What is Katherine in the Northern Territory known for?
Katherine is a town about 320 kilometres south of Darwin, known as the gateway to Nitmiluk Gorge, for its thermal hot springs and as a crossroads of the outback.
The town sits on the Katherine River where the Stuart Highway meets the Victoria Highway to Western Australia. It grew around a telegraph station built in the 1870s.
The Katherine Hot Springs are natural thermal pools by the river.
Floods and air base
In 1998, record floods covered much of the town. RAAF Base Tindal is nearby.
The Katherine School of the Air teaches remote students.
The Jawoyn, Dagoman and Wardaman people are the Traditional Owners.
The town has about 10,000 people and serves a huge region of cattle stations and Aboriginal communities. Its Godinymayin Yijard Rivers Arts and Culture Centre showcases local art and performance. Cutta Cutta Caves, south of town, are limestone caves home to rare bats. Katherine is also a stop for The Ghan train between Adelaide and Darwin, and passengers often take tours to the gorge during their stopover. The dry season, from about May to September, brings warm days and cool nights.
Did You Know?
Katherine was named by explorer John McDouall Stuart in 1862.