(16) Mataranka and Katherine
Mataranka is synonymous with thermal hot springs and a ‘must do’ on any trip in this region. We hadn’t made any bookings here but lucked upon Little Roper Stock Camp with it’s stock camp shows, cattle, buffalo and nightly camp fire. The sites were lovely and shady and we were able to order a fresh cooked loaf of bread each day and home cooked ‘Johnny cakes’ each morning, eaten around a communal table with lots of kids.
The camp is conveniently located a few kilometres from Rainbow Springs thermal pool at Mataranka Homestead and about 15 kms from Bitter Springs which was a much nicer thermal stream flowing through the bush. We purchased swimming pool ‘noodles’ and spent a pleasant afternoon floating down the stream (approx 28 degrees) along with about 50 other people! Obviously a very popular place and justifiably so. I couldn’t take photos because the phone would have got wet and there were so many bodies enjoying the springs so I have ‘borrowed’ photos to give you an idea.
Katherine, NT – famous for ….
- ‘We of the Never Never’ – Australian classic novel based on the true story of Jeannie Gunn – a woman who battled the odds as a station master’s wife in outback Australia.
- Bombed in the early afternoon of 22 March, 1942 by the Japanese
- Major floods – In 1998 Cyclone Les produced so much rain that the Katherine River rose to 21.3 metres causing the evacuation of two thirds of the community and major devastation to business community.
- Important role in WWII
Manbulloo Station was one of three major suppliers of meat to the armed forces in WWII and had a huge staff, it’s own abattoir and freezing chambers plus an upgraded airstrip.
We stayed at Manbulloo Homestead Caravan Park, on the banks of the Katherine River, which remains a working cattle station – the current owners supplementing income by welcoming travelers. – at $40 p/n. For us this was a chance to catch up on washing and visit Katherine Gorge where we were booked on a sunset dinner cruise – very noice!
