How do you plan keep the kids occupied this school holidays?
The Katherine region is chock-full of things to do. If you want to get out and about close to home, there is a swimming pool, a playground and a skate park right in the centre of town surrounded by sports ovals and netball courts. The Low Level and its picnic area are just down the road and the ‘bridge to bridge’ bike track loop is a great challenge for the kids.
Katherine is also close to some of the most beautiful national parks around.
Tours of Cutta Cutta Cave operate every hour, on the hour, from 9am until 3pm. Plan an extra half hour and take a wander along the short woodland track for a ‘topside’ look at the otherworldly karst limestone that makes our landscape so special. Keep an eye out for skinks, geckos and impressive looking bugs living among the spiky rocks.
Nitmiluk National Park is a living cultural landscape where every visitor can shape their own adventure.
Take a picnic lunch out to Leliyn, or Edith Falls. The gas barbecues in the picnic area are surrounded by cool green grass and shady trees. The huge plunge pool won’t be open for swimming but keen eyed wildlife spotters might like to spend half an hour on the footbridge. There are many different fish living in among the Pandanus roots and fossicking about on the bottom of the river. The Top Pools should be open, but make sure you take your shoes and hat. There isn’t a great deal of shade, but the water is oh so refreshing after the climb up the steep escarpment stairs.
The main Nitmiluk campground is a good place to practise your tent building skills. It’s also an ideal home base for a few days exploring the southern walking track system that leads through the beautiful sandstone landscape along the world famous Katherine Gorge.
Elsey National Park is just down the road near Mataranka. Visitors in the know, pack their foam noodle and goggles when planning a visit to Bitter Springs. The water flows fairly fast through the overhanging pandanus and it is quite deep. Take a trip down through the ages along John Hauser Drive and finish the day around the campfire at the 12 mile.