pages on other projects are not listed): Tennant Creek, Northern Territory ... Image File history File links Size of this preview: 397 × 600 pixelsFull resolution (397 × 600 pixel, file size: 66 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) File links The following pages on the English Wikipedia link to this file (pages on other projects are not listed): Tennant Creek, Northern Territory ... Image File history File links Size of this preview: 397 × 600 pixelsFull resolution (397 × 600 pixel, file size: 66 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) File links The following pages on the English Wikipedia link to this file (pages on other projects are not listed): Tennant Creek, Northern Territory ... John McDouall Stuart (7 September 1815 – 5 June 1866) was the most accomplished and most famous of all Australias inland explorers and led the first expedition to traverse the continent from south to north successfully. ... Port Lincoln (postcode 5606) is a small city of 15,000 people in the Australian state of South Australia. ... Capital Adelaide Government Constitutional monarchy Governor Marjorie Jackson-Nelson Premier Mike Rann (ALP) Federal representation  - House seats 11  - Senate seats 12 Gross State Product (2004-05)  - Product ($m)  $59,819 (5th)  - Product per capita  $38,838/person (7th) Population (End of September 2006)  - Population  1,558,200 (5th)  - Density  1. ...

The Overland Telegraph that once linked Melbourne to London was constructed in the 1870s and forged a corridor through the middle of the continent that the Explorer’s Way and Ghan train now travel. A temporary building for a telegraph repeater station was erected near the watercourse of Tennant Creek in 1872. Two years later, the solid stone buildings of the Tennant Creek Overland Telegraph Station that remain on the site today, were completed by the occupants of the station. This is one of the four remaining original telegraph stations in Australia. Tennant Creek was the site of Australia’s last gold rush during the 1930s and at that time was the third-largest gold producer in Australia. Melbournes CBD has grown to straddle the Yarra River in three major precincts. ... This article is about the capital of England and the United Kingdom. ...

The town of Tennant Creek was located 12 km south of the watercourse because the Overland Telegraph Station had been allocated an 11 km reserve. Local legend offers a different explanation for the town's location. In 1934 a wagon carrying building supplies and beer broke down on the way to the Overland Telegraph Station. The driver of the wagon, a pioneer of the Territory named Joe Kilgariff, decided to set up a store and pub at the breakdown site. The pub still exists and is a historic monument to the early days. Cecil Armstrong was one man who made a contribution to the early development of Tennant Creek. He arrived in April 1935 and began baking bread the next day. In 1937 he built Armstrong's bakery and cafe where he lived and worked for over twenty years as baker and cafe proprietor. The building still stands today, albeit under a different guise. Cecil's telephone number was simply the number 1 and his Post Office box was also number 1.

Gold was discovered in the area in the 1930s and the opening of the rich Tennant gold field marked the start of Australia's last great Gold Rush. The Tennant Creek Telegraph Station remained an isolated outpost until that time. Gold mining in the McDouall Ranges, named after John McDouall Stuart, quickly caused the population to grow to 600. “Battery Hill” which overlooks the town of Tennant Creek is the site of one of the last two operating ten-head stamp batteries, a Government owned ore crushing machine. GOLD refers to one of the following: GOLD (IEEE) is an IEEE program designed to garner more student members at the university level (Graduates of the Last Decade). ... A California Gold Rush handbill A gold rush is a period of feverish migration of workers into the area of a dramatic discovery of commercial quantities of gold. ... Gold mining consists of the processes and techniques employed in the removal of gold from the ground. ... John McDouall Stuart (7 September 1815 – 5 June 1866) was the most accomplished and most famous of all Australias inland explorers and led the first expedition to traverse the continent from south to north successfully. ...

The town today is situated on a stretch of the Stuart Highway known as Paterson Street. As it is a regional centre, it contains government services and local business and also has a developing tourist centre. There are a number of restaurants and tourist activities to complement its friendly relaxed lifestyle. The people of Tennant Creek enjoy modern facilities including reserves, sporting venues, galleries, a civic hall and library. It's also home to Australia's premier go-karting event, held on a street circuit through the town. The Stuart Highway (National A87 in SA and National 87 in NT) is one of Australias major roadways. ...

Government

Tennant Creek has a town council form of government headed by a mayor. The main Aboriginal body within the town is the Julalikari Council which plays a major role in providing training and employment services for the [[Australian Aborigine| Aboriginal people]] in Tennant Creek. It has developed a construction capacity and provides contract services to the Town Council such as recycling. The Julalikari Council also provides community services within the township such as Homemakers, aged care, and the night patrol.

The police district covers almost 22,000 square kilometres and has a strength of 25 officers. The force includes two Criminal Investigation Branch (CIB) officers.

Economy

Battery Hill Complex - daily mock up of gold pouring

Tennant Creek was once the third largest gold producer in Australia and is still highly productive with major mining companies continuing to explore for bauxite, lead-zinc-silver and copper around the area. Over 210 tonnes of gold has been discovered in the area. The Bootu Mine to the north of town exports manganese to China. Exploration has commenced to the south east of town for unspecified minerals. Tennant Creek is also the centre of the rich pastoral industry of central Australia, with vast cattle properties stocked with herds of Santa Gertrudis and Brahman cattle. Image File history File links Size of this preview: 600 × 402 pixelsFull resolution (600 × 402 pixel, file size: 54 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) File links The following pages on the English Wikipedia link to this file (pages on other projects are not listed): Tennant Creek, Northern Territory ... Image File history File links Size of this preview: 600 × 402 pixelsFull resolution (600 × 402 pixel, file size: 54 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) File links The following pages on the English Wikipedia link to this file (pages on other projects are not listed): Tennant Creek, Northern Territory ... GOLD refers to one of the following: GOLD (IEEE) is an IEEE program designed to garner more student members at the university level (Graduates of the Last Decade). ... Bauxite with penny Bauxite with core of unweathered rock Bauxite is an aluminium ore. ... General Name, Symbol, Number copper, Cu, 29 Chemical series transition metals Group, Period, Block 11, 4, d Appearance metallic pinkish red Standard atomic weight 63. ... General Name, Symbol, Number manganese, Mn, 25 Chemical series transition metals Group, Period, Block 7, 4, d Appearance silvery metallic Atomic mass 54. ...

Tourism is a growing industry emphasising its location, history, scenery and cultural attributes and provides tourists with an opportunity to experience the outback. The mineral collection at Battery Hill is a must see. Aboriginal enterprise and organisations generate economic activity for Tennant Creek by providing a range of services to the urban and rural communities of the town.

Nyinkka Nyunyu Arts and Cultural Centre opened in July 2003, offering visitors and the community an opportunity to learn about aboriginal life, history and the land in the region. The centre promotes Arts and Cultural activities for the whole Barkly Region.

Demographics

The total population of Tennant Creek is approximately 3500, of which around 2000 are Aboriginal. Tennant Creek is a multicultural community, with residents from the UK, New Zealand and Germany as well as Australia.

Transport

The Ghan

The Ghan[1] travels through Tennant Creek twice a week and does stop on request. Image File history File linksMetadata Size of this preview: 800 × 600 pixel Image in higher resolution (2560 × 1920 pixel, file size: 3. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Size of this preview: 800 × 600 pixel Image in higher resolution (2560 × 1920 pixel, file size: 3. ... Current route map of the Ghan The Ghan, short for The Afghan, is the 48-hour, 2,979-km passenger service on the Adelaide-Alice Springs-Darwin Central Australian Railway in Australia. ...

Charter flights can be organised from Darwin or Alice Springs to Tennant Creek. Two airlines flew light aircraft to and from Darwin and Alice Springs but both have ceased operation.

Tennant Creek has daily coach bus service from Darwin, Alice Springs, and Queensland. The Barkly Tablelands are best explored via Tennant Creek, which can be accessed on the fully sealed Explorer’s Way, 1,000 kilometres south of Darwin, 670 kilometres south of Katherine and 510 kilometres north of Alice Springs. The Overlander’s Way (Barkly Highway) is another tourism drive from Queensland that meets the Explorer’s Way at Threeways – 25 kilometres north of Tennant Creek. This article or section does not adequately cite its references or sources. ... Alice Springs on a large scale map Alice Springs is a large town in the Northern Territory of Australia located at 23°42′ S 133°52′ E. Its population of 28,178 (2001 Census) makes it the second-largest settlement in the Territory (the only other towns of... Capital Brisbane Government Constitutional monarchy Governor Quentin Bryce Premier Peter Beattie (ALP) Federal representation  - House seats 28  - Senate seats 12 Gross State Product (2004-05)  - Product ($m)  $158,506 (3rd)  - Product per capita  $40,170/person (6th) Population (End of September 2006)  - Population  4,070,400 (3rd)  - Density  2. ...

Education

Tennant Creek has a primary and high school in the town, attended by both Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal children. In the 1970's and 80's, secondary students tended to leave Tennant Creek and board at secondary schools in Darwin and Alice Springs, but today young people prefer to remain at schools in Tennant Creek.

Society and culture

Devils Marbles Conservation Reserve

Driving to Devils Marbles

Aboriginal people have lived in the Barkly region for over 40,000 years. The Barkly region is steeped in the ancient traditions and beliefs of its traditional custodians and around nine Aboriginal groups call the area home, including the Warumungu, Warlpiri, Kaytetye and Alyawarra people. Tennant Creek is an important social, cultural and business centre for many aboriginal people of various language groups. Image File history File links Size of this preview: 600 × 398 pixelsFull resolution (600 × 398 pixel, file size: 54 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) File links The following pages on the English Wikipedia link to this file (pages on other projects are not listed): Tennant Creek, Northern Territory ... Image File history File links Size of this preview: 600 × 398 pixelsFull resolution (600 × 398 pixel, file size: 54 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) File links The following pages on the English Wikipedia link to this file (pages on other projects are not listed): Tennant Creek, Northern Territory ... Image File history File links Size of this preview: 500 × 328 pixelsFull resolution (500 × 328 pixel, file size: 75 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) File links The following pages on the English Wikipedia link to this file (pages on other projects are not listed): Tennant Creek, Northern Territory ... Image File history File links Size of this preview: 500 × 328 pixelsFull resolution (500 × 328 pixel, file size: 75 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) File links The following pages on the English Wikipedia link to this file (pages on other projects are not listed): Tennant Creek, Northern Territory ...

Leisure and entertainment

The Northern Territory holds several regional events throughout the year, which in some cases can impact on visitor numbers to the region. Events located within the Barkly Area during the year include the Barkly Campdraft and Rodeo, Saint Patrick’s Day Races, Barkly May Day Muster and the Brunette Downs Races. The World Solar Car Challenge takes place every second year. ^[3]

Music and Art

Tennant Creek has a rich and colourful musical community, and the Winanjjikari Music Centre home to a number of emerging singers, songwriters and musicians. In 2003 the award-winning Nyinkka Nyunyu Cultural Centre was opened, a purpose-built centre, planned and designed in close consultation with local Aboriginal people. The centre houses exhibitions on local history from an Aboriginal point of view, cultural displays and local artwork. It is considered one of the best of its kind in the Northern Territory, beautifully presented and maintained by the local people.

Sport

There are a number of sports and recreation clubs in Tennant Creek for locals.

References

1. ^ Tennant Creek (Urban Centre/Locality). 2001 Census QuickStats. Australian Bureau of Statistics. Retrieved on 2007-04-19.
2. ^ Tennant Creek' Climate
3. ^ Tennant Creek Tourist information

Australian Bureau of Statistics logo The Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) is the Australian government agency that collects and publishes statistical information about Australia. ... 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the Anno Domini (common) era. ... April 19 is the 109th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (110th in leap years). ...

See also

Wikimedia Commons has media related to:

Tennant_Creek

• Devils Marbles Conservation Reserve
• Davenport Murchison National Park
• The Ghan

Image File history File links Commons-logo. ... Wikimedia Commons logo by Reid Beels The Wikimedia Commons (also called Commons or Wikicommons) is a repository of free content images, sound and other multimedia files. ... One of the boulder formations at the Devils Marbles Conservation Reserve, called Karlu Karlu by the Kaytetye. ... Davenport Murchison is a national park in the Northern Territory (Australia), 1033 km southeast of Darwin. ... Current route map of the Ghan The Ghan, short for The Afghan, is the 48-hour, 2,979-km passenger service on the Adelaide-Alice Springs-Darwin Central Australian Railway in Australia. ...

External links

• Official Government web site
• Official Tourism web site for Tennat Creek and surrounds
• Nyinkka Nyunyu Cultural Centre
• Local Government Association of the Northern Territory
• Aboriginal Child Language Acquisition Project
• Barkley Tourism

Coordinates: 19°39′S, 134°12′E Map of Earth showing lines of latitude (horizontally) and longitude (vertically), Eckert VI projection; large version (pdf, 1. ...