Katherine

Far more than just the township, the Katherine region, stretches from the Western Australian border to the remote eastern coastline, taking in numerous Aboriginal communities. Its diverse landscapes and unique ecosystems set the scene for outback adventure activities like fishing, canoeing, bushwalking, bird watching, camping and four-wheel driving. Take a scenic flight or helicopter journey to see it from above, or explore via boat or even kayak for a different perspective!

The township of Katherine is 300km south of Darwin, and many of the nearby Aboriginal communities welcome visitors, particularly those with art centres, like the Ghunmarn Culture Centre in Beswick, which holds the special Blanasi collection of Aboriginal Art. At the nearby Mulkgulumbu Falls, an annual indigenous festival called Walking with Spirits offers a taste of traditional and contemporary music and dance. Indigenous culture has a strong hold on Katherine; listen to the stories of Aboriginal people and how life has changed for them in a small period of time, and experience a hands on art workshop.

Here you will also find Nitmiluk National Park, home to a series of gorges on the Katherine River and Edith Falls. The gorges and surrounding landscape have great significance to the Jawoyn people, who are custodians of the National Park. Nitmiluk to them means “place of the cicada dreaming.” Katherine Gorge is the central attraction, comprised of thirteen gorges, and is ideal for swimming and canoeing in the Dry Season, or enjoying a relaxing cruise.

Day trips from Katherine can be taken north to Pine Creek or south to Mataranka. Pine Creek has a strong gold mining heritage, with original buildings dating back to the 1800s, while Mataranka is famous for its tropical thermal pools and nearby Elsey National Park. The Victoria River region, south west of Katherine, is well known as a premier fishing holiday destination. Further north, the Daly River region is another spot popular for fishing and camping, with hot springs, gorges and rivers.