Nitmiluk
National Park is in the Top End of Northern Territory.
This 292,800 hectare national park is one of the greatest
ones in Australia. The main feature of the park is the rugged
and spectacular Katherine Gorge which has
been carved
into the rock by Katherine River.
Many bushwalking tracks surround the
gorge that is popular with kayakers. The
longest, Jatbula
Trail goes to Edith Falls
in the western
side of the park.
Geology, Vegetation and Australian Animals
The geology of the gorge is fascinating with high walls of sandstone
and conglomerate. The gorge is lined
with pandanus
and paperbark
stands, and walking tracks lead through different vegetation types such
as tropical woodlands, monsoon rainforests and sandstone plateaus where
Spinifex grows. Animals in this national park include
freshwater crocodiles
and water monitors, wallabies,
goannas and flying
foxes. Birds you can see include falcons,
bowerbirds, honeyeaters, finches and martins.
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River Cruises and Canoeing
The gorge and its wildlife are best seen from the water. There are
cruises along different sections of the gorge and to
some sites with Aboriginal
rock paintings. They also hire canoes if
you prefer to discover the gorge by yourself – it’s fun. The
walls of the gorge are colourful in sunset and sunrise so bring your
camera.
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Helicopter Flights and Southern Bushwalks
There are helicopter flights if you want to see the gorge from the air.
You can book them at the visitors centre of the Nitmiluk National Park,
where you can also get maps and more information on the bushwalking
tracks. Southern walks (east of the visitors centre) are short strolls
on
the southern bank of Katherine Gorge which take you to several lookout
points with views over different parts of the gorge, some good
swimming spots in the river, and a site of Aboriginal
animal art. You can
camp at Dunlop
Swamp, Smitt Rock and the Eighth Gorge but you need to ask for a permit
from Nitmiluk Visitors Centre.
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Jatbula Trail
The 58-km Jatbula Trail is a popular long
walk over the Arnhem Land escarpment. It is well marked but only open
during the Dry Season and you need to book in advance with the Nitmiluk
National Park Visitors Centre as the hikers’ numbers are restricted. It
goes north from the Nitmiluk Centre: 4km to Northern
Rockhole
where you are not allowed to camp and another 8km to Biddlecombe
Cascades where there is a camping site. North from here is Crystal
Falls with a camping site, and The
Amphitheatre
- an Aboriginal
art site where
you are not allowed
to camp.
Edith Falls. Poster
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Edith Falls
Across the 17 Mile Creek in west is the 17 Mile Falls,
and further west the Edith River Crossing,
both with
camp sites. South from here is Sandy Camp Pool with a camping site and Edith
River South where you are not allowed to camp.
South-east from
Edith River South you come to Sweetwater Pool,
and
finally to Edith Falls, the best swimming
hole in
this national park. Around the pool is Leilyn Trail - a short walk
that takes you to a few lookout points. Edith Falls
can also be reached from west via Stuart Highway.
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Tours and Camping
You can camp in the bush but there is also the Nitmiluk Caravan Park
next to the entrance to the Katherine Gorge. Would you be in the area
and not have
transport to the gorge, there are one
day trips from Darwin (that include the cruise) as well as three
day tours that combine Nitmiluk with Kakadu National Park,
and four
day tours that combine Nitmiluk with Kakadu and Litchfield.
Accommodation
Accommodation in Katherine includes All
Seasons Hotel, Best
Western Pine Tree Motel, Donkey
Camp Bed and Breakfast, Katherine
Motel, Knotts
Crossing Resort, Maud
Creek Country Lodge, and Springvale
Homestead.
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Here's a map of Nitmiluk National Park,
where I have
tagged the places that I mentioned on this web page. You can click on
the tags to see what places they are, and double-click anywhere on the
map to zoom it in and see the places closer. Drag the map to move
around, and if you want to see the satellite image with Google Earth,
click on "Sat" in the top right hand corner.
Note:
This site uses
British English, which is the English we use in Australia. You will
find words like "traveller", "harbour" and "realise", and they are all
correct in the language used in Australia.
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that all the information on this site is correct,
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