Karlu Karlu / Devils Marbles Conservation Reserve

About Karlu Karlu / Devils Marbles Conservation Reserve

Karlu Karlu / Devils Marbles Conservation Reserve is a things to do venue in Tennant Creek, Northern Territory.

The reserve lies approximately 105 km south of Tennant Creek, and 393 km north of Alice Springs, making it a popular tourist destination easily accessed off the Stuart Highway. The park is famous for the Devils Marbles, large granitic boulders that form the exposed top layer of an extensive granite formation.

Weathering and erosion have created various shapes of precariously balanced boulders, some of which have been split in half by natural forces. The boulders are mainly found in scattered groups on the western side of the reserve and can be accessed through a short road leading to the Stuart Highway.

Karlu Karlu is one of Australia’s most recognized symbols of the Outback and is highly visited. The Devils Marbles hold great cultural and spiritual significance to the local Aboriginal traditional owners, including the Alyawarre, Kaytetye, Warumungu, and Warlpiri people.

The reserve is a Registered Sacred Site protected under the Northern Territory Aboriginal Sacred Sites Act 1989. Traditional Dreaming stories are associated with the area, with one well-known story explaining the creation of the rocks.

The boulders are said to have formed from hair clusters dropped by Arrange, the Devil Man, as he walked through the area. Some stories are only shared with initiated visitors, while others are passed down through generations.

The Devils Marbles are part of a granitic formation made of granite located on the top layer, which typically remains underground. Weathering and erosion have shaped the boulders into various forms, with

Good to know

• Type: Things to Do
• Area: Tennant Creek, Northern Territory
• Phone: (08) 8962 4599
• Website: visit ↗

Frequently asked questions

Find more things to do in Tennant Creek or browse the Tennant Creek local guide.