TOP 10  IN THE TOP END

1. KATHERINE HOT SPRINGS, KATHERINE

A more northerly version of Mataranka and Bitter Springs, Katherine’s Hot Springs dish up shimmering blue waters, free of sediment right down to the clay bed, naturally warmed to a comfortable temp in the low 30s. Pull on the boardies and float underneath archways of foliage formed by the paperbarks and pandunas, in a selection of pools, manicured as part of a $2 million council revamp a few years ago; or soak in the spritzy water near low waterfalls, gazing down light-filled glens aflutter with common crow butterflies. A pop-up cafe, shipment container style, serves up lattes and cappas at the top of the stairs, laying the groundwork for the perfect outing – a swim to calm down and a long black to get going again. Stay at Riverside Tourist Park if you’d like to walk directly from your campsite (500m one way).

If you’re seeking other warm waters to explore, try out the hot springs at Berry Springs Nature Park, less than 50km from Darwin. Here the green-tinged waters aren’t quite as clear and there’s usually quite a few people in attendance, but to compensate there’s more space to spread out and swim, plus the aquamarine water, coloured by its rich mineral content, holds its own allure.

2. NITMILUK GORGE, NITMILUK NATIONAL PARK

The wide Katherine River, calm in the dry but surging during the wet,