Nitmiluk (Katherine Gorge) National Park

http://www.nt.gov.au/nreta/parks/find/nitmiluk.html

Early this year we went down to check out Katherine's beautiful gorge country hoping to do a canoe trip. Unfortunately due to river conditions after the wet, the gorge wasn't open to canoeing yet (rangers monitor movement of salt water crocs over the wet season, and rapids). We did some hiking to Northern Rock hole instead. This was a 2 hour hike with a spectacular water fall at the end.

Gorge country

First views of Northern Rock hole

We had the rock hole to ourselves for a swim and picnic.

Hiking to Edith Falls on the way home to Darwin

Top swimming hole

The hike wet our appetite for canoeing, so we returned for an overnight canoe trip last weekend. This time, we were able to hire a canoe (well, actually a heavy duty kayak) and canoed up to the 6th gorge to camp overnight.

The second gorge - spectular cliffs and hanging water gardens lining each side of the river. The water is up to 30 meters deep in this gorge. It's impressive to paddle - what tourism ads are made of!

Smoko stop - gorge 4

At this time of the dry season, the water levels are quite low so there is not a lot of current and lots of portaging between gorges. From start to campsite this meant a 5 1/2 hour tough canoe/portage trip.

6th Gorge Campsite

As we were the only ones there, the whole of gorge 6 was just for us!

Evening fish with our campsite in the background

View from the 'kitchen'

Half-naked chef at work
(he, oops, IT was really hot - 30 degrees at night on our sandy beach!)

No fish for dinner, but Craig did catch a small barramundi.
Luckily we didn't know that there was also a 2.5 meter fresh water croc who lives in gorge 6 - says the ranger when we got back!