NITMILUK (KATHERINE) GORGE, NITMILUK, NT

Whether it’s an endless sea of red sand, or the minimalist aesthetic of a desert dotted with hardy shrubs and delicate wildflowers, the outback often comes across as homogenous expanses, spectacular as they are nonetheless. It’s when nature suddenly decides to get creative across these canvases like a frenzied Jackson Pollock that things start to get really interesting. Take Nitmiluk Gorge in its namesake national park, just 30 kilometres from the township of Katherine. In fact, 13 gorges here suddenly sink down into the wilderness of bush, a process that has taken the Katherine River thousands of years, witnessed over the course of many generations by the Jawoyn people. Allow them to show you their home with tours of raging waterfalls, ancient rock-art sites and cruises along the river by kayak or boat through their company Nitmiluk Tours. It also means you can enjoy it all with a stay at the gorgeous Cicada Lodge too.