Nitmiluk Gorge, NT

Hi all,
Travelled up to the NT toward the end of June for a bushwalk of the Jatbula Trail and a paddle up Nitmiluk Gorge. Nitmiluk (Katherine Gorge) consists of 9 gorges separated by rocky portages (depending on the water level). The packraft was awesome- while others were lugging canoes on 40 minute portages I could put my pack on and rock hop over in a few minutes!
I camped at the 4th gorge for 2 nights and paddled up as far as the 7th gorge. didn’t see any crocs. An awesome flat water trip.
Hmmmm it’s not liking photos…
Heres a link to a report I did

Cheers
Lizzy

Great trip report Lizzy, thanks for posting. Certainly the ideal craft for the gorge.

Beautiful photos

Cheers

Nice report Lizzy, it looks beatiful (and warm). I am not sure I would trust those freshwater crocs, bloody huge!! I saw a saltwater croc with a 400lb Dugong in it’s mouth a few years ago, I noted at the time that the poor dead Dugong looked a lot like a packraft…:slight_smile:

Steve

Thanks guys! Yes I was a bit tentative especially in the lower part of the gorge especially paddling past a big croc trap. Higher up felt a bit safer… There were a few others about- I hoped they would be tastier than me!!

Nice trip Lizzy, you’ve inspired me to add my own pics and trip report. I did something similar with three friends last winter. I’d booked the Jatbula and coming from the southern states I thought we could make a week of it and do a three day walk and paddle around Nitmiluk.

We went in via the rim track , so walked about 16km up to about the 8th gorge before putting in a paddling to the canoeist campsite in the 9th gorge which is superb. The following day we intended to head upstream to about the 11th but I had a nasty open blister still lingering from the Tabletop walk and Dave had a crook ankle so we turned the already leisurely day into a very leisurely one as we drifted down to the 4th gorge campsite for the night. Our third day was a straight paddle back to the visitors centre.

We had amazing weather and didn’t see a soul until about the 3rd gorge which amazed us given it was peak season, the rafts were ideal for this trip and it’s one I would recommend as it is truly lovely place. Very doable in two days by why hurry. I would recommend the walk in as, although it looks like an out and back on the map it feels more like a circuit given the completely different feel.

And Jatbula is a fantastic walk well worth heading up for but I kind of enjoyed the walk float just as much, if not a little more

I’m a luddite so I hope this link to my pics works … pictures beat words (mine anyway)

Cheers
Mick

Awesome pics Mick! Thanks for posting :slight_smile: I also considered doing the rim walk & rafting back, but in the end decided to spend all my time on the water. I started paddling in the afternoon (as I flew into Darwin early that morning) & the wind funnelling down the gorge was pretty strong. Was wondering if I had made the wrong choice and if I’d get anywhere against the wind. The pack on the front sure helped. I’ll go back one day & do it your way too :slight_smile:
Cheer
Lizzy

Nice pics there Mick. How’d you go on the weekend with Matt? , sorry I couldn’t make it, I am currently like the third monkey in the evolution picture with a damaged lower back :frowning:

Steve