Home to savannah woodlands, gaping gorges and hot springs, Katherine is an adventurer's paradise.
Katherine Township
Katherine, just 300 kilometres south of Darwin is home to the true outback spirit. Katherine is a major supply hub along the Savannah Way and also supports the pastoral and farming communities in the region. It’s not uncommon to see real life ‘cowboys’ around town who have stopped in to enjoy a meal and a beer after a busy mustering season!
Katherine is also home to a large indigenous population and is surrounded by several indigenous communities including Barunga and Manyallaluk. Indigenous festivals such as the Barunga Festival in June also form an integral part of the Territory events calendar. The regions festivals give an ideal insight into the outback spirit, that all visitors should enjoy.
Katherine Region
Your clients will be amazed by spectacular National Parks with soaring cliffs and rivers teaming with wildlife. The most famous is Nitmiluk National Park, located about 30 Kilometers from Katherine. Here the Katherine River slices through towering sandstone cliffs to form the world famous Katherine Gorge. Many operators offer tours to the Gorge and there is a local operator offering regular bus transfers. The Jatbula Trail is a must-do walk for avid trekkers in this region and starts at the Nitmiluk Visitor Centre and ends at Edith Falls (a 58km walk, allowing 4-5 days).
The Katherine region offers an array of activities perfect to enjoy the great outdoors including fishing, canoeing, bushwalking, birdwatching, camping and four-wheel driving. Your clients can relax and discover the town’s outback history or explore the many eco-systems that surround the region. If travelers have their own vehicle, popular day trips from Katherine can be taken north to Pine Creek or south to Mataranka. Day tours are available to Manyallaluk where travelers can spend the day with aboriginal people incorporating activities such as bush tucker walks, bark painting and even spear throwing! South-west of Katherine is the Victoria River region and further north, the Daly River region which are both well known as fishing destinations. The remote Gulf region, east of Katherine, is perfect for adventurous anglers.
Gregory National Park is located in the Victoria River Region and features beautiful gorge scenery, rare wildlife species, as well as significant traces of aboriginal culture, European exploration and pastoral history.
The region is famous for:
- Katherine Gorge
- Edith Falls
- Nitmiluk National Park
- Cutta Cutta Caves
- Mataranka Thermal Pools
- Gregory National Park
- Outback Adventure Activities
- Daly River
Trip Duration
Three days allows ample time to explore the Katherine area's key attractions, including Katherine Gorge and Edith Falls in Nitmiluk National Park.
For more ideas including extended touring please see the suggested Katherine Tour itineraries.
Weather Guide
|
Month |
J |
F |
M |
A |
M |
J |
J |
A |
S |
O |
N |
D |
|
|
34.9 |
34.3 |
34.5 |
34.0 |
32.1 |
29.9 |
30.1 |
32.5 |
35.4 |
37.7 |
38.0 |
36.5 |
|
|
23.9 |
23.7 |
22.9 |
20.4 |
17.1 |
14.0 |
13.2 |
15.5 |
19.6 |
23.6 |
24.7 |
24.4 |
|
|
235.1 |
214.4 |
161.7 |
32.6 |
5.6 |
2.0 |
1.0 |
0.5 |
5.9 |
29.0 |
88.5 |
196.8 |
Road conditions can change rapidly during the wet season (or tropical summer), so it is important to always check road conditions before travelling. For more details, phone 1800 246 199 or visit www.roadreport.nt.gov.au.
Getting There and Around
Katherine is a 3-hour drive from Darwin. Airport Shuttles, Private Hire Cars and Rental Cars should be booked in advanced.
We suggest the following transportation options.