Description
If you have a 4WD the opportunities to experience solitude in the
Northern Territory wilderness is not far away. This trek from
Borroloola -
Katherine passes through some of the most remote and unvisited areas of the
Top End. From
Borroloola we head north through the Nathan River HS towards Port Roper and finally at
Roper Bar, once a secret with the locals it is now a popular
spot for fisherpeople who want to catch big
barramundi.
It is still a very quiet place, more so out of the peak
barramundi season. Generally, very early in the dry the
barramundi are at their prime. It is pretty much useless to attempt
fishing here without a tinnie although
fishing tours are available in season.
The approach from
Roper Bar into
Katherine passes the
Elsey National Park and the nearby
Mataranka Thermal Springs. After the long dusty route you've just travelled this oasis may be just what you need. The
Katherine region is full of fabulous little spots, still remote and relatively untouched but gradually becoming better known with the massive increase in tourism in the
Northern Territory as a whole.
Interactive Route Map
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Roper Bar 
From: Katherine
To: Borroloola
Distance: 868.08 km
Direction: 113 °
Average Speed: 73.73 km/hr
Travel Time: 11 hrs 46 mins
Using the Map
Our treks have a moving map facility, to take a virtual tour click on the Play button in the Moving map control (see Moving Map help)
Mouse Position:
Moving Map
Speed (5 secs)
Live Tracking
Auto Refresh (1 min, next 60 secs)
Permits
Things to See & Do
Preparation
Fuel Supplies & Usage
Usage is averaged from
TrekFuel (* specific to trek) submissions and calculated based on trek distance.
Best Time To Visit
Closest Climatic Station
Ngukurr
Distance from Trek Mid Point 77.67km NE
| | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun |
Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
| Mean Max. °C |
35.8 | 35.1 | 34.0 | 34.0 |
31.8 | 30.2 | 29.6 | 31.9 |
34.8 | 37.5 | 39.0 | 38.0 |
| Mean Min. °C |
24.9 | 24.7 | 23.9 | 22.0 |
19.2 | 16.4 | 15.1 | 16.0 |
18.7 | 22.4 | 24.8 | 25.4 |
| Mean Rain mm |
178.2 | 171.9 | 172.1 | 56.3 |
10.9 | 5.5 | 1.2 | 0.4 |
1.8 | 12.9 | 40.6 | 127.7 |
Best time to travel Ok time to travel Travel NOT recommended
Camp Sites & Accommodation
Driving Directions
| Katherine to King Rest Area |
47.98 km |
SE |
117° |
31 min |
| King Rest Area to Mataranka Station |
43.79 km |
SE |
121° |
25 min |
| Mataranka Station to Stirling Mill Rest Area |
0.46 km |
E |
109° |
|
| Stirling Mill Rest Area to Mataranka |
14.6 km |
SE |
133° |
9 min |
| Mataranka to Mataranka Homestead Resort |
8.71 km |
E |
90° |
7 min |
| Mataranka Homestead Resort to Mt Price Rest Area |
146.18 km |
E |
81° |
1 hr 33 min |
| Mt Price Rest Area to Roper Bar |
38.42 km |
E |
83° |
29 min |
| Roper Bar to Leichhardts Caravan Park |
0.84 km |
NE |
63° |
|
| Leichhardts Caravan Park to Roper Bar |
0.84 km |
SW |
243° |
|
| Roper Bar to Queensland Crossing |
21.13 km |
SE |
156° |
16 min |
| Queensland Crossing to Lomarieum Lagoon |
46.54 km |
E |
72° |
37 min |
| Lomarieum Lagoon to St Vidgeon Ruins |
0.54 km |
SE |
132° |
|
| St Vidgeon Ruins to Towns River |
48.66 km |
SE |
130° |
36 min |
| Towns River to Cox River |
37.52 km |
SE |
155° |
29 min |
| Cox River to Maria (Wamungku) Lagoon |
12.72 km |
E |
77° |
13 min |
| Maria (Wamungku) Lagoon to Limmen River Station |
7.43 km |
NE |
58° |
11 min |
| Limmen River Station to Maria (Wamungku) Lagoon |
7.43 km |
SW |
238° |
11 min |
| Maria (Wamungku) Lagoon to Cox River |
12.72 km |
W |
257° |
13 min |
| Cox River to Burketown Crossing |
21.26 km |
S |
161° |
18 min |
| Burketown Crossing to Southern Lost City |
51.93 km |
S |
171° |
46 min |
| Southern Lost City to Lorella Springs Station |
47.19 km |
NE |
64° |
52 min |
| Lorella Springs Station to Batten Creek |
82.73 km |
S |
174° |
1 hr 23 min |
| Batten Creek to Leila 1st Crossing |
35.69 km |
S |
185° |
31 min |
| Leila 1st Crossing to Cape Crawford |
15.16 km |
S |
161° |
13 min |
| Cape Crawford to Heartbreak Hotel Campground |
0.29 km |
SE |
122° |
|
| Heartbreak Hotel Campground to Leila Crossing (Carpentaria Hwy) |
15.82 km |
NE |
59° |
10 min |
| Leila Crossing (Carpentaria Hwy) to Leila Hill |
1.82 km |
E |
71° |
1 min |
| Leila Hill to Borroloola |
99.73 km |
NE |
38° |
1 hr 6 min |
| Katherine to Borroloola |
868.08 km |
|
|
11 hr 46 min |
Distance is GPS recorded driving distance (not straight line), Direction is straight line from start to end, Time is calculated from actual GPS driving data.
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