Mataranka
About Mataranka
Mataranka is a small town, south of Katherine with a small population but with lots of tourists due to its sandy bottomed thermal pool and bitter springs. This town is well known because of the novel, We of the Never Never about nearby Elsey station and was written by Janine Gunn.
Click on photos for more information
History and Heritage
In 1879 Abraham Wallace became the first European to take up land in the area. He overlanded 2,728 cattle from Bowen Downs in Queensland and established Elsey Station. During World War II Mataranka was the headquarters for over 100 Australian units. It had a hospital, ammunition dumps, abattoirs and a sawmill.
Places to stay
Mataranka’s accommodation consists of motels and homesteads as well as cabins and camping providing plenty of places to stay.
Things to do
In Mataranka there is plenty of things to do like visit the parks and take a look at the war memorial and of course visit the sandy bottomed thermal pool and bitter springs.