Northern Territory » Batchelor

Batchelor is best known as the gateway to magnificent Litchfield National Park. Situated 98 kilometres south of Darwin, just off the Stuart Highway (Explorer’s Way) and with a population of 358, Batchelor is an excellent base from which to explore Litchfield. Tourism became Batchelor’s key industry when Litchfield was declared a national park in 1986.

The modern town is also home to a unique TAFE catering specifically to Aboriginal students. While in Batchelor, drop into the Coomalie Cultural Centre and peruse its presentation of indigenous arts and crafts from the Top End and Central Australia. The Batchelor Butterfly and Bird Farm is also well worth a visit. As well as showcasing a unique range of butterflies and birds in pleasant waterfall garden, the farm offers budget accommodation and has a licensed restaurant on site. Accommodation is also available at the Batchelor Caravillage and Banyan Caravan Park. The town was named after the South Australian Labour politician Egerton Lee Batchelor (1865-1911) who became Minister for the Northern Territory in 1911. Batchelor grew slowly, with brief spurts of mining activity until World War II when it was turned into an Allied air force.

In the 1950s a prospector named Jack White discovered uranium deposits at nearby Rum Jungle. Legend has it that Rum Jungle earned its name after a rather raucous incident in 1871. A bullock-wagon load of rum became bogged near jungle in the East Finniss River prompting the fearless bullockies to settle in for one of the most notorious binges in Northern Territory history.

Temperatures for Batchelor
Batchelor has hot summer temperatures. The summer high temperature for Batchelor is approximately 34 °c. The summer low temperature is approximately 24 °c.

Batchelor has warm winter temperatures. The winter high temperature for Batchelor is approximately 33 °c. The winter low temperature is approximately 16 °c.

Mataranka
The ‘Never Never Land’ of Mataranka was the setting of the famous Australian novel, We of the Never Never by Jeannie Gunn. Mataranka township is located 100 kilometres south of Katherine on the Stuart Highway. Jeannie Gunn ‘The Little Missus’ lived at nearby Elsey Station, and her affection for the area has been immortalised in her book.

Within Elsey National Park, you will find the grave of her husband and a memorial to the author at the Elsey Cemetery and Reserve. The Mataranka Homestead is a replica of the home the Gunn’s lived in, as no remains of the original exist. Elsey Station is now administered by the local Aboriginal people.

The ancient dreamtime stories of the Mangarayi and Yungman tribes describe a wind sweeping in from the east that created the area. Mataranka thermal pools are a great place to unwind. The warm, crystalline waters of the natural pools have the power to soothe aches and pains after a long day on the road. The water is spring fed, bubbling up at a fairly constant temperature of 34 degrees Celsius. The surrounding paperbark and palm forest filters the sun and leaves soft, dappled light playing on the water's surface.The area around the pools is a natural breeding ground for the little red flying fox. The breeding season is usually from November to May, but often extends into the drier months. During the breeding season, there are ranger guided talks available.

Nhulunbuy/Gove
The settlement of Nhulunbuy is approximately 600 kilometres from Darwin, on the eastern-most tip of the Gove Peninsula. The Gove Peninsula encompasses nearly 100,000 square kilometres of land owned by the Yolngu Aboriginal people, and is famous for spectacular beaches and great fishing. Fishing is the most popular activity in Nhulunbuy as The mangrove-fed waters of the Peninsula are jumping with all types of prized tropical species. Several charters and fishing tours are available.