Top Things to do in Katherine
What to do and see in Katherine, Northern Territory: The Best Nature & Parks
Katherine is located south of Darwin along the Stuart Highway and has a population of approximately 11,000 people. Near Katherine, within the Nitmiluk National Park, there are many exciting things to do including helicopter flights, canoeing, bushwalking, fishing, cultural sunset boat cruises and exploring ancient rock art. The Katherine Hot Springs, Leliyn (Edith Falls) and the Cutta Cutta Caves Nature Park are also must visit locations in this area.
Restaurants in Katherine
1. Nitmiluk National Park
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 391 reviews
Located on the lands of the Jawoyn people, Nitmiluk National Park draws travellers from all over the world to experience its majestic beauty and sheer size of Nitmiluk (Katherine Gorge). Ancient rock art sites dot the park and the dreaming stories told by Jawoyn people bring the silent gorge walls to life.
Reviewed By N1817ZLlauried - Kanata, Canada
The Nitmiluk National park is an absolute gem, 9 different gorges to visit and paddle through (with some portaging depending on the water level), so beautiful! Not many places to kayak inland in the Top End, this is the spot, a few hours to a few days of back country camping and kayaking, Nitmiluk has it. Great swimming throughout too!
2. Katherine Hot Springs
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 594 reviews
These natural thermal springs are located just outside of Katherine Township and comprise of a series of clear pools framed by native vegetation. These bubbly springs have a constant temperature of approximately 25 - 30 degrees Celsius.
Reviewed By tastanic
Beautiful warm water can touch the bottom in most spots can become crowded in the early afternoon Good food and coffee from the cafe at the top near car park Current down stream can be strong for small children
3. Nitmiluk (Katherine) Gorge
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 1,534 reviews
Nitmiluk (Katherine) Gorge is a deep gorge carved through ancient sandstone by the Katherine River. Situated within the Jawoyn-owned Nitmiluk National Park, characterised by its sandstone country features above the gorge, lush rainforest gullies in the gorge walls, and broad valleys meandering through both the high and the low country. Enjoy a boat tour, helicopter flight, various walks, camping and canoeing.
Reviewed By Fionaon23
Loved this place.. we were lucky enough to be here in the quiet wet season.. take a tour up the river to experience the sheer beauty .. lovely centre and cafe for a coffee and snack.
4. Edith Falls
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 734 reviews
Leliyn/ Edith Falls is located within the pristine Nitmiluk National Park (Katherine Gorge). Enjoy swimming in the paperbark and pandanus fringed natural pool at the base of the falls most of the year, or check out the upper pools via a moderate uphill walk. The area is great for bushwalking with numerous trails surrounding.
Reviewed By thestevensadventure - Darwin, Australia
Great spot, upper pool is a 1km walk in, you can either back track 1km to the car park or continue and do a trail loop which is 1.6km back to the car park. Back near the car park is a campground and day use area where you can swim in the bottom pool during dry season.
5. Jatbula Trail
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 64 reviews
Reviewed By SallyP99 - Adelaide, Australia
This five day hike is a must do. It’s a moderately challenging hike with a full pack, doable by any able adult but best enjoyed if you have a good level of fitness, even better if you’ve practiced carrying a full pack. The terrain is varied, beautiful and wild. The campsites each have a good composting toilet and an emergency call box, other than that you are completely in nature. Each campsite is pretty, with a permanent waterhole suitable for swimming and fresh water. We chose to do the guided walk with Gecko tours, mainly because we couldn’t get one of the rare tickets to walk independently. Nevertheless, it was well worth it! Our guide Travis was absolutely awesome. His knowledge and passion about geology, the vegetation, fauna, art sites, stars and especially spiders added another level of enjoyment to the walk. He was good company and very calm, and cheerfully carried all of the cooking gear and most of the food for the group! Gecko provide whatever sleeping equipment you need, and the catering is very good for such a hike, even including fresh salad veg every day! Their advice about what to bring (and what not to bring) was spot on too. Although this walk would be amazing whichever way you do it, Gecko tours took it to next level. I would go again in a heart beat.
6. The Katherine Museum and Gardens
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 107 reviews
Discover the unique history of the Katherine region at the Katherine Museum & Gardens. Start at the McNamara Cottage and gift shop, visit the Clyde Fenton Gallery, the Overland Telegraph Line building and Wallie’s Shed to see diverse displays of people, place and culture. Through outdoor and indoor displays, the museum showcases the resilience, resourcefulness and adventurous spirit of the people of the Katherine region. From town icon and Wardaman stockman, Sabu Singh, Galloping Jack and Russian Peanut Farmers to the Daisy Cutter bombs that fell during World War Two, Katherine’s strong military ties and the Katherine Floods, find out how and where it happened. Have a picnic or take a walk in the beautiful community gardens.
Reviewed By wayden2017 - Sweden, null
Popped in because we were staying just next to at Knotts Crossing Resort. Was great to learn some of the local history and the timeline when things happened. Was some video to see about the big flood in the 80s.
7. Cutta Cutta Caves Nature Park
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 271 reviews
Cutta Cutta Caves Nature Park is located 27km south of Katherine and is easily accessible from the Stuart Highway. The park covers 1499 hectares of limestone landscape, and is home to five species of bats, including the rare Ghost and Horseshoe bats. About 170 species of birds have been recorded within the park, including the Hooded Parrot and the endangered Gouldian Finch. Tropical cave systems like those in Cutta Cutta Caves Nature Park are limited in Australia and are therefore of scientific and conservation interest and are the primary season the area has been declared an official Nature Park.
Reviewed By colin1962 - Newcastle upon Tyne, United Kingdom
Well worth the short trip from Katherine to see these caves. We did the guided tour of the caves and it was well worth the price. The guide and excellent and knowledgeable, the cave formations were stunning and we also managed to see bats inside the caves, we were also lucky enough to see a snake in a tree near the entrance to the caves.
8. Low Level Nature Reserve
Overall Ratings
4.0 based on 31 reviews
Reviewed By wayden2017 - Sweden, null
This is a great place for a picnic or just to take a break. Not very far off the main road and plentry of parking as well as public toilets. You can check out the water or go up the hill a bit and hang around in the park. I have heard stories about crocs in the water, so not sure it's a good idea to take a swim. Overall, was worth the visit.
9. O'Keeffe House
Overall Ratings
4.0 based on 1 reviews
O’Keeffe House was intended as a recreation hut, built by the army in World War II, but became the Officer’s mess. It was a simple structure with the walls and ceilings made from bark, cypress pine, fly wire and the roof from corrugated iron. The floor was local aggregate and concrete. When the war ended the shortage of housing was immense and most people in Katherine scraped together homes from whatever materials were left behind by the army. It is one of the few structures from the war to have survived in the Katherine region. In 1963, Johnno and Olive O’Keeffe purchased what would become known as O’Keeffe House. Johnno turned out to be an excellent handyman, making furniture from all sorts of scrap and territory timbers. Olive loved her garden, so between them, they made their own little paradise between the trees on the banks of the Katherine River.
