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Katherine is a town in the
Northern Territory The Northern Territory (abbreviated as NT; known formally as the Northern Territory of Australia and informally as the Territory) is an states and territories of Australia, Australian internal territory in the central and central-northern regi ...
of Australia. It is situated on the Katherine River, after which it is named, southeast of Darwin. The fourth largest settlement in the Territory, it is known as the place where "The outback meets the tropics". Katherine had an urban population of 5,980 at the 2021 Australia Census. Katherine is also the closest major town to RAAF Base Tindal, located southeast, and provides education, health, local government services and employment opportunities for the families of Defence personnel stationed there. In the , the base had a residential population of 857, with only around 20% of the workforce engaged in employment outside of defence, the majority commuting to work in Katherine. Katherine is also the central hub of the great " Savannah Way" which stretches from
Cairns Cairns (; ) is a city in the Cairns Region, Queensland, Australia, on the tropical north east coast of Far North Queensland. In the , Cairns had a population of 153,181 people. The city was founded in 1876 and named after William Cairns, Sir W ...
in north Queensland to Broome in the
Kimberley Kimberly or Kimberley may refer to: Places and historical events Australia Queensland * Kimberley, Queensland, a coastal locality in the Shire of Douglas South Australia * County of Kimberley, a cadastral unit in South Australia Ta ...
region of Western Australia. Beginning as an outpost established with the
Australian Overland Telegraph Line The Australian Overland Telegraph Line was an electrical telegraph system for sending messages the between Darwin, in what is now the Northern Territory of Australia, and Adelaide, the capital of South Australia. Completed in 1872 (with a li ...
on the north–south transport route between Darwin and
Adelaide Adelaide ( , ; ) is the list of Australian capital cities, capital and most populous city of South Australia, as well as the list of cities in Australia by population, fifth-most populous city in Australia. The name "Adelaide" may refer to ei ...
, Katherine has grown with the development of transport and local industries including mining – particularly
gold mining Gold mining is the extraction of gold by mining. Historically, mining gold from Alluvium, alluvial deposits used manual separation processes, such as gold panning. The expansion of gold mining to ores that are not on the surface has led to mor ...
; a strategic military function with RAAF Base Tindal; also as a tourism gateway to the attractions of nearby
Nitmiluk National Park Nitmiluk National Park is in the Northern Territory of Australia, 244 km southeast of Darwin, Northern Territory, Darwin, and 23 km northeast of the town of Katherine, Northern Territory, Katherine, around a series of gorges on the Kat ...
, particularly Nitmiluk (Katherine) Gorge and its many ancient rock paintings. The region floods heavily during the wet season.


History

The first inhabitants of the area were
Indigenous Australian Indigenous Australians are people with familial heritage from, or recognised membership of, the various ethnic groups living within the territory of contemporary Australia prior to History of Australia (1788–1850), British colonisation. The ...
s, specifically the Dagoman people. It was an important meeting place for these tribes and remains a place of convergence. Today the Walpiri people from the Victoria River District and Tanami Desert areas now have a dedicated community based at Katherine East. Explorer
John McDouall Stuart John McDouall Stuart (7 September 18155 June 1866), often referred to as simply "McDouall Stuart", was a Scottish explorer and one of the most accomplished of all Australia's inland explorers. Stuart led the first successful expedition to tra ...
passed through the area in 1862 on his successful third journey across the continent from north to south. On 4 July 1862, Stuart crossed the Katherine River 90 km upstream from the present town, and recorded in his diary: "Came upon another large creek, having a running stream to the south of west and coming from the north of east. This I have named 'Katherine', in honour of the second daughter of pastoralist James Chambers " There is some conjecture over Stuart's accuracy. Chambers's wife's name was Katherine but, according to most sources, his daughter's name was Catherine. Katherine Telegraph Station was established on 22 August 1872 and the completion of the Overland Telegraph Line later in 1872, and the town began with a small permanent population on the west side of the Katherine River. Katherine benefited from the proximity to nearby gold fields including Pine Creek 90 kilometres to the north. Gold was discovered 50 kilometres to the north in 1889 at Mount Todd. The North Australia Railway was extended to Katherine with construction beginning in 1923 of the Katherine railway bridge. During construction of the railway, the town's centre was relocated to the eastern side of the river. The bridge was completed in 1926 and the first train crossed on 21 January 1926. On 15 July 1926, the town's present site was gazetted. The original post office and the Overland Telegraph station were set just above Knott's Crossing and next to the Sportsman's Arms Hotel that had quarters for the station master at the Overland Telegraph station and a single room police station. A highly influential period in Katherine's past was the arrival of a number of Russian migrants between 1929 and 1960. These migrants came to the area after the NT administration offered tracts of land for peanut farming along the Katherine River. Earlier, in 1880, the government botanist Maurice Holtze had investigated the commercial viability of peanuts as a crop and found them viable. This encouraged many men, including those who had just completed work on the North Australia Railway, to take up the land. Many men who took up this land were also
Cossacks The Cossacks are a predominantly East Slavic languages, East Slavic Eastern Christian people originating in the Pontic–Caspian steppe of eastern Ukraine and southern Russia. Cossacks played an important role in defending the southern borde ...
who had fought against the newly formed Communist government in the
Russian Civil War The Russian Civil War () was a multi-party civil war in the former Russian Empire sparked by the 1917 overthrowing of the Russian Provisional Government in the October Revolution, as many factions vied to determine Russia's political future. I ...
; many had served under
Alexander Kolchak Admiral Alexander Vasilyevich Kolchak (; – 7 February 1920) was a Russian navy officer and polar explorer who led the White movement in the Russian Civil War. As he assumed the title of Supreme Ruler of Russia in 1918, Kolchak headed a mili ...
. The majority of the group had reached Australia between 1925 and 1928, and in 1929 they were able to commence clearing their land. The industry had mostly collapsed by the beginning of World War II because of erratic rainfall and a problematic supply chain. Some of these migrants were Jim Zimin, Ivan Ivanetz and Nadia Pascoe.} During
World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...
, the
Australian Army The Australian Army is the principal Army, land warfare force of Australia. It is a part of the Australian Defence Force (ADF), along with the Royal Australian Navy and the Royal Australian Air Force. The Army is commanded by the Chief of Army ...
set up two hospitals around Katherine, the 101st Australian General Hospital and 121st Australian General Hospital. The army also set up a Katherine Area Headquarters. On 22 March 1942, Katherine sustained its only air raid during World War II. One man was killed when a Japanese aircraft bombed the town. Mining production has declined since the closure of the mine at Mount Todd (50 kilometres to the north) in 2000. Construction began on a new rail line in July 2001. On 13 September 2003, the line was finished with a continuous track from
Adelaide Adelaide ( , ; ) is the list of Australian capital cities, capital and most populous city of South Australia, as well as the list of cities in Australia by population, fifth-most populous city in Australia. The name "Adelaide" may refer to ei ...
,
South Australia South Australia (commonly abbreviated as SA) is a States and territories of Australia, state in the southern central part of Australia. With a total land area of , it is the fourth-largest of Australia's states and territories by area, which in ...
, to Darwin. ''
The Ghan ''The Ghan'' () is an experiential tourism-oriented passenger train service that operates between the northern and southern coasts of Australia, through the cities of Adelaide, Alice Springs and Darwin on the Adelaide–Darwin rail corridor ...
'' passenger train service commenced on 4 February 2004, running weekly year round with a second service in peak season stopping at Katherine on both the northbound and southbound journeys. The river flooded the town in 1931, 1940, 1957, 1998 and 2006. The 1998 floods were the worst on record. The river reached a height of 20.4 metres. The April 2006 floods placed parts of the town under water (including about 50 houses), caused millions of dollars of damage, and resulted in the declaration of a state of emergency on 7 April. However, there were no reports of the flooding causing structural damage. Town residents were given warning that the river might flood on 5 April, and the town centre was underwater before noon the next day. The floodwaters reached a peak of nearly 19 metres at the Katherine River bridge. Dozens of homes were inundated with up to 2 m of water, with many residents having time to escape with little more than the clothes they were wearing. Over the weekend of 8–9 April, more than 1,100 people went to the evacuation centres in the town. The state of emergency was lifted on 9 April. In recent decades, Katherine has developed as a regional centre supporting the cattle, horticulture, agriculture and tourism industries. Located at the junction of major tourism drives, Central Arnhem Road, the Savannah Way and the Explorers Way, Katherine is an important visitor gateway for the Northern Territory. On
Australia Day Australia Day is the official national day of Australia. Observed annually on 26 January, it marks the 1788 landing of the First Fleet and raising of the Flag of Great Britain, Union Flag of Great Britain by Arthur Phillip at Sydney Cove, a ...
in 1998 a major flood devastated the town, and the area was declared a national disaster. The flood resulted from the 300–400 mm of rainwater brought by Cyclone Les that caused the already full Katherine River to peak at 20.4 metres. The floodwaters inundated the town and much of the surrounding region, requiring the evacuation of many residents. The flood covered an area of 1,000 square kilometres, affected 1,100 homes and cut off many roads in and out of Katherine. Three people drowned.


Population

According to the 2016 census of Population, there were 6,303 people in Katherine. * Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people made up 25.4% of the population. * 66.2% of people were born in Australia. The next most common countries of birth were Philippines 2.9%, New Zealand 1.8% and England 1.7%. * 64.3% of people spoke only English at home. Other languages spoken at home included Kriol at 3.5%. * The most common response for religion was No Religion at 31.1%. Katherine's population swells immensely during the Dry Season. Each year hundreds of older people (termed " Grey nomads") from the colder parts of Australia pack caravans and head north to Katherine and other locations throughout the Northern Territory.


Geography and climate


Topography

Katherine is located south of Darwin, and is situated on the banks of the Katherine River, which is part of the Daly River system. The upper reaches rise into the
Arnhem Land Arnhem Land is a historical region of the Northern Territory of Australia. It is located in the north-eastern corner of the territory and is around from the territorial capital, Darwin, Northern Territory, Darwin. In 1623, Dutch East India Compa ...
escarpment and Kakadu, to the northeast. The Victoria River (The Northern Territory's largest river system) is situated south-west of Katherine along the Victoria Highway. Katherine is at the crossroads of the Outback due to its location between the Darwin region, Kakadu National Park, the Barkley Region, the Gulf of Carpentaria and the Kimberley region of Western Australia. The topography of the region is predominantly dry tropical
savanna A savanna or savannah is a mixed woodland-grassland (i.e. grassy woodland) biome and ecosystem characterised by the trees being sufficiently widely spaced so that the canopy does not close. The open canopy allows sufficient light to reach th ...
woodlands and consists of plains, hills, rock outcrops. To the east lies Koombolgie sandstone escarpments and spectacular gorges through Nitmiluk National Park. The township itself is set among relatively flat plains along the Katherine River within the Tindall / Oolloo Aquifers, dotted with rugged Karst limestone formations, caves and jagged outcrops. Numerous mesas (flat-topped hills or "Jump-ups") emerge south-west of Katherine on surrounding cattle stations. Katherine is within an ecoregion classified as the
Kimberley tropical savanna The Kimberley tropical savanna is a tropical and subtropical grasslands, savannas, and shrublands ecoregion in northwestern Australia, covering portions of Western Australia and the Northern Territory south of the Timor Sea. Geography The ecore ...
which covers a large portion of Australia's north-west through WA and the NT.


Climate

Katherine experiences a dry
tropical savanna climate Tropical savanna climate or tropical wet and dry climate is a tropical climate sub-type that corresponds to the Köppen climate classification categories ''Aw'' (for a dry "winter") and ''As'' (for a dry "summer"). The driest month has less than ...
(
Köppen climate classification The Köppen climate classification divides Earth climates into five main climate groups, with each group being divided based on patterns of seasonal precipitation and temperature. The five main groups are ''A'' (tropical), ''B'' (arid), ''C'' (te ...
''Aw'') with distinct wet and
dry season The dry season is a yearly period of low rainfall, especially in the tropics. The weather in the tropics is dominated by the tropical rain belt, which moves from the northern to the southern tropics and back over the course of the year. The t ...
s. Daily high temperatures in the wet season typically range from , reaching over from late September to late November. Very high humidity accompanies high temperatures during the build-up period to the
wet season The wet season (sometimes called the rainy season or monsoon season) is the time of year when most of a region's average annual rainfall occurs. Generally, the season lasts at least one month. The term ''green season'' is also sometimes used a ...
, when the region receives spectacular electrical storms. The wet season monsoon period is a dramatic time of year, from large
thunderstorms A thunderstorm, also known as an electrical storm or a lightning storm, is a storm characterized by the presence of lightning and its acoustic effect on the Earth's atmosphere, known as thunder. Relatively weak thunderstorms are som ...
and heavy downpours to the transitions of lush greenery appearing from the parched deciduous landscapes of the dry season. Katherine experiences around 50 thunderstorm days per year, most of which occur from November to April. In the dry, the nights can get quite cool, regularly dropping to around June and July. Humidity levels are much lower from June to August and hence this has become the most popular time for visitors who wish to explore the region. Most parks and roads are accessible during the dry season, whereas the wet season often causes accessibility restrictions. Low elevation relative to surrounding areas, as well as the town's situation on the banks of a river, means that the area is prone to
flood A flood is an overflow of water (list of non-water floods, or rarely other fluids) that submerges land that is usually dry. In the sense of "flowing water", the word may also be applied to the inflow of the tide. Floods are of significant con ...
ing. A flood on
Australia Day Australia Day is the official national day of Australia. Observed annually on 26 January, it marks the 1788 landing of the First Fleet and raising of the Flag of Great Britain, Union Flag of Great Britain by Arthur Phillip at Sydney Cove, a ...
in 1998 was particularly destructive. Ex- Tropical Cyclone Les produced between of rainfall during a 48-hour period, causing the Katherine River to rise to 21.3 metres and claim the lives of three people.


Districts

The central business district of Katherine is set 350 metres from the banks of the Katherine River. The township services the regional centres of Pine Creek, Mataranka, Borooloola, Daly River and Timber Creek. The
RAAF The Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) is the principal aerial warfare force of Australia, a part of the Australian Defence Force (ADF) along with the Royal Australian Navy and the Australian Army. Constitutionally the governor-general of Aus ...
Tindal Base is located 17 km from Katherine and plays a significant role in the local economy. Tindal Airbase officially opened on 1 October 1988. The Katherine Town Council (municipality) Zone extends from Flora River Junction in the West to Maranboy in the East and from the Fergusson River in the North to the Sturt Plateau in the South. Other shire zones in the Katherine Region are the Victoria Daly and the Roper Gulf shires. Traditional lands of the area include the dagomon Wardaman, and Jawoyn aboriginal land trusts. The township itself is a convergence zone of these traditional lands. Wardaman country occupies areas to the west of Katherine, from Manbulloo (around Limestone Creek) to eastern parts of the Victoria River District. Jawoyn country occupies areas to the east of Katherine from Lansdowne to the southern edge of Kakadu National Park, including Nitmiluk National Park, Barunga, Beswick and south-western Arnhem Land. Dagoman country occupies areas to the south of Katherine, from Leach Lagoon, the Upper King River, the Dry River and across to the Warlock Ponds near Mataranka.


Built environment

Springvale Homestead, built in 1879, is the oldest original homestead in the
Northern Territory The Northern Territory (abbreviated as NT; known formally as the Northern Territory of Australia and informally as the Territory) is an states and territories of Australia, Australian internal territory in the central and central-northern regi ...
. The homestead was originally managed by Alfred Giles, an ex- Overland Telegraph linesman. The Old Katherine Railway Station is another historic attraction that served Vestey's Meatworks during their operation in Darwin and was a major hub of transport during
World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...
. Another historic site is the O’Keeffe Residence. Originally built as a recreation hut in 1943 for army officers during World War II, the structure serves as a good example of local construction practice, using local materials like Cypress pine and corrugated iron. The Gallon Licence Store is another historical gem of the Old Katherine Settlement, built by Bernard Murphy in 1891. Located near Knotts Crossing, it is surrounded by large Boab Trees and Bauhinia near the banks of the Katherine River. The Gallon Licence Store was also featured in the crocodile horror film '' Rogue''. Since the establishment of
Nitmiluk National Park Nitmiluk National Park is in the Northern Territory of Australia, 244 km southeast of Darwin, Northern Territory, Darwin, and 23 km northeast of the town of Katherine, Northern Territory, Katherine, around a series of gorges on the Kat ...
, Katherine has developed into a tourism destination.
Katherine Gorge Nitmiluk National Park is in the Northern Territory of Australia, 244 km southeast of Darwin, Northern Territory, Darwin, and 23 km northeast of the town of Katherine, Northern Territory, Katherine, around a series of gorges on the Kat ...
in Nitmiluk National Park attracts large numbers of visitors each year (232,000 in 2004–05).Tourism NT
'Tourism NT (www.tourismnt.com.au)''


Parks and gardens

Katherine town and surrounds provide plenty of
park A park is an area of natural, semi-natural or planted space set aside for human enjoyment and recreation or for the protection of wildlife or natural habitats. Urban parks are urban green space, green spaces set aside for recreation inside t ...
and
garden A garden is a planned space, usually outdoors, set aside for the cultivation, display, and enjoyment of plants and other forms of nature. The single feature identifying even the wildest wild garden is ''control''. The garden can incorporate bot ...
areas. Dakota Park, Giles Park, Styles Park Jurassic Cycad Gardens, Jukes Park and O’Shea Park are in the town. Tourist attractions include
Nitmiluk National Park Nitmiluk National Park is in the Northern Territory of Australia, 244 km southeast of Darwin, Northern Territory, Darwin, and 23 km northeast of the town of Katherine, Northern Territory, Katherine, around a series of gorges on the Kat ...
and Cutta Cutta Caves Nature Park, Kintore Caves Nature Park with its populations of endangered
cycad Cycads are seed plants that typically have a stout and woody (ligneous) trunk (botany), trunk with a crown (botany), crown of large, hard, stiff, evergreen and (usually) pinnate leaves. The species are dioecious, that is, individual plants o ...
s, Low Level Nature Park, Springvale Homestead and Katherine Hot Springs. Other significant parks of the region include Elsey National Park,
Gregory National Park Judbarra National Park, formerly Gregory National Park and Judbarra / Gregory National Park, is a national park in the Northern Territory of Australia, south of Darwin, Northern Territory, Darwin. The park is the second largest national park i ...
and Giwining/Flora River Nature Park. Along Riverbank Drive on the Katherine River, Katherine Hot Springs provides swimming, shaded picnic tables and barbecue facilities set amongst tall paperpark trees and ghost gums, with an abundant array of birds and wildlife. A paved pathway loops around and along the Katherine River and mountain bike trails weave on and off a paved pathway down to the river. A popup cafe and bike hire are situated at the Hot Springs Carpark in the dry season (May to October). Fishing for barramundi, tarpon (ox-eye herring) and sooty grunter, locally known as "Black Bream", are also popular along the Katherine River. The river hosts a diverse variety of fish species. The low level nature reserve and hot springs and Nitmiluk National Park are regularly checked for crocodiles and are regarded reasonably safe for swimming during the dry season months. Popular fishing spots: Donkey Camp, the Old King River Crossing, Knott's Crossing and Edith River are good fishing spots. The Flora River 90 minutes southwest of town also offers excellent barramundi fishing either by casting from the bank or by small boat. The Flora is inhabited by saltwater crocodiles year-round and swimming is not permitted. Both freshwater crocodiles (''Crocodylus johnstoni'') and saltwater crocodiles (''Crocodylus porosus'') inhabit river systems in the Katherine Region.


Government

The
seat of local government The seat of government is (as defined by ''Brewer's Politics'') "the building, complex of buildings or the city from which a government exercises its authority". In most countries, the nation's capital is also seat of its government, thus that ...
for the Town of Katherine is located in Katherine. The council consists of five aldermen, a mayor, and a deputy mayor. The town's current mayor is Elisabeth Clark. At Territory level, the
electoral division of Katherine Katherine is an electoral divisions of the Northern Territory, electoral division of the Northern Territory Legislative Assembly, Legislative Assembly in Australia's Northern Territory. The electorate was first created in 1987, replacing the abo ...
covers the town and its suburbs and elects one member to the
Northern Territory Legislative Assembly The Legislative Assembly of the Northern Territory (also known as the Parliament of the Northern Territory) is the unicameral legislature of Australia’s Northern Territory. The Legislative Assembly has 25 members, each elected in single-member ...
. Jo Hersey won the election in 2020 for the CLP, ousting Labor party member Sandra Nelson. Many
Northern Territory Government The Northern Territory Government is the executive branch of the Northern Territory. The Government of Northern Territory was formed in 1978 with the granting of self-government to the Territory. The Northern Territory is a territory of the Co ...
departments have offices in Katherine with most of these housed in the Government Centre building in First Street, which allows the community to access services such as motor vehicle registration and public health clinics, family and community services and public housing. There is also a courthouse located next door which regularly hears matters before the Northern Territory Magistrates Court within the chambers. In the
Australian House of Representatives The House of Representatives is the lower house of the bicameralism, bicameral Parliament of Australia, the upper house being the Australian Senate, Senate. Its composition and powers are set out in Chapter I of the Constitution of Australia. ...
, Katherine is part of the
Division of Lingiari The Division of Lingiari () is an Divisions of the Australian House of Representatives, Australian electoral division in the Northern Territory that covers the entirety of the territory outside of the Division of Solomon, which covers Darwin, N ...
, which includes all of the Territory outside the Darwin/Palmerston area. Lingiari is currently held by
Marion Scrymgour Marion Rose Scrymgour (born 13 September 1960) is an Australian politician and the current member of parliament (MP) for the Division of Lingiari, federal seat of Lingiari since 2022. She was a member of the Northern Territory Legislative Assem ...
. The
Australian Senate The Senate is the upper house of the Bicameralism, bicameral Parliament of Australia, the lower house being the Australian House of Representatives, House of Representatives. The powers, role and composition of the Senate are set out in Chap ...
has two senators from the Northern Territory – Jacinta Price representing the
Country Liberal Party The Country Liberal Party of the Northern Territory (CLP), commonly known as the Country Liberals, is a centre-right and conservative political party in Australia's Northern Territory. In territory politics, it operates in a two-party system wi ...
and Malarndirri McCarthy from the
Australian Labor Party The Australian Labor Party (ALP), also known as the Labor Party or simply Labor, is the major Centre-left politics, centre-left List of political parties in Australia, political party in Australia and one of two Major party, major parties in Po ...
. Katherine has been a solid base for the centre-right Country Liberal Party. Federal Government services including Centrelink are also accessible through offices in Katherine.


Economy

The pastoral industry, mining, defence ( RAAF Base Tindal) and tourism contribute to the economy of Katherine. In 2003–04, the estimated total value of agriculture production from the
Katherine Region The Katherine Region, known as "Big River Country", is one of five major regions in the Northern Territory, Australia. It is situated just below the tropical Top End. The Katherine region covers an area of , and has a population of 18,646, maki ...
was $75M: $52M from cattle, $16.5M from fruit and vegetables and $7M from hay and other field crops. Production from mining in the region was estimated at $201M in 2003–04, or 13% of NT mining and energy production. Major commodities included lead, zinc, barites, limestone and gravel.NT Government
''NT Government (www.nt.gov.au)''
In support of the pastoral and agriculture industries, the Northern Territory Department of Primary Industry and Fisheries maintains the Katherine Research Station, employing up to 40 staff in laboratories, greenhouses, coolrooms and animal-handling facilities, with open lands for cropping and grazing activities. The facility comprises of land on a site located off the
Stuart Highway Stuart Highway is a major Australian highway. It runs from Darwin, Northern Territory, Darwin, in the Northern Territory, via Tennant Creek and Alice Springs, to Port Augusta in South Australia; it has a distance of . Its northern and souther ...
east of Katherine. The research conducted at the station assists local farmers to align land-management to climate and environment, and to address pests and diseases.
Mango A mango is an edible stone fruit produced by the tropical tree '' Mangifera indica''. It originated from the region between northwestern Myanmar, Bangladesh, and northeastern India. ''M. indica'' has been cultivated in South and Southeast As ...
es, including the Kensington Pride, are a major primary industry in the territory. In summer, the Katherine region is one of Australia's major mango-producing areas. The Northern Territory in general produces early-season (September–November) mangoes, avoiding the potentially damaging wet season.
Cotton Cotton (), first recorded in ancient India, is a soft, fluffy staple fiber that grows in a boll, or protective case, around the seeds of the cotton plants of the genus '' Gossypium'' in the mallow family Malvaceae. The fiber is almost pure ...
is an emerging industry in and around Katherine. Trials of modern, generically-modified cotton such as Bollgard3 have been undertaken at the Katherine Research Station. By 2019-20, 800 hectares of cotton was sown in the Territory across six properties in the Katherine and Top End regions, many of which are managed by operators from the Murray Darling regions of New South Wales. While 80% of crops were rain-fed, there are still environmental concerns over industry water usage, with projections that even small-scale irrigation for cotton could still amount to water usage equivalent to almost 70% of current allocations. A $70 million cotton gin was established by WANT north of Katherine in December 2023. The town's principal retail facility, the Katherine Shopping Centre of is owned by
Vicinity Centres Vicinity Centres , previously known as Federation Centres and Centro Properties Group, is an Australian Real Estate Investment Trust specialising in the ownership and management of Australian shopping centres. As at December 2021, it had stake ...
and includes a Woolworths supermarket, a K Hub store (replaced Target Country in early 2021) and speciality stores.


Transport


Rail

Katherine was originally connected to Darwin via the North Australia Railway, a
narrow-gauge railway A narrow-gauge railway (narrow-gauge railroad in the US) is a railway with a track gauge (distance between the rails) narrower than . Most narrow-gauge railways are between and . Since narrow-gauge railways are usually built with tighter cur ...
which reached the town in 1926. The line fell into disuse and was closed in May 1976, after damage caused by
Cyclone Tracy Severe Tropical Cyclone Tracy was a small but destructive tropical cyclone that devastated the city of Darwin, Northern Territory, Darwin, in the Northern Territory of Australia, in December 1974. The small but developing easterly storm was or ...
led to the cessation of the shipment of
iron ore Iron ores are rocks and minerals from which metallic iron can be economically extracted. The ores are usually rich in iron oxides and vary in color from dark grey, bright yellow, or deep purple to rusty red. The iron is usually found in the f ...
from the Frances Creek mine. In 2003, the line was replaced when the
standard gauge A standard-gauge railway is a railway with a track gauge of . The standard gauge is also called Stephenson gauge (after George Stephenson), international gauge, UIC gauge, uniform gauge, normal gauge in Europe, and SGR in East Africa. It is the ...
Adelaide–Darwin railway line was completed from
Alice Springs Alice Springs () is a town in the Northern Territory, Australia; it is the third-largest settlement after Darwin, Northern Territory, Darwin and Palmerston, Northern Territory, Palmerston. The name Alice Springs was given by surveyor William ...
to Darwin. ''
The Ghan ''The Ghan'' () is an experiential tourism-oriented passenger train service that operates between the northern and southern coasts of Australia, through the cities of Adelaide, Alice Springs and Darwin on the Adelaide–Darwin rail corridor ...
'' operates between
Adelaide Adelaide ( , ; ) is the list of Australian capital cities, capital and most populous city of South Australia, as well as the list of cities in Australia by population, fifth-most populous city in Australia. The name "Adelaide" may refer to ei ...
and the Darwin railway terminal at Berrimah. It runs once a week in each direction, with some exceptions. A new Katherine Logistics and
Agribusiness Agribusiness is the industry, enterprises, and the field of study of value chains in agriculture and in the bio-economy, in which case it is also called bio-business or bio-enterprise. The primary goal of agribusiness is to maximize profit ...
Hub is being planned. The proposed new passenger terminal and associated access road, carpark and rail platform will be constructed on a new rail line loop.


Air

Katherine Airport, situated within RAAF Base Tindal, is approximately 15 km south of the town centre. Airnorth flies to Katherine three times a week from Darwin and Alice Springs. Charter flights can also be arranged. The current airport shares facilities with RAAF Base Tindal, replacing the original Katherine Airfield which operated from 1930 to 1978, which was notable as the base from which Dr Clyde Fenton established the Northern Territory Aerial Medical Service. The airport and town received an extended description in the book "Beyond the Blue Horizon" by Alexander Frater, written in the 1980s and describing a journey by local air services from
London London is the Capital city, capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of both England and the United Kingdom, with a population of in . London metropolitan area, Its wider metropolitan area is the largest in Wester ...
to
Brisbane Brisbane ( ; ) is the List of Australian capital cities, capital and largest city of the States and territories of Australia, state of Queensland and the list of cities in Australia by population, third-most populous city in Australia, with a ...
, retracing the route of the pioneer airline operations of the 1930s.


Road

Katherine is at the crossroads of the Savannah Way that runs east–west from Cairns to Broome and the Explorer's Way that runs north–south from Darwin to Adelaide through Alice Springs. Savannah Way runs along the Victoria Highway at Katherine and Explorers Way runs along Stuart Highway. The town is a three-hour drive from Darwin.


Facilities


Education

As a major regional centre, the town provides primary, secondary and tertiary education options, as well as facilitating students with special needs and disabilities. There are four public primary schools located in the town catering to students in from transition to year 7: Katherine South Public School, Clyde Fenton School, Macfarlane Primary School an
Casuarina Street School
. Each of these schools also has a pre-school attached. Kintore Street Special school caters for children with additional needs from 3.6 to 18 years. Katherine High School is the only public secondary and middle years school (years 7 – 12) in the town and supports academic, sporting, and scientific learning opportunities for its students. The school has a well resourced library has a wide range of written and electronic media. Katherine High also boasts a large, airconditioned gymnasium allowing year round sporting activities and indoor activities. According to the Department of Education, Employment and Training, there are currently 586 students enrolled at the school. The current principal is Anne White. Due to the vast area and sparse population serviced by the Katherine Region, many students have to travel significant distances from their home to attend school. Callistemon House located nearby, while independent of Katherine High School provides accommodation for up to 40 high school students from remote areas so they may attend classes regularly at the school. Saint Joseph's Catholic College provides an alternative to the public schools in Katherine, catering for students from pre-school to year 12. The school began offering year 11 studies in 2013 and year 12 studies in 2014. As of 2012, there were 330 students enrolled at the college.
Charles Darwin University Charles Darwin University (CDU) is an Australian public university with two campuses in Darwin and six satellite campuses in metropolitan and regional areas of the Northern Territory. It was established in 2003 after the merger of Northern Ter ...
maintains a campus in Katherine which is split between two locations. The Rural College is located on the Stuart Highway north of Katherine on the Stuart Highway and provides residential accommodation for students studying vocational courses or undertaking apprenticeships and traineeships in agriculture and rural production. The town offices are located within the CBD and offer vocational courses in other disciplines including studies of business, computing, childcare and community services. Kintore Street School provides specialised education for students with special needs from across the Katherine region. Katherine School of the Air was established in 1966 to provide distance education to students in remote locations and isolated communities. The school originally conducted classes via HF radio broadcasts, however with the advent of technologies such as satellite communications and the internet this system is no longer used. The school caters for approximately 250 students up to year 9 over an area of . The school also promotes itself as a tourist attraction, boasting the "World's Largest Classroom".


Health

Katherine District Hospital is located in the town and provides emergency medical and surgical facilities as well as
maternity A mother is the female parent of a child. A woman may be considered a mother by virtue of having given birth, by raising a child who may or may not be her biological offspring, or by supplying her ovum for fertilisation in the case of gestatio ...
,
radiography Radiography is an imaging technology, imaging technique using X-rays, gamma rays, or similar ionizing radiation and non-ionizing radiation to view the internal form of an object. Applications of radiography include medical ("diagnostic" radiog ...
and
renal dialysis Kidney dialysis is the process of removing excess water, solutes, and toxins from the blood in people whose kidneys can no longer perform these functions naturally. Along with kidney transplantation, it is a type of renal replacement therapy. ...
units and specialist services. GP appointments are available at Gorge Health. The Wurli-Wurlinjang Health Service offers
culturally sensitive Cultural sensitivity, also referred to as cross-cultural sensitivity or cultural awareness, is the knowledge, awareness, and acceptance of other cultures and others' cultural identities. It is related to cultural competence (the skills needed fo ...
treatment for Indigenous patients.


Library

Also in town, on the first floor of the Randazzo Centre, on Katherine Terrace is the Katherine Public Library. The library is a free community service which offers memberships to all residents of the Katherine region and temporary memberships are available for visitors to the region. In addition to their borrowable collection of books, multimedia, audiobooks and e-resources the library is also home to the Northern Territory Collection; a special, not-for-loan collection that collects material relating specifically about or written by authors from the Northern Territory and the Katherine Region more specifically.


Leisure and entertainment

Leisure and entertainment activities in Katherine are often nature-based. Katherine Hot Springs, Mataranka Hot Springs, canoeing in Nitmiluk Gorge on the Katherine River, hunting, bushwalking, caving, camping and fishing on the Victoria, Daly, Roper or Katherine Rivers are all popular leisure activities. Although attempts are made to safely relocate saltwater crocodiles from areas of the river popular to tourists, these crocodiles do inhabit most of these river systems. Within the town itself is a three-screen cinema complex which opened in 1998. There are two clubs in the town: The Katherine Club (
Returned and Services League of Australia The Returned and Services League of Australia, also known as RSL, RSL Australia and the RSLA, is an independent support organisation for people who have served or are serving in the Australian Defence Force. History The League was formed in ...
sub-branch), located in the
Central Business District A central business district (CBD) is the Commerce, commercial and business center of a city. It contains commercial space and offices, and in larger cities will often be described as a financial district. Geographically, it often coincides wit ...
and Katherine Country Club in Katherine South. There are several restaurants and hotels (or resorts) that do offer lunch or dinner options.


Sport

The Katherine Sports Ground Complex, run by Katherine Town Council, is the main sporting facility and houses the Katherine Aquatic Centre including an olympic
swimming pool A swimming pool, swimming bath, wading pool, paddling pool, or simply pool, is a structure designed to hold water to enable Human swimming, swimming and associated activities. Pools can be built into the ground (in-ground pools) or built abo ...
,
tennis Tennis is a List of racket sports, racket sport that is played either individually against a single opponent (singles (tennis), singles) or between two teams of two players each (doubles (tennis), doubles). Each player uses a tennis racket st ...
club, four ovals (one with a pitch used for
cricket Cricket is a Bat-and-ball games, bat-and-ball game played between two Sports team, teams of eleven players on a cricket field, field, at the centre of which is a cricket pitch, pitch with a wicket at each end, each comprising two Bail (cr ...
and
Australian rules football Australian football, also called Australian rules football or Aussie rules, or more simply football or footy, is a contact sport played between two teams of 18 players on an Australian rules football playing field, oval field, often a modified ...
),a
BMX BMX, an abbreviation for bicycle motocross or bike motocross, is a cycle sport performed on BMX bikes, either in competitive BMX racing or freestyle BMX, or else in general street or off-road recreation. History BMX began during the ea ...
track, a
basketball court In basketball, the basketball court is the playing surface, consisting of a rectangular floor, with baskets at each end. Indoor basketball courts are almost always made of polished wood, usually maple, with -high rims on each basket. Outdoor ...
and
rugby league Rugby league football, commonly known as rugby league in English-speaking countries and rugby 13/XIII in non-Anglophone Europe, is a contact sport, full-contact sport played by two teams of thirteen players on a rectangular Rugby league playin ...
and
soccer Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a team sport played between two teams of 11 Football player, players who almost exclusively use their feet to propel a Ball (association football), ball around a rectangular f ...
fields. The complex also hosts equestrian sports and the Katherine and District Show Society. The town is also home to a nine-hole golf course, a fully equipped baseball diamond and a softball field.
Australian rules football Australian football, also called Australian rules football or Aussie rules, or more simply football or footy, is a contact sport played between two teams of 18 players on an Australian rules football playing field, oval field, often a modified ...
is popular in the region with several local clubs, Katherine, Katherine South, Eastside, and Tindal football clubs competing in the Big Rivers Australian Football League (formerly the Katherine District Football League). Further sporting amenities are provided at the Katherine Showgrounds: a
rodeo Rodeo () is a competitive equestrian sport that arose out of the working practices of cattle herding in Spain and Mexico, expanding throughout the Americas and to other nations. It was originally based on the skills required of the working vaqu ...
arena, a
polocrosse Polocrosse is a team sport that is a combination of polo and lacrosse. It is played outside, on a field (the pitch), on horseback. Each rider uses a cane or fiberglass stick to which is attached a racquet head with a loose, thread net, in which ...
playing field, and an oval with grandstand facilities, often used for football matches> The Jim Jackson Racecourse is the home of the Katherine Turf Club and the annual Katherine Cup race meeting, which draws competitors and punters from across the Northern Territory. The local rugby league competition is the Katherine Rugby League, and sanctions both Junior and Senior Rugby League matches. The season usually kicks off around March/April and runs through to Late August. A large facility owned by the
YMCA YMCA, sometimes regionally called the Y, is a worldwide youth organisation based in Geneva, Switzerland, with more than 64 million beneficiaries in 120 countries. It has nearly 90,000 staff, some 920,000 volunteers and 12,000 branches w ...
, the Henry Scott Recreation Centre, is located at the Katherine Sports Ground Complex and contains a
roller skating Roller skating is the act of travelling on surfaces with roller skates. It is a recreation, recreational activity, a sport, and a form of transportation. Roller rinks and skate parks are built for roller skating, though it also takes place on s ...
rink and gymnasium. It hosts regular recreational activities aimed at youth in the town such as dance classes. The venue also offers after school childcare and creche facilities. In addition, the YMCA hosts other activities such as
Aqua Aerobics Water aerobics (waterobics, aquarobics, aquatic fitness, aquafitness, aquafit) is the performance of aerobic exercise in water such as in a swimming pool. It is done mostly vertically and without swimming typically in waist deep or deeper water. ...
classes at the Katherine Aquatic Centre located adjacent to the Recreation Centre.


Culture


Mimi Aboriginal Art and Craft

Mimi Aboriginal Art and Craft, located at 6 Pearce Street, is a 100% Aboriginal-owned community
nonprofit A nonprofit organization (NPO), also known as a nonbusiness entity, nonprofit institution, not-for-profit organization, or simply a nonprofit, is a non-governmental (private) legal entity organized and operated for a collective, public, or so ...
art centre, established in 1978. Over fifty per cent of revenue from sales is paid to the artists, with the rest contributing to the running of the art centre. Artists represented there include Bill Yidumduma Harney. The centre underwent an extensive renovation in 2021/2022, reopening in May 2022. Facilities, including professional gallery spaces and artists' studios, were improved, and more outdoor spaces added to enhance the visitor experience. Troppo Architects designed the refurbishments, in consultation with the Mimi Ngarrdalingi Aboriginal Corporation Board members, staff and member artists.


Music

The Katherine Country Music Muster Association was formed after the Katherine 1998 floods to raise money for the Katherine Historical Society Inc. Over the years, the Muster has hosted emerging local and national country music artists, such as
Kasey Chambers Kasey Chambers (born 4 June 1976) is an Australian country music, Australian country singer-songwriter and musician born in Mount Gambier, South Australia, Mount Gambier to musicians Diane and Bill Chambers (musician), Bill Chambers. Her older ...
.Unique Indigenous music and dances are also important to the region.


Media

''The Katherine Times'' is the local newspaper that issued weekly. Five broadcast television services operate in Katherine – commercial stations
Imparja Television Imparja Television (IMP) is an independent Australian television station servicing over , across six states and territories: Northern Territory, South Australia, Queensland, New South Wales, Victoria, and Tasmania. It is based in Alice Spri ...
(
callsign In broadcasting and radio communications, a call sign (also known as a call name or call letters—and historically as a call signal—or abbreviated as a call) is a unique identifier for a transmitter station. A call sign can be formally assi ...
IMP-36),
Seven Central QQQ is an Australian television station broadcasting in remote central and eastern areas of Australia, owned by Southern Cross Austereo. The station is available via satellite and terrestrial platforms – mostly through community retransmissio ...
(CDT38) and 10 Central (CDT-5), along with the Government-owned ABC TV (ABC8) and SBS TV (SBS6). Imparja Television has a commercial agreement with the
Nine Network Nine Network (stylised 9Network, and commonly known as Channel Nine or simply Nine) is an Australian commercial free-to-air television network. It is owned by parent company Nine Entertainment and is one of the five main free-to-air television ...
. Seven Central is an affiliate of the
Seven Network Seven Network (stylised 7Network, and commonly known as Channel Seven or simply Seven) is an Australian commercial free-to-air Television broadcasting in Australia, television network. It is owned by Seven West Media, Seven West Media Limited, ...
. 10 Central transmits programming from the 10 Network. Katherine is served by both local and national radio and television services. The government-owned ABC provides 3 AM/FM broadcast radio stations: ABC local radio ( ABC Katherine); and national networks ABC Radio National and
ABC News Radio ABC News Radio is the news radio service of ABC Audio, a division of ABC News (United States), ABC News in the United States. Formerly known as ABC Radio News, ABC News Radio feeds, through Skyview Networks, five-minute newscasts on the hour ...
. Other national services including
ABC Classic ABC Classic, formerly ABC-FM (also ABC Fine Music), and then ABC Classic FM, is an Australian classical music radio station available in Australia and internationally. Its website features classical music news, features and listening guides. I ...
and
Triple J Triple J is an Australian government-funded national radio station founded in 1975 as a division of the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC). It aims to appeal to young listeners of alternative music, and plays far more Australian conten ...
are available via Digital television channels. The national Christian radio network Vision Radio broadcasts on 87.6 FM. Community stations are
CAAMA The Central Australian Aboriginal Media Association (CAAMA) is an organisation founded in 1980 to expose Aboriginal music and culture to the rest of Australia. It started with 8KIN-FM, the first Aboriginal radio station in the country. Based in ...
, Mix 104.9 and 8KTR FM.


In popular culture

The Katherine Region was popularised by the novel '' We of the Never Never'' (1908) by Jeannie Gunn, the wife of a pioneering pastoralist in the late 1800s. A film version of the book was released in 1982. The feature film '' Jedda'' (1955) was partially filmed at Katherine Gorge; however, the last roll of negatives was destroyed in a plane crash on its way for developing in England and the scenes were re-shot at Kanangra Falls in the Blue Mountains. The Australian horror film '' Rogue'', released in 2007, was partly filmed in Katherine Gorge. Katherine is also briefly mentioned in the 1986 film '' "Crocodile" Dundee''. Katherine features heavily in ''Generation'', a novel by Andrew MacAllan (a pseudonym of James Leasor).


Notable people

Notable people from or who have lived in Katherine include: * Jed Anderson, professional Australian rules footballer (born and raised in Katherine from 1994) * Keidean Coleman, professional Australian rules footballer (born and raised in Katherine from 2000) *
Mick Dodson Michael James Dodson is an Aboriginal Australian barrister and academic. He was Australia's first Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice Commissioner with the Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission. His brother is Pat Dod ...
, Indigenous Australian advocate and Australian of the Year (born in Katherine 1950) * Cadel Evans, former professional
racing cyclist Cycle sport is competitive physical activity using bicycles. There are several categories of bicycle racing including road bicycle racing, cyclo-cross, mountain bike racing, track cycling, BMX, and cycle speedway. Non-racing cycling spo ...
and mountainbiker who won the
Tour de France The Tour de France () is an annual men's multiple-stage cycle sport, bicycle race held primarily in France. It is the oldest and most prestigious of the three Grand Tour (cycling), Grand Tours, which include the Giro d'Italia and the Vuelta a ...
in
2011 The year marked the start of a Arab Spring, series of protests and revolutions throughout the Arab world advocating for democracy, reform, and economic recovery, later leading to the depositions of world leaders in Tunisia, Egypt, and Yemen ...
(born in Katherine 1977) * Clyde Fenton, the first Flying Doctor with the moniker "Speed Gordon of the Territory Skies" (lived and operated in Katherine between 1934 and 1942) * Alicia Janz, Australian rules footballer and netballer (born in Katherine in 1990) * Leisel Jones, Olympic gold medal-winning swimmer (born in Katherine 1985) *
Luke Kelly Luke Kelly (17 November 1940 – 30 January 1984) was an Irish singer, folk musician and actor from Dublin, Ireland. Born into a working-class household in Dublin city, Kelly moved to England in his late teens and by his early 20s had become ...
, professional rugby league footballer (born in Katherine 1989) * Bruce Litchfield, architect who designed and built early Katherine buildings * Andrew McLeod, professional Australian rules footballer (grew up in Katherine in the 1980s) * Malarndirri McCarthy, Indigenous Australian politician (born in Katherine 1970) * Sam McMahon, an Australian politician for the
Country Liberal Party The Country Liberal Party of the Northern Territory (CLP), commonly known as the Country Liberals, is a centre-right and conservative political party in Australia's Northern Territory. In territory politics, it operates in a two-party system wi ...
and a
Senator A senate is a deliberative assembly, often the upper house or Legislative chamber, chamber of a bicameral legislature. The name comes from the Ancient Rome, ancient Roman Senate (Latin: ''Senatus''), so-called as an assembly of the senior ...
for the
Northern Territory The Northern Territory (abbreviated as NT; known formally as the Northern Territory of Australia and informally as the Territory) is an states and territories of Australia, Australian internal territory in the central and central-northern regi ...
in the
Parliament of Australia The Parliament of Australia (officially the Parliament of the Commonwealth and also known as the Federal Parliament) is the federal legislature of Australia. It consists of three elements: the Monarchy of Australia, monarch of Australia (repr ...
in 2019 *
James McManus } James "Jim" McManus (born March 22, 1951) is an Americans, American teacher, writer and poker player living in Kenilworth, Illinois. He is a professor in the Master of Fine Arts program for writers at the Art Institute of Chicago. Poker and ' ...
, professional rugby league footballer (grew up in Katherine in the 1990s) * Olive O'Keeffe, a nurse who spent much of her career working in Katherine and much of that working alongside Clyde Fenton * Brad Ottens, professional Australian rules footballer (grew up on a local cattle station) * D'Arcy Short, professional
cricketer Cricket is a Bat-and-ball games, bat-and-ball game played between two Sports team, teams of eleven players on a cricket field, field, at the centre of which is a cricket pitch, pitch with a wicket at each end, each comprising two Bail (cr ...
(born in Katherine 1990) * Mathew Sinclair, New Zealand
Cricketer Cricket is a Bat-and-ball games, bat-and-ball game played between two Sports team, teams of eleven players on a cricket field, field, at the centre of which is a cricket pitch, pitch with a wicket at each end, each comprising two Bail (cr ...
(born in Katherine 1975) * C. W. Stoneking, Australian blues musician (born in Katherine 1974) * Stephanie Talbot, Australian basketball player (born in Katherine 1994) * Jim Zimin, pioneering farmer and inventor (lived in Katherine 1930–1934, 1936–1974)


References


External links


Katherine Town Council

National Library of Australia
a collection of photographs of Katherine in 1996.
Official Tourism Information Site



NT's Own Webpage

Street-directory.com Map – new rail line 3km to southwest of town
{{authority control Towns in the Northern Territory 1926 establishments in Australia Populated places established in 1926