Tennant Creek - Transport

Transport

Tennant Creek has been accessible by train since the completion of the Adelaide-Darwin railway north from Alice Springs in 2004. The Ghan, run by Great Southern Railway between Adelaide and Darwin arrives twice weekly in each direction and can pick up and set down passengers on request.

Tennant Creek is serviced by Tennant Creek Airport. Charter flights can be organised from Darwin or Alice Springs to Tennant Creek. Outback Airlines currently service Tennant Creek, providing mining charters between Alice Springs and Tennant Creek with seats available to the general public.

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.

In May 2005, Minemakers and ATEC signed an agreement to study a 250 km open access railway from Tennant Creek to Wonarah.

Historically, and in 2009 there has been suggestion of a rail link between Tennant Creek and Mount Isa. This link would allow resources companies to gain access to both the Adelaide-Darwin (The Ghan) and Townsville-Mount Isa (The Inlander) lines. The missing rail link would also provide rail passengers with direct rail access to Darwin from the East Coast of Australia. The Australian Defence Force may also use the link to provide a rail access between 1 Brigade (Armoured) in Darwin, and 3 Brigade (Infantry) in Townsville.