Tennant Creek’s 5m gateway lizards continue to elude new NT Government

Two elusive giant lizards continue to remain at arm’s length from the new NT Government, eight years after first being promised. Read the latest.

Steve Langton and bits of one of the giant lizards

Tennant Creek’s new mayor Sid Vashist has called for a resolution to the impasse that has stopped the installation of two giant gateway lizards at the north and south approaches to the town.

The giant, sculpted nyinkka lizards were a 2016 election promise from then opposition leader Michael Gunner, but eight-years and four chief minister’s later the project remains in limbo.

Sculptor Steven Langton was commissioned to build the 5m lizards by Barkly Regional Arts with funding from the NT Government, but more than a year into the project he suffered an injury while cycling and returned to Queensland to recuperate.

Steve Langton and giant tourism lizard

Only one of the lizards has been completed with the Department of Infrastructure, Planning and Logistics assuming management of the project in early 2023.

The NT Government is understood to be involved in negotiations with the artist, although this was the case several years ago.

Mr Vashist said the Tennant Creek entry statement was part of a bigger story about getting tourists back to the Barkly.

He said the department and the artist needed to reach a resolution so the sculptures could take pride of place at the township’s entrances.

“The Department needs to negotiate with the artist and the artist needs to come to the table as well,” Mr Vashist said.

Barkly Regional Council mayor Sid Vashist. Picture: Facebook

“The bigger picture here is that people are missing out - and that’s the people of Tennant Creek and the Barkly. This is about tourists coming into the town and staying and getting tourist dollars into the Barkly.”

About $2m was originally budgeted for the project, with the cost blowing out to $2.3m in March 2022.

Barkly MLA Steve Edgington pushed the government from the opposition benches to get the lizards built.

“The entry statements are just one of a number of projects the Gunner government has bungled in Tennant Creek,” Mr Edgington said in 2022.

“It’s just not good enough and the people of the Barkly deserve better.”

A receent one-line response from DIPL suggests nothing has changed.

“The Department of Logistics and Infrastructure is continuing to work with the artist to complete this project within contract terms,” a spokesman said.