Day 18-21. 22nd/25th May 2024. Katherine. So much water, so close to home

Arriving in Katherine still a little shell shocked from the Mataranka experience, we turn up at another familiar caravan park – and this time, everything is pleasantly almost exactly the same.

We decide to do Katherine Gorge on a boat tour this time which has given us a different perspective from the kayak and helicopter tours we did last time. As well as having a local guide pointing out points of interest and various freshwater crocs, goannas and snakes on the shoreline we got to swim in one of those secluded waterholes like you see on the telly. They tell us that it is sans crocs as they have lots of people looking for them and have little red buoys in the water that they would bite first. To be told I was not as tasty as wooden buoy, made me feel a little inferior to Pinocchio. Swimming in a waterfall fed waterhole is one of those pleasures that does not come by often.

To do it twice within a few days is a special treat as we revisited Edith falls as well – but for this one we did need to do an hour hike. Another large waterfall fed series of waterholes, that lead to a further waterfall and an even bigger waterhole can make you wonder why they call this the red centre. Katherine also has natural springs right next to town, and while it wasn’t as warm as bitter springs, a great place for a dip in the 33 degree heat.

With that, me swimming twice in the caravan park pool as well has meant I have broken the Dave record for number of dips in a short space of time. I guess I’ll blame my wrinkles on that.

Facilities: Top notch park with great facilities and no shower curtain. While the shower did have it’s own drain hole, there was room from the next door neighbours water to splash under the wall into your area – or worse poke a foot underneath. Not as bad as those showers that have a single trough running from the top shower to the bottom where the person there can get to review the muck from all participants before it drains away. 8/10