See the Devil’s Marbles

Posted on November 13, 2018 by Emma Jayne

The Devil’s Marbles Conservation Reserve, known by the traditional Aboriginal owners as Karlu Karlu, is place of beauty, mystery and colour. It is also a place that should definitely be on your bucket list.

The Devils Marbles are so much larger than me

I admit, prior to my cheeky visit to Tennant Creek, ‘the marbles’ hadn’t been on my radar. This is most probably because I have seen them before…when I was 14…on a school trip. I remember having my lunch there while on a school camp before we continued our journey to Katherine, but I don’t really remember paying much attention to the environment around me. So when I drove through the marbles on the way to Tennant Creek over the Easter long weekend, you can imagine my feelings of surprise and awe.

While initially I just drove through, once I’d made it to Tennant Creek, I made plans with a few friends to return one evening to catch the sunset. And it was AMAZING. I’m only annoyed that I couldn’t make it back to see the sunrise which I’m sure would also have been amazing.

Things to do

If you’re an adrenaline junkie, I’m sorry to say that there really isn’t much to do at the Devil’s Marbles. However, if you enjoy being with nature and have an interest in geology you’ll more than likely enjoy your time here. there are some short walks that will enable you to explore this interesting and mystical place. If you’re still and quiet enough, you might even be lucky enough to see some local wildlife including black headed goannas or zebra finches.

More information can be found Here.

How to Get There

Getting to the Devil’s Marbles isn’t particularly difficult, however, it can only be accessed by road, so perfect if you are planning a road trip in the Northern Territory.

The Devil’s Marbles are located 393km from Alice Springs, or 105km from Tennant Creek. The entire journey is on a sealed road so can be accessed by 2WD.

Where to Stay

There are unpowered camping facilities available at the reserve, however these are very basic, so don’t expect access to showers or flushing toilets. You could also stay at a nearby hotel (Devil’s Marbles Hotel). I personally didn’t like the look of it, it seemed a little isolated for me, and I kept getting flashes of Wolf Creek. During my visit I stayed in Tennant Creek since I was visiting friends in the area.

What’s on your Red Centre bucket list?

Exploring Cradle Mountain

Explore Kings Canyon