The day started super early today, as we headed for a 7am dawn cruise through Nitmiluk (Katherine) Gorge – the lands of the Jaowyn people. The sun had just started to come up when we made our way down to the jetty and hopped on the boat. Just a simple barge-style boat – but that made it so easy to see everything as we cruised through the Gorge. The sun peaking over the top of the edges of the Gorge was just incredible to see.
Our guide, Angus, immediately started sharing some amazing information about the Gorge. And it wasn’t long before we spotted our first crocodile! A freshwater croc, just sitting at the edge of the river. Angus brilliantly shifted the boat quietly over to the edge of the river so we could all get a closer look.
We continued on down the Gorge, hearing about different features of the rock formations on the side, and how the fractures in the sandstone have become really deep (where the water runs), but also shallower partial gorges that you can see off to the side. It was also incredible to know just how much Nitmiluk Gorge rises during the wet season – sometimes upwards of 4-5 metres! They still run tours during that time (dependent on the conditions on the day), but during that season they have to use a power boat, because the current is so fierce over all the rock bars.
During the dry season though, those rock bars are what divides Nitmiluk Gorge into 13 gorges. We cruised up the first gorge and then hopped off the boat and went for a short walk alongside the gorge to a boat waiting for us in the second gorge. Essentially, all those boats that operate in the second gorge are completely isolated for the whole dry season until the river rises and they can get the boats back down to the main shed! The second gorge was just as incredible – we stopped at a section of the second gorge that is some 35m deep at the moment. Because of the way the water intersects and funnels at this point during the wet season, a natural eddy is created that spins anti-clockwise and churns up the sand at the bottom of the gorge at that point. And essentially, it gets deeper by a metre or so every wet season.
We also heard how the tour company that runs all these tours through the Gorge is owned by Jaowyn people, and they have Jaowyn elders on the board to ensure the cruises and tours are continually run in a way that respects the importance of this land to the Jaowyn people. We learnt a huge amount about how they have lived on these lands, and continue to manage the land in partnership with the National Parks & Wildlife Service today. We also had a chance to see some rock art between the first and second gorges from the Jaowyn people as well.
Once we reached the top of the second gorge, we turned around and headed back down the two gorges with the sun shining behind us, spotting another freshwater croc on the trip back. Saltwater crocs do sometimes sneak into the gorges during the wet season, as they’re forced out of rivers further upstream by a competing and bigger saltwater croc – but for the safety of the freshwater crocs, and people, those crocs are usually trapped and then released back upstream in the Daly River.
After a bit of time back at the cabin so we could get some washing done and on the line, we then headed out to the Katherine Hot Springs. We knew we’d been spoiled by the beauty of Bitter Springs, but the Katherine Hot Springs were still pretty good – especially considering it’s about 5 minutes down the road from the centre of Katherine. A few Tripadvisor reviews had said it can get pretty crowded, and especially with heaps of local kids – but it was totally fine, and there was plenty of room for us. It definitely does feel quite a lot more “man made” than the natural beauty of Bitter Springs, but the water was nice and refreshing, and there were a few fun spots with a bit of a current in them to float along to. The kids had a ball and stayed in for nearly two hours.
This evening, it’s time to pack up again – tomorrow we’re on the road and heading towards Kakadu!
Stunning!!