Iytwelepenty / Davenport Ranges National Park

Iytwelepenty / Davenport Ranges National Park protects a rugged section of the Davenport Range, an isolated line of low mountains rising out of the Barkly Tablelands south-east of Tennant Creek. This is a park for true outback explorers – it is extremely remote, with challenging 4WD tracks required to reach its few key destinations. Those who venture here find an oasis of unexpected beauty amid the arid surrounds. Deep within the park, tucked between spinifex-covered hills, lie shadowy gorges that harbor semi-permanent waterholes. The most well-known is Old Police Station Waterhole on the Frew River: lined with river red gums, this broad waterhole was once a pastoral police outpost and now serves as the main bush camping area (with basic facilities like a toilet). Its cool waters attract wildlife – euros (hill kangaroos), dingoes coming to drink, and abundant birdlife including budgerigars, finches, and birds of prey. Further east, Whistleduck Creek offers another picturesque waterhole and camp spot near unusual granite rock outcrops. The park’s landscapes range from weathered sandstone plateaus and steep escarpments to open woodlands and spinifex plains. After good rains, wildflowers can carpet the ground and waterholes fill with aquatic life. The Davenport Range is of cultural significance to the local Aboriginal groups (Warumungu, Alyawarr, Kaytetye and others), and the park’s dual name “Iytwelepenty” reflects one of these traditional names. There are no marked hiking trails, but adventurous walkers can explore the gorges and ridges (practicing caution and navigation). Visiting Iytwelepenty means experiencing profound quiet and isolation – nights around the campfire under brilliant stars, and days of 4WD drives, rocky scrambles and refreshing swims in waterholes that few others have seen. It’s a rewarding detour for those seeking solitude and the raw beauty of a little-visited corner of the NT.