Experience Katherine for 3 days

Over the past three days, we have explored Katherine and its surroundings, done some activities, and spent the night at a cool campground. We also wanted to look for a job, but after asking around and searching online, we realized that it wasn't going to happen. We were there in between two harvest seasons, and there weren't many other jobs available either. So, we decided to work on the East Coast first. We can take care of it for a longer term there.

On Saturday, the day after my birthday, we checked out of the campground and went to the Visitor Centre in town. We wanted to get information about things to do in Katherine and find out about camping grounds. The people at the centres are always very friendly and helpful. They gave us a tip about an affordable campground that is a bit outside the town and was not shown on Wikicamps (Manbulloo Homestead). But 25$ per night for two adults is unbeatable (except for the run-down one, but we didn't want to go there again :D ), so we already had a place to stay for the night in mind.

After the Visitor Centre, we went to the library. We used the internet and power outlets there to write blog posts and other messages. We had planned to do some more research, but the library closes at 1:00 pm on Saturdays, so we didn't have enough time. So, we went to the hot springs and had a leisurely lunch there. We had ham and feta sandwiches :)

After lunch, we jumped into the water. The water there is so clear! The hot springs are actually several warm springs that flow through Katherine in a small creek. You can swim in this creek. The water is around 28°C, which is very pleasant. You might think that it's too warm, but outside it's at least 35°C, so 28°C is refreshing :D Also, this creek is surrounded by trees, palms, and other plants, so it's shaded and cool. It's a lovely spot! Unfortunately, because it was Saturday afternoon, it was very crowded. Many families with children, mainly Aborigines. It was really noisy, so we got out.

After swimming, we made our way to the campground. It took us about 15 minutes to get there, so no problem at all. And it was so beautiful there! It was like a huge farm. When we arrived at the site, 2 horses and several cows greeted us because the unpowered sites were right next to the fence. Also, the view was westward, so we could see the sun setting over the pasture. Absolutely beautiful. After unpacking, we started cooking dinner. This time we had spaghetti bolognese. It was so delicious! We even treated ourselves to some Parmesan cheese. Mhhhh. And the camp kitchen at the campground was also very nice and well-equipped, so we could even keep some things in the fridge. In addition, there was a really large, beautiful wooden table for eating. Besides us, only one other family used the kitchen, and we talked to them a lot during the two nights we stayed there. He is from Israel, the woman is Australian, and they live together with their son and daughter in Melbourne. At the end, we asked them for insider tips in Melbourne, but we didn't really get much. They only said that eating out there is great. The daughter recommended the zoo :D But honestly, the family, or rather the father, was a bit strange^^

After dinner, I wrote some blog posts (had to catch up on Kakadu) and then we went to bed. The next morning, the first thing I saw was a few cows standing at the fence just 3 meters from my head. Pretty cool :D

After packing up, we went shopping again. It's convenient that supermarkets are open on Sundays too. And it's also the busiest day. So, that's probably the Australians' shopping day. After that, we went to the Cutta Cutta Caves. It's not the main attraction in Katherine, but we were in the mood for caves, and it fit well into our schedule. When we arrived, we had a quick lunch and then joined the 1 o'clock tour. It costs 22 AUD per person, which is quite expensive. But we wanted to do something. To get to the cave, we had to walk 300m first, and then we entered. I don't know why it's called Cutta Cutta Caves with an "s" when there's actually only one cave with only one entrance. But never mind :D

Inside, it was quite dark because there are bats, snakes, and spiders living there, and they don't want to be disturbed by constant light. Our guide had a device that she used to turn on the light ahead of us and turn off the light behind us at the same time. And that's how we made our way through the cave. She would stop from time to time and explain individual rock formations, stones, or stalactites, and tell us stories about the cave. For example, a part of the cave used to be a picnic area, and when it was later explored, a lot of rubbish like bottles and cans was found. Also, there was a military base nearby in the last century, and sometimes people sneaked into the cave for fun and shot at the stalactites. That's why there is a lot of damage there. The rock formations in the cave grow slower than usual because there is no moisture during the dry season to make them drip, and during the rainy season, the whole cave is flooded. Every autumn, when it becomes dry, they have to remove a lot of sediments from the cave so that people can walk there again. Due to the water and the deposits, there are almost no stalagmites. Overall, there were some really cool stalactites, and we also saw a cave snake at the beginning, but we were a bit disappointed by the shortness and relative lack of excitement :D After an hour of walking back and forth and explanations, we were outside again. I think we are spoiled by cool caves in Germany. In northern Australia, there are very few of them. But the trip was okay and fun :)

After the caves, we went back to the campground and paid for another night. There were also two dogs at the office, and one of them brought us a ball. I threw it for him right away. Unfortunately, the dog didn't come back because there was a sprinkler on the lawn, and he didn't want to go through it :D In the evening, we went down to the Katherine River again because the campground is right next to it. Very idyllic by the river, but you can imagine that crocodiles live there^^

The next day, we left early because we wanted to do some things and then go to the Katherine Gorges. The Gorges are a series of canyons (a total of 13) with a river inside, located in the Nitmiluk National Park, where you can do boat tours, canoe trips, and hikes. We opted for the half-day canoe tour, where you can explore the Gorges on your own in a double kayak for 4 hours for 41 AUD per person. You couldn't book it directly at the Visitor Centre, so we decided to just go there and ask if there was still availability for 12:30. Otherwise, we would have done the canoeing the next morning at 8:00. After we had done some shopping, went to the bank, etc., we drove to Nitmiluk National Park and arrived there at 11:30. There was still availability for 12:30, so we quickly put on our swimwear, applied sunscreen, packed food and drinks, and walked to the boat ramp. After we received life jackets, paddles, and a waterproof container, we boarded a boat that would take us all the way up the first Gorge. We could do the canoeing in the second and third Gorges and carry the canoe across the boundary between the second and third. The Gorges are always separated by rocks or stones. That's why we had to walk a bit from the boat to the canoes, which were anchored at the beginning of the second Gorge. And then it started! At first, paddling was a bit difficult for us because our canoe seemed to drift to the left. Maybe it was due to the currents or the wind.

After paddling through the truly breathtaking scenery with cliffs on both sides of the river, we found a shady spot for our picnic lunch. There, we were immediately swarmed by ants again. They are literally everywhere! It can be extremely annoying sometimes. After we had finished eating and continued our journey, the crows swooped down on the remaining crumbs. These birds, really... They cawed so loudly that it echoed between the tall cliffs! Everything was quiet, only the crows cawed...

We paddled all the way to the end of the second Gorge, carried our boat across the rocks there, and then went to a nice spot in the third Gorge where the water was so low that a small sandbank had formed. No one passed by there, except for three kayakers, because the other canoeers didn't want to carry their boats and the regular boat tours couldn't take place in the third Gorge due to the low water. So, we had our peace and could fully enjoy the landscape and the cool water. I think we were there for about three-quarters of an hour and then slowly started making our way back. It was longer than expected, and in the end, we had to paddle quite hard to be back on time. But we were among the last ones, so we used the time perfectly without being the last ones :D I was glad that we had a phone with us so that we could check the time. Andi had left his in the car, and I only took mine with me for taking photos. None of us thought about checking when we had to paddle back. But it worked out well. The boat ride back was also very nice because we were exhausted from paddling and could now just lean back and enjoy. But I have to say that the canoeing was also really worth it. At first, we weren't sure if it was worth the price, but I think it was much better than a guided boat tour and definitely more exciting :)

When we arrived back at the boat ramp, we walked back to the Nitmiluk Visitor Centre at the parking lot and paid for our night at the campground there. It cost 33 AUD, which is more than the other campground, but I was glad that we didn't have to drive after the canoeing. We showered, made our bed, and then cooked dinner. This time we had vegetable rice. Interestingly, our neighbors, who were clearly Swiss, gave us a honeydew melon, two apples, and tomatoes because they were going to continue to Western Australia, and you're not allowed to bring fresh produce across the border. We were naturally happy about that :D

The next morning, we had breakfast together with wallabies. It was really cute because they came very close to us and grazed. But we couldn't pet them; they were too shy for that. Still, it was a cool experience :)

After breakfast, we went back to the day parking lot because we wanted to do a short tour to the first viewpoint overlooking the Gorges. It was just a little less than a kilometer up and then back. But it was really worth it! It was really nice to see the gorge from above again. I can imagine that the other viewpoints are also great. However, you have to walk for 2, 4, or 6... hours, depending on how far you hike. You can also do the tours overnight. But that was really too much for us. But the one lookout was beautiful. It was also funny because we met a very nice Australian couple up there who come from Melbourne and are on vacation in the Northern Territory. They said they had been to Europe many times, but never been to northern Australia. But they also found it magical there.

After the short tour, we went back to town. The days before, we had been thinking for a long time whether we should continue to Cairns right away or first experience the center. The dilemma was as follows: At the moment, it's pleasant in the center in terms of temperatures, i.e., just above 20°C during the day and around 5°C at night. In February/March/April next year, when we had originally planned to explore the center, it would be summer there, with temperatures over 40°C during the day. At such temperatures, you can't even hike around Uluru, let alone stay outside for too long. That would be a bit awkward. Also, there is currently an art installation there, Lightning Field, which will only be there until the end of March next year. But if you're in Australia at that time, you want to see it too. The other side is: from October, it's officially the rainy season in Cairns, and we didn't really want to arrive then because it can be really uncomfortable with the storms. And you can't plan anything because it can rain all the time. Now it's almost mid-September already, and we don't have that much time left. Well, actually, we have plenty of time in Australia, but somehow it's not enough :D Anyway, we decided to go to the center now so that we still have enough time for it, and the temperatures are suitable for doing everything. You can't really plan for the rainy season (see Kakadu and Jim Jim Falls), so it's possible that we will have some really nice days in Cairns. On the other hand, it could have been that we drove to Cairns, and the rainy season started earlier, and we regretted not going to the center.

So, we made a decision and prepared for the long journey to the center on Monday. That means we went shopping, withdrew money, refueled, and filled our jerry cans. We knew from Nici and Danielle (the two from the previous campground) that petrol can cost over 2 AUD per liter in the center, while it's usually around 1.15 in town. So, we thought it would be better to be prepared.

Well, then we started on the big journey :D I just wrote this blog post in the car while driving through the Australian outback. There isn't much else to do :D But tomorrow, when we continue driving and hopefully finally arrive, I will write a little report about the journey :)

See you and cheers!