Goodbye Darwin Hello Katherine - 300km

---

---

Katherine is a one street kinda town and I am not kidding the street is called the Terrace and the streets off it are 1st, 2nd & 3rd, 4th Street how cool is that.

Katherine Gorge has 13 gorges in total but not all are accessable, the pictures show the 1-3rd. The gorges only tend to have freshwater croc's in them but during the wet season some salties do get trapped, so swimming was not recommended at this time as the final check needs to be done to get the all clear. Local humor has a salty trap located on the otherside of the swimming area. John McDowell Stuart was the first Europen Explorer and to get funding for his trip he approached Mr Chambers a well off man in the town and said he would name the gorge after his 2nd Eldest Daugther Katherine also don't fret he also named his next 2 excusions after the other 2 daughter Florence & Edith

I have taken the normal pictures of the wildlife.....There is a tree called paperback and the Aborginals use it for fishing (this is amazing) They would brake up the bark and take it to the fishing hole and scatter it on the river surface and it removes the oxygen from the watter which puts the fish in a coma and they float to the surface next the children are sent in to the river to collect the fish that is needed then the bark is collected and removed from the river and the oxygen returns to the water and the fishes that are left swim away with no harm to them...see I told you it was amazing

Russell my guide was a local boy with an amazing soh he is a Jawoyn boy and they currently own Nitmiluk National Park and have leased it back to the government on the 99 year lease scheme. Nitmiluk is broken down into 2 meanings Nitmi - scata (bird) and Luk - country

I went swimming in the Lilly Pond which legend has it that Aborginal women went there to give birth now a days they go to hospital...as it would be gross if I was swimming in after birth yuk..........

I also did a walk Baruwei Walk which was 4km in 40 degree heat I did it in just under am hour and treat myself to a lolly

The picture of the Woolworths sign I bet it is making your mind boggle well on Australia Day 1998 terrible fllods ripped through Katherine, apparently the flood waters could of filled an empty Sydney Harbour in just nine hours. A crocodile was even spotted crusing down the aisles of woolworths, according to Russell it was the meat aisle.

I have looked into working for Mission Australia at one of the Aborginal stations, will keep you updated

---