Traditional Owners

The original inhabitants of the Barkly Regional Council area were the Waramungu Aboriginal people.

Settlement history

Traditionally, indigenous people lived in the area, and continue to do so, mainly in small communities. European settlement dates from 1872, when a repeater station for the Overland Telegraph Line was built at Tennant Creek, although the area was first explored in 1861. Population was minimal, with land used mainly for pastoral purposes. The township of Tennant Creek was established in 1934, when the area became the focus of a gold rush, with silver and copper mining developing later. Growth followed, with gold mining becoming a major industry. The most significant development occurred from the post-war years, particularly around Tennant Creek from the late 1970s. The population fluctuated slightly during the 1990s, and then was relatively stable between 2001 and 2011 at about 7,500 people.

Land use

The Barkly Regional Council area is predominantly rural. The main township is Tennant Creek, with a small township at Elliott, and various smaller townships and indigenous communities. More than half of the population are Aboriginal. Rural land is used mainly for cattle grazing, with mining also being an important industry. The Council area encompasses a total land area of over 323,000 square kilometres.

Transport

The Barkly Regional Council area is served by the Barkly Highway, the Stuart Highway and Tennant Creek Airport.

Major features

• Major features of the Council area include Iytwelepenty/Davenport Ranges National Park,
• Karlu Karlu/Devils Marbles Conservation Reserve,
• Connells Lagoon Conservation Reserve,
• The Pebbles/Kunjarra,
• Attack Creek Historical Reserve,
• Barrow Creek Telegraph Station Historical Reserve,
• Tennant Creek Telegraph Station Historical Reserve,
• Barkly Tableland,
• Battery Hill Mining Centre,
• Lake Woods,
• Longreach Waterhole,
• Tarrabool Lake,
• Lake Mary Ann,
• Lake Sylvester,
• Lake Corella,
• Lake Deburgh,
• Bill Allen Lookout,
• Charles Darwin University (Tennant Creek Centre),
• Tennant Creek Hospital,
• Nyinkka Nyunyu Art and Culture Centre,
• Arlpwe Art & Culture Centre,
• Jubilee Park,
• Pilgrim Park,
• Purkiss Memorial Reserve,
• historic Tuxworth Fullwood House and Tennant Creek Golf Club.

Included areas

Notes

Much of this area is Aboriginal freehold land held by the Central Land Council.