Page 280 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Australia

278  THE NOR THERN TERRIT OR Y

to the wild coastal beaches of Wangi, in the wet season, and
Garig Gunak Barlu National Park. Buley Rockhole. The park has
The number of vehicles allowed some amazing giant magnetic
to enter the region each week is termite mounds. They are
restricted and there are permit so-called because they point north
fees, too, so going on a tour is in an effort by the termites to
sometimes a convenient option. control temperature by having
Garig is a large park, with only the mound’s thinnest part
sandy beaches and the calm exposed to the sun. Also pop-
waters of Port Essington. Two ular are the sandstone block
attempts by the British to settle formations further south,
this area in the early 1800s were known as the “Lost City” due
abandoned, due to the to their resemblance to ruins.
inhospitable environment and
malaria epidemics. The ruins of
Victoria Settlement can be 6Katherine
reached by boat from Smith * 11,000. ~ @ @ n Cnr
Tiwi islander making handicrafts from local Point. Luxury accommodation Katherine Terrace & Lindsay St (08)
fibres, Bathurst Island is available at Seven Spirit Bay 8972 2650. ∑ visitkatherine.com.au
Wilderness Lodge, reached by
2Tiwi Islands plane from Darwin; the Venture The town of Katherine, situated
North company, which tours the on the banks of the Katherine
~ n Tiwi Tours, Mitchell St, Darwin
(08) 8923 6523; SeaLink (08) 8981 2878 region, has a safari-style camp River, 320 km (200 miles) south
(tours and ferry run dry season only). overlooking Port Essington. of Darwin, is both a thriving
regional centre and a major Top
Just 80 km (50 miles) north of End tourist destination. Home for
Darwin lie the Tiwi Islands, the 4Kakadu National thousands of years to the Jawoyn
collective name given to the Park people, Katherine River has long
small island of Bathurst and been a rich source of food for the
its larger neighbour, Melville. See pp280–81. Aboriginal people. The river was
The latter is the second-largest first crossed by white explorers
island off the Australian coast 5Litchfield in 1844, and the area was not
after Tasmania and is rich in settled by Europeans until 1872,
history and Aboriginal culture. National Park with the completion of the
The islands’ inhabitants, the n Parks and Wildlife Commission of Overland Telegraph Line.
Tiwi people, had little contact the Northern Territory (08) 8976 Springvale Homestead was built
with mainland Aboriginals 0282. ∑ nt.gov.au on the Katherine River in 1879.
until the 20th century. It is now the oldest homestead
With beautiful waters, sandy The spectacular Litchfield in the Territory and is open to
beaches and lush forest, the National Park, only 129 km the public. Tours are offered at
islands are a tropical paradise, (80 miles) south of Darwin, is 3pm daily during dry season.
but only Bathurst can be visited very popular with Darwinians. Only 30 km (20 miles) from
on tours from Darwin. Day trips There are waterfalls, gorges and town lies the famous Nitmiluk
(May–Oct) offer a glimpse of the deep, crocodile-free pools for (Katherine Gorge) National
unique blend of Aboriginal, swimming at Florence Falls, Park. Its string of 13 separate
Indonesian and Tiwi traditions. gorges along 50 km (30 miles)
Tourists can visit Aboriginal art of the Katherine River has been
centres, Tiwi printworks for carved out by torrential
screen-printed fabrics and a seasonal rains cutting through
puk cliffs of red sandstone which
puk
pukumani burial site.umani burial site.umani
are 1,650 million years old.
3Cobourg The result is a place of deep
Peninsula pools, silence and grandeur.
The best way to explore the
n Venture North Australia, Darwin (08) park is by boat or canoe. Canoe
8927 5500. ∑ venturenorth.com.au trips are guided or self-guided,
with nine navigable gorges and
The Cobourg Peninsula is one overnight camping possible.
of the most remote parts of There are also cruise trips
Australia. It is only accessible by operated by the Jawoyn people,
vehicle during the dry season who own the park and run it in
and with an access permit conjunction with the Parks and
(see p266), travelling through the Giant magnetic termite mound in Litchfield Wildlife Commission of the
closed Aboriginal Arnhem Land National Park Northern Territory. There are also
For hotels and restaurants in this area see p489 and pp517–18