Katherine, a historic town with an experienced hospitality sector offers visitors comfort as you explore Nitmiluk National Park river gorges. Katherine offers visitors an authentic glimpse into the trials and tribulations of European explorers as they opened The Outback with telegraph and railway lines. The town is a comfortable hub to explore The Outback with galleries and cafes to relax in after a day outdoors.
KATHERINE, HIGHLIGHTS AND THINGS TO DO NEARBY NITMILUK NATIONAL PARK
- Cruise along the Katherine River gorges for unparalleled views of sheer red cliffs, eucalyptus clad river beaches and weathered rounded boulders. Ancient sandstone cliffs reflect the colour, light and shade of a timeless landscape.
- Wander through Katherine’s heritage attractions from Elsey homestead, a superb replica for a 19th century home duplicated with hand hewn local cypress.
- Ponder the life of early construction workers as they build telegraph and railway lines a Katherine Railway Station Museum.
- O’keefe residence, a rare surviving World War II home, recycling at its best. The residence is bush innovation using Cypress pine, iron sheeting and flywire.
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- Hot Water Springs, take a dip in the Katherine Hot Springs with pandanus trees creating shady spots. There are pop up food trucks (peak season May to October).
- Local galleries, Mimi Aboriginal Arts and Crafts, Katherine Art Gallery and Godinymayin Yijard Rivers Arts and Culture Centre (GYRACC) are favourite cultural stops for visitors. For visitors intent on acquiring unique Aboriginal art check out Northern Territory shopping art destinations.
- Darwin weekend markets & shopping
- Tiwi Islands
- Weekend markets, Katherine is alive with locals shopping in the Saturday markets near the Katherine Visitor Centre. Live entertainment, crafty goods and plenty of fresh food offerings.
Katherine is worth a minimum of an overnight stay to give visitors plenty of time to absorb the sheer beauty of Nitmiluk National Park river gorges. The day trip from Darwin allows a mere four hours in Katherine, a selfie shot or two with most of the time on the road. Relax you are on holiday in the Northern Territory and take in the extraordinary scenic landscapes of Outback Australia.
WHAT TO DO NEARBY KATHERINE, NORTHERN TERRITORY?
- Mataranka, the town made famous by the novel Elsey Station ‘We of the Never Never’ is home to a crystal clear thermal pool (average temperature 34 c). Soak in the rock pools of Bitter Springs in Elsey National Park. Swim in designated areas and check for updates on crocodile alerts.
- Browse the Stockyard Gallery’s exhibit of local Aboriginal art from the Mataranka and Roper River areas. Pick up a didgeridoo, postcard, whip or spear and enjoy a homemade iced coffee and a scone in the cafe’s garden.
- Camp at Territory Manor and witness barramundi (fish) being fed and find out how the fish live, change sex and breed on the twice-daily tours at Territory Manor.
- Birdwatchers (twitchers) have a local birding hot spot at Territory Manor.
- West of Katherine is Leliyn Edith falls, part of Nitmiluk National Park. Rock pools surrounded by beautiful red tinted cliffs. There is a kiosk operating in the peak season.
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KATHERINE – REMOTE, OFF THE BEATEN TRACK THINGS TO DO IN THE NORTHERN TERRITORY
- Bullita homestead is an abandoned homestead in a remote area which symbolises the struggle to farm in the searing heat of an outback summer. Check out Judbarra / Gregory National Park | NT.GOV.AU for details.
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- Drovers rest boab trees “Drover’s Rest Boab Precinct is significant to the Territory’s cultural heritage. Consisting of seven carved boabs, the precinct is associated with the early pastoral industry of the NT when cattle were driven overland along stock routes to meatworks at Wyndham and Vestey’s Meatworks in Darwin.”
- Birding destination (Pine Creek settlement). Tours pass through this area in search of the vulnerable Gouldian Finch, Black-Tailed Treecreeper and the Blue-Winged Kookaburra.
- Cutta Cutta Caves Nature Park, 30 km from Katherine is home to over 170 species of birds, including the vulnerable hooded parrot. The best time for bird-watching is in the early morning and late afternoon. It has limestone caves housing five species of bats. These include the rare orange horseshoe-bat and the ghost bat.
WHERE IS KATHERINE LOCATED?
Where The Outback meets the tropics. Katherine is a day trip away from Darwin (300 km one way).
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