Katherine

I’ve been unable to blog as there’s been not much mobile reception, and I’ve had phone troubles. Got a new phone now, but I’ve lost all my photos and contacts.

Sad to leave Mataranka behind, but heading to Katherine, which means we’re well and truly leaving Outback Territory and heading into the tropics of the Top End. We pass through Tennant Creek briefly, the town seems quite, and I’m told a lot of people have left there for Alice Springs.

Katherine is hot. 34 degrees when we arrive. All around there are memories and recounts of the great flood when Katherine was completely under water. We spend a day on the beautiful Katherine gorge (Emma)!!

Apart from the magnificent gorge, the is rock paintings to view, and freshwater crocs to spot.

The Katherine Museum is a nice place to visit. I missed out on the Devonshire Tea (did I mention I love Devonshire Tea?) as we were too late getting there, but there’s information on the flood, as well as heaps of information about the Colonial history of the Territory. The Chinese, Italians and Russians who have influenced certain parts of it. A sweet story about a part Aboriginal, part Chinese man who fell in love with a British nurse and had to change his name to the Chinese side in order to marry her. Sad stories about the Stolen Generation, and the original Royal Flying Doctors Service plane. Well worth a visit. And the lady running the museum played with Leo so I could read all the information. So I’d give that 5 stars.

Cutta Cutta Caves

The Cutta Cutta Caves, or the place of many stars, is just near Katherine. We took a day trip out to the caves, and went on a guided tour. Luckily, as the caves were pitch black. And filled with bats, spiders and snakes. However, also filled with stalagtites and stalagmites and glittery limestone. Local people say the bats take the stars out of the cave (the glittery limestone) and sprinkle them across the sky at night before taking them back into the cave during the day.