It’s a sure thing that if you have an iconic tourist destination like Katherine Gorge, and it’s only 30 km from the rather urban town of Katherine (they even have a McDonalds!), and the road is sealed, then you can bet there’ll be plenty of punters there. Nonetheless, the co-management by traditional land owners and National Parks is well done here in Nitmuluk NP. The information centre is excellent offering many options for visitors and lots of info for those that are self sufficient, and the camping options are many. There’s a pool surrounded by green grass and lots of shade. And the washing machines are FREE! I did two loads, and the toasty weather here means that once you’ve pegged out the last item, you can go back to the other end of the line and start bringing the washing in!

John and the boys took the Mango for an adventure up the Katherine River and the Gorges and I got the last seat on the Tommy Tourist Cruise boat.

My cruise saw a freshwater croc –

And some ancient aboriginal painting, way up high above the water line.

It’s a wide gorge, with safe swimming at lots of places. I’d love to see the river raging through during the wet season 10 metres higher than this:

And my bird photo for the day – a kookaburra, um – dare I say? – sitting in the old gum tree.

Meanwhile, the boy team got way up to Gorge 6 (my cruise went to Gorge 3). They had to portage several times between gorges.

Below is Gorge 6 camping site. There weren’t too many fellow paddlers this far up the river.

The boy team was back at camp by about 3.30pm – ready for a pool session!

They had a great time, and John said they were champion paddlers. Well done boys – 23km today.

We decided to have two in the Mango (John and Harry) and two on bikes (Ferg and me – obviously) for the trip to Mataranka Falls – about 4.2km from our camp. It would have worked out quite well if Ferg and I hadn’t missed a track marker and found ourselves doing hike-a-bike over the river’s edge boulders. The Mango made it to the falls, but Ferg and I turned back, half melted in the heat.

Here’s the happy paddling team.

We packed up after the morning expedition and headed to Bitter Springs, just 6km from Mataranka (on the north side of town).

This was way better than the Mataranka Spring. It’s a long pool along the Little Roper River that you can float down, and then wander back in the shade of the trees. I challenge any landscape designer to come up with a better plan than this one!

We did several laps!

After the feast at Fran’s, we arrived at Mataranka and Elsey National Park by mid day. The campground there has no power, which kept the numbers of fellow campers down nicely. The heat was rather a shock – no thoughts about camp fires tonight.
We set up and then headed to the famous Mataranka Thermal Springs. This is the one you always see in the brochures, looking positively idyllic with overhanging palms, pandanas and cycads. Clear blue water – an oasis in the heat. And that’s just what it’s like!

There’s a fair bit of manmade landscaping here, but the bottom is sand, with the odd pandanas root here and there. The water is about 34 degress. As it’s quite close to town, this place is rather touristy, to say the least.
Then it was time for the Mango to have an outing. The boys took the fishing rods (ever hopeful) and put in on the Roper River about 6km up stream of camp.

Need I say that they didn’t catch a huge barramundi?
Mataranka homestead is also where they filmed “We of the Never Never” in 1981, based on the book of the same name, by Jeannie Gunn.

This is just a replica they made for the movie. Still pulls the tourists in though.

There’s a place called Larrimah (population 20), about 60 km south of Mataranka. It’s the usual Road House (and I use the term loosely), museum (same) and then Fran’s Devonshire Tea House which gave us one of those unforgettable, purely outback experiences you could never repeat. Fran’s is run by, well, Fran. She has an extensive list of yummy pastries and scones, tea and coffee (advertised as espresso). Fran is one of those classic Australians (spade is a shovel, a few teeth missing, swearing considered acceptable at all times including in front of children) that we love. She asked us what we’d like from the blackboard menu, then said “I’ve only got pies, they’re $11, but they’re good. How many do you want?” Then the man arrived with her delivery of supplies. So all the people (that’s us and the ubiquitous Grey Nomads) unloaded her trolley of stock and filled the store room shelves!
Indeed the pies were good, huge, and devoured with gusto. The coffee was, well, just okay. I think she had a plunger thing in the kitchen – we weren’t allowed in there! As her off-sider was away for the day – that was the reason for only having pies available – we all had to put our dishes in the sink tub for her. As thanks for helping her with the grocery delivery, Fran gave the boys a stuffed toy each, and the coffee was free (which is only fair, as it was pretty ordinary).
Here are some of Fran’s classy signs. I don’t think she spends as much on graphic designers as some.

Having left Alice Springs and crossed the Tropic of Capricorn (23 degrees 44 minutes) the weather has promptly turned tropical! Forget sleeping in three layers of thermals, fleece and down, under two layers of doona and sleeping bag, wearing a beanie, protecting things from overnight dew, and needing Ugg boots.
John has gone on a rampage packing away any item of clothing that looks remotely like something everyone at home would be wearing right now.
And even better, we’re on our way to Mataranka Springs for a dip!