Butterfly Gorge Walk
Nitmiluk National Park
Directions - Located in the southern section of Nitmiluk National Park, from the centre of Katherine head north on Giles Street as it becomes Gorge Road and follow this for 28km. There is only one main road to the Nitmiluk Visitor Centre and it is well signed so you can't miss it. There is plenty of parking but it does fill up during the peak period around July school holidays. The walk starts from outside the Visitor Centre where you will find a large information board detailing the Southern Walks in Nitmiluk.
The Hike - With the main focus of our most recent visit to the Northern Territory being an extended stay in Katherine, I was looking forward to exploring the many trails located in the southern section of Nitmiluk National Park. Having studied the maps before coming out here, I knew there was a network of trails out here that you could make into a choose your own adventure style of hike.
There were some official walks listed and for ease of putting them on the website, I mostly followed the recommendations by the NT Parks Department. Surprisingly, most of the walks are of a pretty good length with the shortest being the Baruwei Loop that I would over the course of this hike, end up doing in full. Having explored the Leliyn Falls Trail the previous day with Caris and her aunt, I would be tackling the longer walks on my own. Unfortunately Caris' Uncle Hal had to leave Darwin before we arrived due to health reasons and I'm sure he would have loved to have walked this with me, as we did in Exmouth with the Badjirrajirra Trail. With the morning time scheduled in to do this before a boat trip through Katherine Gorge in the afternoon, I drove the half hour from our accommodation in Katherine to the Nitmiluk Visitor Centre. With it being the middle of the dry season, this was about as cold as it was going to get an initially I had my jacket on.
Reaching the entrance to the park just after sunrise, I gathered my gear, left my jacket in the car and made my way from the car park to the Visitor Centre to start the walk. Unsure if I would have the time to do the Baruwei Walk as a separate hike and wanting to get some early morning views of the Katherine River, I decided to head out to Southern Walks junction via the Baruwei Loop that takes you up to some impressive views overlooking the river. The walk from the Visitor Centre to the Boat Jetty is along pavement and while not terribly appealing from a visual point of view, did contain a few chirping birds. Reaching the jetty area, I headed down to the water for a glimpse of the river before finding the Baruwei Loop as it starts ascending. As you start climbing, you squeeze between a few large boulders and it looks like someone has stuck smaller rocks into some mortar.
This is a naturally occurring phenomenon where rocks and pebbles from the ancient river delta were covered over and then squashed over time. Continuing to ascend via a series of metal staircases and boardwalks, soon the views looking across the river to the impressive rock structures start to come into view. With the golden glow of the early morning light, this was a real treat that highlighted what a special place Nitmiluk is. Reaching the first of two lookouts, the views really opened up so you could see the Katherine River below and the expanse of the national park looking north (also where the Jatbula Trail heads). Wanting more, I hurried up to the main Baruwei Lookout and was blown away with the quality of the views. The still morning provided a calmness and I could just soak in the vistas of the river, the jagged rocks and the sun streaming through Katherine Gorge to the east. So far, so good but this was just the first part of the walk and I was excited to head further inland and eventually reach Butterfly Gorge.
Prying myself away from the excellent views, the trail continues up a gentle uphill towards the big water tanks I had seen from the Visitor Centre, the fascinating geology of the rocks gives way to the savanna woodlands that will become familiar over the next few days. Driving out from Darwin, I was surprised at how lush the landscape looked around Katherine but I think this is mainly because in WA, all of the woodlands inland from the coast have been cleared for farming so it appears as if not much grows past a certain point. With the morning air still relatively cool compared to the 30C it would reach later on in the day, I enjoyed meandering around as the trail follows vehicle tracks and intersects with mountain bike trails. This was a little bit unexpected as the NT is not really considered a MTB destination but they seem to have put in a bit of money and effort into the trails. I'm not sure if it was just timing but I didn't see any riders out on my two extended hikes here so hopefully they are well used.
Spotting a few wildflowers along this section, there are many information boards scattered along the Baruwei Loop letting you know about the native flora and fauna. For the main tourist walk that many will do, this is a good way to connect people with the land and I stopped to enjoy them all. After getting some views looking back down towards the Visitor Centre, the trail heads inland and is more of a gentle meander through the landscape. Lining up to shoot the scene ahead, I saw something dash across my field of view and snapped away. It was a small Wallaroo and luckily I got it in frame of the photo. It stopped in the bushes nearby and was quite happy to pose for a few photos as I crept closer so as not to disturb it. Eventually it decided it was done with me and hopped away so I continued along the path as it rounded a corner and started going downhill. Presenting you with a wide vista of what is ahead, I enjoyed the descent with bright yellow Kapok flowers visible just above my eye line.
I also heard a familiar sound as a Black Cockatoo flew by and let out a few screeches. That made me think of home as I love hearing their WA cousins as I'm walking or riding through the forest. At the bottom of the hill you reach the Southern Walks junction and a map of all the trails you can head out to from this spot, or you can take the trail back to the Visitor Centre. As I was heading towards Butterfly Gorge, I took the left turn and walked the 400m to the Windorf Walk intersection. There is a small water tank here and a bench, along with more maps so you can decipher which way you want to go. The Windorf Walk would be an adventure for another day as I would be continuing along the Yambi Walk towards the next intersection. Moving on, the next section is quite spectacular with bare rock hills extending up towards the sky, dotted with palm trees in a scene that would become the norm over the next few kilometres.
Fascinated by the rocky formation to my right, I stopped to take many photos, including trying to capture the morning moon sitting just above one of the slopes. Following the wide track, it cuts through the landscape, passing under the shade of a few larger trees that was a most welcome relief. Rising up a small hill, you kind of do a semi circle before finally heading the direction of Butterfly Gorge. The bird life on this walk was plentiful but for the most part they were either too far away or moving too fast to get a clear shot. Every now and then I would get lucky and through here I was fortunate to photograph a smaller bird playing on a small palm tree. Another cool find through here was a flowering Grevillea that turned out to be a Dryander's Grevillea. The half loop section I think is there to pick a way through the various rock formations that cover this area. If you look at the satellite view on the map at the top of the page, the geology is fascinating thanks to the almost grid pattern that has formed over the aeons.
Now on a straight and narrow path all the way to the next intersection, it was far from dull with plenty to see and photograph. The rock formations on either side provided great focus points and section of lusher vegetation made for a cool change. I think I read somewhere that this area has the feel of an Arabian Oasis and it certainly gives off those vibes with all the palm trees and lightly coloured rocky surfaces everywhere. There is just over a kilometre of walking to get through before you reach the decision point for more trails and it was a pleasant stroll looking out for birds and maybe trying to spot a dingo or another Wallaroo. Unfortunately I didn't see anything but was happy to walk along with the bird song for company. Reaching the trail junction, there is another small water tank and a couple of benches to sit on. I had a break here, sitting in the shade and enjoying a drink as it was starting to warm up by this stage.
With Butterfly Gorge just ahead, I moved on, noting the Jedda's Rock sign and getting excited to do that hike in a few days time (although travelling there via a different route). Following the orange markers hanging off various trees and branches, the trail winds up a small hill where you get some pretty cool views looking down into the heavily vegetated gorge. Finally at the main event after a thoroughly enjoyable hike, I started the 1.5 kilometre descent into the gorge that would eventually see me reach the edge of the Katherine River. Initially it is still quite exposed and you can see the cliffs running either side of the gorge, something I took joy in photographing, especially when there were a mass of palm trees in the shot too. Eventually the undergrowth and canopy start to thicken and it became the tropical oasis that I imagined a place called Butterfly Gorge to be like. Following the narrow path, there are a few obstacles like fallen trees and rocks to step over but this just adds to the adventure.
As expected with a downward sloping gorge leading into a wide river, there is a small stream that flows right through the middle and you walk alongside it for most of the way down. Being dry season, it was no more than a trickle in places with a few wider pools providing drinking water to the local wildlife that may not want to head all the way down to the Katherine River. A larger pool at the base of the rock wall suggested that there is a seasonal waterfall here. Continuing along, the descent seemed to take forever as I was moving quite slowly thanks to all the photos I was taking. About halfway down I was wondering where all the butterflies were, as the name suggested this area would be swarming with the fancy critters. I eventually crossed paths with one and was fortunate enough for it to land close by so I could take photos. It was a Common Crow Butterfly that I had seen in Darwin and Litchfield but it's always nice to see another. It wasn't long before I saw another, followed by several spiders hanging out above some ferns lining one of the rock walls.
Reaching the final section before arriving at the river, the sandy deposit where the season creek would flow into a deeper pool looked like the perfect area for fresh water crocodiles but I didn't spot any on this visit (we did see some near here on the boat cruise later that day). The end of the gorge appears quite suddenly as the thick vegetation conceals it well but popping out onto a sandy bank, you are presented with some limited views looking through the trees lining the edge of the river. The trail snakes off towards the left hand rock face and leads to a narrow rock shelf that provides much better views looking down Second Gorge. There is an overhanging tree at the end that provides a nice feature to photograph and with the main views looking in an easterly direction, I wasn't going to be getting the best photos thanks to the morning sun. Working with what I was given, I snapped away and then sat on one of the rocks to enjoy a Clif Bar and a beverage. This is a good spot to go swimming if you bring your bathers and a towel and happens to be the deepest part of the Katherine River (about 25-30m deep if I remember correctly from the boat tour). There is a great story about the Rainbow Serpent and this spot that you will hear on the boat tour so I highly recommend doing that if you're in the area.
With a 6km hike back to the Visitor Centre and the day heating up, I departed this spot and ventured back up the gorge to re-join the Yambi Walk as it headed back to where I had turned off the Baruwei Loop. A hiker was having a rest at the trail junction and with the big pack, I assume she had done an overnight walks to one of the campsites located along the Waleka or Yambi Walks as they continue to follow the edge of the Katherine River to the east. It's pretty cool that these campsites exist for the more serious walker and maybe one day I'll return to hike them, perhaps when I schedule in the Jatbula Trail. Heading back to the Visitor Centre, I spotted a few flowers I missed on the way out and was passed by a French couple I had seen in Butterfly Gorge that seemed to be carrying no water at all (which is not advised at all). The final section of the Baruwei Loop is a nice walk as you head down the hill but the flat section leading back to the car park feels a bit dry and exposed so I was happy to power through that to finish. Hike over, I purchased a drink from the Visitor Centre and enjoyed the air con of the car as I drove back to Katherine.
Final Thoughts – My first hike in the southern section of Nitmiluk National Park and it didn't disappoint.
I enjoy that there are longer walks here that cater to the more serious hiker and it isn't just short loops and walks to lookout for the unfit tourist. They seem to have put a lot of thought into the trail network here and while having to walk the same stretch of trail multiple times if you want to do some of the longer variations, the scenery is of high quality (not including the direct route out from the car park).
Hiking the start of the Baruwei Loop was a good decision and provided some memorable views overlooking the Katherine River. Butterfly Gorge was as advertised with a gorge full of butterflies and it was a walk full of variety.
I was expecting the middle part of this hike to be the main issue but the whole thing was a delight to walk and if you have the fitness then I highly recommend putting this one on your Nitmiluk agenda.
Get out there and experience it!
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