Page 281 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Australia

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Upper waterfall and pools of Edith Falls, Nitmiluk (Katherine Gorge) National Park near Katherine
around 100 km (60 miles) of leave it. About 8 km (5 miles) A “no swimming” policy covers
marked trails in the park, ranging east of Mataranka is Elsey National the entire park. In the west
from the spectacular lookout Park. Visitors can swim in the of the park, the stunning
walk to the five-day 72-km (45- hot waters of the Mataranka Limestone Gorge has dolomite
mile) Jatbula Trail to Edith Falls, Thermal Pool which flow from blocks, huge cliffs and good
which can also be reached by Rainbow Springs to this idyllic fishing opportunities.
car from the Stuart Highway. spot. Built in 1916 Mataranka
Homestead is now a tourist
Environs resort, which includes a motel,
Just 27 km (17 miles) south of cabins and camp sites.
Katherine are the Cutta Cutta
caves, limestone rock formations P Mataranka Homestead
15 m (50 ft) under the earth’s Tel (08) 8975 4544. Open daily.
surface and formed five million @ 0 = ∑ mataranka
years ago. They are home to homestead.com.au
both the rare orange horseshoe
bat and the brown tree snake. 7Judbarra/Gregory
Further southeast, 110 km
(70 miles) from Katherine, lies National Park
the small town of Mataranka. n Timber Creek (08) 8975 0888,
This is “Never Never” country, Bullita (08) 8975 0833. Open 7am–4pm
celebrated by female pioneer Mon–Fri. ∑ nt.gov.au Walking trail by a sandstone escarpment,
Jeannie Gunn in her 1908 novel, Keep River National Park
We of the Never Never, about life e of the Never Never, about life e of the Never Never
W W This massive national park is 280 8Keep River
at nearby Elsey Station at the km (174 miles) by road southwest
turn of the century. The area is of Katherine. Broken into two National Park
called Never Never country sections, its eastern part contains n Victoria Hwy (08) 9167 8827.
because those who live here a 50-km (31-mile) section of the Open Apr–Sep: daily; Oct–Mar:
find they never, never want to Victoria River gorge accessible Mon–Fri. Closed when inaccessible.
by a 2WD boat ∑ nt.gov.au
ramp for much of
the year. In the Located only 3 km (2 miles) from
north of the larger the Western Australian border,
western section of Keep River National Park
the park are some includes the dramatic Keep River
crocodile-infested gorge and some of Australia’s
areas of the Victoria most ancient rock art sites. The
River. Here boat park, once the location of an
trips combine ancient Aboriginal settlement,
close-up views today has some superb walking
Limestone Gorge in Judbarra/Gregory National Park of the crocodiles. trails for all levels of trekkers.