Barkly connections reach from Tennant Creek to the sea
Published: 4 Sep 2026
Barkly Work Camp may be one of the Territory’s more remote correctional facilities, but a recent visit from HMAS Warramunga showed just how far its connections reach.
Representatives from the Royal Australian Navy joined Warumungu Elders, prisoners and Department of Corrections staff at Barkly Work Camp recently to celebrate a relationship with deep roots in the Tennant Creek community.
HMAS Warramunga takes its name from the Warumungu people, with Tennant Creek recognised as the ship’s ceremonial home — creating a special and enduring connection between the community and a Royal Australian Navy ship that serves around Australia and overseas.
Prisoner craftsmanship becomes part of a special connection
At the centre of the visit was the presentation of traditional items handcrafted by prisoners at Barkly Work Camp.
Created with cultural guidance and support from Warumungu Elders, the pieces represented months of work and provided prisoners with an opportunity to contribute directly to the longstanding relationship between the Warumungu people, Tennant Creek and HMAS Warramunga.
Assistant Commissioner Custodial Operations Shannon Kay said the significance of the project extended well beyond the items themselves.
“Today is about recognising the men who made these items, the Elders who guided the project and the people who supported them,” Mr Kay said.
“What they have created will now become part of the longstanding connection between the Warumungu people, Tennant Creek and HMAS Warramunga.”
For the prisoners involved, it was also an opportunity to see their work leave Barkly Work Camp and become part of something with a connection stretching well beyond Tennant Creek.
When the Navy chef became the student
Not all of the day’s exchanges were ceremonial.
Away from the formal presentation, the visit provided an opportunity for Navy personnel and prisoners to spend time together and share knowledge.
One of the more memorable exchanges happened around the fire, when Barkly Work Camp’s head prisoner chef showed the visiting Navy chef how to properly prepare and cook kangaroo tail.
This time, it was the Navy chef taking the cooking lesson.
It was a uniquely Barkly moment — practical, informal and grounded in knowledge of the region — and one that demonstrated that skills and experience can be shared in both directions.
A work camp connected to its community
The HMAS Warramunga relationship is particularly special, but strong connections beyond the camp are part of everyday life at Barkly Work Camp.
Through the Community Support Work Program, prisoners support community organisations, events and projects throughout the Barkly region while developing practical skills, work habits and experience.
Between 1 July 2025 and 31 March 2026, Barkly Work Camp crews completed 13,370 hours of community work, delivering an estimated $333,582 in value to the community.
Chief Correctional Officer Emma Hilton, who is in charge of Barkly Work Camp, said the contribution was particularly significant in a smaller regional community.
“In a small community, that work makes a real difference. Our crews are out supporting local organisations, events and projects while the men develop practical skills, work habits and experience.”
Across the Territory, participants in the Community Support Work Program completed more than 109,600 work hours between 1 July 2025 and 31 March 2026, delivering an estimated $2.7 million in value to Territorians.
Remote, but far from disconnected
Barkly Work Camp’s location is part of what makes it distinctive.
Its connections with local organisations, Warumungu Elders and the wider Tennant Creek community provide opportunities for prisoners to contribute, develop skills and take pride in meaningful work.
The visit from HMAS Warramunga brought many of those connections together in one place — culture, community, craftsmanship and the sharing of skills.
For the prisoners whose handcrafted work will now form part of the relationship with HMAS Warramunga, it was a chance to contribute to something reaching far beyond the Barkly.
And for one Navy chef, it was also a chance to leave Tennant Creek knowing a little more about the proper way to cook kangaroo tail.
