Katherine

A short drive from Katherine in the Nitmiluk National Park, Katherine Gorge is actually a string of gorges cut by the Katherine River through the Arnhem Land Plateau. The two-hour small boat cruise through the main gorges is the most popular, but, water levels permitting, there is a full day excursion which takes in five gorges. There are several sites at the base of the sandstone escarpment where you can see Aboriginal rock art by the distant ancestors of the Jawoyn people. Canoes are available for hire, but stone bars separate the gorges and the upper reaches of the system involve difficult porterages.

You can also take to the sky in a helicopter and visit six gorges in a 15-minute flight and the whole system in 30 minutes. The views are spectacular. The best time to visit Katherine Gorge is between May and September as the river floods in the Wet season. Nitmiluk National Park covers about 290,000 hectares and has many marked walking trails, the longest of which takes five days! Camp sites are provided along walking trails and by the river for canoeists who want to camp out.