Locations: Mataranka and Katherine NT

Region: Katherine NT

Dates: Tuesday 23 July – Friday 26 July 2024

Temperatures: 18 – 33 degrees

Tuesday 23 July 2024

Mataranka to Katherine 100km’s

Total trip kilometres 3384

We are due in Katherine by 2pm, booked in at the Discovery Park so we decide to visit Mataranka homestead for a morning swim before setting off.

At Mataranka homestead there is a replica of the old homestead used in the 1982 film, We Of The Never Never based on the life and book by Jeannie Gunn who lived in the region in the early 1900’s which we visit.

We then enjoy our walk through the trees and our swim and an early lunch of Barra burgers before saying goodbye to Mataranka and traveling on to Katherine.

The weather has continued to warm as we’ve moved North and by the time we reach Katherine the day is very warm. We set up our camp and take a dip in the very new resort pool. It’s very cold compared to the springs this morning.

Wednesday 24 July 2024

Katherine NT

Temperature: 18 – 32, hot, sunny

Today we visit the Katherine Springs. These springs are separated at each end of the current by barriers but there are still signs regarding fresh water crocodiles. The water is warm but not as hot as the 34 degree springs at Mataranka. Our dip is very refreshing and there is a small fall at one end that Rob playfully takes a swim over. He’s a big kid at heart. ❤️

On the way back to the park we shop for a few groceries and I spend the afternoon starting to sort food for the NT/WA quarantine border crossing.

I pickle some of Hazel’s lovely daikon radish and carrot and start a new sourdough loaf while catching up on washing.

Thursday 25 July 2024

Temperature: 24 – 33, hot humid

Butterfly Gorge Hike

Rob has found a nice hike, about 12km out to the 3rd Gorge on the Katherine River and you can swim so we set off early around 8:30am.

The hike is out and back in the Nitmiluk National Park which is about 20km from our park and part of the Baruwei Loop/Gurumal Trail a moderate rated trail.

The first 4 kilometres of the track essentially follow a fire trail from the Nitmiluk Visitor Centre. The track has a total elevation of 200m is very rocky, even slippery with loose shale at times, there are few patches of shade and we go up and down several times as we walk along the escarpment.

As we approach the next section of the trail we see a sign explaining where we are and from here the track gets very narrow and rocky, goes up again before going down into the gorge proper and as we head down we start to see lots of butterflies.

The last section is a rocky scramble leading to a very narrow shelf above the river from which you can swim. When we arrive there are 3 others already there.

We remove our boots and I scramble to put my feet in and Rob gets ready for a dip.

The views down the Gorge are amazing, we see people kayaking and I spot a turtle. It’s an amazingly beautiful spot. Well worth the hard walk to get here.

We find out the next day on our dinner cruise that this part of the Gorge is the deepest at 35metres and gets deeper each wet season due to a large whirlpool that develops here, causing the rocks to swirl and gouge the bottom further. We also find out this is a popular area for fish and crocs due to the depth!

We spend about an hour before heading back. The day only gets hotter so it’s a tough walk back and we refill our water bottles several times at available rainwater tanks along the way! Thank you very much.

We deviate onto the Jadalep loop so that we can visit the Baruwei lookout extending the walk by about 2km to 14km.

It was a tough walk but worth it!

Friday 26 July 2024

Temperature: 18 – 33, hot, humid slightly overcast.

Edith Falls & Katherine Gorge Dinner Cruise

Today we are doing two side trips. The first is a hike and swim at Edith Falls. Still in Nitmiluk National Park but 80 kilometres North of Katherine.

We set off around 8.30am, drive 60km North then turn right at the sign for Edith Falls and drive another 20km’s to arrive around 9:30. The National Park has a car park, kiosk and toilet.

The walk is a 3.9km circuit and we decide to walk anticlockwise. The walk has an elevation of 100m and the first part takes us past the bottom waterhole with a waterfall.

So spectacular!

The track then curves around to the left and becomes a rocky switchback straight up, followed by a scrambled rocky track for about 2km’s. There are very obvious signs of recent fire and I wonder if it’s management fire or from the NT fire last year? It’s hot today and I quickly become parched amongst the dry and blackened landscape.

We detour to Bermang Lookout for our first view of the upper pool. From here the waterfall is directly beneath us.

Another 500 metres of rock scramble which only gets worse and I begin to wonder how they graded this a moderate track? Reward looms though, as after a final rock scramble down we arrive.

There is a deep pool to swim across and we find a path across rocks to the falls, then a swim past them and around a pile of rock in the middle with a slight current that takes you over some slippery rocks and back around to the main pool! WOW!

After a truly delightful swim we reluctantly dry off and put the boots back on for the walk back. Highly recommend you visit Edith Falls if you are in the NT. There is a camp so if you go to Darwin be sure to deviate that 20km’s off the highway. You won’t regret it.

On the way back on the outskirts of Katherine we see a flock of red tailed black cockatoo’s. Always a favourite.

Once back at the van we hop into some jobs, Rob maintenance on the water hose and starting to repair our step which has sheared away and I on food prep for the border crossing.

Katherine Gorge Dinner Cruise

After getting back to the van we both hop into some chores, Rob on van maintenance and I on food prep. I make a big batch of ratatouille, roast two sweet potato and some garlic and bake some sourdough crackers. It’s hot work so getting ready and showering for our dinner cruise tonight is welcome. We are both looking forward to the cruise very much.

The cruise is full, about 40 people I calculate and goes for about 3.5 hours and we have two boat changes ahead as we make our way up the gorge.

We set off and within minutes our pilot tells us to look towards the bank! There’s a freshie! A freshwater crocodile!

And on the opposite bank is a trap for a saltie! A saltwater crocodile… he assures as there aren’t any but there was last April. Apparently they investigate for six weeks after every wet season before opening (parts) of the Gorge for swimming.

The Katherine Gorge is stunning and everyone on board is mesmerized with its beauty and the witty commentary from our pilot.

And then there’s another freshie!

We continue up the Gorge to our first stop, where we need to disembark and walk up the Gorge to the next boat. As the dry season progresses the water level in the Gorge drops and the Gorge is separated into sections.

We disembark and there is rock art and towering cliffs to admire and a beautiful walk up the Gorge. The colours are amazing.

As we walk we chat to other guests, a young couple from France, an older couple from Germany and fellow Aussies too. We come to a wide plateau of rock that stretches out into the middle of the Gorge and it’s a great spot for photos.

Our second boat takes us up past Jedda’s rock and our pilot tells how the stone here is so old; 65 million year, that it contains no record of life, no fossils, nada.

The sun is starting to sink as we turn into the second Gorge and the colours and reflections are just so lovely.

We come to the third Gorge, our Butterfly Gorge from our walk the day before. You can see the ledge on the bottom right.

From here we turn back and retrace our steps. When we swaps boats the second time, it’s set for dinner and we enjoy a lovely three course dinner of local delicacies including crocodile, barramundi, eye fillet and mud cake for dessert with flavour’s of the top end, including Wattle Seed, Kakadu Plum and Lemon Myrtle.

Our dinner companions Matt and Amanda from Victoria are wonderful company and it is a very enjoyable evening.

Next stop Kununurra WA.

Take care, stay safe and look after one another.

Love Maryann and Rob xx