Katherine is the third-largest town in the Northern Territory, with a population of around 8,000, and is located 300 kilometres south of Darwin. The town was named by the explorer John McDouall Stuart, after Catherine, the daughter of his benefactor. The region is home to the Jawoyn Aboriginal people. Katherine is often described as a place where ‘the outback meets the tropics’ and is well equipped with a range of accommodation and facilities. 
Get festive in Katherine
The Katherine area hosts a variety of events every year. Some are whacky, all are unique and they're hugely popular with both locals and visitors. Many events make the most of Katherine's abundance of watercourses. A number of major annual fishing competitions are held on the bigger rivers like the Daly. The Katherine Country Music Muster includes a Beaut Ute Muster, 'big breakky' and busking competitions. Bush tucker stalls, didgeridoo competitions, Chinese Dragon Boat races and indigenous song, dance, music and art, are all part of the Flying Fox Festival. Other festivals celebrate the regions gold mining history, like the Pine Creek Goldrush Festival, and the strong Aboriginal culture of the area is highlighted at the Merrepen Arts Festival and the Barunga Festival. An outback destination like Katherine wouldn't be the same without rodeos and camp drafting events and these are held regularly along with horseracing meets and the annual Katherine Show. more
