Enjoy an authentic Aboriginal experience at Top Didj & Art Gallery in Katherine, NT, including storytelling, spear throwing, fire-lighting and traditional Aboriginal rarrk painting.
The Top Didj Cultural Experience was a highlight of our Top End NT trip. The cultural experience is led by Manuel Pamkal, a traditional indigenous man who grew up in the Top End. Manual very generously shares his experience as a child living On Country and surviving in the bush, giving visitors like us a deeper understanding of Australia’s indigenous communities.
There are plenty of hands-on activities to enjoy as part of the cultural experience, making it a fantastic place to bring kids to learn about Aboriginal culture.
After listening to Manuel play a tune on his didgeridoo and telling stories of growing up in the bush the traditional way, he taught us to paint our own aboriginal rarrk painting using a special reed brush called a Jalk, as well as demonstrating and showing volunteers how to light a fire using two sticks and how to throw a spear using a woomera.
We also enjoyed meeting a wallaby who was living at the wildlife rescue located on site, and bought some stunning artwork created by local indigenous artists.
Top Didj Cultural Experience sessions run twice daily, seven days a week, from May to October. The tour lasts for 2.5 hours and is located a very short drive out of the centre of Katherine.
Get more information on Top Didji Cultural Experience and Art Gallery here and here.
Katherine Gorge Cruise Tours Nitmiluk National Park
Experience the wonder of Katherine Gorge in Nitmiluk National Park with a Katherine Gorge Cruise Tour.
The tranquil Katherine Gorge Cruise Tours are the perfect way to experience the highlights of Nitmiluk National Park, particularly if you are time pressed or aren’t into long hikes or kayaking. They are especially suitable for families with kids whose legs aren’t up for long walks.
Nitmiluk National Park is located 30 kilometres north-east of Katherine. It includes 13 impressive gorges carved from ancient sandstone. Viewing the gorge from the Katherine Gorge Cruise Tours is a spectacular way to view the dramatic cliffs and also to learn about the history of the Park and local indigenous people from the knowledgeable tour guides.
Half-day, full-day, overnight and sunset trips are available, however the most popular tour is the NitNit Dreaming Two Gorge Tour, which run for two hours multiple times a day, year-round.
The tour comprises of two boat tours with a walking transfer in between the gorges. The walk between the first and second gorge is a man made uneven path approximately 400m in length. There are about 70 stairs on the path in total and those sections all have handrails. Closed in non-slip shoes are recommended.
The first two gorges are the longest ones in the 13 gorge system. Our fantastic guide shared information about plants, animals, dreamtime stories and culture throughout the tour.
We took the Katherine Gorge Cruise Tour in July, and even in winter it was extremely hot. We highly recommend doing doing an early or late tour to avoid the heat, and taking a hat, sunscreen, protective clothing, insect repellent and plenty of snacks with you.
There is drinking water and toilets located on board the boats.
After finishing the tour, I highly recommend the short but extremely steep Baruwei Lookout
Walk. The views from the lookout of Katherine Gorge and 17 Mile Valley are spectacular.
The walk is 1.8 km return from the visitors centre, however the jetty for the Katherine Gorge Cruise Tours is located along the path, so the distance from the jetty to the lookout is shorter. Allow around 1 hour to complete the walk, which is graded 3 – moderate.
Escape to the luxurious Lilianfels Blue Mountains Resort and Spa for a weekend of pampering, delicious food and relaxation.
Just 90 minutes’ drive from Sydney CBD, Lilianfels Blue Mountains Resort & Spa the perfect place to unwind and relax, in the heart of the World Heritage Listed Blue Mountains National Park.
Lilianfels Blue Mountains Resort & Spa offers 89 spacious guestrooms and suites, each room featuring elegant décor with Wedgwood wallpaper themed in pink, green or lilac, high speed Wi-Fi access and LCD TV and DVD player.
We chose a deluxe twin room which include two queen size beds. Each deluxe twin room also features a spacious marbled bathroom with full sized bath and separate walk-in shower, individually controlled air conditioning, iPod docking unit, ergonomic work space, laptop-sized safe, mini bar, tea and coffee making facilities, 24 hour room service, ironing facilities, hairdryer, APPELLES bathroom amenities and dry cleaning service.
Check in time is from 3pm and check-out time is 11am.
We ordered room service. The door came quickly and was fresh and hot.
Lilianfels Blue Mountains Resort & Spa has fantastic facilities available to guests, including a spa, tennis court, reading room, games, room, 13m outdoor infinity pool and 10m indoor pool. Both pools are heated year ’round. There is also complimentary mountain bike hire available.
The gardens are also stunning.
There are several dining options at the hotel: the award-winning hatted Darley’s restaurant, a more casual lunch and menu and high tea service in The Lounge, and Orangery Restaurant, which is where daily breakfast is served.
You can read about our previous high tea experience here. Lilianfel’s has one of the best high teas we have ever experienced.
The Lounge is beautiful, bright space filled with comfortable lounge chairs.
Our package included a delicious breakfast at Orangery Restaurant. Choose from a continental buffet of cereals, pastries, breads, fruit and yoghurt, plus a selection from the hot menu.
Complimentary parking is available onsite located opposite the front of the main hotel building or Darley’s Restaurant. There is also undercover parking available underneath the main building.
Boongaree Nature Play Park is located in the town of Berry on the NSW south coast. The first stage of the playground opened in January 2022.
On the outskirts of the beautiful country town of Berry lies a fantastic new regional playground, Boongaree Nature Play Park.
The Nature Play Park has seperate play areas for younger and older kids. Equipment includes a dual, accessible flying fox, sensory play area, swings, slides, climbing nets and exercise equipment.
The giant hamster wheel was a huge hit with kids of all ages.
There is a large grassed area for picnics, BBQs, covered picnic tables and amenities with lift and change facilities.
An accessible play area is located at the front of the Berry playground, including a ground-level carousel and accessible swings.
There is also a water and sand play area with pumps located at the front of the Berry playground.
Bring bikes and scooters to try the new skate paths with traffic signs.
A skate bowl is located towards the back of the playground, which looks to be scheduled for replacement with a newer skate park in the next phase of the playground, due to start 2022 quarter two. A fenced dog park is also planned.
Discover natural limestone caves at Cutta Cutta Caves Nature Park in Katherine, Northern Territory.
The caves, located 27km south of Katherine, were formed millions of years ago. They are easily reached by the Stuart Highway, with the caves themselves a short walk along a dirt path from the visitors centre.
To see the Cutta Cutta Caves requires joining a guided tour. The tours run hourly from May to October – 9am, 10am, 11am, 1pm, 2pm, 3pm.
Cutta Cutta Caves Nature Park is home to five species of bats, including the rare Ghost and Horseshoe bats. Bats are frequently seen during the cave tours, as are spiders and even snakes.
The tour of Cutta Cutta Caves runs for approximately one hour and goes 15 metres below the surface into the heart of the cave systems. There are some tight spots and the air gets stale and humid. I suggest bringing water.
Swim underneath a picturesque waterfall at Leliyn (Edith Falls) Nitmiluk National Park.
Leliyn (Edith Falls) is located on the western side of Nitmiluk National Park, a 60km drive north of Katherine along the Stuart Highway. It is easiest to access when driving between Kakadu National Park and the town of Katherine as a stop over.
There are campsites available, and the bush setting combined with the stunning waterfall make it a suburb spot to spend the night. There is also a an excellent kiosk where we had some fantastic fresh sandwiches, scones and shakes.
Leliyn (Edith Falls) is extremely well maintained and easy to access. The carpark is located at the end of a sealed road, and there are excellent bathroom and picnic / BBQ facilities in the picnic grounds next to the car park.
The swimming pool at the base of Leliyn (Edith Falls) is also very easy to access via a short path from the carpark. It is open year-round, however may be closed to swimming at times between November through to April.
There are no lifeguards at Edith Falls, so swim with caution. Lots of people brought their own pool noodles to make swimming easier, and there were also some for sale at the kiosk.
If you enjoy bushwalking, there is the challenging 2.6km Leliyn Trail loop walk, which offers the chance to swim in the upper pool of Leliyn half way around the trail.
There is also the longer 9km return walk to Sweetwater Pool, a tranquil swimming hole.
Read more about visiting Leliyn (Edith Falls) Nitmiluk National Park
Top Things To Do In The Dry Season Kakadu National Park, NT
Spot wildlife, swim in waterfalls and see ancient Aboriginal rock art. There are so many incredible things to do in Kakadu National Park.
Three hours’ drive from Darwin, Kakadu is Australia’s biggest national park. Covering nearly 20,000 square kilometres, Kakadu National Park is World Heritage listed for both its cultural and natural values.
During the dry season (May to October) the weather is temperate and less humid. During the wet season (November to April) many attractions are closed due to flooding, however the waterfalls are in their full glory!
See ancient Aboriginal rock art
There are more than 5,000 Aboriginal rock art sites in the park. The Bininj/Mungguy people have called Kakadu home for some 65,000 years. Aboriginal rock paintings, dating to prehistoric times, can be viewed at sites such as Nourlangie, Nanguluwur and Ubirr.
Read more about viewing Aboriginal rock art at Nourlangie.
Cruise on the Yellow Water Billabong
Yellow Water Cruises operates year-round, up to six cruises a day of 90 or 120 minute duration. Sunrise and sunset are the most popular times of day and advance bookings are recommended.
The wildlife seen on the cruise varies depending on the time of the day. Saltwater crocs are plentiful, as are thousands of spectacular birds. A cruise on the Yellow Water Billabong is right at the top of our list of things to do in Kakadu.
Mamukala is a birdwatcher’s paradise. The short walking loop to the viewing platform is an easy way to enjoy Kakadu’s wetlands and watch its remarkable birdlife going about its daily business.
Head up to Cahills Crossing viewing area on the western bank of the East Alligator River to safely watch saltwater crocodiles in the wild.
Hike to Jim Jim Falls
The 200m high Jim Jim Falls are spectacular even in the dry season. It’s quite the difficult hike to get there, but the reward at the end is well worth the effort involved. Seeing Jim Jim falls either by land or air is one of the top things to do in Kakadu National Park.
Learn about life in Kakadu
Visit the Warradjan Cultural Centre near Cooinda Lodge. Interactive and educational exhibits in the centre were developed by the Bininj/Mungguy traditional owners and bring to life tens of thousands of years of human history in Kakadu. The gift shop is excellent and there is also a cafe here.
There’s a range of accommodation available at Kakadu, from hotels to campgrounds. We suggest one night around Jabiru (we stayed at the Mercure Crocodile Kakadu Hotel) to see attractions in this region such as Cahill’s Crossing, Mamaluka Wetlands and Ubirr, and then one or two nights at Cooinda Lodge, which is at the edge of the Yellow Water Billabong and close to attractions including Nourlangie, Jim Jim Falls and Maguk.
Cooinda Lodge offers camping facilities as well as hotel-style rooms, and is also an excellent place to stop for a meal, with their restaurant serving breakfast, lunch and dinner. We had lunch here most days.
Tips for visiting Kakadu National Park
A 4WD is needed to access several of the sites, including the waterfalls.
The only grocery store is extremely limited in stock and is located in Jabiru.
Check the access report daily before setting out to visit any attractions.
Pack sturdy hiking shoes and bring refillable water bottles, sunscreen and hats, even in winter.
The attractions are far apart and a lot of driving is needed to reach them. Plan a schedule for what you want to visit and see the attractions close together at the same time.
A Kakadu National Park pass is required to visit. You can buy one online here. The pass is valid for 7 days.
Yellow Water Billabong Cruise Kakadu National Park
Enjoy wildlife and dramatic scenery on the Indigenous-owned Yellow Water Billabong Cruise in Kakadu National Park.
Yellow Water Cruises operates year-round, up to six cruises a day of 90 or 120 minute duration. Sunrise and sunset are the most popular times of day and advance bookings are recommended. The wildlife seen on the cruise varies depending on the time of the day.
The cruises take guests deep into the wetlands to see Kakadu’s spectacular variety of wildlife. About one third of Australia’s bird species are represented in Kakadu National Park, with at least 60 species found in the wetlands.
Commonly seen birds include Whistling Ducks and Magpie Geese, with eagles, Jabirus and Brolgas also spotted.
There are also plenty of crocodiles who float past somewhat eerily silently, and buffalo on the floodplains. For more information on wildlife and nature in Kakadu click here.
We took a sunrise cruise in June. The early morning Yellow Water Billabong Cruise is freezing so pack jackets and also bring breakfast or snacks.
Get more information on Yellow Water Billabong Cruise kakadutourism.com.
Mercure Kakadu Crocodile Hotel is located in the township of Jabiru, inside Kakadu National Park. This hotel is the perfect base to explore Kakadu.
We stayed at the Mercure Kakadu Crocodile Hotel during our recent trip to the Northern Territory. The hotel is located towards the northern end of the park, making it the ideal base for attractions such as Ubirr, Cahills Crossing & Mamukala Wetlands.
The Mercure Kakadu Crocodile Hotel features spacious rooms that area ideal for families, a shaded tropical pool in the centre and the Escarpment restaurant and bar which is open for breakfast, lunch and dinner and uses locally sourced ingredients.
We enjoyed a daily included breakfast and also dined in the restaurant several times in the evenings. Some nights are a la carte and others buffet if there is a tour group staying at the hotel.
A few minutes walk away is the Jabiru town centre which includes a small supermarket – the only supermarket in Kakadu.
