A WINTER ADVENTURE DOESN’T GET MORE SUBLIME than this: Easy walking through open woodland; an epic gorge with towering cliffs and stunning scenery; followed by serene flat-water paddling, exploratory walks and refreshing swims each balmy, warm afternoon; then pitching camps on deserted sandy beaches as sunsets turn the world golden and glowing.
Katherine Gorge in Nitmiluk National Park is one of the Northern Territory’s top natural destinations and for good reason. It is incredibly scenic, easy to access and has world-class visitor facilities. Managed by the local Traditional Owners, the Jawoyn people, Nitmiluk’s central feature is the mighty Katherine River, where she slices through sandstone country carving out a series of thirteen huge, connected gorges. And the park is rich with cultural heritage sites. It remains a living landscape for the Jawoyn people; many of the tour guides, rangers and field staff are Traditional Owners.
Despite its international reputation as a sightseeing hotspot, it is so easy to escape the crowds and experience the remote beauty of this ancient landscape. Simply head upstream, past the reach of the motorised tourist boats and day trippers. We discovered this trick years ago when we completed a three-day hike along the southern rim of the gorge system (see Wild Issue #161) and were amazed at how few people we encountered.
Inspired by that first experience, we knew we had to return and go one better, combining hiking and packrafting for an even more immersive and unforgettable experience of this most grand and gorgeous of gorges.
HISTORY
Located on the lands of the Jawoyn people, Nitmiluk NP protects 295,000ha of spectacular sandstone country in the southern part of the Arnhem Land Plateau. It has been managed as a protected area since the early
