Camping around Katherine

Just off the Stuart Highway at the turn-off to Edith Falls Road is Kame’s Campground. There are no facilities here so you’ll need to have all your supplies with you. It’s only a 15-minute drive from Katherine where you can get everything you need.

It’s flat and quiet, but there can be quite a few bugs so keep lights to a minimum, use your fly screens and think about bringing a personal bug spray.

About half an hour south of Katherine is the King River South Rest Area. It’s free to camp here and there are toilets, a water supply (not for filling caravan tanks), picnic shelters and rubbish bins.

The campground is close to the highway so it might get a little noisy.

South of Katherine and across the highway from Mataranka Station is the Sterling Mill Rest Area. It’s a small campground located just off the Stuart Highway. The entrance is on a tree-lined dirt track so keep your eyes peeled to make sure you don’t miss it.

The campground is small, able to accommodate up to 6 caravans, and there are no toilets so you’ll have to take care of your waste appropriately. There’s some truck noise from the highway and it can be dusty. Otherwise, it’s a good spot to stay the night if you’re self-sufficient.

Just a short walk from the beautiful Bitter Springs is the Bitter Springs Cabins and Camping spot. It’s a pet-friendly and peaceful caravan park where you can choose your own campsite.

Powered and unpowered sites are available from $30 per night with bore water on tap, toilets, showers, camp kitchen and laundry facilities. Campfires are allowed in the riverside unpowered campgrounds but no generators are permitted.

If you want something a little more comfortable, cabins are available on-site from $130 per night. There’s plenty to do with wallabies and birds visiting regularly and good fishing in the river. Grab your pool noodle and goggles and head to Bitter Springs for a dip. You can also hire your gear from the campground.

Territory Manor is just a 3-minute drive from Bitter Springs. It offers a range of powered and unpowered sites, as well as motel accommodation.

There’s a swimming pool and spa, campground kitchen and bathroom facilities, as well as an undercover licensed restaurant and information kiosk. The restaurant itself serves breakfast, lunch and dinner 6 days a week so make sure to drop by for a bite. If you’re looking for something to unwind, try the bird watching and Barramundi feeding activities that are available to you. The campground is also pet-friendly, so feel free to invite the family dog.

A few minutes’ walk from the Mataranka Thermal Springs is the Mataranka Homestead. Located in Elsey National Park, the site is a well serviced campground.

With more than 160 powered sites and unlimited unpowered sites in different areas across the property, you can camp the way you like. No bookings are taken for powered and unpowered sites so it’s first in, best dressed. However there are plenty of spaces available so don’t worry. Self-contained cabins and motel rooms are also available.

There’s a large reception area, ablution blocks, laundry and designated bin areas. The campground is pet-friendly for one animal per site as long as they are restrained on a leash. The on-site kitchen is open for breakfast, lunch and dinner with the bar serving icy cold beer. Regular live music and entertainment as well as roaming peacocks makes this a unique base for your Katherine adventure.

Just a stone’s throw from the Mataranka Thermal Pools, Little Roper Stockcamp offers powered and unpowered campsites as well as moonlight swags with all bedding supplied. No bookings are taken so it's first in, best dressed.

There’s an amenities block on-site with coin-operated laundry alongside a BBQ, communal fire and dinner table. Camp oven dinners, stew and curry nights are held regularly. There’s plenty to do on-site with stock camp shows and interactive animal experiences that get you up close with buffalos, brahman cattle, reptiles and other animals.

Within Elsey National Park, there’s excellent fishing at Roper River, 4 Mile and 12 Mile – each with boat ramps available. Traps, nets, spears and swimming are prohibited here. During the wet season, roads can be cut off so make sure you check if the park and campground are open before setting off.

The closest campground to these spots is the Jalmurark Campground. Facilities available include toilets, showers, BBQs, rubbish bins, fire pits, non-drinking bore water and picnic areas. Generators aren’t allowed and pets are not permitted.

There’s heaps to do here including exploring the historical ruins of the Territory’s rich pastoral and wartime history.

Nitmiluk National Park – the home of the famous Nitmiluk (Katherine) Gorge – is a great spot for fishing. Fishing is permitted only in the first gorge with a permit and with seasonal restrictions in place. You must not fish in the Second Gorge as it’s a sacred site. The jetty and boat ramp at Nitmiluk Gorge are also prohibited.

Nitmiluk Campground is just a 10-minute walk from where you can take a gorge boat tour. The campground offers both powered and unpowered sites. Facilities include two serviced amenities blocks, self-service laundry, swimming pool, BBQs, outdoor kitchens and an on-site restaurant open during the dry season.

Just a short distance away is the Nitmiluk Café at the Nitmiluk Visitors Centre where you can grab a cool drink, a bite to eat and plan your day.

From the Limmen National Park you have access to fishing on the Roper River, Towns River, Limmen River and Cox River with no permits needed. You’ll need a 4WD to reach these spots during the dry season as the roads are often closed during the Wet.

You can camp at a number of spots but your best bet is Munbililla (Tomato Island) where you can grab an unpowered site and run your generator in the permitted area. Toilets, hot showers, gas BBQs, drinking water, picnic tables, bins and a dump point are all there at your disposal.

There are plenty of natural attractions to explore including the sandstone formations, wetlands and the nearby Western Lost City.

Seasonally accessible, Giwining has excellent fishing for those looking for grunter, bream and barramundi. Fish from the river banks at Djarrung Falls, Kathleen Falls and across from the boat ramp for your best chance at catching dinner. Fishing must only be done with lures to avoid catching turtles. No swimming, canoeing or small boats are allowed in this area as there’s a high crocodile population here. Remember to be Crocwise.

Lornngurl Campground offers toilets, showers, drinking water and wood BBQs. Picnic tables are located nearby as well for scenic walks. The area is accessible on unsealed roads open to 2WDs, however these are often closed during the wet season.

You can’t beat fishing from the river banks of Big Horse Creek, Old Victoria River Crossing, East Baines River at Limestone Creek, Drovers Rest and along Humbert and Wickham Rivers in the Judbarra/Gregory National Park. There are no motorised watercraft allowed on Wickham River due to its significant cultural and natural value. Fishing without lures is prohibited to prevent turtles and other local wildlife from being harmed.

Big Horse Creek Campground, Bullita Homestead and Campground and Sullivan Creek Campground are open seasonally to high clearance 4WDs. These campsites, each have toilets, wood BBQs and picnic tables with Big Horse Creek also offering limited fresh water.

The Daly River region is famous for its incredible fishing and the many well-known and hidden spots where you can snag your next catch. The area is also serviced by a number of privately-owned campgrounds.

Access a powered site at any of these incredible locations:

• Lee and Jenny’s Bush Camp
• Daly River Wildlife and Adventure Lodge
• Perry’s on the Daly
• Woolianna on the Daly
• Daly River Barra Resort
• Daly River Roadside Inn
• Banyan Farm Tourist Park.

Each of these sites has bathroom facilities and access to the some amazing fishing spots. If you chat to the locals, you might even get a good tip.

Leliyn (Edith Falls) is a set of stunning cascading waterfalls with a large pool at the base perfect for swimming. It’s a lush area with beautiful native flora and fauna just 40 minutes’ drive from Katherine and accessible to cars on a completely sealed road. No permit is required.

The camping site is a beautifully maintained landscaped space that is only 150m from the plunge pool. Unpowered sites are available with access to toilets, showers, gas BBQs, picnic tables and a kiosk with knowledgeable staff to help you figure out what to do.

One of the lesser-known campgrounds, Sweetwater Pool is the final stop on the Jatbula Trail. It’s perfect for cooling off after a long hike.

The campground is accessible from the car park at Edith Falls by foot only. Facilities include toilets and drinking water. Permits are required and spots are reserved for those walking the Jatbula Trail so availability needs to be confirmed before you head off.

Make use of the bins provided at your campsite. If there are none, take the rubbish with you and find a roadside stop or shelter with bins provided. There are no rubbish bins situated along the Jatbula Trail.

Fires are not permitted to be lit in any Northern Territory national park and each campground has specific rules about the lighting of fires. Camp fires can only be lit during the cooler months and must be contained within designated areas where fire pits are available.

Firewood from outside a national park should not be brought into the park due to bio-security risks.

Firewood must also not be collected from inside the national park. Purchasing wood from hardware stores or camping supply stores in Darwin or Katherine is permitted.

Pets aren’t allowed in national parks. Exemptions are available for guide dogs, hearing dogs and assistance dogs kept on a leash of no more than 3m long.

Each individual campsite outside of national parks have their own rules about pets. If pets are permitted, be a responsible pet owner and don’t leave your dog on their own in a campground. If you’re going to be out of the campground for any length of time, you can negotiate with a fellow camper to swap dog-minding duties.

If you’re driving, make sure you understand the challenges of driving in remote locations. Get some road safety tips to help you stay safe on our roads.