Katherine is 330 kilometres south of Darwin and 90 kilometres south of Pine Creek. John McDouall Stuart named the Katherine River after the daughter of a friend of his in 1862. Alfred Giles established a cattle and sheep station here and had a homestead built for him, the Springvale Homestead, in 1879.

He had arrived in the area with some 12,000 sheep, 200 cattle and horses. Unfortunately for him, the sheep suffered in the severe heat and the cattle were subject to a number of diseases. Nonetheless, he played a major role in the establishment of the cattle industry in the area, which is still prevalent.

Essentially, the beginnings of the town of Katherine are firmly rooted in the Overland Telegraph Line, which crossed the river a few kilometres away from the present town site. There was a better crossing to the south of this, and this is where the first settlement took place, known as Katherine originally. The police arrived on the scene in 1886 and a man by the name of Barney Murphy opened up his hotel and store.

Come 1917, the railway had been extended south of Pine Creek and it went as far as the north bank of the Katherine River. At this time, a settlement known as Emungalan developed because of the arrival of the railway at this point.

People who wanted to travel by rail to Darwin had to cross the river from Katherine and make their way to Emungalan from where they could catch the train. Work on a bridge which would allow the train to cross the river continued until the year 1927, after which time Emungalan lost its purpose in life and ceased to exist.

A survey of the town was carried out by John Power in 1926 and that same year, a notice was placed in the Northern Territory Times & Gazette, advertising the fact that land in the form of blocks would be sold at public auction in Katherine. Considerable disgruntlement resulted following the auction.

This was because the European settlers had made arrangements amongst themselves not to bid against one another, so that the prices would remain low. However, they did not take into account the bidding that other groups, like the Chinese were likely to make. As the bidding got under way, it was clear that the prices were not going to remain as low as the Europeans had hoped for.

At this time there was considerable shortage of buildings in the town, with the result that there was a conflict of interest between providing schooling and medical services. Quite simply, there was not sufficient room for both of these services to operate simultaneously, and so they had to alternate when using the public hall. This continued to very much to be the case until eventually a hospital was built in the 1930s.

Land for an airport had been cleared in 1919 and in the early 1930s more work was done on the airstrip. In January of 1939, the aircraft Koranga fatally crashed into the Katherine River, killing all four on board.

In March of 1942, the town was bombed, killing one person and causing damage to the airport. It was decided to evacuate the women and children of the town, in the eventuality of further such incidents occurring. Many argue that the arrival of the second World War was just what the town needed. Up until this point the town had great difficulty in getting its voice heard in Darwin.

Nobody was taking Katherine's requests for better telephone communications, more air mail and passenger air services. When the railway had been completed, many of the workers had left and the town had become fairly stagnant. The war brought soldiers and the construction of good roads. The end of the war left the town with in a revitalised mood and growth slowly began to occur.

In the 1950s, its population increased, and it surpassed its traditional role as a railway town and pastoral centre, becoming a major town on the Stuart Highway.

Natural Attractions

The most obvious natural attraction in the vicinity is Nitmiluk Katherine Gorge National Park which takes in Katherine Gorge, Edith Falls and lots more besides. The Cutta Cutta Caves Nature Park is only 27 kilometres south of the town and offers visitors picnic facilities, walking tracks and an abundance of flora and fauna which also includes the Orange Horseshoe Bat, a species that is not oft glimpsed these days.

Katherine Wildlife Park has a whole host of animals and birds, from the ever favourite koalas to wombats, monkeys and crocodiles. There is a walk through enclosure which allows you to get as close as possible to the wallabies and kangaroos. To find your way here travel up the Stuart Highway from Katherine and turn onto Zimin Drive then right into Florina Road. The Park is some thirteen kilometres along this road.

Katherine Low Level Nature Park is set in an area of 104 hectares. This is Katherine's most popular picnicking and swimming spot. It is dangerous to swim during the wet season floods and the swimming safety sign should always be checked. Toilets, a children's playground, picnic tables and gas and wood BBQ's are available.

Knotts Crossing is past the town's hospital and was the site of the Overland Telegraph station where the river was crossed in the early days of the settlement which grew up to be known as Katherine. Today it is an ideal spot for swimming, fishing and picnicking.

The Katherine Orchid Nursery is conveniently situated just off the main street. Here you will be dazzled by over 20,000 plants. The nursery specialises in vandas and visitors are very welcome to come along and experience the beauty of these orchids in such an impressive quantity. They are located at 12 Stutterd Street. Opening hours are 9 am until 6 pm on Wednesdays, Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays.

Museums

The Katherine Museum uses visual displays to inform visitors about the history of the town. In the hangar right next door you will come across the original Gypsy Moth flown by Dr. Clyde Fenton in 1934. It is located on the Gorge Road. Opening hours are 10 am until 4 pm, Monday to Friday, and 10 am until 2 pm on a Saturday and 2 pm until 5 pm on Sundays.

The Railway Station Museum Craft Gallery, which is the National Trust Headquarters has details about local history plus plenty to excite railway enthusiasts with its collection of railway information and artefacts. It was built in 1926 to service the railway from Pine Creek. It also has an arts and crafts gallery with displays of works by local artists. It is situated at Railway Terrace and it is open Wednesday to Saturday from 10 am until 2.30 pm.

Arts and Crafts

For those interested in traditional Aboriginal artefacts a visit to Mimi Aboriginal Arts and Crafts is a must. Here you will come across Pandanas weaving, clap sticks, canvas painting, didgeridoos, bird carvings, bark painting and plenty more besides. It is an Aboriginal based Organisation which was formed in 1979 and whose main aim is to maintain the traditional methods used in producing these arts and crafts. They are located at 1 Lindsay Syteey.

The Old Gallon Licence Gallery is another place worth visiting, with many fine examples of local arts and crafts. It is to be found on Gorge Road.

Historical Attractions

Of all of the historical sites in the town, perhaps the Springvale Homestead is the one with greatest historical significance, as it is the oldest standing homestead in the Northern Territory. It is set on 80 hectares of beautiful, lush land by the river, and boasts a billabong which a handful of freshwater crocodiles call home. Facilities here include walking tours, a range of accommodation, and crocodile spotting. It is eight kilometres from the town via Zimmin Drive.

The O'Keeffe House is one of the older buildings in the town, having its roots in World War II as an Officers Mess and later becoming the home of Sister O'Keeffe. Today it is included amongst the National Trust listings and can be viewed by members of the public. The house is on River Bank Drive.

The Old Gallon Licence Store was where the settlement first began. It started out in business in 1874 and operated as an hotel until the year 1927. Today it is National Trust listed and you will find arts and crafts on display, all created by local artists. It is on the Gorge Road and is open to the public on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays from 10 am until 2 pm.

Another of the town's interesting historic sites is the railway bridge which dates back to 1926, is 23 metres high and over 210 metres in length.

Other Attractions

For a day trip with a difference why not pay the Rowlands Dairy a visit. This is the largest dairy in the southern hemisphere milking some 1200 cows per day. The dairy is on Florina Road.

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