The Top End I – Katherine and Surroundings

Sunset on the meadows in Katherine

While travelling ever so often we found a place that captivated our hearts and simply refused to let us go. For us that place has been the Manbullo Homestead in Katherine. We visited this place twice, once on the way up, and once on the way down. We’ve rarely been as comfortable as here and we simply couldn’t help ourselves but extending our stay more than once. Everything seemed to slow down and the people were friendlier than ever.

We parked our home on wheels at the edge of the meadows, underneath giant trees offering precious shade that protected us from the worst of the sunshine during the day. Few things on the road are as magical as the afterglow of the already set sun with kangaroos quietly hopping in the golden-coloured meadows while the stars start to appear.

We arrived on a sunny afternoon and were warmly received by the receptionists. After getting settled we grabbed a couple of cold beers and listened to a live performance at the old stage-truck. The next couple of days we shifted a gear back, had late breakfasts and simply enjoyed being here.

We did visit a mechanic to have a look at our carburetor as Beasty has been a slow starter (like us) for a while. We took him down to Brownies who really took his time and helped us out. We went for a second visit a couple of weeks later when he fixed our fuel problem in no time. Best Mechanic Ever 🙂

The World Cup was on and although being on the other side of the world we did try to follow it as much as possible. In one of the pubs in town we watched the match Australia vs France. Although there were some supporters it is not nearly as popular as it is at home. We watched the Germans loose in their group match and I even stayed up once to watch France vs Belgium at 03.30am.

We actually wanted to go canoeing in the Canyon of Nitmiluk National Park, better known as the Katherine Gorge. Unfortunately Anna-Lena sprained her wrist so instead we went for a short hike by the river and had a look at the first of three gorges. In that afternoon we went to the free hot springs in town for a dip.

We met many friendly fellow travellers here, with whom we frequently had a beer or simply hung out with. There is just such a friendly and laid back vibe at this campground that made us feel at home. The second time around we found a little surprise under our van. As we sat in our chairs reading a book, two eager little pups came out to play. Their owner, Christine, picked them up at a shelter she helped out at and was looking for a suitable family to take them in. Her other dog Callie loved playing stick, but couldn’t figure out she actually had to give up the stick before you could toss it. Hilarious!  Over the week we kept hanging out and enjoyed sharing travel stories.

Mid-July we celebrated Anna-Lena’s Birthday at the campground, talking to friends and family and relaxing. We looted the supermarket for all cookies and chips alike and drank beer with live music at the campsite.

A guy from the visitor centre in Katherine recommended us to visit Edith Falls and we were happy we did. We drove an hour to get there and set our sights on the loop walk to the top rock pools. The 3km walk was filled with epic views of the waterfalls. The bottom falls are busy and well visited by not only tourists but also locals. The middle pool is off-limits as it is a sacred area. The top pool was well worth the walk with its crystal clear waters, only few people and a stunning waterfall. We dropped everything and took a refreshing dip. We didn’t see the crocodile sign until we were on the way out. Reassuringly no crocs had been spotted for weeks. After a swim to the base of the falls we sat down on some large rocks in the middle of the pool and simply enjoyed the view.

Further down, on the way to Alice Springs, we visited Mataranka Springs. Although the springs were little more than a man-made swimming pool, the close-by Bitter Springs were nothing short of stunning. Mind-blowing turquoise coloured water where you can simply float with the current. The water is pleasantly warm and upon exiting the water we actually felt chilly.

The whole area around Katherine has been a fun adventure. The laid back atmosphere at the campground, amazing people and mesmerizing springs make me wanting to go back ASAP.

2 thoughts on “The Top End I – Katherine and Surroundings

  1. Hoi,kunnen jullie daar misschien iemand vinden die woningruil met Zandvoort wil?🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹

Comments are closed.