AusAlert, Australia’s new national warning system, will be sending a test alert near Tennant Creek Hospital on 18 June.It uses the latest technology to send emergency messages to compatible mobile phone devices during local and national disasters.During the test, devices will vibrate and play a siren-like warning for about 10 seconds. The message will appear on device screens and clearly say it is a test.
Australia’s new emergency warning system, AusAlert, will conduct a test near Tennant Creek Hospital on Thursday 18 June, with locals set to receive a test alert at 10:00am.
AusAlert uses the latest technology to send emergency messages to compatible mobile phones devices during local and national disasters such as:
natural hazards like bushfires, floods, cyclones and tsunamissecurity threatspublic health emergenciesbiosecurity incidents.
Chief Minister Lia Finocchiaro said AusAlert messages are a fast and reliable way to ensure people are informed and better prepared during local and national emergencies.
“AusAlert will transform the way we warn communities, delivering fast, targeted alerts at a local, regional or national level,” the Chief Minister said.
“Testing the system in communities like Tennant Creek helps us iron out any issues and ensures people know what to expect when AusAlert goes live.”
Alerts can be sent to devices within a geo-targeted area.
The new AusAlert system is being tested in a variety of different locations before it is introduced nationally from October 2026.
Minister for Health and Member for Barkly Steve Edgington said a test alert will be sent to compatible mobile devices in the vicinity of Tennant Creek Hospital.
“The CLP Government is committed to ensuring Territorians receive timely warnings during emergencies, giving people the information they need to act quickly and protect lives and property,” Minister Edgington said.
Everyone in the test area with a compatible mobile device will receive an alert unless:
You have your phone off or in aeroplane modeYou have not upgraded your phone to the latest software update (which may require you to turn your phone off and on to take effect)You move into an area where there is no mobile coverage.
Devices will vibrate and play a siren-like warning sound for about 10 seconds. An AusAlert message will appear on device screens, and it will clearly say it is a test. Exactly how it appears will depend on device type and operating system.
The Tennant Creek trial will be followed by a nationwide test of AusAlert on Monday 27 July at 1:30pm local time.
