While there are many good reasons why most grey nomads will never get to see the Katherine area during heavy rain when the falls are in full flow and the creeks are running freely, it is nonetheless a shame that so few witness the area’s spectacular transformation.
After years of below average rainfall, Nitmiluk National Park has been transformed by a strong start to the Top End wet season in which 200 millimetres of rain has fallen in the past week. The ABC reports that the park has already passed its annual average January rainfall by more than 100 millimetres, causing waterfalls to flow along the gorge.
Of course, with the Katherine River rising sharply, access is not easy at this time of the year, with the ABC reporting that visitors had to be ferried across the flooded Maud Creek in a small boat this week in order to get to the park.
But, even for the vast majority of caravanners and motorhomers, who are ‘missing out’ by preferring to spend the summer in the south, there could well be benefits later in the year.
“With this being a sandstone-dominated park, having good rainfall every year is important to keep features like waterfalls and creek systems flowing well into the dry season,” District ranger Andrew McPhee, told the ABC. “We are hoping this year to get a good dry season of waterholes and swimming holes staying open for longer.”
The park rangers of course have to react to the changing conditions and spend a lot of time monitoring the river so they can report any dramatic trends downstream to the town. They also constantly watching for any crocodile activity.
The park’s fire program is also dependent on the weather, and the wet season burning has recently had to be postponed because of the rains. The deluge will also promote a lot of grass growth throughout the park, which would be managed in the dry season.
· Have you seen Katherine area in the wet season? Was it worth the logistical challenges? Comment below.
We have just gone through Kakadu and Katherine, sure some areas were closed off because of the rain but they were still fantastic and we were almost alone, Edith Falls in part of the Nitmulk National Park near Kathrine and not far off the highway was raging, a great sight that we wouldn’t see if there in the dry season. So don’t stay away because of the season. Just do it if you get the chance.