Katherine Tourist Information
Katherine Tourist Information
Victoria River & Timber Creek, Northern Territory
The Wayside Inn is situated on the banks of the Victoria River and is a resting place for travellers. Scenic helicopter flights and river cruises along the magnificent Victoria River are a must. 10km west of Victoria River Crossing is the Jow Creek Walk which guides the visitor up to the face of the escarpment. Flora and fauna abound in this area and are a photographer's delight.
The Gregory National Park is still in the early stages of development and features tropical and semi arid plant life with spectacular range and gorge scenery. There are significant Aboriginal cultural sites, evidence of early exploration and pastoral history which also feature in the park. The park covers an area of approximately 12,860 square kilometres in a transitional zone between tropical and semi-arid regions. Features of the park include spectacular ranges, red sandstone escarpments and beautiful river gorges. Areas of Aborigianl culture, European exploration and pastoral history are found within the park. It is also an outstanding area for bird watching with a high diversity of birds including the White Breasted Sea Eagle, the endangered Gouldian Finch and the rare purple-crowned Fairy Wren. A 4X4 vehicle is required to reach the more distant parts of the park.
Timber Creek was named by Augustus Gregory in 1855 when he used timber from the creek to repair his boat. Not far from Timber Creek he set up a permanent camp and it was here he blazed his arrival and departure dates on a boab. This tree still stands today, a living monument to this intrepid explorer. In the early days, Timber Creek was known as a depot. It was a remote outpost when the Victoria River was a lifeline to the biggest cattle stations in the world. Store boats, after leaving Darwin, sailed up the inhospitable river, coping with treacherous tides, huge crocodiles and incertain weather. Goods were then off-loaded at the Depot Store and distributed by donkey teams to outlying stations.
1955 marks the centennial of Horse Racing in the Timber Creek area. A once in a lifetime event in September not to be missed. Today, Timber Creek is a thriving township situated above the main river on high ground - home to about 150 people, a town council, school and police station. It is an oasis for travellers.
The Keep River National Park covers an area of approximately 750 square kilometres of spectacular scenery, varied ecosystems and important flora and fauna. Easy to medium grade walks and wilderness trekking and camping can be arranged.
