Mataranka Thermal Pools

Two spring systems near Mataranka produce clear water at around thirty-four degrees, discharging millions of litres a day into pools shaded by livistona palms and paperbarks in Elsey National Park. Mataranka Thermal Pool is the developed one, with a concrete edge and steps beside a resort; Bitter Springs, a few kilometres away, is a spring-fed channel where swimmers drift downstream on the current through palms and climb out at a ladder to walk back and do it again. The water is exceptionally clear. The area is associated with the novel We of the Never Never, set on Elsey Station, and a replica homestead stands nearby.

What you actually see

• Bitter Springs - a clear spring channel that swimmers drift along.
• Mataranka Thermal Pool - the developed pool beside the resort.
• The palm forest - livistona palms and paperbarks over the water.
• The Elsey homestead replica - built for a film of We of the Never Never.

When to go

May to September for the dry season, when the water is at its clearest and the weather comfortable; the wet season brings flooding that can close the pools entirely. Early morning avoids the crowds and the mist over the water is at its best.

Honest expectations

Both pools get busy in the dry season, particularly midday. Freshwater crocodiles are present in the wider river system and the pools close if a saltwater crocodile is detected. Insect repellent matters at dawn and dusk.

Nearby

Katherine lies northwest; Elsey National Park surrounds the springs.