Katherine Gorge - Etched into the Landscape
Katherine Gorge is made of clear-cut rock walls rising out of cold water, ancient and resilient. An iconic part of the Northern Territory, the gorge has been part of the lands of its traditional Indigenous owners, the Jawoyn people, for thousands of years. Known to them as Nitmiluk Gorge, today it is accessible to visitors by boat. Its corridor nurses complex ecosystems and stunning beauty.
Containing thirteen gorges cut out of sandstone, the gorge lies in Nitmiluk National Park. In the Wet, its water swells, reaching high up the rocky walls on either side, making it difficult to explore. At other times of the year, the water offers a refreshing break from the typically warm temperatures of Australia's northern tropical climate. This is especially welcome in the Build-up - the months preceding the breaking of the Wet when the air is humid and muggy and clothes stick to your body before the impending deluge of rain.
The gorge is situated 30 km northeast of the town Katherine in Australia's Northern Territory. Katherine takes its name from the daughter of an early expedition sponsor who named several northern rivers for his family members. However, when the gorge and surrounding area were handed back to the Jawoyn people in 1989, they reverted to their traditional name, Nitmiluk. The Jawoyn people undertook a lengthy struggle in order to regain the title to this land, which was never ceded and is now once again under their stewardship.
The word 'Nitmiluk' means 'cicada place.' The walls of the gorge yield the paintings of the Jawoyn people, which date back generations. When exploring these waters, it is possible to see crocodiles and a variety of birdlife. It is surreal to be surrounded by such an ancient landscape that is so unique and relatively unchanged. It is easy to see why this country was of such great spiritual and cultural significance to the Jawoyn people.
The Northern Territory covers a huge area of land stretching inland from Australia's northern coast. Darwin is its capital. Given the local name of the Top End, the city, close to the ocean, experiences both a more breathable climate in winter and cyclones and storms over summer. In its south, the Territory breaks into the desert.
With such a contrast in landscape and climate, the Territory was for many years difficult to access, and still contains some of the most remote areas of this continent. Katherine Gorge and Nitmiluk National Park are two of its wonders. The rocks, capped only by a blue sky, confirm the smallness of a person, and how vast and enduring the environment surrounding us truly is. It opens your eyes to a place layered over by story and memory that is breathtaking to behold.