65 miles south east of Katherine on the Stuart Highway and about the same distance south on the Explorers Way, lies Mataranka, on the upper reaches of the Roper River.

The main attraction in this otherwise small town is the thermal pool, which is four miles off the highway to the south of the town. The pool itself is crystal clear, sandy-bottomed and bordered with palm rainforest – it has long been a favourite stopping off point for those making the long and dusty journey up or down “the track” from Darwin to Alice Springs. Although small, the town is reasonably well equipped with facilities for visitors, including hotel accommodation, camping grounds and shops.

The 1908 novel “We of the Never Never”, by Jeannie Gunn and the film that was made of the book have made the area famous – there is a Museum of the Never Never that features displays on the history of the Great Northern Railway, as well as local Aboriginal history and photographs of the area during the Second World War.

Things to do and see in Mataranka

Mataranka Thermal Pool: Fed by the spring waters for the Daly and Georgina basins and receiving over 30 million litres of water per day, the Mataranka Pool consistently has a temperature of 34 degrees Celsius, making it a pleasant place for a swim. Camping overnight is also permitted.

Elsey National Park: Five miles from Mataranka and adjoining the thermal pool reserve, is Elsey National Park, 90 square miles of parkland bisected by the mighty Roper River. Fishing, swimming and canoeing are all popular pastimes here.

Old Elsey Cemetery: This is a significant cemetery in Australia’s history, and many of the local characters who featured in the novel “We of the Never Never” are buried here. The cemetery is located 13 miles from Mataranka town.

Bitter Springs: Bitter Springs provide yet another location for enjoying a day in the great outdoors. Just under a mile from Mataranka, Bitter Springs are spring fed thermal pools in a tropical woodland setting – there are numerous bushwalking trails to follow, and this is also a great place for bird watching and other wildlife spotting.

Getting to Mataranka

Access is either via the Explorers Way or the Stuart Highway. Long distance buses traveling up and down the Stuart Highway all stop at Mataranka.