Jessie Hayward is thrilled with her new home.

She is the first tenant to move into one of ten brand new homes being built in Tennant Creek.

GK Builders and Asbuild were awarded NT Government tenders to construct six three-bedroom homes and four four-bed-room homes across town camps including Village, Marla Marla, Munji Marla, Tingkarli, Karguru and Mulga.

Jessie (pictured with grandson Marcus) told the Tennant Times it was the first time in her life she’d moved into a new home and she was looking forward to settling in with her two grandchildren and planting a garden.

“I really like it, we are going to be happy here,” she said.
“Where we were before was overcrowded but there’s plenty of room here.”

Minister for Remote Housing and Town Camps Chansey Paech said Tennant Creek had been a hive of activity since construction began last year.

“This $4.5 million investment from the Territory Labor Government has created dozens of jobs for Tennant Creek residents and further supported several local trades and supply businesses,” he said.

“It has been a boon to the town.”

Mr Paech said other tenants would be moving into their new homes over the coming days and more homes would be allocated in the coming weeks.

“Better housing really does improve out-comes for families which is why we are building and upgrading homes right across the NT,” he said.

“This is about generational change and it is what has been driving the largest-ever remote housing investment in the Northern Territory’s history.”

Meanwhile, three homes being delivered by Tennant Creek’s Julalikari Council Aboriginal Corporation are nearly complete with allocation expected soon.

This article appeared in the Tennant & District Times, 26 March 2021.