09-13/07/2017 - photos

Participants: Tom Brennan, Rachel Grindlay

  • Day 1-2 - From the Vistors' Centre, we walked to Pat's Lookout and Jedda Rock, then across country on the Waleka Walk to the Lily Ponds for lunch. After a short rough section, a side track took us to the Smitt Rock campsite at Fourth Gorge, where we stayed the night. (16km) The following day we returned to the main track and headed across rough country again to the creek that feeds Eighth Gorge. We spent a while exploring Jawoyn Valley, before heading to the Eighth Gorge campsite, which is near the top of a large waterfall overlooking the gorge. (15km)
  • Day 3-5 - It was a short walk down to the Katherine River, where we inflated packrafts. Paddling up to the Ninth Gorge campsite, we left packs in the shade and explored further upstream, to where the gorge country opens out into flat sandy plains. We found a shady spot for lunch and lounged around there for a while, since the campsite didn't have much shade, before returning mid afternoon. (7km) There was not much need to get moving early as we had only a few kilometres to paddle. We were at the campsite by morning tea, and did a little exploring up on the cliffs. It was very windy, and we spent a fair bit of time reading near a small pool at the back of the gorge. (3km) We were away fairly early on the final day since we had a bit of paddling, followed by a decent walk. By Fourth Gorge we were bumping into day paddlers coming upstream. Back at First Gorge by around midday, and then a scramble up to Pat's Lookout for lunch, and then a bit of a slog back to the Visitors' Centre. (14km).