MATARANKA, NT TRAVEL
The township of Mataranka sits on the Stuart Highway, 105km southeast of Katherine, revelling in its role as the self-styled ‘Capital of the Never Never'.
These are the traditional lands of the Mangarayi and Yangman Aboriginal people, in whose language Mataranka means ‘home of the snake’. Their Dreamtime lore relates that a wild wind swept across the country, creating Mataranka (Birinjin), Bitter Springs (Korran), Rainbow Springs and Mataranka Thermal Pool (Najig), among many other places that are now popular tourist attractions around the town. Some of their contemporary artwork can be seen in the Stockyard Gallery on the main street.
The town is spread along the Stuart Highway, making it an easy place for travellers to stop, refuel and resupply. It's well-equipped for that purpose with a roadhouse, petrol station, cafe, restaurant, general store and pub. The Stan Martin Park occupies a shady green space opposite the retail outlets and makes a pleasant spot to break your journey with a picnic. It boasts an enormous banyan and the world's largest man-made model of a termite mound.
