Barkly

The Barkly is the Territory’s third largest region and extends along the Stuart Highway from Tara to Elliott and east across the Barkly Tablelands to Queensland.

The Barkly region is made up of small communities separated by long distances and is home to around 6,000 people, of whom around 69% are Aboriginal. Tennant Creek is the main centre with a population of around 3,500 people. A high proportion of people living in the region are young, with around 39% aged 24 years and under, and about 7% aged 65 or older.

Major industries in the region include government services, agriculture, construction and mining. The Barkly and Tennant Creek pastoral district accounts for a substantial proportion of the Territory’s total cattle industry. The Territory Government is also investing to develop Tennant Creek as a mining and mineral services centre.

Alekarenge School

Budget 2024 includes $8.7 million for new infrastructure at Alekarenge School for early years, including preschool and a Families as First Teachers space, and a new administration building.

The improved physical learning environments and educational facilities will ensure ease of access to support the delivery of quality education facilities and services in remote areas. The co-location of Families as First Teachers and preschool will also provide a seamless transition and more opportunity to engage families and identify children needing additional support, with the aim of giving children the best possible start to their education.

Roads of strategic importance

Budget 2024 includes $85.5 million to upgrade the Tennant Creek to Townsville road corridor, including sealing, strengthening, widening and road safety improvements.

The Tennant Creek to Townsville corridor is a key economic freight route that supports major industries including mining, agriculture and tourism. The upgrades are expected to be completed by 2026 and are aimed at:

• ensuring key freight roads efficiently connect agricultural and mining regions to ports, airports and other transport hubs
• providing a more reliable and safe road network, especially during the wet season
• improving access for higher capacity vehicles
• facilitating other economic opportunities, especially tourism.

Land release

Budget 2024 invests $9.8 million in the Parnttali Road industrial subdivision to continue subdivision works and support the release of new industrial land in Tennant Creek.

Budget 2024 also includes $5 million for headworks infrastructure to support the release of 80 lots at Chittock Crescent, providing new residential land for subdivision to support residential housing growth in Tennant Creek.

Tennant Creek visitor park

Budget 2024 includes $10 million to continue works at the Tennant Creek Visitor Park. The visitor park will respond to the need for more short-term, affordable accommodation for people travelling to Tennant Creek for cultural, health or social reasons.

Located on the corner of Leichhardt Street and Udall Road, the visitor park will comprise different types of accommodation including open, grassed camping areas with large, covered shelters for swags, as well as cabins.

Remediation works on the community-selected site have been completed, with subdivision works expected to commence in 2024. The facility is anticipated to be operational in mid-2025.

Residential youth justice facility

Budget 2024 provides additional funding of $1.5 million for work on the Tennant Creek youth justice facility. This will accommodate up to eight young people and ensure court sentences and orders are enforced, while also providing training and education services to help young people get their lives back on track and into the workforce.

2024 Budget also includes $5.7 million over two years to operate the youth justice program, and provide education and training through an Aboriginal community-controlled organisation service provider.

While construction of the Tennant Creek youth justice facility is being finalised, a further $1.7 million is provided for security and safety upgrades at the Juno Campus, which will operate as an interim facility for the cohort of young people who may be sentenced or bailed to the Tennant Creek youth justice program.

Tennant Creek watch house

Budget 2024 includes $11.5 million for the Tennant Creek watch house, including suitable amenities for families and legal staff to visit prisoners, and enhance staff and prisoner safety while providing a safe environment for children. Construction is anticipated to commence in 2024-25.

The facility will be built on vacant land within the same lot as the existing police station and watch house, and funding includes demolition of the current watch house once construction is complete.

Major works overview

Printable fact sheet

Get a printable copy of the Barkly region fact sheet PDF (1.2 MB).