The 292,800 hectare Nitmiluk south of Kakadu National Park in Northern Territory is one of the greatest Australian national parks. 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 which is popular with kayakers. The longest, Jatbula Trail goes to Edith Falls in the western side of the park. If you are looking for things to do in Australia, here's some information on the park, camping sites and walks, and in the end of the page is an interactive map.
Custom Search
Katherine Gorge. Courtesy of Tourism Northern Territory
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 the Nitmiluk National Park include freshwater crocodiles and water monitors, wallabies, goannas and flying foxes. Birds you can see are falcons, bowerbirds, honeyeaters, finches and martins.
River Cruises and Canoeing The gorge and its wildlife are best seen from the water. Nitmiluk Tours does cruises along different sections of the gorge and to Aboriginal rock-art sites. They also hire canoes if you prefer to discover the gorge by yourself – it’s a lot of fun. The walls of the gorge are colourful in sunsets and sunrises, and you can get some good photos of wildlife too.
Boat tour in Katherine Gorge. Courtesy of Tourism Northern Territory
Helicopter Flights and Southern Bushwalks There are helicopter flights available 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 trails. Southern walks (east of Nitmiluk Centre) are short strolls on the southern bank of Katherine Gorge which take you to several lookout points offering views over different parts of the gorge, some good swimming places in the river, and an Aboriginal rock art site. You can camp at Dunlop Swamp, Smitt Rock and the Eighth Gorge but you need to ask for a permit from Nitmiluk Visitors Centre.
Courtesy of Tourism Northern Territory
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 rock art site where you are not allowed to camp.
Edith Falls. Courtesy of Tourism Northern Territory
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 the Nitmiluk National Park. Around the pool is Leilyn Trail, a short walk that takes you to a few lookout points in case you haven’t had enough walking by now or want to get some good pics of the falls. Edith Falls can also be reached from west via Stuart Highway, in case you're not much of a bushwalker.
Edith Falls. Courtesy of Tourism Northern Territory
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; and Nitmiluk Cafe serves fast food both in- and outdoors. Would you be in Katherine and not have transport to the gorge, Travel North shuttles between the gorge and Katherine Transit Centre many times a day.
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 website is written in 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.
