Katherine Area, Northern Territory

Katherine Gorge (Nitmiluk) - Katherine Area While its star attraction is undoubtedly the famous Nitmiluk National Park (Katherine Gorge), Katherine and its surrounds include great fishing, hidden natural wonders and a rich indigenous and pioneering history. The region stretches from the Gulf of Carpentaria to the West Australian border. Around 300 kilometres south of Darwin, Katherine is set on the banks of the Katherine River. This unique outback town of around 8,000 people is the region’s major service centre.

Katherine offers a wide range of accommodation, facilities and attractions, including museums, art galleries, character-filled pubs and historic sites. Other attractions within easy reach of the town include the Cutta Cutta Caves Nature Park, the Katherine Hot Springs and Leliyn / Edith Falls.

Nitmiluk National Park (Katherine Gorge) covers an awesome 3,000 kilometres of magnificent escarpment country. Nitmiluk means ‘cicada place’ to the local Aboriginal people. The Katherine River flows through 13 separate gorges that carve their way through the Arnhem Plateau. You can canoe, cruise and swim between sheer cliffs to the sandy freshwater beaches of the main gorges, and view ancient Aboriginal rock paintings high on the rock faces. Waterfalls and rock pools are found along over 100 kilometres of walking tracks, beginning at the park’s visitor centre.

An hour south-east of Katherine is Mataranka, where the famous Mataranka Thermal Pool is found. Travellers can enjoy a refreshing dip in the pools, which are surrounded by the rainforests of Elsey National Park. The small historic town of Pine Creek is also well worth a visit.

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Discover Nitmiluk nature

Nitmiluk National Park is located north-east of Katherine and covers more than 292,000 hectares. Its northern edge borders Kakadu National Park and the magnificent Arnhem Land escarpment. Nitmiluk is home to the spectacular Katherine Gorge, a series of 13 sandstone gorges carved over a billion years by the Katherine River. The impressive gorge walls and white sandy beaches can be explored on foot, by canoe or on a cruise and are stunning from the air on a scenic helicopter flight. The Nitmiluk Visitors Centre, located at the start of the first gorge, is adjacent to a serene picnic area. Previously known as Katherine Gorge National Park, the park was handed back to the local Aboriginal people and renamed Nitmiluk, meaning 'Cicada Place'. The park is jointly managed by the Northern Territory Government and the Jawoyn people in accordance with traditional Jawoyn law. Aboriginal culture is strong in the area and there are many Aboriginal rock art sites dotted throughout the park. There are many adventure activities on offer in Nitmiluk National Park. It is a haven for nature lovers, with its rugged landscapes, dramatic waterfalls and lush gorges providing an abundance of flora and fauna. more

Pioneering Spirit

The first people to inhabit the Katherine region were the Jawoyn and Dagomen Aboriginal people. Explorer John McDouall Stuart passed through the region in 1862 and named the river 'Katherine' after the daughter of his sponsor, James Chambers. Her name was actually spelt with a 'C'. As with many settlements in the Territory, the town developed with the arrival of the Overland Telegraph Line and establishment of the Telegraph Station in 1872. The town moved twice during this early development, finally establishing at its current site with the completion of the railway bridge in 1926. In 1879, after good reports from Stuart and other explorers, Alfred Giles and Alfred Woods brought stock to Katherine and built a homestead they called 'Spring Vale', with a view to establishing a pastoral empire. Today, Springvale Homestead is the oldest homestead in the Northern Territory and is open to the public. Katherine's early history is depicted at a number of sites around the region. The Katherine Museum, housed in the original aerodrome, features the De Havilland Gypsy Moth aircraft flown by the first 'flying doctor', Dr Clive Fenton. O'Keefe House was built from bush materials by officers in WWII as a recreation hut and was later owned by John and Olive O'Keefe. Olive flew with Dr Clive Fenton in the 1930s. Pine Creek, 90 kilometres north of Katherine, operated as a gold mining town until 1995 and is famed for its gold mining and railway heritage. This is exhibited around the tiny town at sites like the Pine Creek National Trust Museum and the Railway Station Museum. The latter includes an 1877 steam locomotive - thought to be the oldest restored locomotive in Australia. more