点评:When I set off from Darwin to do some solo adventures down in Katherine I felt a flash of trepidation as I pictured myself driving down lonely Outback roads to isolated waterfalls, populated only by crocodiles and serial killers . It turns out the biggest threat to my safety was being trampled by hordes of feral kids on holidays. And they’re all waterfall experts . As I was walking down to the Upper Pool at Edith Falls I passed two lanky teens coming back up muttering to each other.
‘That totally wasn’t worth the walk’ one grumbled .
‘Yeah that waterfall was pathetic’ agreed his mate .
Earlier that morning I’d walked the longer walk to ‘isolated’ Sweetwater Pools . I stopped at the first pools on my way to be informed by a world weary six year old on his return journey that the one up the top was much better .
When I got there I had to admit he had a point - but comparing the beauty of endless spectacular swimming spots and stunning springs is for the jaded. Each is its own gorgeous cacophony of crystal clear water flowing over majestic rocks, fringed by glowing green pandanus. Except for Katherine Hot Springs, which is actually a bit how’s your father . It’s probably lovely in the off season when the pool noodles stop breeding .
Ah - the greater spotted rainbow pool noodle - not quite native to the territory but certainly naturalised there . It seems that every single toddler and his beer gutted father is attached to a brightly coloured pool noodle. There is little as depressing as looking into the transparent water of beautiful Berry Springs with goggles, wondering at the fantastic variety of fish then emerging to see a pile of broken noodles forlornly decomposing on the water’s edge. They should ban them . Then again the Territory should probably ban a lot of things - like devastating developments in mangrove swamps, relentless over-burning, turtles being traumatised by tourists and the right to set yourself or half the state alight on Territory Day with unregulated fireworks. They’re not about to do any of that - which is part of the allure of this still marginally rogue place . Still - start with the pool noodles! No self respecting freshwater fish needs a diet of micro plastics.
Katherine Gorge, far from isolated, is a factory processing hub for the droves of folks enjoying their own personal experience of nature showing off . A never- ending queue checks into Nitmiluk Tours for the boat trip ( 2 hour, 4 hour, sunset dinner) or the canoe adventure (half day, full day, overnight ). I did both with no regrets . In fact kudos to them for managing the mobs as efficiently as they do . Nothing can take away from the grandeur of a 20 million year old trickle of water that cut its way through a crack in the rock to form the red cliffs of Nitmiluk. And it is nice to finish it off with a soy latte even if that does make me sound soft.
The day walks in the park were by no means a solitary adventure but the screams of children being tortured by well meaning parents aiming to instill a love of walking in the bush did fade the further away from I got from the Visitor Centre. No chance to feel lonely - endless birds and butterflies accompanied me on my walks and there was always the chance to say ‘gday’ to a passing couple or solo female hiker ( of which I passed at least 5 on my two longer walks).
翻译:当我从达尔文出发去凯瑟琳进行一些单独的冒险时,当我想象自己沿着孤独的内陆道路行驶到偏僻的瀑布时,我感到一阵恐惧,那里只有鳄鱼和连环杀手。事实证明,对我的安全最大的威胁是在假期被成群的野孩子践踏。他们都是瀑布专家。当我步行前往伊迪丝瀑布的上层泳池时,两个瘦长的青少年正走过来,他们互相嘀咕着。
“那完全不值得走一走”,有人抱怨道。
“是的,那个瀑布很可怜”他的同伴同意道。
那天早上早些时候,我走了更长的路,来到了“孤立的”甜水池。途中,我在第一个泳池停了下来,一个厌世的六岁孩子在回程时告诉我,山顶的泳池要好得多。
当我到达那里时,我不得不承认他说得有道理——但是比较无尽的壮观游泳点和令人惊叹的温泉的美丽是厌倦的。每一个都有自己的华丽刺耳的水晶般清澈的水流过雄伟的岩石,周围是发光的绿色露兜树。除了凯瑟琳温泉,那其实有点像你父亲。当淡季泳池面条停止繁殖时,这可能会很可爱。
啊——更大的斑点彩虹泳池面条——不是该地区的本土品种,但肯定是在那里归化的。似乎每个小孩和他喝得烂醉的父亲都对色彩鲜艳的泳池面条情有独钟。没有什么比戴着护目镜看着美丽的贝里泉透明的水更令人沮丧的了,惊叹于各种各样的鱼,然后看到一堆断面条在水边可怜地腐烂。他们应该禁止他们。不过,领土可能应该禁止很多事情——比如红树林沼泽的破坏性开发、无情的过度燃烧、海龟受到游客的伤害,以及在领土日用不受管制的烟花点燃自己或半个州的权利。他们不打算做任何事——这正是这个仍然有点流氓的地方的吸引力的一部分。还是从泳池面条开始吧!没有自尊的淡水鱼需要以微塑料为食。
凯瑟琳峡谷并不与世隔绝,它是一个工厂加工中心,成群结队的人们在这里享受着自己的自然体验。 Nitmiluk Tours 的乘船游览(2 小时、4 小时、日落晚餐)或独木舟探险(半天、全天、过夜)的队列永不停歇。我两件事都做了,没有后悔。事实上,他们像他们一样有效地管理暴徒,值得称赞。 2000 万年前的细流从岩石裂缝中冲出,形成了尼特米卢克的红色悬崖,其壮观程度是任何事物都无法比拟的。最后喝一杯大豆拿铁真是太好了,即使这确实让我听起来很软弱。
白天在公园里散步绝不是一次孤独的冒险,但孩子们被善意的父母折磨的尖叫声确实消失了,他们的目的是灌输对在灌木丛中散步的热爱,离游客中心越远,声音就越小。没有机会感到孤独——无数的鸟儿和蝴蝶陪伴着我散步,而且总是有机会向路过的情侣或独自的女性徒步旅行者说“gday”(其中我在两次较长的步行中至少经过了 5 个)。