Daly Waters

Daly Waters is a tiny outback settlement in the Northern Territory that punches well above its weight in character. Best known for its historic pub – a legendary stopover on the Stuart Highway – it’s a place where travellers gather to swap stories under a ceiling covered in decades of currency and memorabilia. The surrounding landscape is classic red-centre Australia: spinifex plains, termite mounds and big skies that ignite at sunset.

Highlights & What to See

• Daly Waters Pub – An iconic outback pub festooned with banknotes, business cards, bras and oddities left by travellers since the 1930s. Grab a cold beer, a barra burger and soak up the irreverent atmosphere.
• Daly Waters Historic Store – A restored general store that once serviced the Overland Telegraph Line, now a small museum with vintage goods and telegraph memorabilia.
• Daly Waters Airstrip – Once a major refuelling stop for Qantas flying boats and early international flights; the old terminal building has a fascinating display of aviation history.
• Stuart Tree – A boab tree carved by explorer John McDouall Stuart during his 1862 expedition, marking his route through the region.
• Birdlife at the waterhole – The nearby Daly Waters waterhole attracts a surprising variety of birds, including brolgas and corellas, especially in the early morning.

Suggested Time to Spend

Daly Waters is best treated as a brief but memorable stop – allow 1–2 hours to explore the pub, historic store and airstrip. It works perfectly as a lunch or afternoon break when driving between Katherine and Tennant Creek. If you’re in the mood, the pub often has live music and a campsite out back, making an overnight stay a fun, sociable option.

Nearby Areas Worth Combining

• Mataranka – Famous for its thermal pools and the Elsey National Park, about 90 km north.
• Katherine – Gateway to Nitmiluk National Park (Katherine Gorge), 200 km north.
• Larrimah – A quirky outback town with a pink pub and the world’s largest (maybe) collection of garden gnomes, 60 km south.
• Dunmarra – Tiny roadhouse stop with a historic pub and a large dinosaur statue, 100 km south.
• Newcastle Waters – Historic droving town with a heritage-listed Junction Hotel, about 150 km south.

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