Banka Banka Station to Barkly Homestead

After beautiful hot showers and breakfast, we packed up the fiver and set off some 100 kms down the Stuart Highway to Tennant Creek.

We had no real expectations of Tennant Creek and would have to say that once arriving there it was somewhat underwhelming.  We passed the John Flynn monument near Threeways Roadhouse and Caravan Park and continued down the highway; down the main street; did a U-turn and headed back to Threeways where we topped up the diesel and had our morning coffee.

At Threeways we turned off the Stuart Highway onto the Barkly Highway and headed East.

John Flynn Monument

Arriving at Tennant Creek

Main Street of Tennant Creek

Threeways Roadhouse

Way to Go

After driving through some 230 kms of pretty monotonous landscape, we arrived at our destination – Barkly Homestead – arriving in time for a late lunch.  We have learnt from experience that we really need to arrive at our nightly destination sometime between 1.00 pm and 2.00 pm in order to get a really good spot.  It doesn’t matter if you are free camping or staying at a caravan park, but get there much after 2.00 pm and you may have difficulty getting a good spot, or sometimes even a spot at all.  The situation is made worse by many places not taking phone bookings and relying on the first in first served basis.

Anyway, we got here at a good time and had a good selection of wide drive through spots to choose from.  They are gravel, which is sometimes a good thing, and well shaded, and importantly, level.

Arriving at Barkly Homestead

Lush Gardens at Barkly Homestead

Reading in the Shade with Paddocks Behind

After lunch, we settled down in our chairs for awhile then went for an explore.  This is a very well thought out place and development is continuing.  It is still a working station but they have approached the tourism aspect quite seriously and professionally.  Amenities are great and they are adding more new facilities; they have a good shop and café and some nice mementos of your visit – I bought a very nice Barkly Homestead polo shirt.  We enjoyed afternoon tea in the shady bar area before continuing our walk – we even saw a helicopter landing in the paddock behind the caravan.

Then it was back to the fiver for a light dinner and then catch up on blogs, phone calls and email.