The Katherine Region

Katherine, with a population of around 11,000, is the third largest town in the Northern Territory.

Located 300 km from Darwin and 1180 km from Alice Springs, the town is situated on the banks of the Katherine River, far enough from the coast to avoid the humid excesses of the tropics (it has an annual rainfall of 960mm , nearly all of which falls between November and March) and yet sufficiently far north not to be surrounded by desert.

Historically, Katherine has always been important. To the local Aborigines, it was the point where the traditional lands of the Dagoman, Jawoyn, and Wardaman met, and consequently, the river and the nearby gorge were popular meeting places.

There are a number of shopping complexes within the town centre, as well as a range of bars and restaurants, and several good art and craft stores and galleries. The facilities available are similar to those of most towns this size, including hospital with visiting specialists, several schools, both public and private, and a complete police, fire, and emergency service.

The Katherine region also boasts magnificent Aboriginal rock art, Nitmiluk (Katherine Gorge) National Park, the Cutta Cutta Caves Nature Park and Litchfield National Park.

For more information on the Katherine Region, visit our Links page.