Travellers driving through the Central Desert flock to Tennant Creek

Tennant Creek has been a big stop for travellers driving through the Central Desert needing supplies and accommodation.

TENNANT Creek has been a big stop for travellers driving through the Central Desert needing supplies and accommodation, with business owners observing their town full of tourists lately.

Barkly mayor Jeff Mcloughlin said it had been a great tourist ­season for the remote town so far.

“We have had an influx into our caravan parks. Business is pumping at the moment.

“Most of the road houses in the Barkly have been full house too.”

Goldfields Hotel Motel manager Jason Groves said he had noticed an increase in traffic on the road with people passing through.

“There’s been an influx of people waiting around till 4pm to get into the bottle shops,” he said.

“I know the fuel stations were running out of diesel on the weekend with everybody wanting to fuel up.” IRAM (Indigenous Retail Asset Management who own the IGA) CEO John Kop said the current tourist season had increased trade at the supermarket and BP service station but supplies from Adelaide were holding up well. He said trade at the temporary supermarket had almost doubled in the past week due to shopping by tourists. “Limits remain in place for essential items. We have increased supplies as much as possible to cater for this, but we are holding up well and no items are out of stock,” Mr Kop said.