My uncle Mark and aunty Simmone are long-time Katherine residents, having lived through two of its worst floods, and have raised their three children here. Two of these cousins of mine now have families of their own and we were dying to meet them and catch up on all the news. The youngest great grandchild in our Crofty crew, beautiful Lincoln, is just a few months old and the kids (and us!) were smitten!
We were spoilt with some delicious home cooked meals and outback hospitality and although we'd been to Katherine before, we were given the insider tips on what to see and do in these parts! It helps when your aunty runs the local museum and your cousin Lauren is on nearly every committee in town! And the kids loved getting a local's take on things like cane toads and crocs, as my youngest cousin Hamish told them stories of croc wrangling in the local river and casually nabbed a cane toad with his bow and arrow after dinner one night.... only in the Territory!
Here's a breakdown of our terrific week in Katherine:
1. Nitmiluk Gorge
This amazing gorge, also known as Katherine Gorge, is simply breathtaking. Luke and I have seen it before but have never done a cruise down through the gorge itself and gee, we are so glad we did this time around. Jumping on board the little boat driven by an amazingly knowledgable guide, we learnt all about the importance of this place to the local Jawoyn people and were so impressed with the majestic red cliffs which engulf you as you sail down the river. We saw a fresh water croc, a few different varieties of Heron and were able to get off the boat and walk through from one gorge to the next, where a second boat met us and we continued our magical journey through these beautiful rocks. The cruise was perfect for the kids, not too long or short with a little break in the middle and we all enjoyed it so much - a definite trip highlight!
2: Katherine Springs
Who doesn't love a nice swim in clear, warm water after a big day bush walking? We stayed at the Riverview Caravan Park which is about a 5minute walk from the springs (they run pretty much straight through the town!) so we went down for a dip a few afternoons and it was just so relaxing. We are definitely loving these natural swimming pools in the NT!
3: The Katherine Museum
My Aunty Simmone runs the Katherine Museum and gee, its worth a visit if you're passing through. The detailed displays and collections of memorabilia highlight her passion for the past and its so interesting to read about the Aboriginal history and people of the area, the ties to the cattle industry and the strong connections to Australia's wartime history.
The kids loved wandering around the gardens and seeing all the old farm machinery plus they do a terrific devonshire tea, and who doesn't love scones?
4: Cutta Cutta Caves
We hadn't been to these caves before and to be honest, we were going to give it a miss, as the day we planned to go was so very hot. But we're all so glad we did - they were amazing! The only way you can see these underground caves is via a tour with a qualified ranger, and at just $22 each and the kids were free, we thought it was money well spent to venture down under ground and have a look at the sparkling limestone formations and some of the five different species of bats that call these caves home.
5: The Finch Cafe
Luke's always on the hunt for good coffee and we've had our fair share of barely drinkable brews made with long life milk as we crossed over into the Northern Territory, so it was nice to have a little more choice in Katherine. My aunty recommended The Finch Cafe, not just because of its lovely vibe, good food and coffee but because her beautiful paintings were on display there! How special it was to have lunch and be surrounded by Simmone's bright and beautiful artworks!
My cousin Lauren also put us onto a pop up cafe that was set up just near the Springs selling Blast coffee which isn't a bad drop. The cool shipping container fit out was ironically made in Newcastle! What a great idea for the Katherine dry season and a way to add a little bit of cool to the local park!
6: Edith Falls
Part of the beautiful Nitmiluk National Park but on the westerly side is the amazing Edith Falls. We hit the National Park at about 11am which was really too late to walk up to the top falls, but the kids were keen and despite the 34degree heat, we walked the 2.6km look up and over the beautiful mountain range to the top waterfalls and swimming pools. And boy did we need that swim when we made it to the top!
The water was refreshingly cool and clear but I still couldn't completely shake the feeling of a freshie croc lurking beneath despite how 'harmless' they are to humans!
7: The Hang-around
Seeing all these amazing sites around Katherine was broken up by a lot of what the kids like doing best... hanging around! One of the things that makes me smile being on this adventure is watching the kids make do with what they have and play with the few little toys we've bought along with us but mostly with just some sticks or rocks or what ever is around them. The power of outdoor play! It's truly one of my favourite things about taking this time out of the busy routines of life to just be in the moment.. or mud!
Arley and Sage spent ages making a 'shop' at the front of our caravan site, complete with signs and a money box and tried to sell all sorts of things like seedpods and rocks, their artworks and paper planes.... they made $2 from some of the sympathetic oldies staying next door but they had so much fun and even conned Bassie into being their Billboard boy!
And we bought a beautiful Aboriginal painting from the local Mimi Art Gallery to remember our time in Katherine!
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