Hot Springs in Katherine

Hi Tony & Dawn

we were there 12 months ago, you don't have to pay, it gets pretty popular but we all enjoyed ourselves, especially the kids. I"m not sure what the temp of the water is, but it wasn't HOT just really pleasant.

cheers

Lyn

Absalutly Hot springs are free and pleasantly warm with a devoloped area with steps etc then runs off to less developed more natural area. Was only a few people there each time I visited (stayed in the hot springs c/p)

The hot springs at Katherine are big enough to swim in and can cater for more people than Zebedee Springs. If you stop at the Low Level Caravan Park at Katherine then you can walk to the Springs. The best thing about Zebedee Springs are the waterfalls which give you a massage when you sit underneath them. Emma Gorge was closed to the general public in June/July because of the cyclone.l

Not far south of Katherine also are the cutta cutta caves which I have seen little written about but it made a great stop as they run regular tours of the caves which are very informative and show off the fascinating sparkling formations

if you after hot springs then while you are in the area you could also go to Mataranka and to the Douglas Hot Springs.

The latter is interesting in that you throughout the stream you be in bits where the hot/warm water is then roll over and be in the cold water. I don't remember if you need 4wd to get there.

If you're camping, have a day or 3 at Edith Falls.

Tony,
We did everything you spoke about in July last year. Emma Gorge is definitely tough with a 5 year & 18 month old. Our youngest was 6 and I had to do a bit of lifting and carrying.
Zebedee was great but very crowded and our recollection was that a 2WD would struggle.
Katherine Hot springs were very nice but not in the spectacular category. Really just a pleasent stream/river close to town with warm springs flowing into it.

Have a nice trip.

Wes

I was at Zebedee springs in July and the public have to leave by 1pm so that the tours can come in. Interesting place to see it once but I was not impressed. Lots of large, slippery rocks, very little room. difficult to find an area that you could sit down in for a soak, it's crowded if there are more then about 20 people there at one time.

Mataranka, there are two lots of very nice springs there but the one at the back of the motor camp is the only one suitable for small children (shallow areas). The other springs are really great and have a lot less people there but as you drop off the steps you can't touch bottom unless you swim across to the other side of the pool and sit on a log - only room for about 4 people to sit there at the same time.

Hi Tony, we did the Katherine hot springs in May this year and found them quite refreshing and warm, must have been about 20 - 30 people there (in the stream and also the pool), plenty of room and the kids loved it.
Not sure which way you are heading, but we also called into the "Berry Springs" (turn off just south of Noonamah) which were about 40 kms south of Darwin, these consisted of the stream running into 3 separate pools, the last 2 pools were reasonably large but the 1st one was fairly small, the stream here ran over a drop of about 1-2 mts and when sitting on the rocks letting the water fall over you was very much like being in a spa.
Well worth the visit as it had a picnic area with bbq facilities.

Cheers, John